The final results…
1. Lillie Keenan
2. Kelli Cruciotti
3. Charlotte Jacobs
4. Gabrielle Bausano
5. Sydney Shulman
6. Allison Toffolon
7. Geoffery Hesslink
8. Sophie Simpson
9. Brittni Raflowitz
10. Lauren Tyree
The judges have called for no more testing. “Lillie slammed the door shut on it. I don’t think there’s anything more that they could ask from her. I think Lillie’s the winner,” said Jimmy Torano on the USEF Network live feed.
The Round 2 course includes an oxer-vertical line with a four-stride distance in which riders need to trot and then trot the vertical out. It also has a one-stride of the narrow, wingless stone walls, a tight rollback to the narrow triple bar, and a counter-canter turn to the fan jump.
Lillie Keenan nailed it. It couldn’t have been much better.
Sophie Simpson had a bit of a rough transition to the trot, but got the trot. The rest of her course was lovely.
Kelli Cruciotti turned in a beautiful round that should keep her in the top ribbons.
Michael Hughes didn’t get the trot right away before the trot jump, then had a miscommunication at the take-off of the trot jump and jumped up Curtis’ neck. The rest of his course was quite nice until a tight distance to the last and a rail there.
Spencer Smith was going for a foward distance to the ASPCA wall when Icarus slammed on the brakes. He stopped again at the fan oxer, eliminating them.
Gabrielle Basuano idn’t put a foot wrong and was lovely.
Sydney Shulman was excellent, with no mistakes.
Ali Tritschler got jumped loose at the first fence, and her trot was a hair late, but then was really good.
Meredith Darst was quite good, with a few light rubs. Her trot jump transition was really slick.
Caitlin Boyle was good but had a bit of a hesitation off the ground at the trot jump.
Charlotte Jacobs was really flawless in her Round 2. Her trot jump was perfect—she got the trot within two strides—and she got a great flying change to the counter canter.
Lauren Tyree nailed the course—she was very precise and fluid.
Ashton Alexander was very good, but had a canter stride at the trot jump.
Allison Toffolon was really good.
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| The Round 2 course |
Kalvin Dobbs had a lovely Round 2 with no mistakes. His trot jump was quite nice.
Brittni Raflowitz had quite a nice round, but had the back rail of the triple bar down.
Alexandra Ladove went inside from fence 2 to the third jump, then had trouble getting the trot in the line and stopped at the trot jump.
Alexis Graves had a refusal at fence 2, a Swedish oxer off a shallow turn from the first Swedish oxer. The first line mimics the serpentine of Swedish oxers from Round 1.
Geoffery Hesslink put in quite a nice Round 2 ride.
THE FINAL STANDY (in reverse order of preference)
117 Geoffrey Heslink
49 Mckayla Langmeier
102 Alexis Graves
64 Alex Ladove
83 Brittany Raflowitz
44 Kalvin Dobbs
138 Alison Toffolon
63 Ashton Alexander
90 Lauren Tyree
45 Charlotte Jacobs
108 Caitlin Boyle
3 Maddy Darst
30 Alison Tritschler
37 Sydney Shulman
66 Gabrielle Busano
145 Spencer Smith
80 Michael Hughes
113 Kelli Cruciotti
35 Sophie Simpson
39 Lillie Keenan
Hey all! Need a link to the Round 1 order of go? Scroll down for the most recent posts…
THE COURSE
Robert Ridland, Susan Humes and Bobby Murphy designed the course, which looks like it will be a real test for the riders. They start with an oxer set out of the corner by the in-gate end, with four going strides to an airy vertical. Then they bend right to a brush-filled oxer in either six or seven strides. They circle around the end of the ring and come out of the corner to a vertical set across the ring. Then they turn left across the width of the ring to a fan oxer set along the long side.
Then there are five strides to a very vertical white gate set in stone-wall standards. Riders then have a long designated hand gallop down the middle of the ring to a VERY narrow, wingless stone wall. Then they turn right around the end of the ring to a really odd-looking triple bar of airy white rails set on short standards. From there, they ride a bending line to a white vertical-vertical two-stride.
