The 2010 Fieldstone Spring Festival made history as the best horse show ever held at Fieldstone Equestrian & Show Facility. Outstanding competition, beautiful weather and rave reviews for all the work that’s been done to upgrade the facility made for a horse show that left everyone with smiles on their faces.
With a record number of horses entered, Fieldstone hired nationally regarded horse show manager Michael Morrissey of Stadium Jumping, Inc. to serve as the show’s technical coordinator. Morrissey, who has managed some of the nation’s biggest hunter-jumper horse shows such as the Winter Equestrian Festival, Lake Placid Horse Shows and Traders Point Charity Horse Show, worked closely with show manager Scott Clawson to assure the smooth operation of the show.
“We could not have been happier with how everything went at our horse show,” said Clawson. “The feedback we got from exhibitors assured us that we are absolutely on the right track with all we are doing to position our spring and summer shows as first-class events with something to offer everyone from our local exhibitors to the biggest names on the national circuit.”
The week kicked off on Wednesday, May 19 with a little rain, warm-ups and Jumpers. Weather cleared up Thursday for a fabulous week of horse showing at the beautifully updated facility.
Thursday played host to fine competition in the main hunter ring, jumper ring, and ending the day with the $2,500 Fieldstone Welcome Stake on the spectacular grass Grand Prix Field. The footing was unaffected by Wednesday’s rain, and the grass was just perfect for the Welcome Stake.
Competition was hot for the Welcome Stake with most of the Grand Prix riders testing out the grass field for the first time this year. With eight riders going clear in the first round, the jump-off was exciting. Taking home the top honors was Tequila and DJ Volandre from Marshfield, MA. Second was Quidditch II ridden by Charlie Jacobs from Weston, MA, having a clear first round and one rail down in the jump-off. Rounding out the top three was Tenfold and Jennifer Ritucci. A steak and ribs cookout was enjoyed by many after the day’s events.
Friday brought the Spring Festival’s events into full swing. With two hunter rings, an equitation ring, a jumper ring, and feature equitation classes and the $10,000 CWD 3’3” Hunter Derby on the Grand Prix Field, good things were certainly happening at Fieldstone.
On the Grand Prix field the CWD Junior/Adult Equitation Challenge played host to some great competition. A two round equitation challenge called the top ten to return for a second round. In the second round, riders where handed a blank course sheet and asked to create their own individual course, with bonus points awarded for creativity and difficulty of the course. Circus Boy and Remy Lee took home the blue ribbon and a custom saddle from CWD sellier. Calimero and Sydney Smith took 2nd, with Cumberland and Holly French rounding out the top three.
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Next in the Grand Prix Field was the $10,000 CWD 3’3” Open Hunter Derby. A beautiful course designed by Nathan Panetta tested 40 competitors. The top 12 were called back for the Handy Hunter round which challenged riders with opening a gate while mounted, a trot fence, a hand gallop fence, and handier turns. Generous and David Oliynyk took home the blue with an unrivaled handy round. EQ and Kristin Bumpus, looking to defend their title from 2009, took second place. Rounding out the top three was Key Largo and Rebecca Clawson.
The excitement continued into Saturday with the $5,000 Children’s/Adult Jumper Classic and the $25,000 Fieldstone Grand-Prix. After Grisset and Alissa Kinney defeated a field of 25 competitors for the top spot in the Children’s/Adult Classic, things heated up as the course was set by Oscar Soberon for the 1.40m Grand Prix.
Tequila and DJ Volandre returned with high hopes after their win in the Welcome Stake. They had a clear first round, but had one rail down in the jump-off for third position. Quidditch II and Charlie Jacobs also had a rail down in the jump-off with a slightly quicker time landing them in second place. Charlie then returned with his younger horse, Leap of Joy, and the only double clear round meant the first Grand Prix win for Leap of Joy.
Following the completion of competition, everyone was invited to a bar-be-cue, the $100 Dog Puissance, and the Sit-a-Twenty competitions. Great fun was had during these events, with some amazing jumps, a few spills, and an overall fun way to end the day. The Sit-a-Twenty competition had riders riding bareback with a $20 bill tucked under their leg. If riders lost the bill they were eliminated, with the last rider taking home all the cash. Talented riders held on to the very end, even after having to jump bareback.
As things wound down on Sunday, competition stayed hot. Feature classes such as the $7,500 high and $2,500 low Junior/Amatuer-Owner Jumper classics, $5,000 USHJA 3’ National Hunter Derby, and the $2,500 Pony Hunter Derby kept competitors on their toes. In the Low Jr./A-O Jumper Classic, Vera and Laura Worthen took home top honors. Leap of Joy and Charlie Jacobs returned to dominate the High Jr./A-O Jumper Classic with the only double clear round.
In the $5,000 USHJA 3’ National Hunter Derby, Wyoming and Elizabeth Driggs had a beautiful round, landing in first place. The day ended with the $2,500 Pony Hunter derby, possibly the most fun class to watch of the day. The kids had the time of their lives riding their ponies on the big Grand Prix Field over another beautifully designed course by Nathan Panetta. The class was run by the same standards as the big derbies, 2 rounds with the top 12 returning for the handy round. This time ponies and riders where challenged by being asked to negotiate a bridge obstacle. Mokoo Jumbee and Ali Tritschler were smiling from ear to ear as they received the blue ribbon and a bridle donated by Dover Saddlery. Oakwood’s Beyond Glory and Hannah Khan took second place, with Clovermeade Bunny Side Up and Ali Tritschler rounding out the top three.
The week was fun and exciting for all, receiving rave reviews, big smiles, and compliments as the best show in the history of Fieldstone Equestrian & Show Facility. Fieldstone looks forward to continue this trend for many shows to come.
