Area III Champions Crowned at Poplar Place Farm

By on Oct 6, 2020 9:00 am -

Melanie Smith and Shakedown Street. Photo courtesy of Melanie.

Over the weekend, Poplar Place Farm in Hamilton, Ga. played host to the 2020 Area III Championships. In such a bustling part of the country, 8 titles were up for grabs. Here’s who won what:

Melanie Smith and Shakedown Street may have been a division of one, but they certainly would’ve beat the best of them anyhow in the Intermediate Championships. Melanie and “Mouse,” the 10-year-old Candian Thoroughbred (Survivalist x My Dear Rose) earned a 39.5 on the flat and added only 1.2 cross country time penalties to it across the jumping phases.

Karl Slezak won the Preliminary Championship with Hot Bobo, a 7-year-old Irish Sport Horse (VDL Arkansas x Taneys Leader) who he owns. They lead wire-to-wire on their dressage score of 28.70.

The Junior Training Rider Championship went to Brayden Edmonds and Jay of Diamonds. Brayden and the 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse by King of Diamonds earned a 29.5 on the flat and added nothing to it to win.

Amelia Ebhardt won the Senior Training Rider Championship with Fernhill Celebrity, a 9-year-old Westphalian – Holsteiner (Ampere x Djolie-AL), on a score of 24.1 — the lowest finishing score across all divisions.

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Poplar Place October HT Highlights: Open Intermediate 2nd – Claire Robinson & Pretty Like Me Intermediate/Preliminary 1st – Jorja Miller & Calypso Girl Preliminary Championships 5th – Sallie Johnson & Fernhill DiCaprio 8th – Liesel Fazekas & Fernhill Let’s Face It Preliminary Rider 1st – Alese Lyle & Princess Leia 3rd – Paige Drury & Ardeo Illusion Junior Training Rider Championships 5th – Lara Roberts & Boucco Round Trip (*FOR SALE*) Open Training 1st – Julie & Fernhill Cruiseaway (*FOR SALE*) 7th – Claire Robinson & Destiny Revealed Preliminary/Training 3rd – Gracie Montgomery & Forever Fernhill 4th – Darcy Drury & Fernhill Opulence Training Horse Championships 1st – Julie & Fernhill Seven C’s Training Rider 1st – Ryan Ballou & Fernhill Doctor Watson 7th – Lauren Brooks & Fernhill Focus Maxi Novice Rider 7th – Mackenzie VanEffen & Cadall Open Novice 1st – Jorja Miller & Fernhill Happyness 8th – Julie & Valor Training/Novice 2nd – Julie & Fernhill Kildimo Quality 4th – Gracie Montgomery & Fernhill Patrón Open Beginner Novice 5th – Jane Anderson & Bourbon St. Bash Thank you Cheryl Drury for the beautiful photos!

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Sonja Cooper’s Fernhill Seven C’s won the Training Horse Championship with Julie Richards in the tack. The flashy 6-year-old Irish Sport Horse (Sibon W x Sarah’s Glory) only started eventing this year, and this weekend caps off their fifth top three finish at training level.

 

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My Bearington showed what he was made of this weekend to score the 1st place in the USEA Area lll JR. Novice champs!!! • • • After him being quite a sensitive and crazy horse in the dressage warm ups he went into the arena and proved that he was built to win earning a 25(of course after rearing at the gate to get into the arenas🤦‍♀️) XC he was a total beast as usual and absolutely loved all the fun galloping paths. Showjumping was a very tight arena and Bear is a tad bit of a hot head but he came back to me and jumped his heart out getting double clear and finishing on his dressage score carrying the first place the whole weekend and finishing in first!!! 💙🏅🏅🥇🥇 • Also big congrats to the whole SHF gang that competed this weekend especially @sc.eventer who is the best videographer, groom, and annoying distraction 😆 (You and Donna killed it) #bewareofthebear #timetomoveup #arealllchamps #hearthorse #littlecrazy #butwelovecrazy #youcanhearmytrainerfrom3milesaway #dutchwarmblood #bearjustwantstojumpeverythingandanything #ourbrainsarentmentfordressage #XCmachine #bearisliterallythecoolest #nowiwoulddefinitlyfightyouonthat #hothead #conguistadorll

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Marissa Griffin and Conguistador took home the title and bragging rights in the Junior Novice Rider Championships. This is a new partnership for Marissa and the 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood (Van Gogh x Wisconsin), as they only competed for the first time together in June, but their score of 24.5 from start to finish was unbeatable.

Mary Bess Davis and Starry Night, an 8-year-old Warmblood (Indian Art x Kip Winowned) by Deborah Grosenbaugh, were the winners of the Novice Horse Championship, finishing on their dressage score of 27.3.

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I am so proud of Galapagos for his performance at the Area III Championships this weekend. He put in a great dressage test in the Novice division, and then took on cross country and show jumping like it was nothing. He always gives his best and makes competing fun; he has earned himself a relaxing vacation and lots of cookies. @poplarplacefarm put on a great show this weekend, and I am thankful for all the staff and volunteers who made it possible. Big thanks to @le_bonheur_equestrian for your help at home and at the show, and congratulations on your great competition with Emmaretto CSF. Thanks as always to Pamela Taylor for your continued support of me and Galapagos. And thank you @thatbayarab11 for coming with us to help with the horses and Alejandrina so we could focus on riding!

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Anna Bosworth and Galapagos took home top honors in the Senior Novice Rider Championship. The 9-year-old Hanoverian (Graf Top II x Kamet) earned a 27.9 on the flat and jumped clear over both days for the win.

Chelsey Sawtell piloted Deb Warner’s Toto’s Weather Tamer to win the Beginner Novice Horse Championship. The 4-year-old Warmblood with impressive bloodlines — Totilas x Baquette — went pillar-to-post on a score of 29.

Sidnee Milner and My Valentine, a 16-year-old Welsh mare, won the Junior Beginner Novice Rider Championship on a three-day result of 28.1.

Tiffany Stewart and Crimson Clover. Photo courtesy of Tiffany.

Senior Beginner Novice Rider was claimed by Tiffany Stewart and Crimson Clover on a score of 29.5.

Well done, Area III! Click here to follow all results from Poplar.

Go eventing.