It was just before 8 a.m. as the sun’s slanted rays brightened the rings at the HITS Ocala show grounds, and the silhouette of Samantha Schaefer was visible in a distant schooling ring. She was already aboard the first of more than a dozen ponies she’d compete that day.

Schaefer, 12, was among the busiest–and most successful–riders on the seven-week Ocala, Fla., circuit, and at the conclusion of the HITS V Ocala Winter Finals, March 8-12, Schaefer’s hard work resulted in seven circuit championships and three reserves. And as the shadows lengthened on the final Sunday evening, Schaefer finally trotted back to the barn after 12 hours in the saddle and the victory–and four of the top five placings–in the pony hunter classic.

Despite the long days, Schaefer wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. She loves the ponies and the challenges each provide her, especially her green partners. One of her favorite accomplishments was the medium pony circuit title aboard Rockport, an 8-year-old warmblood.

“My Mom [Stacey Schaefer] wasn’t sure about him,” said Sam. “When we got him, he was wild.”

Stacey concurred. “You could ride him, and that was it,” she added with a laugh. “He was uncivilized. You couldn’t touch him, brush him, worm him, and forget about picking his feet.”

In fact, the imported gelding earned his name Rockport because when he arrived his feet were so decimated from thrush that he needed to grow a whole new foot. With patient handling at home on the farm in Westminster, Md., “Tony” turned over a new leaf.

His first show with Sam was the Upperville Colt & Horse Show (Va.) last June, where he earned the local medium pony championship. He then made his debut in the medium pony division this year.

Sam was also proud of Winter Blues, a small green pony (Blue Rain–Carrera Creek, Cusop Sparklet) she showed to the circuit title for trainer Kim Stewart.

“He’s the first baby I ever bred,” said Stewart, beaming. “He was such a shrimp that I used to carry him to the paddock when he was a baby because he wouldn’t follow his mother!”

From the start, “Vincent” had a distinct personality, and trouble should have been his middle name. “He was the hardest baby. He would knock the bottom board out of the fence and leave his mother to go and see the big horses,” said Stewart.

Now 7, the steel gray has become a contender. “I thought he was going to be a lead-line pony because he was so small,” said Stewart. “But he grew until this year. He’s now 12.1 3/4 hands.”

Stewart noted Sam has learned to ride many more different types of ponies this year. “Now she understands jumping style, putting them at the spot where they jump their best. I can tell her a little longer or a little shorter, and she can do it. It’s a luxury to have a rider like that,” she noted.

The Cherry On Top
Junior riders Megan Massaro, Kacey McCann and Tatiana Dzavik have also mastered the art of riding multiple mounts. And together the three accounted for five of the eight circuit tricolors in the junior hunter divisions.

Massaro, 17, of Summerfield, Fla., also won the Back Bay Farm Junior Hunter Classic on Sunday aboard Mrs. Randolph Rinehart’s veteran Lyle. She took Lyle’s reins during the Jacksonville (Fla.) circuit in January and immediately forged a bond with the flea-bitten gray gelding. They also earned the small junior, 16-17, reserve circuit championship and the show championship.

“He’s just my style,” said Massaro. “You just float the reins. Mrs. Rinehart wants him to go to the shows and have a good time, and I have the joy to ride him.”

Massaro’s top calls weren’t limited to the hunters. She also rode trainer Don Stewart Jr.’s Simplicity in the equitation classes, earning a winning score of 91 on Saturday in the WIEC Hunter Phase. In addition, she earned the large pony hunter championship with Hint Of Blue for trainer Bill Schaub.

Massaro, in her final junior year, has trained with Stewart and Bibby Farmer-Hill since she was 11. She’ll attend the University of South Carolina this fall on a riding scholarship, and she plans to study medicine.

For Massaro, the ribbons aren’t everything. “If the horses go well and I ride well, a ribbon is the cherry on top,” she said. “I must thank Don and Bibby, because without them, I wouldn’t be able to ride all of these nice horses. I’m one of the luckiest kids at the horse shows.”

McCann also considers herself fortunate. And during the awards ceremony for the junior hunter classic, where she placed second and third, she posed with Massaro for a photo before the two girls enjoyed a victory gallop together.

McCann, 15, Palmyra, Pa., guided Susan Brunn’s Carlyle to the large junior, 15 and under, circuit championship and the Oare’s Regalo to the small junior, 15 and under, reserve championship. In addition to riding for trainers Susie Schoellkopf and Jennifer Alfano at SBS Farm, McCann catch-rode for other trainers such as Don Stewart and Hunt Tosh.

“She’s had a great circuit,” said Alfano. “From last year to this year, she’s really matured as a rider–she’s more adaptable.”

McCann was also pleased because several of her catch rides have been less experienced, including Natalie, a second year green horse.

