Thermal, CA (March 24, 2016): Junior and Amateur riders rode for the win and a piece of the prize money as they competed in Saturday morning’s $25,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic of HITS Desert Circuit VIII. Along with the purse, the equestrians who are between 13 and 21 years of age were also vying for points as Saturday morning’s class was a selection trial for the North American Junior & Young Rider Championship (NAJYRC).
Saree Kayne and W Zermie 13 on their way to a $25,000 JR./A-O Jumper Classic win at HITS Thermal. ESI Photography
Thirty-four riders took a swing at the 16 jumping effort 1.45 meter technical course set by Alan Wade of Tipperary, Ireland. A tight double combination and short triple combination took many riders by surprise. It came down to a nail biter as three riders were able to jump clear jump-off rounds, but it was Saree Kayne who took home the winning $7,500 purse.
“This is our first big win in a class like this,” said an excited Kayne on her first-ever $25,000 Jr/A-O Jumper Classic win. “It’s so great to have an outlet to show in a class with this prize money, and I’m just thrilled to have an opportunity to compete in it.”
First to go clear in the first round and move onward to the jump-off was Erin Davis-Heineking riding Casino, owned by Heineking Show Stables. Casino and Davis-Heineking set the tone for the rest of the class as the horse and rider duo perfected the shortened course of 8 jumping efforts. They stopped the clock in 43.240 seconds, taking the temporary lead. That time would end up good enough for third.
Saree Kayne was sitting in the wings as she watched Davis-Heineking perform the jump-off. Kayne was abroad W Zermie 13 who is owned by Woodacres Stables LLC. They needed to go fast and clear to catch Davis-Heineking time and they did just that. The tight roll-back turn to A of the combination helped Kayne secure the win as she crossed the timers in 38.832 seconds, making this the Great American Time to Beat and pushing Davis-Heineking into second. Kayne would stay at the top for the rest of the class and go home with the win.
Last to go was Sydney Callaway riding Wolf S, owned by Callaway Stables LLC. The pair galloped through the jump-off, but a slight bobble to the last fence cost the pair valuable time as they crossed the markers in 41.137 seconds, taking home second place.
Fourth place belonged to Jodie Camberg riding her own Veneto DH Z. Rounding out the top five and taking home the fifth place ribbon was Mitchell Endicott of Encinitas, California riding Wynmont’s Zaldorado.
Place |
Horse | Owner | Rider | Prize |
R.1 Faults | R.2 Faults | Time |
| 1 | W ZERMIE 13 | Woodacres Stables LLC | Saree Kayne | $7,500 | – | – | 38.832 |
| 2 | WOLF S | Callaway Stables LLC | Sydney Callaway | $5,500 | – | – | 41.137 |
| 3 | CASINO | Heineking Show Stables | Erin Davis-Heineking | $3,250 | – | – | 43.240 |
| 4 | VENETO DH Z | Jodie Camberg | Jodie Camberg | $2,000 | – | Elim | – |
| 5 | ZALDORADO | Wyndmont | Mitchell Endicott | $1,500 | 2 | – | – |
| 6 | ZILOX T | Haley Farms, LLC | Tiffany Sullivan | $1,250 | 4 | – | – |
| 7 | RODSTER D’AMAURY | Monarch International | Hannah Heidegger | $1,000 | 4 | – | – |
| 8 | CALA D’OR 3 | Morgan Dickerson | Morgan Dickerson | $750 | 4 | – | – |
$3,500 Jr./A-O Young Rider Qualifier, presented by Bayer’s Legend (hyaluronate Sodium) Injectable Solution
Mitchell Endicott and Zaldorado on their way to a $3,500 Jr./A-O Young Rider Qualifier win at HITS Thermal. ESI Photography
Show jumping competition continued Friday in the heart of Southern California at HITS Desert Horse Park’s final weekend of competition for the winter circuit with a Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper class that was a selection trial for the Zone 10 North American Junior Young Rider Championship.
A field of twenty-eight contenders attempted the 12-effort jumper course set by Alan Wade of Tipperary, Ireland for the $3,500 Junior/Amateur-Owner Young Rider Qualifier. Mitchell Endicott, of Rancho Santa Fe, California, piloting Zaldorado, owned by Wyndmont, cruised to a cool first-place finish complete with the $1,050 prize and bragging rights to a win in the NAJYR selection trial.
With the jumps set at a 1.40 meter and an open water jump, only three would go clear in the first round to proceed to the jump-off. First to re-enter the ring was Madeleine Louise Wilson aboard her own Nakich Double Dutch. A rail at the second jump, and then again at the fourth jump, resulted in eight faults in a time of 41.123. When the class was done, that was good enough for second place.
Endicott was next in the order. Careful in his craft, it was smooth sailing until the combination where an unfortunate rail cost him four faults. Endicott cleared the final two jumps with ease. Clocking in at 45.539 with four faults, Endicott moved into first, where he would remain to win the class.
The final trip of the afternoon was Sarah Baz on her own Quintana 57. With precision, Baz rode her mount over the first four jumps, however, they too would fall victim to the mid-course combination where Endicott had a rail. A pair of rails, at both A and B would leave Baz with eight faults, a time of 42.882, and third place.
Cristobal Collado of Carlsbad, California, and Corin 3, owned by Enrique Gonzalez, finished in fourth-place, and Sydney Hutchins of Westlake Village, California, aboard her own Zorlando rounded out the top five.
| Place | Horse | Owner | Rider | Prize |
R.1 Faults | R.2 Faults | Time |
| 1 | ZALDORADO | Wyndmont | Mitchell Endicott | $1,050 | – | 4 | 45.539 |
| 2 | NAKICH DOUBLE DUTCH | Madeleine Louise Wilson | Madeleine Louise Wilson | $650 | – | 8 | 41.123 |
| 3 | QUINTANA 57 | Sarah Baz | Sarah Baz | $450 | – | 8 | 42.882 |
| 4 | CORIN 3 | Enrique Gonzalez | Cristobal Collado | $350 | 4 | – | |
| 5 | ZORLANDO | Sydney Hutchins | Sydney Hutchins | $275 | 4 | – | |
| 6 | SIG CARAVAGGIO | Sig International, Inc. | Shota Soejima | $260 | 4 | – | |
| 7 | ABADAN | Sarah Baz | Sarah Baz | $240 | 8 | – | |
| 8 | CRO | Emma Catherine Reichow | Emma Catherine Reichow | $225 | 8 | – |