The six-week Horse Shows by the Bay Equestrian Festival, a cornucopia of equestrian competition featuring hunters, jumpers, dressage and reining, concluded on August 5 in scenic Traverse City. With more than 1,500 horses competing from throughout the country for more than $580,000 in prize money, the competition was fierce but the atmosphere was fantastic as riders had ample opportunity to enjoy the resort amenities of this Michigan vacation oasis.

Dressage by the Bay (June 22-24) led off the 2012 Horse Shows by the Bay Equestrian Festival, and the series continued on with four weeks of hunter/jumper action (July 4-29). The western horses took over beautiful Flintfields Horse Park for the grand finale, with Reiners By the Bay taking place August 3-5.   

Kelley Farmer Finds Derby Blues

Hunter rider Kelley Farmer, of Keswick, Virginia, traveled to Traverse City with a serious string of mounts and collected the Ovation Leading Professional Hunter Rider title for the second consecutive year. With more than a dozen different hunters in her collection, Farmer regularly led the jog and earned victory in the $20,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby (Taken) and $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby (Act Of Valor) along with numerous show championships.

Farmer, a two-time USHJA International Hunter Derby series Rider of the Year, regularly picks up Derby wins all over the country aboard a variety of hunters so it was no surprise that one of Farmer’s seven mounts in the Derby, Taken, rose to the top to claim the $20,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, hosted by the Gochman Family.

What was unusual–and made this class so exciting–was that a rider known for her grand prix jumper prowess gave Farmer a run for the money. Molly Ashe-Cawley, riding Kennzo, just missed taking the blue but settled for second place. 

“Taken simply knows me, and he’s learned how to overcome me,” said Farmer with grin. “We’re thrilled at his performance today, as this is his first win with his new owners (Jessica and Steve Stitt), and they were here tonight to watch!”

Although Ashe-Cawley and Kennzo scored better in the Handy Round than Farmer did aboard Taken, she wasn’t able to overcome the 4-point lead that Farmer had established in the Classic Round. Farmer also clinched third aboard Selma W. Garber’s Praise, after earning the best Handy Round score, and sixth with AM Free Inc.’s Bases Loaded. Selma and Kenneth Garber’s Red Sky clinched a top-10 spot as well.

“This is just such a lovely group of young horses, and I’m so excited about their potential for next year,” said Farmer. “We are so glad that we are here in Traverse City, as we have tried a few other venues this time of year. But, really, for us there’s no other choice for horses, for owners or for riders. You just can’t ask for anything more from a horse show. The courses are great, the jumps are beautifully built with plenty of color and it’s a great place to provide young horses with a quality horse show experience.” 

David Jennings Jumps to the Top 

David Jennings, of Full Circle Farm in Nashville, Tennessee, earned the Ovation Leading Professional Jumper Rider, sponsored by English Riding Supply. Jennings took 15 jumpers to this year’s HSBB, for himself and the Juniors and Amateurs he has in training. Their results were impressive: Full Circle Farm riders walked away with unprecedented wins and dominated the jumper divisions where they won almost every single Open Jumper class in the 1.25-meter, 1.30-meter and 1.35-meter sections.

“It’s our second year at Horse Shows by the Bay, and the improvements we’ve seen just in one year are unbelievable,” he said. “The Grand Prix Ring has simply the best footing in the country! The horses don’t slip… I wish we had more owners like Karin Flint who take such great pride in providing the equestrian industry with the finest of competition facilities. We applaud Karin for all she’s done!”  

Jennings’ top open horses this year included Nandy Fontaine, a 9-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Emily Reiney, and Grand Finale 3e, a 9-year-old mare owned by Emily Short. Jennings has big expectations for both mounts as they gain valuable mileage.

Jennings and his clientele used HSBB as a foundation as they prepare for their inaugural participation at Spruce Meadows in Calgary, Canada in the spring of 2013. And their results indicated their preparation is on target. 

Top performers for Full Circle Farm included Hannah Olson in the High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper division. She won one of the Show Jumping Hall of Fame Classics, and Macey McSween consistently earned top placings throughout the series in the Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper division and Classics.

Yvonne Barteau Battles For Blue

Yvonne Barteau, of Maple Park, Illinois, and KYB Dressage dominated the action during Dressage by the Bay. In addition to numerous honors garnered by KYB Dressage clients, the weekend highlight was Barteau’s win on GP Raymeister in the $1,500 FEI Grand Prix Musical Freestyle with a score of 71.500%. 