“I was the first junior to show her,” said McCann. “It’s a good way to test yourself. I can see how far I’ve come in my riding. You kind of have to learn each horse and think to yourself, ‘How can I get him to go his best?’ It’s really gratifying.”

Dzavik, 16, of Toronto, Ont., swept the 16-17 juniors, guiding Isabella Luhrs’ Chinook to the small junior championship and Courtney Hinkle’s Revelation to the large junior championship. Dzavik is a working student for Quiet Hill Farm in Ocala, and she just celebrated her one-year anniversary with trainers Christina Schlusemeyer and Bobby Braswell. She assists Kate Conover during the shows, helping to prepare Quiet Hill’s horses.

She acquired the ride on Chinook, a Hanoverian gelding, for the HITS circuit while his owner takes a break from riding. Dzavik described Chinook as amazing. “He’s probably my favorite, the best hunter I’ve ever ridden,” she said. “We get along really well.”

Before moving to the United States, Dzavik trained with Wayne McClellan and had earned tricolors at the Royal Winter Fair (Ont.) and won the OHJA Medal Finals in 2004. In 2005, a highlight was her ninth-placed finish in the Pessoa/USEF Medal Final (Pa.).

She studies through Interact High School in Toronto and commutes back to Canada about once a month. She misses her home and family in Canada, but she has aspirations to become the best rider she can be.

“I’ve been doing this my whole life,” said Dzavik. “Sometimes it does get lonely; I don’t see my family very often. But this is a dream and goal I’ve always had, and I’m trying to fulfill it. Quiet Hill has given me the opportunity of a lifetime, and I’m not going to pass it up.”

Ride Like The Wind
Julia Weiss didn’t pass up the opportunity to ride the jumper Lizzapei. And the decision was a fortuitous one as the pair sped to victory in the $25,000 Marshall & Sterling Children’s/ Adult Jumper Classic. They topped 98 competitors in just their second show together.

“I came here for the experience and to have fun. I didn’t expect to win,” said Weiss. “I knew the horse was capable, but I was a little skeptical because I don’t do this regularly. I’ve only ridden her so many times. I still can’t even believe it!”

Trainer Libby McKinney, Sound View Stables, Stamford, Conn., had followed Lizzapei’s career for several years. When the time was right, she acquired the 15.1-hand Dutch-bred, originally from Mexico City, for owner Kara Delaurentis, who shows her in the amateur divisions.

Weiss, 15, Greenwich, Conn., started 37th and carefully studied the riders before her. Course designer Leopoldo Palacios set a challenging and difficult track with a tight time allowed.

Weiss and the 13-year-old, chestnut mare were one of 10 pairs to jump clear. They went sixth in the jump-off and galloped to the head of the class. The remaining riders couldn’t catch them.

“Libby’s advice was for me to go in and ride like the wind,” said Weiss. “I’d already gotten a ribbon out of 100 riders, which was amazing. We wanted the blue, but if that didn’t happen we were still getting a ribbon. We had nothing to lose.”

McKinney, who later posted a four-fault performance aboard Gun Du Desfi in the $100,000 Grand Prix of Ocala in the same ring, said she was confident that Weiss would be the perfect match for Lizzapei.

“Julia is the one in the barn who I want to be my big-time jumper rider. If anybody had the guts to get on her–because you kind of have to be brave–I knew she could do it. Julia was my ringer for the $25,000 class. We called in the big guns,” she said smiling.

Aaron Vale and Andrea King also called in some impressive riders for the Ocala circuit. Louise and Will Whitaker, of the renowned Whitaker family of England, traveled to the United States to spend four months riding with Millstream.

Will, 16, John Whitaker’s nephew, topped the $10,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic aboard Town Creek Investments’ Cash Jr. “He’s quite sharp and very, very careful,” said Will of the liver chestnut. “He doesn’t like to hit the fences.”

Will, an accomplished jumper rider who was on the silver-medal team at the 2004 European Pony Championships, also com-peted in the equitation division in Ocala.

“It’s different. I’d never ridden in that style before,” he said. “Once you get the hang of it, though, it’s quite nice.”

Louise, 25, John Whitaker’s daughter, showed primarily young jumpers and also tried her hand in the hunter ring. “It’s quite hard and very different,” she said, smiling. “When you see it, it looks easy. But you actually do it, it’s quite hard and frustrating to get it right.”

Both Whitakers hope to follow in their family’s footsteps and become top inter-national riders. They said this winter spent in Florida–arranged by uncle Michael Whitaker–was a valuable experience. “It was really great for Aaron and Andrea to give us the opportunity. They’ve been so generous with their horses,” said Will.

“We really like the United States and hope to be back next year,” added Louise.

It’s Deja Vu For Vale And Artur 28
Even with the disadvantage of going first in the eight-horse jump-off, no one was betting against Aaron Vale and Artur 28.

