ASPCA Maclay Final

The judges for the hunter divisions and ASPCA Maclay Finals at the 2012 Alltech National Horse Show, scheduled for Oct. 31-Nov. 4 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Ky., were announced on Jan. 3.

Phillip J. DeVita and Jimmy Torano will judge the hunter divisions. DeVita, of Apopka, Fla., has judged shows across the country, including the Pennsylvania National, the Washington International (D.C.), the Capital Challenge (Md.) and the National Horse Show when it was held at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Lexington, Ky., Nov. 6

Sarah Milliren knew she had to lay it on the line in the last testing round of the ASPCA Maclay Final.

She’d been on top of the stand-by since the start of the class and was called back in first for the flat phase. But in the flat phase, Michael Hughes had edged in front of her. So, in Round 2, Milliren rode a bold round on Terrapin Station and impressed the judges. Hughes was tentative and conservative in Round 2, and he dropped out of the lead.

The ASPCA Maclay National Championship will be held at the Syracuse Invitational Sporthorse Tournament (N.Y.) featuring the 127th National Horse Show. The show will run from Nov. 2-7, with the Maclay Finals to be held on Sunday, Nov. 7.

Melanie Smith Taylor and Scott Hofstetter will judge this year's ASPCA Maclay Finals.

It’s been a long time coming, but Zazou Hoffman has finally won the major equitation final she’s been working toward so long.

Round 1 of the ASPCA Maclay Finals resulted in 30 riders being called back to flat in front of judges Billy Moroney and Jack Towell, and 24 continuing on from there to Round 2. There are familiar names at the top of the list and some missing.            

Samantha Harrison is on top—the judges put her on top after Round 1 and kept her there after the flat phase. Harrison, of La Canada, Calif., trains with Karen Healey.

The course walk is at 6:00 a.m., with the first horse in the ring at 6:30 for the first round. They flat after the first round and then take a break while two jumper classes go. The second round will probably start around 4 p.m. and finish by 6:30 p.m.

1    AMBER HENTER       

2    CAROLINE INGALLS       

3    ANNA KLUGER       

4    ALEXA ANTHONY       

They work on fine-tuning every skill in the fall before the equitation finals begin.

The leaves are turning, the weather is cooling, and stirrups are coming off saddles. That’s right, it’s fall equitation finals time, and riders across the country are putting in extra lesson hours and saddle time to prepare for their assault on the big classes.

But how does one prepare a junior rider for that time-honored cauldron of stress and excitement that is equitation finals season?