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| The Round 1 course |
They then circle around the end of the ring and turn across the ring to a Swedish oxer. They serpentine down to another oxer set across the ring and then turn out of the far end of the ring to a brush-filled oxer. They finish over the ubiquitous ASPCA solid wall.
THE FIRST 50 RIDES (7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.)
First to go, Emily Ryan, had an unfortunate stop at the first fence, but then completed the course well.
Alexandra Maracic, who did so well being fourth at Medal Finals, had a nice round marred only by an awkward distance at the narrow stone wall. Maddy Darst, winner of the WIHS Equitation Classic Finals, had a lovely round with just a rub at one oxer.
Hannah Patten had a nice solid round. Jack Morgan didn’t get much of a hand-gallop going to the stone wall and was conservative elsewhere too, but had no major mistakes.
Kammie Burns added a stride in the first two lines, then almost turned the wrong way to fence 3. She finished well, though.
Paige Mawson had a take a bit of a pull in her hand-gallop and had a little bit of a rough ride in her serpentine of Swedish oxers, but had a nice flowing round otherwise. Lizzie Vanderwalde had a swap at fence 3, but a good hand-gallop to 7.
Katie McDonnell’s horse was a bit tense and hesitant, but she gave him a good, positive ride.
Heather Flynn had a lovely hand-gallop but was a bit deep to the one-stride. Overall, she had a very nice flow and track. Madeleine Swem had a nice ride, with just a few inconsistent distances at a few fences and a conservative hand-gallop. Caroline McLeese was quite good, with a nice pace and track.
Alexa Boggio rode the hand-gallop perfectly and had a really nice go with a forward flow. I’d say we’d be seeing her on the flat. Sarah Kieran had a stop at the stone wall at 7 but a successful second attempt and finished well. Tye Donaldson was conservative in her hand gallop and had a swap at the stone wall. Michael Renker turned the wrong way after jumping 3 and had to circle to get to 4.
Alexandra Desiderio had a nice go, with a few rubs but otherwise quite polished. Katherine Bundy had the white gate at 6 down and a tight distance to the two-stride. Haley Stradling had to really ride up the first two lines, but then settled into a rhythm. She had a good hand gallop fence, but a few of her turns weren’t a polished as they could be.
Thea Chafee had quite a nice go. Kendall Casaccio found quite a long one to the wall at 7 and had a swap there. She had a nice round, though. Hunter Holloway had a sticky jump at fence 1 but then got into a flow. Her hand-gallop was a bit conservative and she was deep to both the Swedish oxers.
Kristen Mohr rode very positively and confidently and turned in really nice trip. Virginia Ingram had a swap at the stone wall at 7 and had to work hard to fit her horse’s monster stride into the two-stride. Allison Haupt didn’t get much of a hand gallop going, but had a nice trip with no major mistakes.
Alexandra Indeglia didn’t really hand gallop, but she had a nice, steady round. Clara Plestis got a bit deep in a few place, but had a nice round otherwise. Nikki Carr’s little chestnut jumps adorably. They had a swap at the wall and didn’t really gallop to it at all.
I’m not really sure why riders aren’t really getting a true hand-gallop to the wall at 7. The course map clearly states that a hand gallop is expected. It might be that they figure a conservative ride there will score better than a bold ride and a big mistake like a run-out or ship. It is a tough question—a hand gallop to a skinny jump. But you’re not going to win the class without being bold and really impressing the judges there.
MacKenzie Weller had a few inconsistent distances here and there but a solid round.
Ali Tritschler had a lovely flow to her ride and did pick up the pace to 7. Her horse jumped over his front end a bit at the wall when she got there, but she was lovely everywhere else. Nora Gray got rolling to 7 and had a good jump. She had quite a nice round, riding with a lot of precision and well planned turns. Morgan Dickerson’s horse has a lovely, loping stride and he did a great job of adjusting him in the lines. His hand-gallop was conservative but his ride was otherwise nice.
Lilly Higgins had a nice, solid round with just a few light rubs. Vanessa McCarthy in the hand gallop but otherwise quite nice. She gave her horse a big kiss and lots of pats walking out of the ring. Sophie Simpson was very, very good, with a lovely rhythm to her pace. Hayley Waters really went for it in the hand gallop—the boldest we’ve seen so far—but had a swap there. Then she was deep to one of the Swedish oxers, but in general a positive and forward ride.
