Carly Reinsel may have a new lucky number: 13.
She and her partner in the USEF Pony Finals lay that far down in the small pony hunter standings following yesterday’s model and under saddle—almost out of tricolor contention. But today, Friday, Aug. 7, Reinsel put in the trip of her young career in Lexington, Ky., to win the single small pony over fences class, which counts for 50% of the championship, and claim the overall small pony title.
Allison Toffolon and Lands End Eros galloped up the standings from 14th to grab the reserve championship at the Kentucky Horse Park after a strong round that earned that seasoned pair the white ribbon over fences.
Reinsel’s win rings even more impressive considering the Alpharetta, Ga., rider had only paired up with “Enzo” a week ago. She originally planned to ride another pony, but a last-minute lease put that out of the question.
“She sort of fell into Enzo,” said Michael Newman who trains the pair. “I knew Carly and her mom, and when it wasn’t going to work out with the other pony I suggested she give him a try. Obviously it’s been fantastic fit.
“She’s a great kid, and she and her family are so gracious and sweet,” he continued. “She keeps her ponies at home, and is very involved with them. She and Enzo bonded right away.”
Charlie Moorcroft paired Jessica Donatelli with Enzo years ago after the Welsh impressed him with his potential. Though Donatelli rapidly outgrew the chestnut, he was special and talented enough to hold on to. Enzo spent a few years on the West Coast, but never settled into a long-term routine with any rider, eventually finding his way back east this winter.
Newman saw the pony in the schooling area in Wellington, Fla., this year, and immediately thought that the pony was a showstopper. He mounted his daughter Aleece Jarman on the pony, who got him back to the winner’s circle during the Gulfport circuit.
“Charlie’s always believed in the pony, and that’s made all the difference,” said Newman. “They proved that today.”
Leading Them To Gold
Georgia Griffis may not have been close with the other three members of her Zone 8 pony jumper team when she arrived in Kentucky, but that didn’t stop her from helping lead the team to the USEF National Pony Jumper Team Championship.
The Devner, Colo., rider joined Madeline Thatcher on Bally Mac, Amelia Drumm on Rosebelle and Megan MacPherson on Color Me Ziggy, led by Chef d’Equipe Kathy Johnson.
Griffis saddled up her Pikatchu tonight to jump two clear rounds. Despite having just started in the pony jumpers a year ago, Griffis wasn’t surprised that her team came out on top.
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“I knew we were a strong team coming in,” said Griffis.
Thatcher also contributed a pair of clears to help boost the team from the mountain states to gold. Despite hailing from Salt Lake City, Utah, she trains with Alex and Maggie Jayne, in Chicago, Ill.
“I know Amelia and Megan really well, and we’re all great friends,” Thatcher said. “Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see them much this summer since I stayed in Chicago and didn’t get to show in Colorado.”
Thatcher’s mount, Bally Mac, is no stranger to the jumper ring. Her sister, Kelsey, campaigned the 10-year-old Connemara gelding before passing him on to Thatcher a year and a half ago. The pair showed here last year but didn’t place. They will carry 4 faults from Thursday’s Round 1 into the final phase of the individual competition tomorrow.
Drumm trains with Johnson in Phoenix, Ariz., and has been riding Rosebelle in the pony jumpers for two years. Another 4-faulter, Drumm will also go on to the individual finals.
MacPherson and Color Me Ziggy rounded out the team with an 8-fault round.
Even though she’s carrying zero faults into the final individual round tomorrow, Griffis may not walk away with individual championship. Going over the final jump, she heard a pop from her ankle and fears that she won’t be able to ride tomorrow.
“She’ll tough it out,” said Johnson. “We hope!”
Griffis’ injured ankle wasn’t the only excitement of the evening. A fire alarm interrupted Talie Lynch’s second round aboard Mystic Rainbow. The Zone 3 rider regained her concentration to finish in good style despite the blaring, but the competition paused for 10 minutes until the fire alarm could be turned off.
Zone 8 narrowly beat out the team from Zone 5, Ricky Mershad, Bella Cramer, Abbie Ross, and Amanda Metzler. The two teams tied without a single fault between them after Round 1, but Zone 5 fell behind when Zack Attack and Metzler pulled a rail and Little Freebee and Mershad amassed 8 faults in the second round.
The United States Pony Club team of Carly Attanasio, Lauren Attanasio, Lauren Walling and Nicole Kehrli took the bronze with 12 faults.
Pony Power Continues Tomorrow
133 medium pony hunters jump tomorrow starting at 8 a.m. Top contenders include Better Than Good and Isabelle Caccamise, who took blue in the model and sixth under saddle, and Royal T and Emma Mandarino, who picked up third in the model and fifth under saddle. Large ponies will work over fences in the afternoon, with For The Laughter and Victoria Colvin in the lead over the field of 113 after winning the model and taking second under saddle.
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Pony jumpers wrap up in the indoor arena tomorrow evening, with the third and final round of individual competition.
Top results follow, and click here for full results.
