Mendell, Miller and MacDonald Jump To Muddy Wins

Show jumping action kicked off amid fog and drizzle at 8 a.m. today, Sept. 12, but that didn't dampen any of the excitement as the biggest championship divisions concluded, the second day of cross-country commenced and the upper-level riders hit the dressage arena.

Lisa Mendell was crowned the first AEC winner of 2008, topping the beginner novice horse division with her 7-year-old Thoroughbred gelding, Ripplin’ Waters. The pair put in a flawless show jumping round this morning, putting the pressure on overnight leaders Kelly Hill and Cindy Bonamarte, who each pulled one rail to drop to second and fourth, respectively.

“My nerves got to me a little bit, but by the end of his round he was jumping really nicely,” Mendell, Flint Hill, Va., said. “He deserves to do as well as he does, and I don’t ever want to be the one to get in his way with my riding.”

Mendell, who has competed through intermediate, runs Wayward Springs Farm in Northern Virginia with her husband, former four-star rider Michael Mendell. He was on hand to deliver plenty of hugs and kisses after his wife’s win with “Ripley,” who is owned by Michael’s father, Dan Mendell.

Seeking a new upper-level prospect for Lisa after Michael’s advanced mount Loughnatousa Spring retired two years ago, the couple went on a shopping trip to England, where they found Ripley. As an English and American Thoroughbred cross, the bay gelding has plenty of run in him.

“He’s no warmblood,” Lisa said. “His brothers are doing timber and flat races in England. It’s been kind of a long road. We had to do lots of jumper shows over the winter to settle him, but he’s really becoming a lovely horse.”

The AEC was only Ripley’s third recognized competition, so Lisa was particularly thrilled with their third-placed dressage score of 29.0. And while the riders before her failed to complete the cross-country course, her gelding ate up the turf.

“We were the first ones in our division to get past Fence 3,” she said, referring to The Cant, a spooky log that stopped or eliminated several pairs. “Ripley took a good look at it too, and I’m not sure why it scared them all so much, but after that he was great. He’s become quite a tiger on the cross-country.”

Lisa plans to move Ripley up to novice soon, acknowledging that he’s proven himself prepared.

“This is my first time at the AEC,” she said. “But I felt like I had a horse who could really do well, and I just wanted him to be here with all the atmosphere and tension—to have him see all the banners and the flags and the horses everywhere. And I’m thrilled I did!”

A Perfect Goodbye

With two riders tied for second place just 1.5 points behind her after cross-country day, Kelsey Neely knew that she and Zula would have to put on a perfect performance in the show jumping ring to clinch the junior beginner novice championship.

“It was nerve-wracking and exciting,” said Neely of her show jumping round. “There was a lot of pressure. But it went well. She did her little crow-hopping in the warm-up, but once she got in the ring she was really good.”

Neely and Zula made short work of the course, leaving all the fences up to earn the championship and finish on their dressage score (29.5).