Sydney Shulman had a definite hand gallop going and was very good everywhere else. A solid ride for her that should put her into the flat phase. Piper Benjamin’s horse was keen, but she handled him well. She was conservative to the stone wall at 7, the hand-gallop fence, but a nice go.
Lillie Keenan, winner of the Pessoa/USEF Medal Finals two weeks ago, turned in another of her trademark flowing, confident rides. Her hand gallop wasn’t out of the park, but she had a lovely, poised trip.
Katherine Strauss had a very nice trip—relaxed and confident. Paige Matthies had steering issue in the first line and a run-out at 2. She had another run-out at the stone wall at 7 to end her day. Misty Redd’s horse was a bit looky and wavery on the approaches to a few jumps. Tina Robinson got a HUGE gallop going to the wall and kept her horse on track, getting a bit of a long one but making it work. Hers was the first really bold gallop to the fence all day. She finished nicely, too. I’ll be interested to see what the judges do with that ride.
Kalvin Dobbs didn’t get much of a hand gallop going, but he was very precise and confident everywhere. Charlotte Jacobs had a really lovely round. Not much of a hand-gallop, but very consistent and with a beautiful rhythm.
Devon MacLeod had a nice, if conservative, round with a few rubs and weak distances. Mackenzie McGehee had a rail when she got deep to fence 3. She finished well, though.
Shelby Drazan had a run-out at fence 1 then completed the course fine. McKayla Langmeier had a good ride that should put her in the flat phase. Diederique van der Knaap had to ride the first line pretty aggressively, but she finished well.
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THE STANDBY AFTER 50 HAVE GONE
35 Sophie Simpson
37 Sydney Shulman
39 Lillie Keenan
3 Meredith Darst
30 Ali Tritschler
45 Charlotte Jacobs
44 Kalvin Dobbs
25 Allison Haupt
12 Caroline McLeese
8 Lizzie Vanderwalde
13 Alexa Boggio
49 McKayla Langmeier
17 Alexandria Desiderio
23 Kristen Mohr
32 Morgan Dickerson
RIDES 50 – 100 (9:20 a.m. – 11:13 a.m.)
Kristen Raue had a nice, solid round with no major mistakes. She did, however, move a block on top of the wall at 7, though it didn’t come down. Emily MacLean got a bit deep to a few fences and had a stop at the fan jump at 5 and again at a Swedish to eliminate her. Lilly Ulrich’s Vocas took a hard look at the wall at 7 and then had a rail at 12.
Jordyn Katz got a bit deep to the two-stride but had a solid round. Serena Anand had to ride a bit aggressively and wasn’t as smooth as could be, but she had a solid round. Madison Butehorn really hunted down to the stone wall at 7 with a lovely forward pace. She had an excellent round, with a nice rhythm.
Michael Buckley Wallace was just a bit inconsistent in his distances to a few fences, but no major mistakes, He rode the serpentine of Swedish oxers well. Blaine Ferraro had a nice round but a rail at the two-stride. Audrey Slouka had a stop at fence 1, but finished fine.
Adeline Audette’s horse just didn’t take off at fence 1 and stumbled through it, throwing Adeline over his head and going down on his knees. They both got up right away and walked out of the ring.
Ashley Foster had a gorgeous round, with a nice pace and flow. She opened her stride up a bit at the hand gallop but wasn’t terribly bold. Very consistent everywhere though. Leina King rode a bit conservatively and had a swap at the stone wall. She also had rough turns at the Swedish serpentine. Ashton Alexander had a really nice trip.
Alexandra Ladove made a bit of a last-minute distance decision at the stone wall, but was good in general. Jordynn Shaffer could have been a bit more organized in some of her turns, but had a solid round. Gabrielle Bausano rode a really lovely trip, opening her stride in the hand gallop and being quite accurate and smooth everywhere.
Madison Maners cross-cantered on the way to fence 5 and then had a block down off the wall at 7. Halie Robinson was sticky up the first line and added a stride. She never really got a good flow going but finished the course with a few good fences.
