Medal Finals 2003
Connecticut Hunter & Jumper Association Finals Weekend Dominates the Fairfield Horse Show
The Twentieth Medal Final Continues A Tradition of Success
By Beverly Gifford Vars
(Reprinted with the permission of the Horsemen's Yankee Pedlar)
Photo Credit to Peter Weyland and Reflections Photography, Kingston, NY
One hundred and eighty- eight exhibitors from the four state area battled hazy, hot and humid weather, well into the nineties, at the Fairfield County Hunt Club in Westport, CT on August 15th and 16th to ride in what has become one of New England's most popular Finals. Showcased in the center ring of the picturesque FCHC grounds, the CHJA Finals Weekend offered two CHJA Hunter Classics and four CHJA Medal Class Finals.
Course Designer William Glass of Florida, rose to the occasion with innovative courses that challenged each finalist to ride to their potential. The expansive grass ring, decorated with two signature fences, brick and stonewall jumps, brightly striped rails and a skinny vertical placed in the corner opposite the ingate, was covered in clusters of jumps, colorful mums and sprawling shrubs. Bending lines, weaving through the maze of verticals and oxers, and a serpentine that snaked across the expansive ring offered riders the option of riding the more difficult path to the top numerical score.
Saturday morning's Special Hunter Class, traditionally a warm-up for the Finals, showed two sections of two foot three inch riders and three sections of three-foot riders. Paddock Master, Matt Brayman of Charlestown, RI good-naturedly pushed the large number of entries around the courses in record time. The afternoon session began with the CHJA Adult Hunter Classic won by Union League and his partner Sally Kruel of Sandy Hook, CT, whose score of 162 over South Windsor, CT. resident Shay Meisenger abroad Belle du Jour secured the championship.
The CHJA Children's Hunter Classic followed as guests of the CHJA enjoyed a complimentary buffet under the association's tent. Twenty-five qualified exhibitors (the maximum allowed by the CHJA Classic rules) challenged Kelsey Silverstein of New Canaan, CT. and her mount Woodland's Blue Velvet. Their winning score of 159 prevailed over Final Affair with Kristen Fedor of Southington, CT. abroad.
The CHJA Adult Medal Final hosted forty riders. Kelly Cavanaugh of South Glastonbury, CT. rode to the win with the only winning out of stater Barbara Spizzerro of Mamaraneck, NY capturing the silver medal and Brooke Ferro of Somers, CT winning the bronze.
Sunday was reserved for the Junior Medalists. Judges Todd Karn of Salisbury, CT and Jeanne Marie Dunford of Kekwick, VA saw thirty-eight small, medium and large ponies attack the colorful course for the CHJA Pony Medal. Instater Amanda Groher of South Glastonbury, CT. piloted her pony to the winning score, which held through the flat phrase, against reserve champion Leah Chenelle of Hebron, CT. Chenelle rode the flat phase two points behind Groher and two points above third place winner Liza Billington of Fairfield, CT.
Late morning invited the CHJA Children's Medal finalists to the ring. Sixty-two riders qualified for the Final at two foot six that allows riders to compete on either horses or ponies. East Hampton, CT resident Meg Veronin bested barn mate Meagan Thompson, also from East Hampton, with Kathy French of East Granby, CT. riding to the bronze.
CHJA Junior Medal Finalists entered the ring as the CHJA buffet opened to exhibitors and their families, trainers, support staff and sponsors. Shannon Coakley of Westport, CT negotiated the curvy course and flat phase (50% of the overall score) to the win. Julie Welles of Simsbury, CT claimed the silver medal with Taylor Stevens of Greenwich, CT winning the bronze.