Grace’s winning strategy worked not only on a medium pony, but also on a very large horse when she won the LAHJA Horsemanship Medal Class aboard Ashtin's Obsession (Rolling Oaks Ranch, owner). “He’s 18 hands and an ex-grand prix horse, so he can be really technical in the turns,” she shared. “The work-off was tricky because there was a jump pointed toward the gate followed by a halt immediately after, then sitting trot to the gate, and walk out. You had to halt quick enough to be able to show off your sitting trot to the gate.” Grace was thrilled to qualify for the LAHJA Horsemanship Medal Final as well as the Onondarka Medal Final to follow in the footsteps of older sister, Lexi.
Busy graduate student Belle Calkin (Joe Thorpe, trainer) geared up for medal finals by bringing her horses out to Verdugo Hills. “I’m studying clinical psychology at CSUN,” explained Belle. “Usually I just opt for shows at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center because they're convenient for me, but I wanted to bring Belle A Font to a new venue. He’s a young horse still learning about jumping. He’s very athletic, but I want to get his confidence up and get him more miles in the ring. On the other hand, I’ve had Belleagio for about ten years. With him, I just focused on maintaining my
Kathy Vincent (Chris Land, trainer) showed off her hard work, earning a reserve championship in the 2’9” VH Hunters with her Vienna. “My plan was to remain calm and focused and just try to clear my head from everything else,” Kathy commented. “I’ve been doing a lot of core work, trying to get stronger. I’ve also been doing a lot of no stirrups work, which has been a huge help. I really feel like I’m getting stronger and now I can focus on the nuances and understanding how to respond to my horse.” Kathy plans to keep working hard as her goal is to compete at the Adult Amateur Hunter level.