...and plays hard, too. Buddy celebrates his birthday at Pickwick Spring Horse Show. Photo: Naismith Photography
2007 Show Season Update and News - In Barn Clients
The 2007 show year has continued to be a rousing success for Derby Hill clients. We have had the pleasure of welcoming new clients, new horses and new team members while watching the progress of all our horse and rider combinations. Since HITS Thermal, Derby Hill has attended the Pickwick Spring Classic, The Woodside Spring Preview and Classic, Golden State Horse Show, Pickwick Summer Classic, Woodside's Golden Gate Classic, Oaks June Classic II and III, Pebble Beach Classics I and II, Menlo Charity Horse Show and Show Park Summer Classic and Show Park All Seasons Summer Classic. It's been a busy, exciting and productive show season to date.
Adrienne Dixon has enjoyed continued success with Alize and has been able to enter the upper levels of show jumping with her new horse, Pom Pom, with whom she has competed in the high Amateur Owners and several Grand Prixs up to 1.45 meters. Adrienne has proven to be a wonderful role model for the younger riders in the barn through her positive outlook and strong work ethic. Pom Pom, a 10-year old Swedish warmblood was purchased this spring through Emil Spadone with the intent of becoming Adrienne's Young Riders mount for the 2008 show season. This partnership is well on its way with highlights throughout this year including:
Woodside Spring Preview: winner of two classes and 2nd in the Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic
Woodside Spring Classic: winner of the $5,000 Open Jumper Classic
Pickwick Summer Classic: 3rd in the Junior/Amateur-Owner Stake and competed in the $25,000 Grand Prix
Golden Gate Classic: 3rd in the Junior/Amateur-Owner Classic and 7th in the Grand Prix
The Oaks Classic II: 4th in the 5,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Classic
The Oaks Classic III: Competed in the 1.45 meter Classic
Pebble Beach: Winner of the Junior/Amateur-Owner Classic
Menlo Charity Horse Show: Winner of the Junior/Amateur-Owner Classic
Show Park: Numerous placings in the high Junior/Amateur-Owner classes.
Adrienne Dixon and Pom Pom show their winning form at Pebble Beach. Photo: Deb Dawson
Adrienne and Pom Pom at Pebble Beach. Photo: Deb Dawson
Highlights of Adrienne's partnership with Alize include:
Woodside Spring Preview: winner of a 1.20 meter class and winner of the Junior/Amateur-Owner Classic
Woodside Spring Classic: 1st and 2nd in Junior/Amateur-Owner classes and 2nd in the Junior/Amateur-Owner Classic
Pickwick Summer Classic: Winner of the Junior/Amateur-Owner Stake, and winner of a Junior/Amateur-Owner class
Golden Gate Classic: 5th in the Junior/Amateur-Owner Classic
The Oaks Classic II: 7th in a 1.30 class with over 50 entries
The Oaks Classic III: 5th in a Low Junior/Amateur-Owner class
Pebble Beach: 10th in the $10,000 Pebble Beach Derby
Menlo Charity Horse Show: 2nd in the Modified Junior/Amateur-Owner Classic
Show Park: 2nd in the Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Classic and a 2nd in a Low Junior/Amateur-Owner class
Adrienne Dixon and Alize at Pebble Beach. Photo: Deb Dawson
Adrienne and Alize in the Pebble Beach Derby Photo: Deb Dawson
Susan Meadows consistently posted blazing times, earning Topper the nickname, "Turbo Topper." The duo have been teamed up for seven years and show no signs of slowing down. Not only is Susan a formidable force in the show ring, but she has also proven to be one of the barn's biggest supporters and cheer leaders and has been a joy to have in the barn on the road and at home. Highlights include:
Pickwick Spring: Winner of a Level 5 class
Woodside Spring Preview: Champion in the 1.25 meters, 5th in the Junior Amateur-Owner Classic
Woodside Spring Classic: Winner of a Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper class and 3rd in the Junior Amateur-Owner Classic
Golden State: Winner of a Modified Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper class
Pickwick Summer: Winner of a Level 5 class, winner of a Junior/Amateur-Owner class and 4th in the Junior Amateur-Owner Stake
Golden Gate Classic: Reserve Champion 1.20 Meter Jumpers and Reserve Champion Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumpers
Oaks Classic II: Winner of a Modified Junior Amateur-Owner class and 2nd in a 1.30 meter class
Pebble Beach: Grand Champion Low Junior Amateur-Owner Jumper Summer Circuit, Champion Low Junior Amateur-Owner Classic I
Menlo Charity Horse Show: Winner of the Modified Junior/Amateur Jumper Classic; Champion Modified Junior/Amateur Jumpers
Show Park: 2nd in a 1.20 class and 3rd in the Low Junior/Amateur-Owner class with over 50 entries
Susan Meadows and "Turbo Topper" show their winning form. Photo: Naismith Photography
Dakota Gruner juggled her riding with a heavy school schedule in her senior year. Her horse, Korbel, found a new home this spring with amateur rider Danielle Hashim at Millenium Farms. Jill and Nancy give glowing reports of their progress in the show ring and Dakota is really pleased that Korbel has found such a wonderful home.
We congratulate Dakota on her remarkable academic accomplishments, including acceptance to both Brown and Stanford Universities and it was with great sadness that we bid her farewell as she began her college career at Brown. We look forward to her return on holidays and summers during which she will be sharing riding duties with her mother, Amy Slater, on the family's new horse, Talisman Z AKA Tyler. The 6-year old Zangersheide gelding was purchased this summer from Tri Star Farms. Many thanks to Paul and Ryan Haunert for selling us this amazing young horse.