Halie Robinson got a HUGE had hand gallop going to the stone wall, but her horse backed off a bit and swapped in the last few strides. She had a good rest of the course, though. Sara Nordstrom’s horse was a bit looky up the first line, then had a few rails.
Barbara Ann Merryman was conservative in her hand gallop and chipped into the in-and-out. Adam Rittenberg added up to five in the first line and got a little deep to the skinny wall. They then had a stop at fence 12, an oxer.
Alexa Effron had a lovely hand gallop and jump at the skinny wall and an overall smooth round. Bethany Bolen’s horse swapped right before the third fence and another quick swap before the skinny wall.
Patricia Garrett had a light rub at fence 3 but a very strong hand gallop to the skinny wall. Then another rub at fence 12.
Anna Cardelfe had a swap before fence 3 and a swap before 7, as well a few other raggedy turns. Mackenzie Christian had an awkward jump at 2 but did get the four strides in that line. She had a very quiet hand gallop and a little deep to 7, the skinny wall, and then got a bit deep to the two-stride.
Alexandra Murphy had a couple light rubs on her big-strided horse, but no major mistakes.
Nicki Lachapelle broke to trot briefly before 4 and had fence 6 down before getting a very awkward jump at the skinny stone wall, but she finished up nicely.
Michael Hughes, second a few weeks ago at the USEF Medal Finals, had a spot-on trip.
Victoria Press had a nice, solid round with a good flow. Tyler Petrie had the white gate down at 6. She caught a big one at the stone wall off the hand gallop, but made it work. Brittni Raflowitz didn’t get much of a hand gallop going and had a few rubs, but turned in a nice trip overall.
Ellie Kimmell’s horse gave the first few jumps plenty of room and looked a bit tense. He ran out at the stone wall and they had a few awkward jumps, but they finished up well. Taylor Sutton (the one from Illinois—there are actually two Taylor Suttons and they go 85th and 87th!) had a horse who looked a bit impressed by the occasion—studying the jumps and breaking to the trot around one turn—but tried hard. She gave him a nice positive ride.
Christina Firestone had a lovely hand gallop, but her horse pulled a block off the top of the wall with his hind end. She had a nice go everywhere else. Taylor Sutton of Texas (who was grand junior hunter champion yesterday on Lyle) got a lovely forward pace in the hand gallop and rode quite neatly and fluidly elsewhere. Her horse did bounce the back rail of 12 around in the cups, but it stayed up.
Lauren Fabiano had a nice round with just a swap at the stone wall at 7. She did get a bit deep to the Swedish oxers, which showed in the horse’s form. Hannah Janson got deep to 1 and to 4 and her horse was looky on the way to the stone wall.
Lauren Tyree turned in a really lovely trip with a ridiculously consistent rhythm to her pace. Morgan Ward had a few sticky fences, with the horse hesitating off the ground. Olivia Champ has the most adorable little rubber ball of a horse. He looked a bit keen today, and she had a lovely forward hand gallop to a big distance to the stone wall. Her turn to the second Swedish oxer was a bit disorganized, but it was a nice round.
Isabelle Caccamise was a bit hit or miss with distances at the first few fences but finished up well. Sydney Hutchins got a bit deep to 2 and was conservative in the hand gallop, but finished well. Amanda Gellis had a nice, solid round with just a few rubs. Sarah-Clifton Yandell also fell victim to the mistake of turning the wrong way after fence 3, but regrouped and finished well.
Alessandra Sozzi had stops at 1 and 2 to end her day. Emily Perez had a rail at 12 in an otherwise nice round. Brett Burlington (on an adorable paint horse!) had really quite a nice round. Caleigh Thompson had the white gate at 6 down, some swaps on the way to 7, and an awkward jump over the wall there.
