Lexington, Ky.—Nov. 5
We’re here in Lexington, Kentucky, for the ASPCA Maclay Final where 228 of the country’s top junior riders aspire to win one of the most elusive equitation titles.
We’ll try and post every 10 riders or so, with updates on how the course is riding, who has done well, who hasn’t, etc. Please don’t expect an account of every rider’s trip, but we’ll try to keep you up-to-date. Scroll down to see the most recent posting.
Want to see the course, find out who the judges are and learn more about this year’s edition of the class? We’ve got all the information here.
Disclaimer: We’re providing this as a service to those who are interested, and we’re just recording our observations. We are not judges, just reporters who have watched the Maclay Final in its entirety for the past few years. You may not agree with our notes, and that’s fine; we’re not putting them out there as the authoritative word but as information for those interested. That said, read on!
The Top 10 Riders
1. Carlee McCutcheon
2. Eleanor Rudnicki
3. Tessa Downey
4. Cody Rego
5. Maddie Tosh
6. Aedan Mooney
7. Kate Egan
8. Avery Glynn
9. Caroline Signorino
10. Christian Dominguez
Riders 1-10
1 Schuyler Dayner will start us off this morning. She won the HITS Equitation Championship this winter. The beginning of her course is incredibly smooth. She had a rub at fence 9. She finishes smooth and earns lots of applause.
2 Daphne Melton gets a little close to fence 4A, the first oxer of the double and has some trouble getting out of the combination as a result. She smooths things out up the diagonal line, and gets a few tight distances down the final line.
3 Emma Hall gets a little close to the first fence and has to work to get the distance to Fence 2 and then has a rub at 3. She has a stop at 5A, but gets it done aon the second attempt. She has a rail at 8 and then recovers well for the last four jumps.
4 Vera Hannapel sets a good pace to Fence 1 and finds a good distance. Her horse slows down to 5A and has a refusal. She’s then deep to fence 6 and gets bold up the inside line, but her horse goes well off a forward ride. She has a couple deep distances at the last two.
5 Lillian Valiquette finds some deep spots up the first line, but gets a good pace through the middle of the course which smooths things out. She finishes well.
6 Elizabeth Rinehart also gets a good forward canter to the first. The forward ride is working well for her but she gets a bit tight to 5B. Her horse swaps in front of 7 and 8. She finds a beautiful forward distance to the last to finish well.
7 Caroline Olsen finds great distances to the first three. Her horse has a big stride so she has to keep him packaged through the pair of doubles. She has a quiet way of adjusting his stride which makes it all seamless. She should be very pleased with that.
8 Paris Levy doesn’t quite get her horse’s shoulder around to 4A which makes her distance a little tight, but she jumps out well. She has a beautiful trip around the later half of the course.
9 Emma Blumenkrantz had a top 10 finish at Medal Finals at Harrisburg. Her horse looks like a fun ride. She has a rub at Fence 2, but the rest of her round is very smooth. She should be pleased.
10 Lillian Soroken doesn’t quite get her horse straight to the first fence but she gets up the first line nicely. She’s deep to Fence 7 and has to package her horse down the last, but they have a strong finish.
Riders 11-20
11 Sophia Masnikoff has the front rail of the oxer at 2 down. She finds a good ride down the line of doubles. Her horse knocks a block on Fence 7 but it doesn’t fall. He horse adds to Fence 11, so she has to ride forward to the last, where she gets a nice jump.
12 Georgia Schmidt has to work to get Fence 3 done, but she makes it happen. Her next two lines are good. She’s a little too eager to Fence 10, but she smooths things out to the last two.
13 Christian Dominguez is very good at opening his horse up and then closing his stride seamlessly in the first line. He makes the pair of doubles look easy. His entire round was smooth from start to finish. We’ll probably see him on the standby.
14 Sabine Close was second at the Platinum Performance USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Final—West earlier this fall. She gets a big jump at Fence 2 and a nice ride down the outside line. Her horse rattles Fence 11 but it stays up. She finished well.
15 Avery Faye Smith is deep to Fence 1 but she’s more forward to the next two. Her horse doesn’t like the look of 5A and stops. She has a rail when she attempts again and then she has to put him back together after Fence 6. He swaps to Fence 8, and again to Fence 11. She gets a forward distance to the last to finish on a good note.
16 Emma Lackey has a rub at Fence 1 and then is deep to Fence 2 to take the front rail of the oxer. She has to really ride down the pair of doubles and her horse looks at 5A but jumps it. He takes the front rail at Fence 9 and is sticky off the ground to 10, but she smooths things out to the last two.
17 Julia Brown is riding later.
18 Madeline Brooks has the front rail at Fence 2. Her horse swaps at 4A. She finds a nice forward ride to 7. She has a strong finish to her round.
19 Ava Donna is bold to the first and it works well. She gets a good ride down the outside line. Her horse is a good fit for her style and they look in sync. She should be pleased with that round.
20 Mckayla Brombach is a little tight to Fence 1, but that’s being picky. She’s very smooth all the way around.
Riders 21-30
21 Lillian Geitner’s horse is having several rubs and takes the rail at Fence 9 when he drifts to the inside. She looked like she had a plan and executed.
22 Joe Craver was third at Talent Search—East this year. He has a pleasant round that he should be pleased with.
23 Mckenzie Clayton has some inconsistent distances and then her horse says no thank you to Fence 7. She has to ride hard to get it done on the second try but is good at the next two. She’s being definitive in her riding to the last.
24 Caroline Signorino is having a very nice round through the first course. Her horse hesitates a hair off the ground to 5A but she covers it well. Caroline knows exactly where she is on course and gets lots of applause.
25 Siena MacDonald is riding this track well. She seems to know exactly where she is every stride. She has to make a move to 10 and then is very bold to the last, but before that most of her adjustments were invisible.
17 Julia Brown is riding out of order. She’s having a good round, but then has a slight miscommunication to Fence 7. They jump the rest of the round well.
26 Cassie Warren is having a very workmanlike round. She knows her horse’s stride well and has a smooth trip around the course.
27 Daniela Carvajal has a rail at Fence 3 and 5A. She’s quite deep to Fence 7 and it affects her track through the rest of the line, but she gets down it. She finishes on a good note.
28 Francesca Guidi’s horse plays in the turn to the first fence but she gets his attention to find a good distance. He isn’t quite straight to Fence 7 and knocks a block, but it stays up. Her final line is beautiful and earns lots of applause.
29 Kalea Iuliano has a great ride up the first line. She quiet into the oxer doubles. She loses her stirrups over 5A but sits up and gets out. She has more problems at Fence 7 when her horse goes through the blocks and loses her stirrups again. She’s on his neck but gets over Fence 8. She does a good job staying on. They have a stop at 11, and it has to be reset. She regroups to finish her round.
30 Reagan Gehm gets exactly the ride she wants to the first two and then is a tad close to the third. She’s tight to Fence 7 and again to 9. He horse rattles Fence 11 and then they’re deep to the last.
