St. Patrick’s Day came a little late to Arizona, as Irish Sport Horses won four divisions of the Coconino Summer Horse Trials II, Aug. 5-7 in Flagstaff, Ariz.

The Good Witch and owner Jennifer Wooten topped the open intermediate by more than 20 points. Wooten bought the 9-year-old mare 11³2 years ago.

“When she came from Ireland, her name was The Witch, so we changed it to The Good Witch,” Wooten said. “She swings her tail like a broomstick.”

The Good Witch led from dressage, with a score of 30 and had the fastest cross-country time, adding only 1.6 time penalties.

“The trees make it seems as if you’re going faster,” she said of the cross-country course. “It asks good questions. From start to finish, it’s a good course and gives horse and rider a lot of confidence. I was a little concerned about the combination at 13A and B. A was rails and then two strides to a skinny chevron in the shade. I made sure she saw [the chevron].”

When the mare first came to this country, they had to work on obedience, particularly in dressage.

“She wants to do it her way,” said Wooten. “She’s a true athlete through and through. She loves to run and jump. Over the last year, we’ve been able to establish a good relationship. She’s able to be a good, obedient dressage horse and then go rip it up and have a good time cross-country.”

Wooten produces event horses at Trinity Farm in Buellton, Calif. The Good Witch did her first advanced at Rebecca Farm (Mont.) two weeks before Coconino, finishing third.

Wooten has worked with trainer Ginny Bryant for four years, and she hopes to qualify for the FEI World Cup Final in 2006. They also prepare for events by showing at A-rated jumper shows and dressage shows at third level.

Another Bryant student, Amanda Volk, placed first and second in the preliminary rider division on two Irish Sport Horses–Lord Spencer and Private Tender. Spencer’s score of 26 put him in first place after dressage. Then, only he and Alias (Laura Stevens) made the cross-country time.

Bryant has coached Volk, a show jumper, for about five years. Volk got Spencer 31³2 years ago when she was 12. Neither one of them had done anything but beginner novice. When she was ready for preliminary, they bought Private Tender, who had experience at the one-star level.

But Coconino was Volk’s first preliminary win. “Spencer is my best friend,” said Volk, who hopes to compete at the Galway Downs CCI* (Calif.) in November. “I’ve had him so long I know him like the back of my hand. He’s well-balanced. We can do a long gallop, balance for the fence, and then go on. The faster I let him go, the better he enjoys it.”

Volk’s father and older sister had trail horses and sometimes let her ride along when she was 3 or 4. “I begged and begged my dad for my own horse,” she said. “For my 10th birthday, I got one. I did everything I could to be around them. As soon as I found out what eventing was, I wanted to do it.”

A third Irish Sport Horse from Bryant’s barn, Karly Mac’s Ariston, won the junior beginner novice. Lara Mac, Karly’s mother, originally bought the horse for herself.

“I was supposed to get this horse and she was supposed to get my mare, but he was the perfect fit for my daughter,” she said.

Healthy Again

Both Susan Jellum and her horse, Jack Be Quick, came back from serious illnesses to win the Area X Open Preliminary Championship. Two and a half years ago, Jellum contracted viral meningitis. She spent a week in the hospital and left with no balance, using a walker. But she was back on a horse a week later.

“I have another horse that is like a table,” she said. “I got on him. He’s easy going and calmer. I rode and did physical therapy. It was really scary. I did rehab and finally went back to competing.”

Next Jack got a massive infection and missed the entire 2004 season. Jellum started him back at the end of last year.

“At first, he looked great, like he was ready to do preliminary,” she said. “Then he did a turn around and wouldn’t even trot a cross rail. It took a lot of effort by me and [trainer Frederic Bouland] to get him over that.”

Jack, who’d raced at Turf Paradise (Ariz.), competed at preliminary before his illness, and Jellum started him back at the training level. “I took a gamble,” she said of her purchase. “It was my first off-the track project.”

Although she’d always wanted to ride, ultimate Frisbee was Jellum’s original sport. After two knee surgeries, her doctor said “no more running.” So she switched to riding seven years ago.

Family Feats

Trainer Barbara Crabo won open preliminary on Victoria’s Electra, a 7-year-old Swedish Warmblood out of a Thoroughbred mare. Her father-in-law, Beau Crabo, bred the mare.

“We work on relaxation,” she said. “I finally discovered that I have to do her dressage warm-up in a two-point and let her stretch. Tension is a big thing for her. I let her be silly in the warm-up.”

Her Four Peaks training center borders McDowell Mountain Park in Scottsdale, Ariz. She uses a track in the park up a “fabulous long hill” to condition her horses.

When she and her husband, veterinarian Martin Crabo, bought a five-acre property, she realized she could keep additional horses at her house.

“Friends wanted me to give them lessons,” she said. “I resisted but then gave in and loved it.”

She won the open training on Debbie Louisiana’s Freedom’s Flight, a 5-year-old Oldenburg out of a Thoroughbred mare.

“We do a lot of dressage; he’s still growing so he’s downhill,” she said. “He’s a lovely mover and tries hard. He’s learning to carry himself.”

Erin Hoverson and Bounce finished on their dressage score (23.5) to top 26 other horses in the junior novice rider division. The 8-year-old Irish Sport Horse is by Heisman out of a Cruising mare.

“When he was a baby playing in the field, he came running up to a trough and just bounced over it,” said Hoverson.

She started riding when she was 9. “I enjoy the cross-country a lot,” she said. “I’ve done hunter/jumper; I’ve done dressage. Now I can do both of those and cross-country. We had a really good dressage test. He’s a bold, all-around good event horse.”

Hoverson had another horse before Bounce, but he lost an eye and can no longer event.

“It’s wonderful to be back. She’s focused on working with an animal as a partner,” said her mother, Lindy. “She has to be a responsible person about it which I think is great for a teenager.”

Alexa Perkiel and her mother, Lois, event together. Alexa rode Lakota, a Thoroughbred-Percheron cross, to the junior training blue ribbon. She’s had the 7-year-old horse for four years.

“My husband and I started riding hunters together in Connecticut,” said Lois. “When we moved to Utah, we ended up at an event barn, and it looked like fun. You can’t get bored. I enjoy riding with my daughter and friends.”

Alexa gave up riding for the ski team when she went to high school. After graduating from high school, she has a free summer before college so Lois bought Lakota hoping she would take up eventing again.

“Every day we ride in the morning together,” said Alexa. “I love the competition and independence of the sport. My mom is my groom. For the next event, I’m taking both horses and riding against myself. We’re work-ing on bounces and corners so that we can move up. Next fall, I’d like to do Young Riders.”