THE STANDBY AFTER 100 HAVE GONE…
35 Sophie Simpson
37 Sydney Shulman
39 Lillie Keenan
66 Gabrielle Bausano
80 Michael Hughes
3 Meredith Darst
30 Ali Tritschler
45 Charlotte Jacobs
83 Brittani Raflowitz
87 Taylor Sutton (Texas)
63 Ashton Alexander
44 Kalvin Dobbs
64 Alexandra Ladove
90 Lauren Tyree
25 Allison Haupt
73 Alexa Effron
12 Caroline McLeese
8 Lizzie Vanderwalde
88 Lauren Fabiano
13 Alexa Boggio
49 McKayla Langmeier
17 Alexandria Desiderio
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69 Halie Robinson
23 Kristen Mohr
RIDERS 101 – 147
McKenzie Miller had a nice, solid round. Alexis Graves had a swap at the stone wall, but a lovely round otherwise. She had such a nice flowing rhythm to her canter. Daniella McCormick had a block off the wall at 7 in an otherwise solid round.
Mimi Chiquet got a bit deep to a few fences but had an otherwise nice round. Maggie Savoie had a nice round with no major mistakes. Devin Milan had trouble on the way to the first fence when he horse didn’t want to play, shifting into reverse. The judges excused her.
Caitlin Boyle had a very consistent round with a lovely relaxed pace. Taylor Kungle added strides to the first few fences, had a rail and had some trouble with some of the turns, but completed the course.
Stephan Foran, the Emerging Athletes Program winner last year, had a nice ride on a horse who looked tense, with a few awkward turns.
Tori Colvin was announced as riding her jumper, Monsuier de Reverdy, but she was on a bay horse I didn’t recognize. Her round was good, but the horse peeked at the stone wall at 7 and swapped. The round just didn’t have quite the polished, fluid look that would put her at the top.
Alison Cooney got a bit deep and weak to a few jumps but had a solid round. Kelly Cruciotti had a great hand gallop fence and was good everywhere else. Anne Mason Jackson had to ride the first few fences pretty aggressively but then got into a flow and finished fine.
Brianna Peddicord had an awkward distance to fence 12 but otherwise a solid round. Lauren Henry had a stop at the first fence and then another one at fence 2 to eliminate her. Geoffrey Hesslink rode a very precise, flowing trip with just a bit of a deep distance into the two-stride.
Ailish Cunniffe had the gate at 7 down but otherwise rode a very nice trip. Her serpentine over the Swedish oxers was particularly good.
Chandler Meadows caught a bit of a flyer to the wall at 7 and was a bit inconsistent elsewhere. Rebecca Chenelle had to take a bit of a tug on the way to the wall, but was good elsewhere. Emily Hilton had a nice, solid round. Claire Shafran had a few deep distances but finished well.
Ellie Williams got a bit deep in a few places, but had a nice jump at fence 7. She also had a rail at 12. Meghan Flanagan rode the hand gallop really well but got deep to one of the Swedish oxers. Wendy Collins made a few late decisions about distances, but had a solid round with no major mistakes.
Vivian Yowan was having a lovely round and looked to be on her way to a nice hand-gallop fence, but her horse hesitated off the ground a bit at the stone wall. She also had a rail at the two-stride. Daisy Farish got a bit under the gate at 6 and her horse jumped over his front end, dislodging the gate though it didn’t fall. She did, however, have a rail coming out of the two-stride.
Sydney Callaway took a flyer at the stone wall and then had a rail down in the two-stride. Mollie Kowalchik found a deep distance to the gate at 6 and then was really bold to the hand-gallop wall at 7. Isabella Norton trotted on the turn from 3 to 4 and then had the gate down at 6. A good ride got her peeky horse over the wall. She finished well.
Megan McPherson was quite bold in the gallop to the wall and caught a big one there, but it worked for her. She was lovely and smooth everywhere else. Emma Schauder didn’t shape the turn from 4 to 5 quite well enough and had a stop there at the fan oxer but after correcting that completed the course well. Amma Waldfogel had a few fences where her horse hesitated off the ground but she was otherwise good.
Claudia Billups got a bit deep and weak to one of the Swedish oxers, but had an otherwise solid round. Abby Bertelson, who led the Pessoa/USEF Medal Finals all throughout Round 1, had a nice round with a lovely flow to it. She had a very nice hand gallop fence and rode the Swedish oxers well too.