Riders 31-40
31 Sinead Fennelly’s horse looks like a pleasant fellow with a lot of jump, and it means she’s tight to 5B. She’s deep to Fence 7 and gets popped out of the tack on landing, but she’s up and walks her horse out.
32 Maddie Tosh won the WIHS Equitation Final last week, and she’s showing why she won while riding this track. Her round is just about picture perfect. Everything was smooth and crisp. She gets enthusiastic applause to finish her round.
33 Nicholas Lopes has a smooth trip down the first line. He rides forward into the outside line at the doubles and is good through there. He’s a little deep to Fence 6, but the next line is well ridden. A shame that he has a swap to the last.
34 Logan Thomas is putting together a smooth round, but is tight to fence 7. Her final line is as smooth as it gets.
35 Willow Mary Wright has a stop at the first fence, what a shame. She gets it done on second attempt and is tight to 5B. He horse swaps to Fence 9, the Swedish oxer. She regroups nicely to the last three.
36 Josephine Demmo has a miscommunication with her horse to the first fence and it affects the next two fences. She fixes his stride to the outside line and gets a good ride before getting deep to Fence 6. Her distances are a bit inconsistent to finish her round.
37 Juliette Earley does a good job at adjusting her horse’s stride to the first line. She has a rub at 5B. It looked like she was a little tighter to Fence 7. She does an excellent job executing the plan for the final line.
38 Carolyn Albright gives a strong ride to the first, but her horse pulls hard to the right twice and unfortunately that ends her round.
39 Samantha Elliott is riding a very attractive chestnut with flaxen mane and tail. She’s deep to the first and then again to the second and has the front rail—it’s easy to knock if you get too close. She has to cluck to get him over 4A and then has a swap to 5A. She has a couple more inconsistent distances in the middle of the course but finds her rhythm to the last three.
40 Paige Walkenbach has had a lot of good placings this year, and she rides a steady round on her big-striding horse. Her horse has a rub at Fence 3 and then pats the ground in front of 6. She finishes well and gets well deserved applause.
Riders 41-50
41 Madison Nadolenco has a rail at 3 which is a shame because she rode the line well. She’s making easy work of the course and is good at measuring the lines. She has a great finish.
42 Caroline Mirts fits her horse well. The double at 4AB gets a little long coming out, but she adjusts well to 5AB. It’s a lovely round she should be pleased with.
43 Reese Merna rides a good round, but her adjustments aren’t quite as invisible as some who have gone before her. She knocks off a block at 7 but finishes on a good note.
44 Grace Russo made the trip from California. She has a big striding horse that she rides well. Her horse gives 5A a peek but jumps it. They have a miscommunication at Fence 6, but unfortunately she falls off.
45 Sofia Cady rides a well-executed round on her talented partner. There’s not much to fault about that ride.
46 Adriana Forte is another rider who knows her horse well and makes beautiful adjustments to his stride. He’s got a big jump and she’s good at staying with it. She earns lots of well-deserved applause.
47 Caroline Wang finds a good distance to the first. She’s good at placing her horse where he needs to be to give her a good jump. He does rub Fence 8. She didn’t quite get the distance she wanted to Fence 10, and it affects her ride to 11 where she has another rub. It’s a nice round.
48 Helena Timpany’s horse has a beautiful canter that she manages well. They’re a hair tight to 6 and then aren’t on the same page to the next fences, and he knocks the blocks out at the Gucci box at Fence 7. The latter half of her round is lovely.
49 Paloma Primavera’s horse is spooking coming into the ring and does not want to go forward. Once she gets him trotting he seems more willing. She puts her leg on to get a good canter to the first and finds a quiet distance. They’re a little tight to 2. He’s a little spooky still, but she’s doing a good job getting him around. Good on her to finish that round without major mistakes.
50 Katharine Hoerle is the last before our first break and standby. She rides with a deeper seat, but it suits her horse. They have a swap to 4A. They may have had another swap before 7. She finishes on a good note.
FIRST STANDBY
Maddie Tosh
Christian Dominguez
Caroline Olsen
Adriana Forte
Caroline Signorino
Sofia Cady
Schuyler Dayner
Cassie Warren
Mckayla Brombach
Paige Walkenbach
Francesca Guidi
Sabine Close
Caroline Mirts
Juliette Earley
Ava Donna
Emma Blumenkrantz
Nicolas Lopes
Logan Thomas
Madison Nadolenco
Reese Merna
Paris Levy
Caroline Wang
Joe Craver
Lillian Valiquette
Riders 51-60
51 Ellie Aronson has a seamless round until there’s a small miscommunication at 7, the Gucci boxes. That mistake will cost her on what was otherwise a beautiful round.
52 Callista Smith was having a beautiful round until she got deep and added at 5A. She rides the remainder of her course with great style.
53 Zoe Elizabeth Mielenz’s horse doesn’t like the look of Fence 1 and refuses. She makes it happen on second attempt. He thinks about stopping again at Fence 3 and then does at Fence 4A ending her day early.
54 Campbell L. Hudkins rides a good first three fences. The double at 5AB gets a little tight for her. She ends her round nicely to lots of applause.
55 Shiloh Roseboom’s horses carries a nice rhythm around the course, and she’s making this look easy until she finds an awkward distance at Fence 7. That fence has caused quite a few problems. An unfortunate blip on an otherwise workmanlike round.
56 Greenley Achuck is a little deep to Fence 1 and 8. She rides a very nice round everywhere else.
57 Avery Reid lands short off Fence 1 so she has to chase to the second. She knocks the block at 7, but it stays up. They have a swap to 11 and take the rail with it. Their last jump is lovely. She gives her horse a kiss to end her round.
58 Londyn Samlaska has a swap to the second and then has a disagreement with her horse on the distance to 4A and picks up a stop, requiring the fence to be rebuilt. She had a positive finish to her round.
59 Emma Rupinski’s horse looked at something after the second fence, but she kicks him forward. They have a rail at 8. She gets a big jump over the triple bar at 10 and again over the last. It’s a good round.
60 Skyler Ezzell has to work to fit the five strides in at the third fence. Her horse has quite a forward way of going. She finishes without any major mistakes.
Riders 61-70
61 Gabriella Curry is having a lovely round until taking the rail at 5A. She did an excellent job riding to plan.
62 Emily Jurnovoy gets a hair close to 7, but otherwise she rides a very nice round that she should be proud of.
63 Maddie Figgie gets close to the third and takes the rail. Her horse eats up the one stride at 5AB so she’s close to the out too. They have another rail at 11 to finish a composed round.
64 Emma Post is close to the second and pulls the front rail of that oxer. She’s also a hair tight to 4A and rattles 5B. She has the rail at 11.
65 Taylor Cawley was at the top of the first round at the Medal Final a few weeks ago. She’s a little quiet to the first fence, but her first line rides smoothly. She just ticks a block at Fence 6, which is the first time that’s come down. It’s a smooth and effective round.
