0 comments / Posted by Ann Wilt

Team Knollwood just returned home from a wonderful summer weekend of horse showing at ASAW’s Summerfun show.  It was a classic horse show with lots of warm weather, good friends, and beautiful horses.  Entry numbers were way up at this well run show, and classes were filled with wonderful horses and riders. With 40 stalls in our stabling area, we had some adventures and some stories to tell!

 

Maria Moves Up

 Maria grew up in our academy program, and has been at the top of competition for a couple of years, winning the academy championship at Oshkosh just a few weeks ago.  She’s heading off to Edgewood College this fall, and her parents have made it possible to make the big move to showing in a suit for a couple of shows before she heads off.

Thanks to the generosity of Sarah Wenzel, Maria had 2 suits to wear that fitted beautifully. Maria showed Sadie in a pleasure class as well as the UPHA Adult Challenge Cup.  They made a beautiful team, and worked the arena like pros.  You can see them next at the Wisconsin Futurity Show in September.

 

Bella and Garfield 

Isabella and Garfield have been getting to know each other, and their time together is really paying off.  This beautiful team won their Country Pleasure qualifier for riders aged 14-17, and finished reserve champs in the final.  They’re heading to Louisville next, and it’s sure to be a treat to watch!

 

Our Equitation Riders Are Ready

  With nine equitation riders in attendance (Ainsley, Amanda, Emma, Finn, Haley, Hanna, Heather, Matthew and Richie) Team Knollwood was busy in the equitation division. Whether qualifying for fall finals or getting more experience before Louisville, our riders shone in the ring.  Classes were big, enabling riders to get plenty of practice using the ring in traffic, just like in Freedom Hall in August.

 

 

Academy Strength

With 10 academy horses showing at the Saturday morning performance, it was an early morning for the academy team. Luckily, we had plenty of friends there to help! Great thanks to Ainsley, Finn, Payton, Hanna, and Jeni for helping up prep the boys for their big show. Sue, Laura, and Hanna made sure our riders had perfect hair for the ring.

Classes were huge, with many classes split. The walk trot and canter championship was split into divisions, and most of the 10 and under walk and trot classes were divided, including the championship.

Our horses and riders shone in the big ring. They navigated the traffic just like it was another big group lesson at home, making great passes along the way. Riders learned a lot of lessons at the show, and all riders in the championships were fortunate to perform the pattern for Judge Lilly.

Some ribbon highlights? Maddie and Baxter did it again, winning a split of the walk trot and canter championship.  They also won the championship at IASHPA last weekend. It looks like the pair to beat!

Maiya and Baxter were  also repeat champions from last weekend. This team won a split of the 10 and under walk trot championship just like they did at IASPHA last weekend. They’re also a team to watch!

 

 

 

It Takes a Village

It takes a lot of people with different skills to make a show work with this many horses competing.  Great thanks to everyone who pitched in to make sure all our horses and riders looked fabulous in the ring, to the ladies who created Saturday night’s aisle party, and to everyone who encouraged and cheered for the riders in the ring.

And finally, thanks to Vicky and her crew, including Ken who seems to be able to do anything to make a horse show run smoothly, for making Summerfun such a wonderful show for so many exhibitors!

 

Next Up?

The big Knollwood summer show is coming up this weekend, and we can hardly wait. We’re still looking for some help at the concession stand, and there’s still time to buy songs to benefit Saddlebred Rescue, too.  Check out all the show info in the school barn lounge.

See you at the show!

 

 

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