PrintOn Sept. 25, Haylie Jayne, 16, duplicated her older siblings' titles in the ASPCA Midwest Regional by taking top honors in the class, held at the
Kentucky National in Lexington, while her 18-year-old brother, Charlie, was hot on her heels in second. Charlie won Region 4 in 2001, sandwiched by sister Maggie's victories in 2000 and 2002.
"It was the absolute best. I couldn't have asked for anything more; it was so much fun!" said Haylie, of Elgin, Ill. "We both support each other so much, and when it came down to the two of us, with them [announcing the results] in reverse order, there was all this relief. All this pressure just lifted off because it didn't matter anymore who was first and who was second."
Haylie, who trains with her father, Alex, her sister and Missy Clark, admitted to shedding a few tears and being in a mild state of shock after hearing she'd won. "It was overwhelming," she said. "My dad was really excited; it's almost like a family thing."
Haylie competed in last year's regional for experience, but she thought she had a good chance this year of qualifying for the final, which will be held Nov. 3-7 at the Metropolitan National Horse Show in New York City. She rode her 9-year-old, gray warmblood mare, Felicity, purchased earlier this year from friend Dana Hancock.
Hancock's trainer, Steve Schaefer, offered Haylie a week in Florida to show the mare, who, with her owner headed to college, was being sold. "I fell completely in love with her. I said, 'Dad, we have to get this horse!' " recalled Haylie. "She's so trustworthy. Any distance I would place her, she would make it out beautifully."
They continued to pair nicely in Kentucky, called back on top going into the flat phase with Charlie a few places behind. Their one-two finish was cemented without a test. "There were a lot of broken lines, and I think that's what got a lot of people," said Haylie, who is entering her junior year of high school through a correspondence program with Florida Virtual School. "You had to land in all of your lines then immediately go forward and just trust the distance was going to be there."
Changing Careers
Another of Clark's students, Andrew Welles, of Long Lake, Minn., earned the win in the Region 5 qualifier, held Sept. 12 at the St. Louis National Charity in Missouri. Welles rode his 14-year-old Westphalian, Fairplay, who usually competes in the jumper ring.
Welles, 16, was looking for another equitation horse this summer and asked Clark, with whom he started training in January, about trying Fairplay in the BET/USET Show Jumping Talent Search. "At this point, he was a stallion, so about a month and a half before regionals we had him gelded. He's a very fresh gelding," he said. "In the end, I thought he'd be better off jumping 3'6" instead of 4'6" at that age."
Welles admitted to being a little nervous about Fairplay's inexperience with equitation, but their flashy style had Welles called back on top after the jumping phase. Their class was also decided without a test. "[Jane Ehrhart, who placed second,] I thought had a really nice, smooth round, and I expected to be at least second to her," he explained. "But Fairplay is a really nice mover on the flat, and he dresses me up really well."
Kentucky National in Lexington, while her 18-year-old brother, Charlie, was hot on her heels in second. Charlie won Region 4 in 2001, sandwiched by sister Maggie's victories in 2000 and 2002.
"It was the absolute best. I couldn't have asked for anything more; it was so much fun!" said Haylie, of Elgin, Ill. "We both support each other so much, and when it came down to the two of us, with them [announcing the results] in reverse order, there was all this relief. All this pressure just lifted off because it didn't matter anymore who was first and who was second."
Haylie, who trains with her father, Alex, her sister and Missy Clark, admitted to shedding a few tears and being in a mild state of shock after hearing she'd won. "It was overwhelming," she said. "My dad was really excited; it's almost like a family thing."
Haylie competed in last year's regional for experience, but she thought she had a good chance this year of qualifying for the final, which will be held Nov. 3-7 at the Metropolitan National Horse Show in New York City. She rode her 9-year-old, gray warmblood mare, Felicity, purchased earlier this year from friend Dana Hancock.
Hancock's trainer, Steve Schaefer, offered Haylie a week in Florida to show the mare, who, with her owner headed to college, was being sold. "I fell completely in love with her. I said, 'Dad, we have to get this horse!' " recalled Haylie. "She's so trustworthy. Any distance I would place her, she would make it out beautifully."
They continued to pair nicely in Kentucky, called back on top going into the flat phase with Charlie a few places behind. Their one-two finish was cemented without a test. "There were a lot of broken lines, and I think that's what got a lot of people," said Haylie, who is entering her junior year of high school through a correspondence program with Florida Virtual School. "You had to land in all of your lines then immediately go forward and just trust the distance was going to be there."
Changing Careers
Another of Clark's students, Andrew Welles, of Long Lake, Minn., earned the win in the Region 5 qualifier, held Sept. 12 at the St. Louis National Charity in Missouri. Welles rode his 14-year-old Westphalian, Fairplay, who usually competes in the jumper ring.
Welles, 16, was looking for another equitation horse this summer and asked Clark, with whom he started training in January, about trying Fairplay in the BET/USET Show Jumping Talent Search. "At this point, he was a stallion, so about a month and a half before regionals we had him gelded. He's a very fresh gelding," he said. "In the end, I thought he'd be better off jumping 3'6" instead of 4'6" at that age."
Welles admitted to being a little nervous about Fairplay's inexperience with equitation, but their flashy style had Welles called back on top after the jumping phase. Their class was also decided without a test. "[Jane Ehrhart, who placed second,] I thought had a really nice, smooth round, and I expected to be at least second to her," he explained. "But Fairplay is a really nice mover on the flat, and he dresses me up really well."