Sarah Jane Haskins’ horse hung up in the air over one of the oxers and jostled her loose on landing. Pilar Flournoy’s horse stopped a bit dirty at fence 1 but she regrouped and finished the course well. Allison Toffolon had a lovely round on her incredible Class Action horse. She really stepped on the gas in the hand gallop, too. Michaella Duffy had a good, solid round with a few rubs.
Nora Jodrey’s turns lacked the organization and polish needed to crack into the top but she had a great hand gallop jump. The two-stride also got a bit tight for her. Lucy Deslauriers’s gray horse has a big, lofty jump. She got a bit brave in the hand gallop and had a nice, solid round overall. David Oberkircher got a big gallop going to the stone wall and caught a flyer there. He also found quite a gap to one of the Swedish oxers. His round was otherwise nice and polished.
Kenra Gierkink had an awkward jump at 1 and the gate came down at 6 for her. Ashley McLean was another who turned the wrong way after fence 3 and had to circle to get to 4. She also lost her power steering a bit as the round went on and had to do some outside turns where everyone else had been going inside.
Spencer Smith rode quite nicely and had a lovely round. I’d say we’ll see him again on the flat. Sarah van der Walde had a nice bold hand gallop and a lovely solid round.
Genevieve Meyer ran out of room in the two-stride and her horse jumped over his front end badly at the B element. She was good elsewhere. Reid Patton had a lovely round except for a rail at fence 12. And we’re headed into the flat phase…
The judges have called back three groups to flat, with Group A being the top of the list of preference…
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GROUP A 35 Sophie Simpson 37 Sydney Shulman 39 Lillie Keenan 145 Spencer Smith 66 Gabrielle Bausano 108 Caitlin Boyle 80 Michael Hughes 113 Kelli Cruciotti 3 Meredith Darst 30 Ali Tritschler |
GROUP B 45 Charlotte Jacobs 83 Brittani Raflowitz 87 Taylor Sutton (Texas) 63 Ashton Alexander 44 Kalvin Dobbs 138 Allison Toffolon 64 Alexandra Ladove 90 Lauren Tyree 102 Alexis Graves 124 Meghan Flanagan |
GROUP C 25 Allison Haupt 112 Alison Cooney 117 Geoffery Hesslink 73 Alexa Effron 12 Caroline McLeese 8 Lizzie Vanderwalde 88 Lauren Fabiano 13 Alexa Boggio 49 McKayla Langmeier 17 Alexandria Desiderio |
The judges are asking for some pretty sophisticated flatwork, with collected, working and extended canter and counter-canter asked for as well as a half-pass at the trot off the rail and back to the rail on the long side in front of the judges. Some of the riders seem to have confused a leg-yeild with a half pass.
In Group B, Allison Toffolon’s gray horse looks to have quite the dynamic trot—lots of suspension. Charlotte Jacobs’ half-pass was quite nice; her flatwork is lovely and I’d say she will move up after this. Alexis Graves is having some issues with her horse flipping his head and being hollow in his frame. Alexandra Ladove’s horse is also consistently above the bit. Allison Toffolon’s lateral work is quite nice. Taylor Sutton’s horse took exception to the lateral work and resisted.
In Group A, I wasn’t too impressed with Sophie Simpson’s first half-pass; it was quite shallow. She also didn’t show much difference in the extended and collected canters. Michael Hughes’ flatwork is quite nice, as is Spencer Smith’s, though Smith’s horse tends to dive behind the vertical. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Sydney Shulman move up; her flatwork is quite nice. Clearway’s trot is lovely and Keenan showed more difference between extended and collected trot than most. Gabrielle Bausano’s horse looks stiff and a bit hollow; he also got resistant in the half-pass.
THE FINAL STANDBY (in reverse order of preference)
117 Geoffery Hesslink
49 McKayla Langmeier
102 Alexis Graves
64 Alexandra Ladove
83 Brittni Raflowitz
44 Kalvin Dobbs
138 Allison Toffolon
63 Ashton Alexander
90 Lauren Tyree
45 Charlotte Jacobs
108 Caitlin Boyle
3 Meredith Darst
30 Ali Tritschler
37 Sydney Shulman
66 Gabrielle Bausano
145 Spencer Smith
80 Michael Hughes
113 Kelli Cruciotti
35 Sophie Simpson
39 Lillie Keenan
