Two years ago, Betsy Fauntleroy had an amateur-owner horse, Heartsong, and showed on a regular basis.
But she lost the ride—her daughter, Noel, took over the horse and has been on a winning streak. Noel added the small junior hunter, 15 and under reserve championship on Heartsong to the division championship she earned on her own Tenerife at Deep Run, June 27-July 1 in Manakin-Sabot, Va.
Noel had started the week winning, as well. Though she’s only 12, she rode Tenerife to the second year green championship. And she won ribbons in the small pony hunter division on her Carolina’s Shenanigans. Noel topped off the week with the Best Child Rider award.
Betsy remembered a call she got from her trainers Ron Danta and Danny Robertshaw of Camden, S.C., two years ago. They were in Kentucky with Noel at a horse show. Betsy couldn’t make that show and was home in Richmond, Va.
“Ron called and asked if Noel could practice on Heartsong,” she said. Heartsong, or “Walter,” is a 10-year-old Argentinian Warmblood that Betsy showed in the amateur-owner division.
Noel’s practice must have gone well, as she ended up winning the children’s hunter classic that week on Walter. One thing led to another, and last year, the pair moved up to the juniors. “I haven’t shown in a year,” said Betsy. “I’m really enjoying watching Noel show him.”
Trainer Miranda Scott saw Noel showing Heartsong and contacted the Fauntleroys about her young Oldenburg, Tenerife.
“She was adamant that we had to have him,” laughed Betsy. “I said no! Absolutely not!” Scott was persistent and Tenerife, known around the barn as Henry, eventually joined the family. “Noel is very brave and focused,” said Betsy.
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Most riders would find it difficult to ride both a small pony and the scopey big warmblood horses, but Noel takes it all in stride.
A rising seventh grader, she has a younger sister Eliza, 6, and older brother Rob, 15. In her spare time, Noel likes to play tennis with her dad, Robert, and brother. After Deep Run, Noel headed off to summer camp in Brevard, N.C., but plans to show at Blowing Rock (N.C.) in August.
Grace Stuntz of Charlottesville, Va., had a happy reunion with her Saving Grace at Deep Run, topping the amateur-owner, 18-35, division.
Stuntz had leased “Rudy” out for a year and just got the 9-year-old warmblood gelding back in early June. Stuntz showed Rudy in the junior division for two years, and during that time showed at the Winter Equestrian Festival (Fla.), Devon (Pa.) and indoors. But she leased Rudy out in 2006 and took a break from
showing to concentrate on her freshman year at the University of Virginia.
But in the few short weeks since Rudy returned from lease, the pair have done exceptionally well. They earned the adult amateur, 18-35, championship at Keswick (Va.) and the reserve tricolor at Upperville (Va.). Deep Run marked their move up to the amateur-owner division.
Stuntz bought Rudy as a freshly imported 4-year-old and has brought him up carefully. “It’s been fun watching him grow up,” said Stuntz. “He was little naughty.”
But Rudy has learned his job well, and “now I can pull him out of the stall and show,” she said.
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A rising sophomore at UVA, Stuntz is studying biomedical engineering and juggles working in a lab with riding. Before moving to Charlottesville for college, Stuntz trained with Ed Lane. Now she trains with The Barracks and loves the fact that the barn is only 10 minutes away.
Zach Parks, 18, of Charlottesville,Va., rode Castleton to Deep Run’s prestigious Bryan Horsemanship Trophy. The trophy was presented to Mr. and Mrs. Lamont S. Bryan in 1962 by the juniors of the Deep Run Hunt Club to be entered into competition as a perpetual trophy. As per tradition, the winner is also awarded a saddle donated by Saddlery Trade Associates and the trainers of the top three finishers each receive a $1,000 Markel award.
Parks conquered over a 3’6″ course, a flat phase, and a four-rider work-off. Megan Fellows on Guinness, Olivia Sky Cameron on Snepts and Lindsay Portela on Felicity joined him for the work-off, but Parks wasn’t to be beaten. Fellows finished second, with Portela in third.
“He’s worked very hard,” said trainer Claiborne Bishop. “He’s a nice young man, a true gentleman and I’m happy for him.”
Interestingly enough, Deep Run last year was Parks’ first show on Castleton. This year, in addition to the Bryan Trophy, the pair was reserve champion in the large junior, 16-17, division and finished second in the USEF/Pessoa Hunter Seat Medal.
Parks began riding as a 6-year-old in California, where he mostly enjoyed trail riding. When he was 7, his family moved to Charlottesville and he started riding with Bishop at The Barracks.
Castleton and Parks have come a long way in a year. “He’s such a great all-around horse,” said Parks. “Really nice and easy going.”
After a break for Castleton, the duo plans to head to the Biltmore Estate Summer Classic (N.C.)in July. In August, Parks is off to college at Virginia Tech where he plans to study biology and equine studies.
