Is it snowing? Rene Rios and One Lark One Legend enter at A in a torrential downpour. Photo by Kate Boggan.
It seems every eventer across the country had to break out their swimsuits and snorkels these past few weeks. From the hurricane at WEG to the downpour at Plantation Field and the monsoon at the MeadowCreek Park H.T., our cross country horses had to become water horses.
Area V venue MeadowCreek Park in Kosse, Texas, hosts two USEA Horse Trials a year. Owned and organized by Robbie Peterson, their Fall Social Event is usually met with scorching heat and humidity as the Texas summers usually last well into October. The weather in Texas can be very unpredictable though and this year competitors needed their water wings instead of sunscreen. This year’s Fall Social Event also played host to the Area V Novice and Beginner Novice Championships, held a fundraiser for the Texas A&M Eventing Team, and put on the always popular competitor’s dinner on Saturday night.
Young Rider Coordinator, Tayler Owen, reps her Area V pride in her dressage test. Photo by Kate Boggan.
Saturday morning started off with a splash, literally, and many riders opted for rain jackets instead of show coats. Kimberly Stafford and her Oldenburg gelding Pik Coeur D’Or led the way from start to finish in the Novice Championship division, adding only 3.2 time faults from their cross country run to their dressage score of 24.8 to end on a very respectable 28.0. Different division same verse as the Beginner Novice Championship division winners Taylor Tiberg and the Connemara x Thoroughbred gelding Valedictorian sat in first place after dressage and finished on their score of 28.0 to take home the blue.
Kimberly Stafford and Pik Coeur D’Or out on course. Photo by Kate Boggan.
To give the event a real championship feel, dressage and cross country ran Saturday and show jumping was held Sunday morning. Competitors did their show jumping rounds in reverse order of standings and awards ceremonies were held in the drizzly morning fog.
And that’s how you end a first place dressage test! Photo by Kate Boggan.
Congratulations to the following horse trial division winners! See complete results here!
Open Preliminary: Lauren Lambert & Cooley Renaissance Man (39.8)
Open Training: Camdyn Rahe & Orange Crush (36.6)
Preliminary/Training: Stephanie Reimers & That’s What She Said (48.3)
Training Rider: Katie Grace Bond & High Class (30.5)
Novice Championships: Kimberly Stafford & Pik Coeur D’Or (28.0)
Novice Rider: Lawsyn Clements & Russell’s Reserve (23.9)
Open Novice: Jennifer Biles & Bad as Bandini (40.2)
Beginner Novice Championships: Taylor Tiberg & Valedictorian (28.0)
Jr. Beginner Novice Rider: Grace Thompson & Excessive Assault (34.4)
Open Beginner Novice: Rick Urban & Morally Flexible (35.5)
Sr. Beginner Novice Rider: Julianne Foody & Step Right Up (37.5)
Starter: Aynsleigh Fettig & Aisling Dugan (28.6)
Aynsleigh and The Doog show off their first place ribbon. Photo by Diane Rice.
One of the great things about eventing is how inclusive the sport is. If you can teach your horse to jump you can enjoy eventing no matter what breed your trusty steed may be. Proving this point are Aynsleigh Fettig and her 12 year-old Gypsy Vanner, Aisling Dugan. “The Doog,” as he is lovingly known around the barn, was purchased three years ago by the Fettigs to be Aynsleigh’s mother’s dressage horse. Aynsleigh stole the ride when her Prelim horse retired and started taking the flashy, feathered fiend to events. They competed in the Starter division at MeadowCreek and their score of 28.6 landed them in first after dressage and they never looked back. The pair plan to move up to Beginner Novice soon and keep proving that eventing is for everyone.
Big hugs from Katie Grace Bond for her horse High Class after crossing the finish line of their first place cross-country ride. Photo by Kate Boggan.
Despite the wet conditions everyone came home safe and had a wonderful time at one of Area V’s favorite events. As always events couldn’t be run without the enormous efforts of our organizers and volunteers. Thank you to all who came out and helped the MeadowCreek Park H.T. Fall Social Event run swimmingly!