66 Rylynn Conway clucks to get the two done at 4AB but it works for her and the line rides great. It’s a good round with plenty of applause.
67 Skylar Gurtis rides a smooth first half of the course and gets a bold distance at 7 and 10, but it’s a well ridden course other than that.
68 Olivia Sweetnam rides with lots of poise and it makes for a smooth round. She knocks down two blocks at the Gucci box at Fence 7.
69 Grace Sappington’s horse is quite big, and he looks like he’s walking down the lines. She makes smooth adjustments to find good distances to the fences. They do rub Fence 8. It was a nice round that will likely earn her a spot on the next standby.
70 Sophie Whidden gets a good shot to the first fence and it sets her up for a great first line. She does have to work to fit in four strides from 4AB to 5AB as her horse eats up the distance, but it’s well-ridden.
Riders 71-80
71 Ella Witt rides boldly to the seventh fence. It’s an accurate round that was well received.
72 Molly Zygmont has an awkward distance to the first and then gets close to the next two. Her horse looks quite bold. She finds an easier time on the second half of the course.
73 Olivia Soucie and her horse have a miscommunication to Fence 3. She has a hard time to Fence 4AB and then 5A, where she adds twice and has a little trouble re-establishing her rhythm. Once she gets going again, she’s much smoother.
74 Ella Delgado comes from Oregon. She might have had a swap at the second and then has some inconsistent distances and a few more swaps right in front of the fences.
75 Kaitlyn Sheerahamed moves up to the first fence but smooths it out to the next couple. She’s close to the arch at 6 and has a swap at 8. She finishes on a positive note.
76 Taylor Kogen has a good jump the first, but takes down the rail. Her horse slides into the fence at 3. They have a swap to Fence 5A. They drop a block at 7 and the front rail of the Swedish at 9.
77 Clara Propp had a great week in the junior hunters already and her smooth style is a benefit in the equitation. A rub at Fence 8 is the first time she’s not dead on her distance. It’s a great round.
78 Anna Donovan is riding a measured round. She does have the rail at 5B. She finds a quiet ride to the triple bar at 10, but it works out well.
79 Maggie Killeen gets deep to the first, and is deep again to the second. She rides quite forward into the line of doubles, and her horse gets quite tight to 5A. She finds a few more tight ones on the middle third but smooths things out at the end.
80 Makena Bloebaum rubs the front rail at 2 but keeps it up. She’s tight to 4A and again to 6. She has another rub at 11, for a solid finish.
Riders 81-90
81 Avery Winston moves up early to Fence 2 so that she can sit up to the jump and get a good distance. They’re tight to 10 and then find an easy trip down the rest of the final line.
82 Alexandra Parisi is a little tight to the first which affects her ride for the rest of that line. Her horse seems quite game, and the end of her round is smooth.
83 Taylor Landstrom is riding a consistent round, though she may have had a swap to the second fence. Her horse drifts left to the Swedish oxer which puts her a bit off her line. She’s deep to the next fence at 10 but finishes on a positive note.
84 Charlotte Jumper’s horse looks hard at the first fence and stops. She gets it done on the second attempt but then he stops again at 4A, ending her day early.
85 Kendall Dean is a little deep to Fence 3 and again to 4A. They have an awkward jump at 7 and then again at 8. They have a rail at 9, but she rides a very nice final line.
86 Madison Widmer pulls the front rail at Fence 2, which has caught several riders. Her horse has a big stride that she manages well. The finish on a high note.
87 Maggie Lawler has a stop at the first fence, but she gets a good jump at the second attempt. Her horse has quite a big jump. She’s found a good rhythm for the middle of the course but her horse backs off to the triple bar and has the back rail down. They finish well.
88 Noah Nelson was recently second at the Dover Saddlery/USEF Hunter Seat Medal Final in Harrisburg. He starts with a nice forward and steady pace and gets a smooth jump to 1 and 2. He’s lovely through the line from 4AB to 5AB and then they’re smooth to all the rest. He finishes up what was an extremely nice round to applause and a big smile from Noah.
89 Campbell Kahn’s lovely gray horse comes in looking keen, and they get a tiny bit tight to Fence 3. They get a little tight to the wall at 6 too, but 7 goes better for them. He takes a little look at the skinny and swaps off, but they finish nicely over the last.
90 Caitlyn Gidley’s horse has a big step and looks a little fresh, but they jump nicely through the line at fence 5AB. She gets a good shot at both the walls and finish on a high note.
Riders 91-100
91 Ava Swords has a nice shot at Fence 1 but then gets a little rub at Fence 2. They take a big bold jump over Fence 7 but the horse swaps off before 8. She’s a little tight to the skinny but finishes nicely over the last.
92 Jordan Gibbs’ horse has a beautiful big step and gets a good shot at the first three. The rest of the course goes very smoothly for them as she’s carrying a good pace but also taking her time to get to the right spots.
93 Vivian Golden gets a cracking, forward shot at Fence 1, and then 2 comes up well too. Fence 3 comes up just a little awkwardly, but they smooth out the rest through that next line. They have a rail at Fence 8. They have a swap off to the final fence.
94 Stella Patenaude has a swap off to Fence 2 and a rail there, but 3 is better. Her horse is a little spooky and rushed down the line from 4AB to 5AB. The second half of the course is much smoother.
95 Bailey Rose gets a big jump to 2 and then 3 comes up just a little awkwardly. The 4AB and 5AB lines come up well for them. Her horse starts to pick up pace through the second half, but she handles it well, and they have a nice jump over the last.
96 Kat Fuqua has a really forward pace to the first and then has a rail at Fence 2 as she comes a little close to it. Fences 4AB and 5AB work out well for her, and they get a good shot at 6 too. She resets the pace before the last two lines, and they both go very well for her.
97 Eleanor Rudnicki’s horse takes a big jump over the first, and she does well to get him in hand back before 2 and 3. The line from 4AB to 5AB is really smooth. The last few fences are beautiful.
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98 Harper Phipps’ distance to Fence 1 is a tiny bit awkward, but she fixes the pace and step perfectly for the next several fences. The rest come up out of stride for her. They finish nicely with a big jump over the last.
99 Natalie Bertoglio is smooth through the first several, and the line at 4AB is pretty. They have a little bit of an awkward jump into 5A, but she jumps out well. They finish nicely over the last.
100 Kate Hagerty gets a great shot at 1, 2 and 3. Her lovely horse with such a great expression is smooth through 4AB and 5AB. She’s nicely forward to the walls, and they come up beautifully for her. She has a rail at the second-to-last but then finishes well.
