The Sweet Briar College jumper and hunter teams made road trips during the early part of the semester, returning to the College with plenty of ribbons to show for it.
The hunter team attended both the Constitution Classic show from Aug. 30 to Sept. 2 and the U.S. Grand Prix League Finals held Sept. 27-30. Both shows were held at Commonwealth Park in Culpeper, Va. The hunter team also competed in the USGPL Finals.
Heather Theunissen ’09 finished with second- and third-place positions in Level Four jumper equitation competition in the U.S. Equestrian Foundation Talent Search Class. 2007 Laura CottermanThe jumper team was successful in both shows, with everyone bringing home several ribbons from each competition. The most exciting aspect of both events was the group’s performance in the U.S. Equestrian Foundation Talent Search Class held on the Grand Prix Field. This is a “jumper equitation” competition at Level Four – meaning the fences are 3 feet, 9 inches in height.
Heather Theunissen ’09 finished with second- and third-place positions in this class, while each of the three other team members finished in the top eight at both shows. All four team riders also brought home ribbons from the Marshall & Sterling Classic, finishing in the top eight in that event as well.
The Sweet Briar College hunter show team joined the jumper team along with four independent competitors at the USGPL Finals. The hunter team finished the weekend in style by sweeping the Marshall & Sterling Adult Hunter Classic. Alison Sims ’09 placed first riding SBC’s Hatrick, Kathryn Davilli ’09 and SBC’s Renaissance placed second, and Jesse Leiner ’10 and her horse, Bellagio, placed third in the two-round class.
In addition to the strong placings in the classic, the team won a total of five first-place ribbons and six second-place ribbons in nine classes.
With consistently good riding over the weekend, Sims, on Hatrick, was awarded the Adult Amateur 18 to 35 Equitation championship and a reserve championship in the Adult Amateur 18 to 35 Hunter division. In the Equitation division, Leiner and Bellagio won the Marshall & Sterling Adult Medal class and an Adult Equitation class over fences.
Sweet Briar’s other blue ribbon winners were Davilli and Kristin Dillon ’10. Davilli won an Adult Equitation class over fences with Renaissance and Dillon, riding SBC’s Chinook, won an Adult Hunter over fences class on Saturday.
Overall it was a spectacular outing for the hunter show team.
Jessie Leiner ’10 on her horse, Bellagio (from left), Alison Sims ’09 on SBC’s Hatrick and Katie Davilli ’09 on SBC’s Renaissance were top-three finishers in the Marshall & Sterling Adult Hunter Classic event at the USGPL Finals in September.
