Alison Finger has a plan for Tuvalu. And with his win at the Hampton Classic, in Bridgehampton, N.Y., on Aug. 31-Sept. 4, Tuvalu seems to be right on track.

The gray gelding jumped to the blue in the $30,000 Shamrock Ventures 6-Year-Old Young Jumper Championships Eastern League Finals. “It was absolutely thrilling. I was more nervous watching him than I’ve ever been riding, but he was great,” said Finger, who owns Tuvalu.

Darragh Kerins, who won the $150,000 Prudential Financial Grand Prix at the Hampton Classic last year, rode Tuvalu to victory. But that wasn’t part of the plan–Finger’s trainer and Tuvalu’s usual rider, Peter Leone, fell off and broke his collarbone just before the Hampton Classic, so Kerins was a last-minute catch rider.

Kerins had met Tuvalu before, having shown him once this summer while Leone was in Europe. So, he wasn’t concerned about the impromptu partnership.

“I knew well that Peter would have had him prepared and well schooled over the natural jumps, and he was very straightforward,” Kerins said. “He’s very careful and very scopey. He felt at home on the big field at the Hampton Classic; he wasn’t at all spooky. He’s a very nice horse.”

In a six-horse jump-off, Kerins rode Tuvalu to a clean round more than 2 seconds faster than second-placed Chantal and Wilhelm Genn.

Leone found Tuvalu, a Belgian Warmblood (Mr. Blue–Cash), in Europe for Finger in August 2004. “I went to try him, and he cantered around and over whatever I pointed him at. He’s got a wonderful canter, and he clearly has huge scope. I thought he’d be a good bet for the future,” Finger said.

Finger, an amateur jumper rider, is currently very busy with her job in marketing, so she doesn’t have much time to show.

“So I wanted to find a younger horse to bring along to eventually be a high amateur horse for me,” she said. “I was looking for something with bigger scope and a wonderful brain, and ‘Blue’ is definitely that.”

Finger’s plan went slightly awry last November, when Blue ran into a mirror in a freak accident. But after five weeks off, he was ready to go on the Florida circuit.

Blue showed with Leone in the YJC qualifying classes at the Winter Equestrian Festival (Fla.), and then had a break from competing. “Peter has the same approach that I do with young horses–to go slow and do it right,” Finger said. “Blue is a very smart horse. Once you teach him something, he comes out the next day and says, ‘I got it!’ “

Leone put Blue back into competition gear over the summer to prepare for the Hampton Classic, and the slow approach paid off when Blue was confident and careful over the natural obstacles on the grand prix field for the final. “Some of the courses were tough and had tight combinations, and he just curled right up over them,” Finger said.

Blue will show in the 7-year-old YJC classes next year, and Finger hopes to eventually move up the ranks on him herself.

Arlette Johnson doesn’t have any plans to take over the reins on Amis De Kannan. She prefers to watch Lisa Jacquin ride the chestnut mare, especially after taking victory in the $20,000 SHF Enterprises 5-Year-Old Young Jumper Championships Eastern League Final at the Hampton Classic.

“It was hard for me to get away to go watch at the Hamptons, but I would have kicked myself if I hadn’t gone. Once she qualified for the final [by jumping clean in the first round], I said, ‘Anything else is gravy.’ And after she won, I said to Lisa ‘That’s a lot of gravy!’ ” Johnson said.

Amis de Kannan (Kannan–Sioux de Baugy), a Belgian Warmblood, barely squeaked into the YJC finals at the Hampton Classic. The top 30 are invited, and “Ruby” stood 29th. And Jacquin’s other 5-year-old ride, Skys The Limit, was the top-ranked qualifier.

Ruby had to go first in the four-horse jump-off, and Jacquin rode her to a time no one else could match. Skys The Limit finished third.

“It’s been a dream of mine to have a top horse. I’ve dabbled in the hunter breeding a lot, and since my husband died two years ago, I wanted to get into the horses a little more to keep me occupied,” said Johnson. “I just ride for pleasure. I want to start riding more, but I need to find the time.”

Johnson bought Ruby in March. Marc Rafkin in Belgium bred her, and Canadian grand prix rider Eric Lamaze imported her.

“We got a little bit of a late start with her,” said Jacquin. “I brought her home from Florida and mostly tried to get her broke. She was a little spooky and difficult, but over the summer everything started to fall into place, and the light bulb went off and she figured it all out.

“She’s scopey, she’s careful, and she’s got a lot of quality. She’s a big strong, horse, so the key is going to be getting her rideable. But the talent is there for sure. She couldn’t have been any better,” added Jacquin.

Ruby showed in the YJC classes at shows at the Kentucky Horse Park in May and July. Now, Ruby is out in a field enjoying some time off, with plans to have her back in action for the Florida circuit again.