SECOND STANDBY
Eleanor Rudnicki
Maddie Tosh
Noah Nelson
Christian Dominguez
Caroline Olsen
Adriana Forte
Caroline Signorino
Grace Sappington
Sofia Cady
Jordan Gibbs
Rylynn Conway
Clara Propp
Schuyler Dayner
Cassie Warren
Kate Hagerty
Mckayla Brombach
Paige Walkenbach
Caitliyn Gidley
Francesca Guidi
Sabine Close
Caroline Mirts
Juliette Earley
Sophie Whidden
Riders 101-110
101 Kileigh Van Ness has a good ride to the first three, but then adds to 4A and takes the front rail and has an awkward jump out of over B when she adds. She has a swap to 5A and then is deep to 11.
102 Lily Epstein has a good start to her course but has a rail at 5B. The remainder of her round is quite smooth.
103 Frankie Nicklaus has a couple inconsistent jumps in the 4AB to 5AB line. She has the rail at 11, but most of her round is quite good.
104 Violet Tatum has an easy time of the first line and her horse looks keen but rateable in the outside line. They are deep to Fence 6. She puts in a smooth finish to the end of her trip.
105 Hanna Dolan is a bit slow of the ground to the first couple of fences, but she’s finding a better rhythm as she continues. She has a rail at Fence 8. The rest of the course comes up right out of stride.
106 Emme Tangen is close to 2 but jumps it cleanly. She finds a good jump at 6. She moves up to the triple bar at 10 and has to really ride the remainder of the course, but it’s a pleasant trip.
107 Gable Gering is deep the to the first and then has the front rail of the oxer down at 4A. She has a nice finish to her round.
108 Jillian Puthoff is riding an attractive gray and they have a good ride to the first three fences. He trips after 6 which throws her forward, but she regroups to get a good jump at 7. They pull the rail at 11.
109 Charlotte Harris was a little close to the first fence but she makes it up well in the line to 2. He rubs a block at 7, then has rails at 8 and 9. Their last line is without any major errors.
110 Cecelia Perry is on a horse that suits her well and allows her to execute her plan. They have the rail down at 11.
Riders 111-120
111 Emily Clee has an awkward distance to 5A and then rubs fence 9. Her horse looks hard at 11, and she has to really ride to get the job done, but she makes it happen. They also have a rub at 12.
112 Erin Morera is slow to 1 and then has to hustle down the line to 2. She’s found a few tight distances and with all these related lines it affects the jumps after it. She gets the job done though.
113 Kate Parker is deep to the first, but gets a better distance to the next two. She gets underneath 4A, but her horse does a good job getting out of the combination there. They’ve had a few miscommunications on their distances. She is smooths things out to end her round.
114 Alyssa J. Bauer gets a nice ride to the first three. She’s doing a good job finding the jumps and finishes to applause.
115 Tessa Downey sets a nice steady pace to the first. Fences 2 and 3 come up nicely for her, same as does the line from 4AB to 5AB. The rest of the jumps look easy for the pair. Overall a lovely, smooth round.
116 Katelyn Vandenburg has a good ride up the first line but then gets close to 4A and has to work to get out of the combination. She finds a nice balance across the diangonal and has an excellent finish.
117 Mila Anderson has a good first half but is tight to 6 and then adds at 7. She puts things back together to finish.
118 Violet Wiley’s horse looks spooky coming in. She has to really ride to the first, but gets over it, however he stops at the next fence. She gets him over it on second attempt, but then he stops at the third to end her day.
119 Gabrielle Young gets a big jump at 4A and then is tight to 6. She’s a little inconsistent through the diagonal line, but finds a better rhythm to the last three.
120 Blake Rowan has to slow down to Fence 2, which breaks gthe flow just a hair. She’s then deep to 4A and her horse hesitates at 5A off the ground. He looks at 7 and has a swap there and again at 8. She has a good ride down the last line.
Riders 121-130
121 Kenna LaBeau is a little slow to the first. She has a great ride down the outside line. Her horse is an attractive gray who fits her well. They counter canter for a few steps through the turn after 9 but finish strong.
122 Parker Peacock gets to the base of 2 and has an awkward jump. They have a rail at 4A and a swap to 5A. They smooth things out before having a rail at 9 and her horse gets backward at 10 followed by another rail at 11.
123 Kingsley Dey gets a great ride to the first which makes the next two easy. They have a rub at 5B. They have a swap in the line from 7 to 8. She does an excellent job finding her way down the last line.
124 Camille Stark slows down out of the turn to Fence 1 and her horse backs off again to 4A. They take the rail at 5B. After a smooth trip down the center of the ring, they have a front rail at 9 and are deep to 10.
125 Eleese Shillingford has a good jump at 1, before having a stop at the second. It’s much smoother for the next few jumps but they’re deep to 9 and have a rub.
126 Katie Finley’s horse has a nice active canter. They’re a little inconsistent in their distances to the first three. They’re deep at 6 before riding well at 7, 8 and 9. They have a rub at the Swedish and finish well.
127 Clayton Farrell gets a nice jump at 1 and 2 and then has to steady to 3. He has a bold style and is a very forward rider. They have a rub at 9. It’s a stylish and smooth round.
128 Isabel Flynn is on a cute bay with a lot of chrome. They’re a hair short to 3 and she finds a forward, bold distance to 4A. He swaps at 8. Her last two jumps are very good.
129 Riley Swint’s horse is a little looky coming in. She gets a good canter to the first, but everything’s a little tight. His big stride means these related distances can get tight. She finds a good ride to 9 and ends positively.
130 Cody Rego’s horse finds these jumps easy and it lets him find a good rhythm and ride every stride in a relaxed manner. There’s not much to criticize in a round like that.
Riders 131-140
131 Abigail Roberts has a good first few fences, but then her horse has to really sit to fit in the four strides between 4AB and5AB. She’s close to 6 and then has to really come forward to make the distance to 8. She finishes well.
132 Emi Richard is good through the first three fences, but then her horses hits the brakes twice at 4A, ending her day early.
133 Mya Borysiak is having a hard time finding a good rhythm, though her jump at 8 is quite nice. Her horse gives her a huge jump at the triple bar, but she gets a nice ride ot the last two. She has some enthusiastic supporters here today.
134 Madeline Rubin gets a good pace to the first and then ends up close to 2 so she has the front rail. She’s attacking this course, but has had a couple tight distances as a result. She last three jumps are very nice.
135 Talia Kirson is also riding bold and forward and it works well for her to the first line. She’s got a bit too much to 5AB and is deep at both of those. She gets along well with her horse, and they’re on the same page at each fence.
136 Savannah Embly is a Lexington local and is on an adorable chestnut. They are tight to the first and then have a swap at 2. They’re also a little tight to 5B before getting a great jump at 6 and up the next line. She finds a long one to the last, but her horse is ready to take it.
137 Madison Ramsey gets up the first line easily and then can just sit and wait for the second jump. She’s got a good feel for her horse’s stride and where to adjust. They have 8 down and then drift at 10 to be a little tight. They also have the rail at 11.
