Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024

Sweetnam Enjoys Friday The 13th At Horse Shows By The Bay Equestrian Festival

In spite of many superstitious feelings about Friday the 13th, Shane Sweetnam will consider today one lucky day. Riding Little Emir, Sweetnam galloped away with the 1.45-meter Positive Step Farm $10,000 Open Jumper Welcome Prix at the Horse Shows by the Bay Equestrian Festival.
 

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In spite of many superstitious feelings about Friday the 13th, Shane Sweetnam will consider today one lucky day. Riding Little Emir, Sweetnam galloped away with the 1.45-meter Positive Step Farm $10,000 Open Jumper Welcome Prix at the Horse Shows by the Bay Equestrian Festival.
 
After a clean and conservative first round, Sweetnam secured an appearance in the jump-off. It was there that Sweetnam switched gears, taking Little Emir, a 14-year-old bay gelding owned by Spy Coast Farm, LLC, into overdrive. They sped around the course, with Sweetnam choosing a difficult inside turn option and a galloping finish.  
 
The trouble spot today for the field of 28 was the triple combination with a wide oxer as the “A” element. “The course was testy enough but nothing too crazy,” said Sweetnam of the track designed by Guilherme Jorge (Sao Paulo, Brazil). He said that since the triple was early in the course it may have contributed to the faults incurred by others.
 
Sweetnam noted that the new footing in the Grand Prix Arena was “very good,” and it is always a “beautiful event here at Horse Shows by the Bay.”
 
He also rode Rolette, owned by Spy Coast Farm, LLC, in the Positive Step Farm $10,000 Open Jumper Welcome Prix. “Riding two horses in the same class always helps, and it’s like rolling the dice twice,” he said with a smile.
 
Results of the Positive Step Farm $10,000 Open Jumper Welcome Prix:
1. Little Emir       Shane Sweetnam for Spy Coast Farm, LLC
2. As Di Chupito  Erin Haas for North Face Farm
3. Ormsby Hill    Liza Finsness, rider/owner
4. Celline 2          Nicole Walker, rider/owner
5. Tackeray         Eirin Bruheim for Nordic Lights Farm
6. Olympic Lad   Lisa Kent, rider/owner
7. Cover Girl 27  Alison Robitaille for Mr. & Mrs. B. Firestone
8. Cicero 75         Eirin Bruheim for Nordic Lights Farm
   
In the nearby R. L. Polk Family Main Hunter Ring, Amateur-Owner Hunter riders competed gracefully in the over fences and under saddle classes. The course was designed by Blake Alder (Williston, Tennessee) and offered horses and riders natural brush, birch and rolltops of beautifully styled jumps.
 
In the Amateur-Owner Hunter, 36 and over, division, John Ingram continued his winning ways this week with Superman by taking first place in two of the three classes. Also doing well and taking home a blue ribbon was Lynn Walsh aboard Ocean Park, trained by Peter Pletcher.
 
Strong riding carried the Amateur-Owner Hunter, 18-35, division over the top, with three combinations taking blue ribbons. They included: Lindsey Roberts aboard Catwalk, trained by Joan Waterman; Lindsey George aboard Timber Ridge, trained by Shane George; and Megan Haag aboard Accra, trained by Martien Van Der Hoeven. All three will be vying for the championship tomorrow.
 
“Accra is a sweet 10-year-old mare that loves it here at Horse Shows by the Bay,” said Haag. “She really loved the in-and-out combination and was really happy here.”
 
Following the 3’6″ Amateur-Owner divisions, the 3’3″ Amateur-Owner Hunters took the spotlight. In the 36 and over section, Susan A. Baker rode Time Away, an 8-year-old mare, to victory in two of the three classes, one over fences and the under saddle.
 
Baker was thrilled with her mare as she’d not shown her in more than 1 1/2 years. Baker noted that she made a mistake in the first over fences round but that the second round was nice. “This horse is just super sweet,” she added.
 
Another strong blue-ribbon performance was delivered by Missy Luczak-Smith in the 3’3″ Amateur-Owner Hunter, 36 and over, division. Riding Encore in just their third show together, she took a blue in an over fences class under the watchful eye of trainer Tom Wright. Luczak-Smith said she was “very pleased with Encore and loved showing him here. The stars aligned, and we had fun.”
 
In the 3’3″ Amateur-Owner Hunter, 18-35, division, top winners over fences included Lindsey Tomeu aboard Duly Noted and Kendall Meijer aboard Tundra. Lindsey Lyden riding Dynamic, trained by Polly Howard-Coberley, topped off her good day with a win in the under saddle class. All three are in the hunt for the championship.
 
Closing out the day was the USEF Talent Search Medal Class, with a powerhouse group of equitation riders in Ring 4. Taylor Schmidt guided Con Air, an 8-year-old chestnut gelding, to the head of the pack. Big, bright airy jumps dominated the course designed by Evie Frisque (Ontario, Canada). The course included an in-and-out combination decorated with the beloved Traverse City cherries and a seven-foot open water to finish.
 
Schmidt, trained by Tom Wright in the equitation and Donald Cheska in the jumpers, piloted a mount owned by Missy Clark. “This was her first time showing her horse in equitation, but he did great,” said Wright. “In the flat phase he was calm and relaxed and listened very well.”
 
Kelcie K. Brophy topped the final class in Ring 4, the WIHS Jumper Phase, aboard Sunman, owned by Sweet Oak Farm and trained by Allison Sweetnam. Sunman, a 10-year-old pinto Oldenburg gelding, “was a happy horse” stated Brophy. “I liked all the jumps, and the course offered many options,” she said. When asked what she liked best about Horse Shows by the Bay, she said “everything.”
 
For complete results, please visit www.horseshowing.com. For more information on the Horse Shows by the Bay Series, please visit www.horseshowsbythebay.com.

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