Dakota enjoyed her last show season as a junior competitor on Amy Brubaker's Fenwick. Highlights include:
Woodside Spring Preview: Reserve Champion Modified Open Hunter, Vanessa Brown up; excellent ribbons in the Children's Hunter 14-17 division including a pair of 2nd placings
Pickwick Summer: Reserve Champion Open Hunter, Vanessa Brown up; Champion Modified Junior Hunter, Dakota Gruener up
Oaks Classic II: Great ribbons in the Children's Hunter 15-17 Division
Oaks Classic III: Consistently good ribbons in the Children's Hunter 15-17 and 2nd place in the Children's Hunter Classic with the 2nd round high score of 86
Pebble Beach: Reserve Grand Champion, Children's Hunter 14-17
Dakota Gruener and Fenwick, Reserve Grand Champion at Pebble Beach. Photo: Deb Dawson
Amy and Dakota participated in the family class at Pebble Beach with loaner horses Brownie Points and G.J. Jackson, earning a 2nd place finish. We are looking forward to starting Amy's show career in the near future.
Dakota Gruener and G.J.Jackson with Amy Slater and Brownie Points in the Family Class at Pebble Beach. Photo: Deb Dawson
Derby Hill's own Brownie Points, AKA Teddy, was leased to new client Sarah Frushell for the summer show season. The duo bonded immediately and successfully moved up from the Short Stirrup division to the Low Children's Hunters over the summer. As the newest and youngest client in the barn, Sarah takes a lot of good-natured kidding in stride. She is well on the way to becoming a well-rounded horsewoman, as her many long walks with Teddy, and numerous treats showered on him, show her true love for the animals. The pair's horse show highlights include:
Pickwick Spring: Champion Short Stirrup Hunter and Champion Short Stirrup Equitation
Woodside Spring Preview: Champion Long Stirrup division with four wins and three seconds
Woodside Spring Classic: Moved up to Low Children's Hunter division with many good ribbons including a 2nd and a 3rd
Golden State: 3rd in the Almaden Medal in their equitation medal debut
Golden Gate Classic: good ribbons including a pair of 2nds in Low Children's Equitation and Low Children's Hunter
Pebble Beach: good ribbons through the summer circuit including a 2nd and a 3rd in the Pre Children's Hunter division, and an 8th in the Pre Children's Classic.
Sarah Frushell and Brownie Points at Woodside
We are thrilled to announce that Sarah recently purchased 007, AKA James, to continue her show career. James is a 7-year old, 16.0 hand, Hungarian warmblood who has competed mainly in the jumper arena up through Level 5. Many thanks to Arsia and Tara Ardalan of Caspian Stables for selling us this very promising young horse. We are looking forward to Sarah moving up to the 3' Medals and Children's Hunters in 2008. The future shows no limitations from this beautiful horse, and we fully expect the pair to be able to move up to the Junior Hunter ranks in time.
007 AKA James
Understood AKA Tucker, Annie Bennett's young prospect, has continued to progress through the jumper ranks with Buddy holding the reins. He has jumped around clean in multiple Level 1, 2 and 3 classes, in preparation for his future equitation arena career. He is beginning to really look the part of a polished equitation mount, and has been taking turns in that ring with Adrienne Dixon in the irons. We are very pleased with his progress and Annie is thrilled to begin taking lessons on him at home as both he and Annie gain poise and maturity. Annie would like to thank Adrienne for helping us bring Tucker along by showing him the ropes in the equitation ring at Pebble Beach!
Understood with Buddy in the irons Photo: Flying Horse Photography
Understood tackles the jumper arena with Buddy. Photo: Flying Horse Photography
Annie has been showing her G.J. Jackson on a limited schedule as her high school activities and European travels have permitted. Annie and Jackson showed at Pebble Beach and moved up a division this summer to Pre-Children's Hunter and Novice Equitation. The duo earned multiple ribbons at their only show this summer, including a pair of wins at Classic II and 3rd place finishes in both weeks in the Pre-Children's Hunter Classic.
Annie Bennett and G.J. Jackson at Pebble Beach Photo: Deb Dawson
Annie and G.J. Jackson at Pebble Beach. Photo: Deb Dawson
Not to be outdone in the show ring, Annie's mother, Cindi Perez, catch rode Elisa to reserve championship honors in the Low Adult Hunter division at both the Woodside Spring Preview and the Golden State Horse Show. Cindi and Elisa also were class winners in the Adult Amateur Hunters at Golden State. We continue to look for a more permanent mount for Cindi in the show ring, although her catch riding abilities continue to impress us in the meantime.
Debbie Van Horn's Fletcher joined us this spring and has shown with us as Debbie's schedule has allowed. Fletcher kicked off his year at Pickwick Spring show with a 2nd place finish in a Level 6 class with Buddy in the irons. Later in the week, he finished 4th with Debbie in a High Junior/Amateur-Owner class. Fletcher topped the 1.30 meter division at the Woodside Spring Preview earning a champion tri-color with Buddy holding the reins and was also 6th in the $5,000 Classic. He doubled in the Junior/Amateur-Owner Classic with Debbie to finish 4th. At the Pickwick Summer show, Tori Montgomery catch rode the gelding to a 2nd in an Adult Amateur class. The new pair continued their efforts at the Golden Gate Classic to contest the Zone 10 1.10 meter jumper Challenge. A 3rd, 7th and 5th place ensured qualification for the championship where the pair took home Reserve Champion honors.