138 Finley Clement did not ride.
139 Carlee McCutcheon has had a phenomenal finals season. She won the Dover Saddlery/USEF Hunter Seat Medal Final and was second in the Platinum Performance USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Final—East and third at the WIHS Equitation Final. She has a tiny bobble in her trot circle when the horse briefly picks up canter, but she has a good pace and has a lovely jump over 1. Fences 2-3 are equally smooth. The one-stride lines are also jumped out of stride, and everything else comes up just like she wants. She finishes to lots of cheers.
140 Kate Egan won the WEC Premier Equitation Cup this winter. Her big horse takes a leap over Fence 2 but otherwise those first fences are lovely. Fences 4AB and 5AB are smooth. The last three jumps are also super smooth for an overall nice round.
Riders 141-150
141 Scottie Arnold gets just a touch close to 1 but fixes her pace before 2 and 3. She’s just a bit tight to fence 4A, and the jump out is a bit awkward because of that. She gets a great shot to the Gucci and ASPCA fences, and she finishes strong.
142 Kaitlyn Kiely sets a nice pace to fence 1, and the line from 2-3 is lovely. Her very stylish horse goes well through 4AB and 5AB. She has a block off the Gucci wall. Her last three jumps are super smooth.
143 Olivia Pileggi’s horse plays a little bit in the lead change before she starts. She fixes it nicely before the first jump, but she has a swap off before Fence 2. Her horse refuses fence 4A once, but she gets a nice confident shot at it the second time. The horse stops at the Gucci wall, and her day is over. She gives her horse a pat on the way out.
144 Alida Treuting is riding a horse with a massive step. They have a stop at fence 5A. She comes back around and rides him over. It just looks like she has to chase him a tiny bit the rest of the way around as he seems a little spooky, but they finish the round.
145 Emma Hakim’s horse comes in looking a bit backed off, but she does a good job getting him over Fence 1. They have a nice distance over 2 and 3. He spooks at fence 5A, but she gets him over. She picks up a stop at the final fence, but she gets reorganized and jumps it the second time around. She gives him lots of pats on the way out.
146 Hope Verschleiser picks up a stop at Fence 1 but she gets him over the second time. They jump through the cominbations nicely. She did a great job getting her horse more confident as they went around, and they finish well.
147 Mia Frigon sets a nice steady pace before the first, and that comes up nicely for her. He swaps off before fence 2, but 3 goes well. They have a rail at fence 4A. They have a miscommunication about the distance at the Gucci wall and have a block off that. Their last jump is beautiful.
148 Katie Smith has a nice shot at Fence 1, and the rest of the bending line goes well for them. Her very appealing gray horse jumps through the one-strides nicely. Their Gucci wall jump is lovely, as is their jump over the Swedish oxer. They finish nicely as well to lots of cheers, and she’s smiling.
149 Amaya Bellfield is riding a very cute round horse. He takes a slight stutter step before Fence 1, but the rest of the early jumps go well for them. They have a rail at fence 5A and then another rail at the Swedish as the horse just picks up pace and gets a little downhill as they go around. She gives her horse a big pat as they leave.
150 Tara Govindarajan has a stop at Fence 2 when the horse gets tight to it. On their second approach, they have a nice jump over. They have a rail at 4B. They get a good forward distance to the Gucci wall and to the Swedish. The second half of their course was very nice and smooth.
THIRD STANDBY
Carlee McCutcheon
Eleanor Rudnicki
Maddie Tosh
Noah Nelson
Kate Egan
Christian Dominguez
Caroline Olsen
Cody Rego
Tessa Downey
Adriana Forte
Caroline Signorino
Grace Sappington
Sofia Cady
Jordan Gibbs
Alyssa J. Bauer
Katelyn Vandenburg
Rylynn Conway
Clara Propp
Schuyler Dayner
Cassie Warren
Katie Smith
Kate Hagerty
Mckayla Brombach
Kingsley Dey
Riders 151-160
151 Avery Glynn has been very consistent in the equitation finals over the last few years and won the R.W. “Ronnie” Mutch Equitation Championship this winter. Her horse gets maybe just the tiniest bit tight to 1 if we’re being super picky, but she has a nice jump over, and the next few fences go well for them too. The rest of her course is completely smooth and polished, and she finishes to big cheers.
152 Elianna Kirson is putting in a very classy round. She’s finding all the jumps right out of stride and looks very confident in her horse. They have a good round.
153 Anngelina Morton’s horse looks fun to ride. They get close to 3 and have the rail down, and again at 4A. He also knocks down 5A, 9 and 11. It was a very pleasant round, but those rails will hurt them.
154 Avery Wegmann gets a nice forward ride up the first line and it works well for her. The pace might be a hair quick but they’re meeting the jumps at a good distance. She should be very pleased with that overall.
155 Katie Nedder gets up the first line quick and is close to 2 so they have the front rail. They’re a little snug jumping out of 5AB and at 6. They have a smooth and effortless last line.
156 Kiara LeMaire gets a good forward pace to 1, 2 and 3. They have the have the back rail of the Swedish down and a rub at the last for an overall good round.
157 Andie Preblick gets a bit tight to the second. They have a hard rub at 4B, but it stays up. They’re a bit tight to 6. The rest of their round is measured and pleasant to watch.
158 Katelyn Martin is early to the second jump and has the front rail of the oxer. They have a similar problem to 5Q and 9 for more rails. Their last jump is picture perfect.
159 Amy Krebs is deep to the first and then has a swap to the second. They touch the third and have a good jump through the first double. The second at 5AB gets tight and then they have a good ride up the diagonal. They also finish with a great last fence.
160 Payton Lussen gets a good shot at the first three fences and is bold through the next series of fences. It catches up to them at 8 when they pull a rail. It’s a nice finish.
Riders 161-170
161 Tess Kjellberg is a little tight up the first line and then has a stop at 4A. It takes a cluck but they get over it on second attempt. He pulls a rail at 5B and then another refusal at 6 ends their day.
162 Addison Rolie has some inconsistent distances to start and then has the rail at 5A. They smooth things out as they go.
163 Gigi Phillips is good to the first few but is tight to 5A. They find a good rhythm again and finish on a positive note.
164 Victoria Rotsaert finds a good forward gallop to the first, but then is tight to the second and has a rub. She’s a little close to 6 and has a positive ride through the diagonal line and finishes well.
165 Chelsea Stopford’s horse has a huge step and jumps easily. He steps off the lead behind on the way to fence 6. They have a very pleasant round.
166 Katrina Shulda has quite a forward pace. She has a swap in the middle of the line to 2. There’s been a few hard rubs throughout the course, but it’s a competent ride.
167 Isabelle Ehman gets a good pace to the first three and is rewarded with smooth jumps. She is very smooth through the next line, but her horse stands off 6 a little bit and has a big jump. Their last line is lovely as well.
168 Sydney Raidy’s horse is an attractive light type. She doesn’t quite have the right pace to the first and has a rub. She’s doing a good job and finding a better rhythm, but her horse gets close to 4B and has the front rail down. They have a rail at 11 as well, but are great at the last.
