August 15, Gladstone, N.J.
For a few tense seconds it looked like Meagan Davis was going to be eliminated from her Young Rider Individual test. Her mount Bentley displayed a round of acrobatics during her first canter-half pass and nearly unseated her. But Davis picked up her reins and stirrups and continued on with her ride, earning 69.10 percent and second place in the Individual test and first overall in the Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Young Rider Championship (69.65 %).
“I think my horse got scared by either silverware [in the V.I.P. tent] making a loud noise or one of the volunteers,” Davis said. “But I put it behind me and kept going like I’ve been taught. What happens, happens, and you have to move on to the next movement.”
The rest of Bentley, a 16-year-old Danish Warmblood (Sarel—Sacajawea) owned by Kelly Roetto, and Davis’ test went smoothly, highlighting Bentley’s powerful trot extensions.
“My trot work was phenomenal,” Davis, 20, said. “He was so on. My favorite part was looking at that scoreboard and seeing a 74.88 [after the trot work]. That was amazing.”
Jillian Kemenosh and Nelzon improved greatly over yesterday’s ride, earning a 69.52 percent in the Individual test, winning the class and taking third overall on an average score of 67.92 percent.
“He was super today,” Kemenosh said. “He was the horse I had all competition season. It’s kind of bittersweet for me because I didn’t have the ride I needed yesterday. A couple of days before we got here he was a little tight and not feeling quite like himself and he carried that into the ring yesterday. It’s kind of a shame to have a bad ride at a show like this, but he really came back for me today
Kemenosh, 19, Haddonfield, N.J., has ridden Nelzon, a 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood (Wolfgang—Felocia) for four years now.
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“I’m super proud of him,” she said. “He tries hard every time whether he feels great or not. I’m just happy he’s feeling well again.”
Kemenosh wasn’t the only rider with a bittersweet weekend in Gladstone. Mackinzie Pooley, Coto De Caza, Calif., rode her last test on Jonkara. She plans to retire and possibly breed her 19-year-old Oldenburg (Rubenstein—Jonkalla) mare. Despite her sadness, Pooley was thrilled to go out with a bang—taking second in the Young Rider Individual test (68.63%) and second overall in the Championship (68.07%).
“Going into it I was like, ‘Oh my God, I’ve been riding her for five years and now I’m kind of done,’ ” Pooley, 17, said. “But I’m so happy. She was awesome. She gave me everything she had.”
Pooley has a 4-year-old horse she hopes to compete in the FEI 5-year-old classes next year.
Young Rider Results:
- Meagan Davis/Bentley/69.65%
- Mackinzie Pooley/Jonkara/68.07%
- Jillian Kemenosh/Nelzon/67.92%
- Chase Hickok/Palermo/64.47%
- Ashlee Todosijevic/Sjoerd/63.60%
- Nicole DelGiorno/Lamborghini Dane/62.86%
- Jessica Zoskey/FA Patriot/62.29%
- Heather Beachem/Windsong/62.10%
- Katie Foster/Sacramento/62.07%
- Rachel Campbell/Wandango/61.31%
- Erica Marino/Diamond Girl/60.15%
Results for Young Rider Individual test at FoxVillage.com.