Pony/owner/rider/score
Small pony hunter overall
1. Everyday Enzo/Cavalinno Farm LLC/Carly Reinsel/1021
2. Lands End Eros/Allison Toffolon/Allison Toffolon/1000
3. Elation/Betsee Parker/Victoria Colvin/988.5
4. Misty Blue Paris/ Colby Nyland-Elliott/Lucy Nyland-Elliott/985
5. Our Song/Katherine Johnson/Katherine Johnson/982
6. Blue Crush/Reid Patton/Devin Seek/979
7. Cardiff Mardi-Gras/Monarch International/Sofia Zaga-Masri/976
8. Harmony/Cindy Stephenson/Caroline Hargreaves/969.001
9. Flashback/Madeline Schaefer/Madeline Schaefer/969
10. Silver Steps/Lochmoor Stables/Kate Dunham/964
Small pony hunter over fences
1. Everyday Enzo/Cavalinno Farm LLC/Carly Reinsel/265
2. Misty Blue Paris/Colby Nyland-Elliott/Lucy Nyland-Elliott/265
3. Made For Me/Marigot Bay Farm LLC/Pearl Theodosakis/256
4. Lands End Eros/Allison Toffolon/Allison Toffolon/255.5
5. Silver Steps/Lochmoor Stables/Kate Dunham/251.5
6. Harmony/Cindy Stephenson/Caroline Hargreaves/251.001
7. Zorro/Providence Hill Farm/Sarah Clifton Yandell/251
8. Our Song/Katherine Johnson/Katherine Johnson/250.25
9. Farnley Darien/Alexandra Carlton & Bernadette Keyes/Samantha Perlman/250
10. Cardiff Mardi Gras/Monarch International/Sophia Zaga Masri/249
Medium pony hunter model
1. Better Than Good/Isabelle Caccamise/Isabelle Caccamise/263
2. Broadway Star/Back Country Farm/Sydney Shulman/257
3. Royal T/Amber Hill Farm/Emma Mandarino/256
4. Halo/Ashley Kennedy Whitner/Porter Allen/255
5. Laugh Out Loud/Cavallino Farm LLC/Martha Ingram/254
6. Elite Movida/Kaitlyn Alsup/Morgane Quails/253
7. Highlands Heaven Sent/Alexandra Crown/Alexandra Crown/253
8. Salvandi Coronet/Colby Nyland-Elliott/Colby Nyland-Elliott/252
9. Clovercroft Honey Bunny/Rabbit Hill Farm/Jessica Herzog/252
10. Unexpected/Juliana Marino/Juliana Marino/252
Medium pony hunter under saddle
1. Heart’s Desire/Stone Ridge/Allison Toffolon/270
2. Unexpected/Juliana Marino/Juliana Marino/259
3. Brighton Undeniably/Holly Hill Farm/Ashley Foster/256
4. First Blue/Lochmoor Stables/Caroline Kellogg/256
5. Royal T/Amber Hill Farm/Emma Mandarino/255
6. Better Than Good/Isabelle Caccmise/Isabelle Caccamise/254
7. Halo/Ashley Kennedy Whitner/Porter Allen/253
8. Northwinds Top Secret/Kim Soffer/Madison Soffer/253
9. Cortina/Madison Maners/Madison Maners/253
10. All About Me/Boggs Hill/Kelly Arani/252
Large pony hunter model
1. For The Laughter/Scott Stewart/Victoria Colvin/282
2. Sportspage/Elizabeth Butterworth/Elizabeth Butterworth/265
3. Grey Goose/Louise Graves/Louise Graves/263
4. Vanity Fair/Betsee Parker/Taylor Brown/262
5. Good Heavens/Samantha Gumbin/Reilly Cookingham/262
6. Bridgewater/Brooke Banks/Brooke Banks/260
7. Siddhartha/Maggie Divecchia/Maggie Divecchia/258
8. Jet Set/DE Show Stables/Eve Gleeson/257
9. Cherrybrook Blue Suede Shoes/Paulexi LLC/Caroline Cline/254
10. Smoke Screen/Will Kennedy/Ashley Foster/254
Large pony hunter under saddle
1.Counte Me In/SBP LLC & Brooke Price/Brooke Price/266
2. For The Laughter/Scott Stewart/Victoria Colvin/261
3. Love And Laughter/Olivia Jack/Destry Spielberg/259
4. Notorious R/Nikki Carr/Meredith Darst/258
5. Midnight Hour/Porter Allen/Porter Allen/258
6. Vanity Fair/Betsee Parker/Taylor Brown/257
7. Fair Dinkum/Taylor Elliot/Christina Firestone/256
8. A Silver Silhouette/Haley Kauffman/Haley Kauffman/255
9. Braveheart/Phoebe Robinson/Allison Toffolon/255
10. Del Ray/Katherine Strauss/Katherine Strauss/255
Pony Jumper Team Championship
1. Zone 8
Rosebelle/Amelia Drumm
Pikatchu/Georgia Griffis
Color Me Ziggy/Megan MacPherson
Bally Mac/Madeline Thatcher
2. Zone 5
Little Freebie/Ricky Mershad
Good Fortune/Bella Cramer
TNT/Abbie Ross
Zack Attack/Amanda Metzler
3. Pony Club
Northwind’s Opus/Nicole Kehrli
Razamatazz/Lauren Walling
Captain/Lauren Attanasio
Rascal/Carly Attanasio
