It came down to a tie breaker to determine the winner in this year’s $25,000 World Championship Hunter Rider West Coast Hunter Spectacular. Both Jamie Taylor on Bravado, LLC’s L’Con Reyes and Karli Postel on Grace Russo’s Bansky earned a two-round total of 170.87, and ultimately the win went Taylor since the tie breaking first panel of judges scored her higher in the second round.

With a score of 170.5, only .3 off the leading scores, Amateur rider Jacqueline Attwood-Dupont rounded out the the top three riding her mount Spotlight.

Jamie Taylor and L’Con Reyes topped the $25,000 WCHR West Coast Hunter Spectacular. Photo by McCool Photography.

The class was adjudicated by two panels: the gentleman sat on Panel One, Otis Brown, Jr., of Georgetown, Kentucky, and Walter ‘Timmy’ Kees, of Norwalk, Connecticut, and the ladies, Sue Ashe, of Wellington, Florida, and Cathy Robinson, of Encinitas, California, made up Panel Two. The courses were created by Thomas Hern of Plymouth, Massachusetts. With varied heights of 3’6″, 3’9″ and 4’0″, horse and rider pairs showed at a height comparable to the division in which they typically compete.

The top 12 from Round 1 were all within a range of 10 points, with junior rider Emma Borders and Corrato sitting in the 12th position with a score of 78 and junior rider Stella Wasserman and Boss holding the top spot with a stellar score of 88. Wasserman and Boss were the first to gallop over Thomas Hern’s track in the gorgeous grass field and maintained their lead throughout the entire first round.

As can often happen, the second round saw some change to the order of the top 12. Sitting sixth going in with an 83.5, Taylor and L’Con Reyes earned the first-place ribbon after being granted a re-ride of the second round by show management, due to a technicality. Taylor demonstrated her skill and the horse’s rideability in a brilliant second course, earning scores of 85.5 and 89 to tie for the lead.

Taylor is paired with L’Con Reyes at the horse shows to do exactly what she did today, bring out the best in him. The pair have earned top 12 placings in several USHJA International Hunter Derbies. “I occasionally go the farm to ride him, but they do a really good job at home, so when I show him I just try not to mess that up!”

Postel and Banksy, who are quite new to each other, also earned admirable scores in both rounds. Entering Round 2 in second place with an 85.87, they maintained their position with scores of 82 and 88. The dapple gray gelding is usually ridden by John French, who was unable to compete this year due to an injury. Postel not only handled the pressure of the prestigious class well, she earned other WCHR accolades this week, including a grand championship and a the Developing Pro High Score on Fine Design.

As can often happen, the second round saw some change to the order of the top 12. Sitting sixth going in with an 83.5, Taylor and L’Con Reyes earned the first place ribbon after being granted a re-ride of the second round by show management, due to a technicality. Taylor demonstrated her skill and the horse’s rideability in a brilliant second course, earning scores of 85.5 and 89 to tie for the lead.

Taylor is paired with L’Con Reyes at the horse shows to do exactly what she did today, bring out the best in him. The pair have earned top 12 placings in several USHJA International Hunter Derbies. “I occasionally go the farm to ride him, but they do a really good job at home, so when I show him I just try not to mess that up!”

Postel and Banksy, who are quite new to each other, also earned admirable scores in both rounds. Entering Round 2 in second place with an 85.87, they maintained their position with scores of 82 and 88. The dapple gray gelding is usually ridden by John French, who was unable to compete this year due to an injury. Postel not only handled the pressure of the prestigious class well, she earned other WCHR accolades this week, including a Grand Championship and the Developing Pro High Score on Fine Design.

Postel loved having the chance to show Banksy. “This was my first time on him at the 3’9″ height, so that was fun and new for me”, said Postel. “I felt like he tried very hard for me, especially in the last line of Round 1.”