ConToy hosts eventing horse championship

By James Tilson

Staff writer

Oct. 12, 2017

 

MT. PLEASANT—The Skyline Eventing Course at the ConToy Arena hosted the Area IX Championships this past weekend, Oct. 6-8.

According to Lorraine Jackson of the Skyline Eventing Committee, “To be able to host the Area IX Championships is an incredible honor, especially with how young our event is.”

Eventing is an older, European horse competition, arising out of military drills that were once held to keep cavalry units in a high state of preparedness.

There are three events over three days—dressage, cross country and jumping. Dressage is where the rider shows that he or she has firm control with the horse, which requires exact gaits and moves at specified times.

Cross country is a timed ride over an obstacle course, which tests the horse’s and rider’s ability to navigate impediments. Jumping, of course, tests the ability to get over hurdles in the arena.

The competition attracted 129 riders. The winners of the classes were:

Preliminary championship: James Atkinson on Landonn IiOhf

Preliminary open: Cora Severs on Cuervo

Training championship: Madeline Backus on Reflektion’s Rio (sic)

Training open: Sophie Solon on K Gondolat

Novice B: Erin Johnson on Peterbilt

Novice A: Sarah Berkowitz on Under The Radar

Novice championship: Tani Smihula on Lynx

Beginner novice A: Kelsey Hammond on Little Luna

Beginner novice B: Carly Atkinson on Hungarian Comrade

Beginner novice championship: Erin Contin on Handsome Ransom

Junior YR B novice 1: Katie Henderson on Satine

Test intro open: Rebecca Whittington on Constant Comet