And true to form, Vale knew just how far and fast he could push the chestnut in the $100,000 Grand Prix of Ocala, the featured event of the HITS V Ocala Winter Finals, March 8-12 in Ocala, Fla.

Leopoldo Palacios set a clever jump-off track that required carefulness, with several tight rollbacks at the start, to a long gallop down the length of the ring, followed by a double combination of vertical-oxer adjacent to the in-gate. It was a true test of control and trust.

Vale and Artur, set to defend their title, sped to a clear round in 40.83 seconds.

“With the runs at the end of the course, especially on a big right half circle around the ring, that’s kind of my horse’s strength,” said Vale. “He’s very fast in gallops. So I knew if I could snake through the beginning of the course, he’d be pretty certain to leave the jumps up on the gallop. And I hoped that would put enough pressure on the rest to have to chase me.”

And that’s just what happened.

When Vale returned aboard his second mount, Serval, he repeated his double-clear effort (43.10 seconds) to stand first and second with three more riders to go.

Keean White and Arriscraft Rocca came the closest. Cheers erupted as they gave the leaders a run for the money. But just a few extra steps prevented them from sliding into first place; instead, White settled in between Vale’s two mounts with a clear round in 42.06 seconds.

Kylee Jo Johnson and Landintendant, with a grand prix win under their belts from earlier in the circuit, were the only ones to gallop faster than Vale and Artur (40.80 seconds). But a rail early at the rollbacks left them fifth.

Vale had started Artur back in action a week earlier, brushing off the rust from a winter break. Serval is his newest grand prix partner, an 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood imported in late December. Vale and Serval have contested six grand prix classes and qualified for each jump-off, winning the $50,000 Duggan Equipment Grand Prix.

“I have to tip my hat to Serval. He won [the $25,000] Thursday grand prix this week and won the second week here, so I’ve got high hopes for him,” added Vale.

As much as Vale has won with Artur, he said he’s still trying to figure him out. “He’s jumped some brilliant rounds and had some big wins, but there are some classes I go in the ring and I feel like I’ve never ridden him before and think, ‘What the heck am I supposed to do?’

“But today he had just a beautiful first round,” Vale added. “He’s a big horse with a big stride, but I do find that I do best when I add strides. I added in all the lines on him today. It’s taken me a long time to learn that about him,” Vale admitted.

Even though this was Vale’s 131st grand prix victory, it was the first time he’s won a $100,000 class back-to-back on the same horse. For his efforts, he also won the circuit’s leading rider award for the fifth time, and a custom-made gold ring from Equus Entries.

“These are the kinds of awards that you save for later in life. You look back on them for these memories. Anytime you win a $100,000 class, it’s special,” he said.

Ocala Amateur Tidbits
 – Jodi Czaplick, East Quogue, N.Y., was one of the most successful amateurs at HITS Ocala. She earned four amateur-owner and adult amateur circuit championships aboard Untold and Quiet Arrival, respectively.

–  Megan McGuire, Whitehouse Station, N.J., who worked the in-gate at Hunter Ring 1, swept the amateur-owner, 18-35, division aboard Candlelight, winning all four over fences classes. During their second round Sunday morning, Candlelight jumped the final oxer so well that those watching couldn’t help but clap for her. “That last jump was incredible,” said McGuire, patting the chestnut mare as she walked out of the ring. McGuire was also named the best amateur rider and concluded the circuit as reserve champion.

–  Jamie Planck Martin, Jackson, Miss., dominated the amateur-owner, 36 and over, division, taking the circuit championship aboard Cayman and the reserve with Monte Cristo. She also earned the best amateur rider award during week 1.

–  Lynn Seithel Jekel, Mt. Pleasant, S.C., and her partner of five years, Caviar, earned the adult equitation, 36 and over, circuit championship and the adult amateur hunter, 36-45, reserve circuit title. In addition, Jekel is currently second in the Ariat National Adult Medal standings. Jekel, who trains with Don Stewart Stables, said, “We’ve learned a lot here this year. They’ve really worked with me, to help me develop more finesse and to ride him in a frame, to keep his canter happy. I have 6:30 a.m. lessons with the junior kids, and Caviar’s really good about playing along.”

–  Anne Garnett, Athens, Ga., and her leased mount Cadence had a successful debut on the Jacksonville (Fla.) circuit in January. In Ocala, they added to their ribbon collection with the adult amateur, 18-35, championship during week V, victory in the Marshall & Sterling Adult Hunter Classic and the adult amateur, 18-35, circuit reserve championship. But this week there was one important difference: “I own him now!” she said, smiling. “I just bought him on Wednesday.” After a strong performance in the classic, where they earned scores of 86 and 88, Garnett hopes to step Cadence up to the amateur-owner division. “It’s been 10 years since I’ve done the 3’6″,” she added. “It will be a challenge.”