 
GP Raymeister, owned by GP Equestrian/Gina Frantz and the defending champion from the 2011 Dressage by the Bay season, was awarded top honors in front of judges Lois Yukins and Lorraine Stubbs. Kim Barteau, Yvonne’s husband, and daughter Kayla, also proved successful in two featured events of the competition, taking ribbons in the $1,000 FEI Intermediaire I Musical Freestyle and the FEI Junior Rider Musical Freestyle, respectively.

KYB Dressage attended last season’s competitions and because of the vacation-like atmosphere–including the gaming action at the Turtle Creek Casino–they decided to return again this summer for their “family vacation.”    

Bill Thomas Jr. Dominates In Derbies

After three days of reining competition, the Horse Shows by the Bay Equestrian Festival wrapped up their final series of the 2012 show season at Flintfields Horse Park. The inaugural weekend of Reiners by the Bay concluded with large wins and more than $30,000 added prize money taken home by exhibitors.  

Bill Thomas, Jr. captured the winning title for the $5,000 Level Four Open Derby, as well as the $2,500 Level Two Open Derby, sponsored by Positive Step Farm of Howell Michigan. Both Derbies were held on Friday afternoon as the showcase event in the R.L. Polk Family Ring.  

Riding two horses in the Derby, it was Wimpy’s Best Jac, the 6-year-old gelding that brought home the blue for Thomas.  

“I had a tremendous time up here, showing outside, meeting some new people and seeing a new town,” Thomas said. “We went through all of Traverse City, had to buy new bathing suits, we went to a park and the lake. That was a real fun time.”

Thomas trains reining and reining cow horses out of Saginaw, Michigan and has been placed top 10 in the nation in both disciplines. 

 Ovation Leading Rider Awards Sponsored By English Riding Supply

*  David Jennings – Leading Professional Open Jumper Rider

*  Kelley Farmer – Leading Professional Hunter Rider

* Becky Gochman – Leading Amateur-Owner Hunter Rider

* Alliy Moyer – Leading Junior Hunter Rider

*  Paige Matthies – Leading Children’s Hunter Rider

*  Kayla Briel – Leading Adult Hunter Rider

*  Emma Wujek – Leading Pony Hunter Rider

*  Taylor Schmidt – Leading Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Rider and Leading Equitation Rider

*  Hannah Olson – Leading High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Rider

*  Taylor Foote – Leading Children’s Jumper Rider

* Patricia Hennessy – Leading Adult Jumper Rider

*  Lindsay Dacko – Leading Modified Children’s/Adult Jumper Rider

Horse Shows by the Bay Special Awards

Co-Pilot Memorial Trophy – Donated by Denise Lenn and Old Wellbourne Farm in loving memory of Co-Pilot. Awarded to the horse accumulating the most points throughout the series in the Chidren’s Jumper Division. Winner: Taylor Foote’s Loughnatousa Bronntanas

Fancy Footwork Memorial Trophy – Donated by Courtney Franciso in loving memory of her horse Fancy Footwork. Awarded to the horse accumulating the most points throughout the series in the Children’s Hunter Horse Division. Winner:  Callentino and Natalie Thornell

The Stanley W. Rheinheimer Memorial Trophy: Donated by Valerie Rheinheimer and Family in loving memory of Stanley W. Rheinheimer. Awarded to the USHJA International Hunter Derby winner. Winner: Taken ridden by Kelley Farmer.

Susan Wallace Memorial Trophy:  Awarded to the horse accumulating the most points throughout the series in either the Green or Regular Conformation Hunter Division. Donated by Top Call Farm and Greg Crolick in loving memory of Susan Wallace. Winner: Lisa Cudahy’s Last Call ridden by Cookie Beck.

High-Point Circuit Thoroughbred Hunter: Awarded to the Thoroughbred accumulating the most points in the hunter divisions. Donated by CANTER-MI. Winner: Debra Gross’ Rhythmicon ridden by Terri Fernandez Irrer.

High-Point Circuit Thoroughbred Jumper: Awarded to the Thoroughbred accumulating the most points in the jumper divisions. Donated by CANTER-MI. Winner: Southview Inc.’s Brightside ridden by Sandra L. Dalman.

A multitude of photographs taken by official HSBB photographers Diana Hadsall Photography, IMAGEWORKS and Jordan Brown can be found by visiting the official Horse Shows by the Bay Equestrian Festival Facebook page. More information on the Horse Shows by the Bay Equestrian Festival can be found by visiting  www.horseshowsbythebay.com.