Area II's Young Rider Team Challenge a Success
Young Riders fr
om throughout the U.S. and Canada braved wet conditions at Plantation Field International event, Sept. 21-24, 2023, to compete on a full set of teams at the Area II-sponsored Young Rider Team Challenge. The challenge is a promotional competition held within a standing competition to encourage team comraderie and competition among Young Riders.
At the CCI-1* level, the scrambled Area 2/West Team of Lillian Kager/Game On (45.5), Scarlett Peinado/Shadow Inspector (49.7), Lizzie Hoff/HSH Kept Secret (51.4) and Eva Taylor/Irish Rose (85.9) won the FarmVet $25 gift certificates,The Engraver leather engraved keychains, and Maryland Saddlery merchandise for first place (team score 146.6). In second was the Canada/NE Team, (168.6) of Kimberley Begin/Victory Cents (41.9), Kimberley Begin/Ultimate Legacy (44.9), and Kate Servais/Cathedro (81.8). Placing third was the Area 2 Team (1089.2) of Rylie Nelson/Galway Sunrise (35.2), Jenna Levesque/Born Ready (54), Gianna Fernandez/Excel Star Vero Amore and Berkley Gardner/Aristocrat.
The CCI-2* competition was hotly contested over the soggy show jump course down to the last rider. Ending on the top was the Area 2 Team, (139.6), winning the $25 FarmVet gift certificates and C4 Belts from Maryland Saddlery, consisted of Noah Stanlaske/Chesterland (38.5), Carlin Keefe/Point Nemo (44.8), Paige Ramsey/MTF Cooley Classic (56.3), and Anna Fitzhugh/Shirsheen Deal Me In. Second place team (154.6) went to Canada/NE, of Lizzie Hoff/HSH LImited Edition (34.7), Audrey Littlefield/Mr. Pumpkin (55.2), Madison Haney/Chesterlands Sweet Charlotte (64.7), and Lucine Claudel/Tsantania (69.4). In third, the Area 2-3-8 Team (1096.4) of Carlin Keefe/Mr. Candyman (33.8), Maddie Hale/Fernhill Hotshot (62.6), Chloe Haddack/Hawthornestud Fortunate Love and Noah Stanlaske/DHI Showman.
Completing the team competition was the CCI-3* section. They finished on Saturday, with the winning team from Area 8, (1126.4) receiving the $25 Farm Vet and $25 Maryland Saddlery gift certificates,of Alexandra Baugh/Hubert des 3 Arbres (62.1), Maddie Hale/Cinzano 7 (64.3), and Alexandra Baugh/MHS Fernhill Finale. Second place team was Area 2, (1137.3) of Braden Speck/BSF Liam (49.2), Benjamin Noonan/Street Fighter (88.1), Peyton Klein/Pleasant Humphrey, and Meg Pellegrini/Cooley Wish Upon A Star. In third was a scramble team of Canada/Area 1-7, (3000) with Lea Adams-Blackmore/Frostbite, Kimberley Begin/Ballingore Rock Quality, Olivia Miller/Cooley Starstruck, and Madison Tempkin/MVP Madbum.
In the CCI-4* competition, one Young Rider completed, Brooke Burchianti and Cooley Space Grey (87) who finished in fifth place. She was top placed U25 rider and received a FarmVet $25 gift certificate.
Individual Young Rider winners received Coat Defense prize packages, and The Overall Horsemanship winner was Canada Young Rider Kimberley Begin, riding three horses and placing two of them in both the CCI-1* and CCI-3* competitions. She received the Freely Forward Bodywork certificate sponsored by Maija Luttinger of Freely Forward Bodywork. The Local Grooms/Horse Care Award from Wawa Foundation went to Area 2's Carlin Keefe, riding two horses in the CCI-2* and completing with both. All Young Rider Team Challenge riders received Standlee Premium Western Forage treat bags for their horses.