169 Sofia Moskowitz is having a good first few jumps with good pace and an methodical tempo. They have a swap at 8. She has to really move up to 10 and 11, but is smoother to the last.
170 Dylan Bazaar’s style works very well with her horse, and they’re having a good round. She moves up to a great distance for 10 and finishes on a great note.
Riders 171-180
171 Sophia Bruny finds a positive ride to the first three. They’re maybe a hair tight to 4A, but he horse covers it was, but he swaps at 5A. He swaps a few times on the line from 8 to 9. Their last three jumps are great.
172 Isabelle Collister’s horse is spicy on their canter depart and they’re not quite where they want to be to the first jump. He looks very forward today and he was tight to 4A. They’re also deep to 6, but they found their rhythm again to the next two. They’re deep again at 9, but the last line is out of stride.
173 Taylor Orlowski is tight to the first. That’s a jump that requires just the right pace out of the corner. They have a swap at 5A and possibly again to 8. They catch a good forward distance to 9. They cross-canter to the last which is unfortunate.
174 Lauren Thomas has done the Emerging Athlete’s program twice. She gets a great jump at the first. They do have to whoa to 3 and still get close to pull the front rail. Her horse looks hard at 5AB and swaps a couple times, but she encourages him to jump. Their last line is very good. She gives him a kiss and pat as they exit the ring.
175 Nicole Golia is riding a very pretty gray horse, who looks very agreeable. She starts on a good canter, and though he trips in the corner he still gets a nice jump at the first, but they’re close to the second and have a rail. He also looks hard at 5AB and swaps a couple times, but he does jump. They have 5B down in the process. Her last line is the strongest part of her course.
176 Maxine Boeding gets a great jump at the first and it flows right to the second. An unfortante swap at 3. She also runs afoul of 5AB and gets a hard look and swap. She gets him focused again and the remainder of the course is quite nice, so that blip is a shame.
177 Kendall Wallin is a scratch.
178 Abigail Gordon is riding 20-year-old veteran Any Given Sunday. They have a smooth trip through the first 3, and then are a little tight at the two one strides at 4AB and 5AB. The rest of their round is quite pleasant to watch.
179 Hugh Turner’s horse is slow at 1, but he gets up the line to 2 well. He’s a hair close to 7. He finds the forward ride to 10, but he swaps afterwards. Their last two jumps are beautiful.
180 Eleanor Pieters needs a bit more pace to the first. She is a little tight to 4A and 5A. It looks like her horse is slowing down to prepare for the one stride. They’re better off the ground to the next few jumps. He pulls the rail at 11.
Riders 181-190
181 Sophia James is tight to 1, but makes the stride work to 2. They’re tight in a couple more places and then pull the rail at 5B. He spooks at 6 and runs out. She gets him over on second attempt. They have a swap on the way to 8. She puts it together for the last three, but has a swap to the last.
182 Anna Markcrow is having a good ride, but a few inconsistencies will keep her score lower than our current standby. They’re too close to 11 and have the rail.
183 Sophia Tabasso is close to 1 and then is too tight to 2 and has the front rail. They’re finding a better tempo now. They have the rail at 5B. He swaps to 7, but she rides the rest of that line great. He takes the rail at 11 too.
184 Eve Westfall is on a lovely darker gray horse with a big step. They have a nice start to their round, and the horse jumps beautifully for her through both one-stride combos. They get a little rushed and then a slightly harried spot to the Gucci wall, but she smooths back out right after and finishes with a big jump over the last.
185 Grace De Foe’s horse has a lovely way of going with a really cute face, but they get a long spot to fence 3. She gets him back before the 4AB, 5AB line, and the rest is all very polished.
186 Zadie Stack’s horse looks like he wants to get quick, but she keeps him in hand over the first three fences. They get quite tight to 4A as he just runs past the distance a little, and the rest of that line is just a little awkward. They have a nice jump over the Gucci wall, and they finish smoothly as well.
187 Emma Brody is mounted on a big, lovely gray horse. She hunts down to the first nicely and has a smooth first half of her course until they get a chip at fence 5A and her horse does an amazing job to still pop over. She corrects the issue before the next few and finishes well with a nice bold jump over the last.
188 Emma Simon looks polished through the first half, and her horse gets a really nice jump over the Gucci wall especially. Overall that was a good trip.
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189 Kenda Murray picks up a stop at the first. She gets it on the second try. Her horse looks maybe just a little backed off in the ring, and they have a second stop at 5A. That’s the end of her day, and she pats her horse on the way out.
190 Camilla Jerng won the Platinum Performance USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Final—West this year. Her horse looks like he should be a Breyer model—very appealing and cute. She gets a bold distance to the second but gets him back in time to also clear 3 well. The one-stride combos are smooth, as is the wall after. She has a rail on the Swedish oxer, but her last line is really nice.
Riders 191-200
191 Reagan Waggoner’s ride down to the first three is smooth but she picks up a stop at fence 5A. She gives him a confidence-building ride over the rest.
192 Jackie Stary has a lovely confident ride to the first three fences with a good pace. She’s picture-perfect through 4AB and 5AB. They’re smooth through the rest of the course as well, finishing to lots of cheers.
193 Elizabeth Lile sets a good steady pace as she heads to the first, but they get just a tiny bit tight there. She does well to smoothly jump 2 and 3. Her horse is just a little slow off the ground to 5A, but they boldly and nicely jump the rest.
194 Blythe Goguen and her gray horse jump the first several fences nicely out stride. This horse looks like he’s just so easily stepping over these jumps. She does have one rail down, but she gets a beautiful shot at the Swedish, and they finish nicely.
195 Hannah Famulak’s horse is a light type, and she is good at getting him forward to the jumps without looking rushed. She’s very smooth through the first 6. She’s having a fantastic ride and finished on a good note.
196 Abby Cole has some trouble at 2 and has to circle before 3. She is a little sticky at 4AB, but then her horse stops at 5A, and it ends her round.
197 Elodie Watrous has a swap in the line to fence 2. She has to whoa to 5A, and it’s still tight at 5B. She rides conservatively to 10 and 11 and then has some lead trouble to the last.
198 Caroline Nadalin finds a good stride throughout her round and keeps a good pace. She makes it through without any major mistakes.
199 Anna Mansur finds a good jump to the first, and then rides up to 2. She’s a little tight to 4A, but rides the rest of the line well. She is deep to 6. Her horse tries to stop at 8 and takes out the top pole but gets to the other side. She circles to regroup before 9, but he stops there, ending her day.
200 Izzy Beisel will be our last rider before the next drag break. Izzy picks up a nice open stride , but gets tight to the first. She holds the counter canter well to 3. She’s long to 4AB, and then isn’t quite on the same page with her horse for the next few distances. By 7 they’re back in sync. They have a rail at 11.
