• McLain Ward was almost unbeatable this year. He won the leading open jumper rider trophy after the topping the $25,000 Pennsylvania Big Jump and $25,000 NAL Open Speed Final on Goldika 559, the $10,000 Gem Twist Gambler’s Choice and $5,000 Kick The Clouds Open Speed with Miss Liberty 7, and the $5,000 Southside Open Speed aboard Esplanade 7. He only loosened his stranglehold on the blue ribbons in the $75,000 Budweiser Grand Prix de Penn National when Phillipa dropped the back rail of an oxer to finish 10th.
• No one was more excited than Maggie Mulligan when 19-year-old Oliver and Judy Garofalo Torres won the $7,500 For The Moment Open Jump-Off class in Harrisburg. Mulligan, Oliver’s caretaker for the past seven years, also had the honor of grooming the class’s namesake, For The Moment, for 13 years. Under Mulligan’s care, Lisa Jacquin’s legendary partner and 1987 The Chronicle of the Horse Overall Horse Of The Year competed at the grand prix level until the age of 22, winning all three rounds of the $130,000 AGA Budweiser Championship (Fla.) at 21.
• Inside Scoop may have just debuted in the hunter ring in July, but he cantered around the first year green ring with Russell Frey looking like a seasoned pro, jumping to the first year green and grand green hunter titles at Harrisburg. The horse also picked up ribbons in the large junior hunter, 15 and under, division with owner Chloe Reid aboard.
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• The Kessler family enjoyed a winning trip to Harrisburg this year. During junior weekend Reed Kessler rode Ice D’Ancoeur to the USEF National Junior Jumper Championship, and her mother Teri Kessler topped the amateur-owner, 36 and over, division with Pavarotti.
• The Specialist topped the second year green hunter division with Jennifer Alfano aboard. The 7-year-old Dutch Warmblood also competes in the amateur-owner divisions with owner Meredith Lipke and contested his first The Chronicle of the Horse/USHJA International Hunter Derby in September.
• Heritage Farm trainer Kirsten Coe took a break from prepping students for equitation finals to pilot Perfektionist to the green conformation hunter title for Tracey Topping. Due to conflicting show schedules Avery Dimmig rode the horse to many blue ribbons throughout most of the year.
