The Palm Beach Adult Medal, sponsored by Beval Saddlery, took place in ring 8 on Sunday morning at PBIEC. Eleven exhibitors vied for the win, first competing in a jumping round and then returning for a flat phase. Mallory Taylor, of Lexington, MA, impressed the judges in both phases, successfully piloting Caroline Kuldell’s mount Sir Thomas to the win. Taylor, a 22-year-old recent graduate of Trinity College, had never competed in a show with Sir Thomas before this weekend. She rides out of Stoneymeade Farm and is trained by Joyce Mersereau and Sarah Tyndall. While Taylor has ridden the 19-year-old Warmblood Cross gelding a handful of times at the farm, the mount was new for her in the show ring. Sir Thomas, who was given to Taylor as a catch ride, is “one of the good horses at the barn,” she explained. “He likes to dance around and get a little excited, but he behaved himself perfectly and he just listens really well. He’s a perfect horse to catch ride and do well on,” Taylor explained. When asked how she felt about her jumping round this morning she replied, “I was really happy with it. My horse was great today.” Taylor, who has been riding since age seven, intends to focus on riding more competitively this year. “I’m going to start showing again finally this year,” she said. “I’m out of college, so I’m trying to focus more on riding. I’m working full-time too, but I’m definitely trying to get back into it.” Taylor competed consistently in the big equitation classes and the junior hunter divisions as a junior rider. In college she was a member of the Trinity College Equestrian Team and competed in some IHSA events. Now, Taylor will juggle her full-time job at a specialty insurance company with her riding career. She currently competes in the three-foot equitation, the adult equitation and the three-foot adult hunter divisions, but hopes to expand into more divisions as the year progresses.