FOURTH STANDBY
Carlee McCutcheon
Eleanor Rudnicki
Maddie Tosh
Noah Nelson
Kate Egan
Christian Dominguez
Caroline Olsen
Cody Rego
Tessa Downey
Adriana Forte
Elianna Kirson
Caroline Signorino
Grace Sappington
Sofia Cady
Jordan Gibbs
Avery Glynn
Alyssa J. Bauer
Katelyn Vandenburg
Rylynn Conway
Jackie Stary
Clara Propp
Schuyler Dayner
Cassie Warren
Katie Smith
Riders 201-210
201 Brooke Tegtmeyer sets a nice steady pace heading to the first, and they meet that nicely. They have a rail off fence 5a but she doesn’t let it rattle her, and she does the rest very smoothly.
202 Ariana Marnell and her lovely gray horse jump the first line beautifully. The line from 4ab to 5ab is smooth. They get really tight to the Gucci wall, fence 7, and the horse has to pop it. She keeps her cool and finishes on a high though.
203 Audrey Carmody is very smooth through the first three fences. The one-stride combos are also smooth. She picks a bold distance to the Gucci wall and finishes very well.
204 Annabelle Gitterman is on a big bay with a beautiful floating trot. The first bending line is really nice. They have a stop at fence 4b, and she gets a short break as they reset the fence. She has a nice ride through the second time. The horse takes a little peek at the Gucci wall then gets tight to 8. They have a little lead disagreement on the last line, but she gives him lots of pats on the way out.
205 Payton Blackwell gets a little deep to 4a then has a slightly awkward jump out, but she makes it in the one stride. She has a rail at the Swedish oxer and a block off the wall. They have a lovely jump over the last.
206 Campbell Brown and her horse have a miscommunication about distance to the first and her horse pops it, but she smoothes out after that. She gets a great shot to the triple bar and a beautiful jump out.
207 Amira Kettaneh sets a great pace to the first and her horse jumps that first line beautifully. She meets everything else out of a nice stride and finishes with a bold jump over the last.
208 Grace O’Connell gets a little bit of an awkward jump to fence 1. Her horse just looks a little keen and is stepping past the distances a tiny bit, which happens again at the Gucci wall. Her last three jumps are very nice.
209 Aedan Mooney comes in with a big, forward step on her lovely chestnut. She makes a very smooth adjustment during the first line so that everything comes up well. The 4ab to 5ab line goes well, as do the walls and the triple bar. That was overall a nice, smooth round.
210 Grace Shipman’s horse seems to be looking at the fences just a bit as they start, but he’s still meeting them well and jumping out of stride nicely. They both finish looking more confident than they started with an overall smooth trip.
Riders 211-220
211 Katie Durban is another ride mounted on a very cute gray horse. She has to add heading into 4a, but they jump out well. They get a little off their line and jump off to the side of the skinny wall at 6. Their last few jumps are really nice.
212 Ella Cate Duke picks up a forward, bold pace as she starts and meets the first few fences right out stride. Her horse is jumping beautifully, and they enjoy a smooth trip over the rest, finishing to lots of cheers.
213 Tarin Kiely found a deep one to the first fence. She’s rolling along now though and is getting good jumps everywhere else. She opens up to 7, but it works out well for her. She’s got a bold distance to the triple bar which affects her last two jumps, but it’s a pleasant round.
214 Sky Bandini-Gondron is deep to 1. She has to work a little in the double to double but makes it happen. Her horse is a little quick through the turns which means she has to work to put him back together. She put it together nicely for the last line.
215 Julia Slade moves up to a nice distance at the first. She looked like she found a good spot to 2, but her horse was a little slow with his knees. They have a swap to 8. Her final line is well executed.
216 Stella Shdeed rides a forward gallop to the first two, but she gets a swap at the second. She’s a little tight to 5b. and again to 7, so she has to chase him to 8. She loses her track a bit to 9 and it takes her some time to put him back together.
217 Calogera Borrello has a nice ride up the first line, but she’s unable to hold the right lead on the way to 3. She gets down the outside line early and is deep to 5b. She has to t work down the final line, but she makes it happen.
218 Kate Neily is long to the first and gets a good ride to the next wo. She was dep to 6 and again to 7. She really puts it together in the last line to end her round positively.
219 Sydney Chmel’s horse thinks about stopping at the first, but she coaxes him to jump. She’s working hard to smooth things out. He swaps at 8.
220 Alexandra Ryden sets a forward pace before the first and meets that nicely. Her horse has a lovely uphill way of going and they meet these fences right out of stride. Overall a really smooth ride for her.
Riders 221-228
221 Gabriella Deflece’s horse cross-canters between fences 1 and 2, but she gets him organized again afterwards. They have a swap before the Gucci wall. She finishes with a solid last line.
222 Ashleigh Colantuoni is quiet to the first but it rides well. She cross canters to 3, and it makes the distance awkward. She has the front rail at 4a. They also have the rail at 8 and 9 when they get too close. They have a good jump at the last.
223 Sally Ives is good at finding just the right spot for her horse. He has an unfortunate swap at 5a and then is a little slow to 6. She gives her horse a pat at the end.
224 Audrey Blasé wasa little tight to the second and has the front rail. She has a little trouble getting straight to 4a. She also runs into some straightness problems to 7 and then her horse cross-canters to 9. He also cross canters between 10 and 11, but her last jump is nice.
225 Hailey Guidry is finding a great rhythm to the first 4 fences. She has the rail at 5b and then rubs the block at 7. She has to whoa to 11, but makes it happen.
226 Madilynn Lo Porto’s horse eats up the lines; his stride is so big. He also looks at 5a so her distance is deep. She rides the last line very well.
227 Chloe Fares has a swap at the base of 2. She rides the outside line of dobules well, but it s a little close to 6. He hrose looks a little at 7, but she keeps him moving forward. She has lead change trouble in the turn before 10, but she finishes her round positively.
228 Madeline Luddy will wrap up the first round, and then we’ll learn who will flat. She had a miscommunication with her horse to 1 and then has lead issues on the way to 2. She has a little trouble finding the distance to 6 but is good from 7 to 8 before having a swap to 9. Lead issues plague her last line, but she handles it well.
FINAL STANDBY
Carlee McCutcheon
Eleanor Rudnicki
Maddie Tosh
Noah Nelson
Kate Egan
Christian Dominguez
Caroline Olsen
Cody Rego
Tessa Downey
Adriana Forte
Elianna Kirson
Caroline Signorino
Grace Sappington
Aedan Mooney
Grace Shipman
Sofia Cady
Jordan Gibbs
Avery Glynn
Alyssa J. Bauer
Katelyn Vandenburg
Rylynn Conway
Jackie Stary
Clara Propp
THE FLAT
Posting trot, lengthen stride in trot, walk, working canter, simple change to counter-canter. Reverse and drop stirrups, counter-canter, simple change to working canter, posting trot, sitting trot, lengthening of stride in sitting trot, walk and line up.
