Emerson Gotcher and Kurious in the Junior Training division at AECs. Photo by Sally Spickard.
Emerson Gotcher and Kurious won two prestigious events today at the AECs: the Junior Training division and the Who Jumped It Best? from yesterday’s cross country. What a weekend for Emerson!
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Emerson and her Irish Sport Horse gelding have won here at Texas Rose previously, picking up the blue in their Training division back in March. Since then, the pair has finished in the top five at their other Training starts this year and culminated their hard work with a come from behind win in the show jumping today.
Richard Jeffery’s show jumping course proved to be influential for the Junior Training riders today, with overnight leader Natasha Erschen knocking picking up a total of nine penalties to move down into seventh. A clear round from Emerson allowed her to move up and take the top spot after sitting in third after cross country.
Arden Stephens and No More Rocks also moved up, coming from fourth to finish second with a clear round. Sofia Guarachi and Fernhill Shannondale moved from fifth into third after jumping clear.
Brittany Vinson and Falcon Dusty Tiger also came from behind to win the Senior Training division after taking third place into today’s show jumping. This is a solid Training level pair, having competed at this level for a couple of years now with a few runs at Preliminary. A well deserved win, Brittany!
Claire Gordon and Ole Boy also jumped clear to move from fourth into second overall. This pair was in fifth after the dressage and steadily climbed up the board to finish on their dressage score of 30.5.
Melissa Fox and Diamond Legacy moved up as well, coming from fifth to finish third after jumping double clear.
Heather Morris and Russell are enjoying a win in the Training Horse division after a double clear round today. This pair moved up from a tie for second to win the whole thing. This horse moved up to Training level this year, only placing outside of the top 10 once. This is Heather and Russell’s second consecutive win, with the last coming here at Texas Rose back in June.
Beau Gimmond and Filibuster ST had one unfortunate rail in their round today to go into second overall. Candace Wheeler Bell and Fernhill Jet, in tenth after the dressage, finished on their dressage score of 33.6 after two double clear jumping rounds to take third overall.