ROUND 2 COURSE
The top 24 riders will return shortly, in reverse order of standing, for the second round (see course above). Here are the riders we’ll see again, in order:
Sofia Cady
Clara Propp
Alyssa Bauer
Jackie Stary
Katelyn Vandenburg
Grace Shipman
Grace Sappington
Adriana Forte
Aedan Mooney
Caroline Signorino
Elianna Kirson
Rylynn Conway
Caroline Olsen
Alexandra Ryden
Noah Nelson
Cody Rego
Avery Glynn
Jordan Gibbs
Maddie Tosh
Christian Dominguez
Tessa Downey
Kate Egan
Eleanor Rudnicki
Carlee McCutcheon
Top 24, Round 2
Sofia Cady is first back for the second round. She gets a nice step to the first and then takes a brisk hand gallop to 4, which comes up out of stride for her. She gets just a tiny bit tight to the skinny wall, but the rest comes up really nicely for her, and she finishes smoothly and with a good pace to the last.
Clara Propp and her horse with a very cute face marking jump the first three smoothly before picking up their hand gallop to 4. Her horse jumps the Swedish oxer in beautiful form but then gets tight to the skinny wall at fence 8 and her horse has to twist a little. She also puts in a lovely final jump out of a bold pace.
Alyssa Bauer approached the first off the left lead and jumps well through the first few. She gets a great, bold distance to fence 4 after the hand gallop and meets the skinny wall well. They get a little deep to the final fence.
Jackie Stary has a little bit of a quiet ride to fence 1 and then fence 2 comes up just a little awkwardly, but she makes it work. They have a beautiful ride over the Swedish and the next line but also get juuuust a touch tight to that wall, and the horse loses his style over the fence slightly. But they have a lovely last fence off a bold distance, and she finishes with a big smile.
Katelyn Vandenburg starts off smoothly (choosing to jump 1 off the right lead) and really picks up the pace for the hand gallop. She meets the wall well and the one-stride also goes well for her. Overall a polished trip.
Grace Shipman’s gray horse is jumping in a lovely style. She’s maybe a little more conservative than some for the hand gallop. She has the rail of b of the one-stride combo but their last few jumps go well.
Grace Sappington is our second Grace in a row, and she meets the first jump right out of stride. Her horse really opens up his stride without hurrying in the hand gallop. They do have one rail down in the middle of their course. She’s quiet to the wall, and it comes up perfectly to her. This horse has just a lovely pace and way of going. She’s again a little quiet to the last fence but that was overall a smooth round.
Adriana Forte gets a tiny bit tight to 3, but she jumps 4 beautifully from her hand gallop. Her horse just swaps off the counter lead before fence 9a of the one-stride combo. They have a lovely final line and fence, meeting it in a bold pace and distance.
Aedan Mooney comes in with a positive, cracking canter on her handsome chestnut. Her first line is lovely, and she also has a strong hand gallop before 4, meeeting that oxer perfectly. They meet the skinny wall well, which has caused issues for some previous riders already. Their last fence is really impressive, and it was overall a super strong round.
Caroline Signorino tackles the first line like a pro. She’s maybe a little more conservative than some for the hand gallop, but the fence after is lovely. The one-stride combo comes up well for her. She takes some bold distances to the last few, and they all go well too.
Elianna Kirson is riding a beautiful bay horse, and he puts in a back-cracking effort over the first, which in no way dislodges his rider. Her hand gallop is smooth and forward. Her horse is just jumping beautifully, and they finish with a final line that’s very professional.
Rylynn Conway’s rangy gray horse jumps the first line super smoothly, with everything coming up out of stride. She’s riding a nice, forward pace. They get deep and chip at the skinny rails at 11, but they finish with a great final fence.
Caroline Olsen is riding a very elegant type horse (and another one with a super cute face marking). He shakes his head a little in the hand gallop but jumps fence 4 beautifully. Everything just comes up well for them. They have a swap off before the Gucci wall. They get a great shot at the last.
Alexandra Ryden enters with a bold gallop and approaches the first with a nice pace. That first line comes up well. She has to kick him on to get the distance to 4. The rest of their course just gets smoother and smoother, and they finish with a lovely pace to the final.
Noah Nelson meets fence 1 right out of step, but they have a rail down at fence 2. Their hand gallop is really lovely and bold. They also have a rail down at the Swedish oxer then a slightly awkward jump over the Gucci wall. The rest of their course is super slick, and they have a great last fence.
Cody Rego and his lovely horse get a good shot over the first three fences, and his mount’s lovely rocking horse canter never changes as they go around. Their hand gallop is beautiful. They get a good distance to the skinny wall, and the one-stride looks easy. Overall smooth and a solid round.
Avery Glynn and her dark bay mount meet the first several with a good pace and distance. They get a bold distance to 4, and the horse’s jump stays in a good shape. She had a swap off before the Gucci wall. She gets a bold distance to 12 and to the last, and besides the one swap a very clean round.
Jordan Gibbs is a little quiet to 1, but it still comes up well.She’s found a nice pace now, and her line to the Gucci wall is smooth. They rub fence 9a but the rail stays up. They do have the rail at fence 11 as they get just the slightest hair close there. They get a great shot over the last.
Maddie Tosh comes in with a bold canter and meets the first fences right out of step. Her hand gallop is beautiful and forward. She does well over the walls and the one-stride combo, being careful to set her line precisely. In a word that was smooth.
Christian Dominguez and his big bay make easy work of the first line. They get a long spot to 4 out of the hand gallop, and the horse jumps a little out of form. He quickly fixes the pace and the next jumps go well until he has the back rail at the one-stride. They finish with a nice fence.
Tessa Downey is super smooth over the first line and has a bold hand gallop to a lovely distance at 4, and she quickly gets the horse back to meet the rest well. She taps fence 9b, but it stays up. Another bold jump over the last, with a great distance.
Kate Egan is mounted on a lovely chestnut with a huge step. Their hand gallop is a little conservative after a great first three fences. The rest is just slick and professional.
Eleanor Rudnicki meets the first few fences really nicely out of a forward pace. She gets just the tiniest bit long to 4 after a super hand gallop, and the line to the Gucci wall is lovely. Her one-stride combo and fence after are really smooth. She finishes with a brilliant jump over the last.
Carlee McCutcheon, last to go for round 2, picks up a strong canter to the first. They’re making this course look easy (it’s not), including a great spot out of the hand gallop. She meets the skinny wall perfectly. They have just the slightest of rubs on the a of the one-stride. It’s a great last fence and overall a lovely round!
We’re waiting to hear if the judges will request further testing, and if so what that testing will be. Stay tuned!
There will be no further testing. We now await the final results.
The Chronicle will be on site, bringing you gorgeous photos, interviews and more, so check back during the week. Make sure to follow along at www.coth.com and on Facebook and Instagram @Chronofhorse. For full analysis and coverage from the horse show be sure to check out the Nov. 27 issue of the magazine.
