Lexington, Ky. – Nov. 6, 2021 – Hunter competition concluded at the 2021 National Horse Show Saturday with the $10,000 Children’s Hunter Classic and $10,000 Adult Amateur Hunter Classic, presented by Mr. & Mrs. Ernest Oare and Ms. Patricia Adikes-Hill. The nation’s top children and adult amateur hunter athletes battled for the inaugural championship title in each class. Each horse-and-rider combination jumped the first 10-obstacle round set by course designer Bobby Murphy (USA), where judges scored them based on their ability to maneuver throughout the tactful hunter course. The top 12 horses with the highest scores were welcomed back to return for a second round, which would ultimately decide who would be crowned the winners. In the end, Act Of Valor and Lillian Parr took the win in the $10,000 Children’s Hunter Classic, while Subject To Change and Rachel Boggus were awarded top honors in the $10,000 Adult Amateur Hunter Classic.
Parr and her long time partner Act Of Valor, a 15-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Pinecone Farm, LLC, were rewarded during round one for their consistency and great form throughout the entirety of the course, earning a score of 85 and putting them into second place going into the final round. Returning in reverse order, Parr and Act Of Valor once again impressed the judges with their forward pace, meeting each jump in stride to help them to earn a final round score of 87, ultimately helping them secure the win with a total score of 172. Only three points behind the leader was fellow competitor Campbell Cauthen aboard Mackinac SCF, a 9-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding owned by DCTM, LLC. The dynamic duo had two consistent rounds earning an 81 in the first over fences and an 88 in the second round, helping them achieve the reserve champion title. Caroline Hoover and Exceptional, a 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Kristie Parciak, rounded out the top three with a first round score of 79 and a second round score of 86, securing them the final spot on the podium.
Immediately following, adult amateur hunter athletes and their mounts took to the Alltech Arena to contest the $10,000 Adult Amateur Hunter Classic, presented by Mr. & Mrs. Ernest Oare and Ms. Patricia Adikes-Hill. Of the 21 horse-and-ride pairs in the inaugural event, it was Rachel Boggus and Subject To Change, a 12-year-old Warmblood gelding owned by 18 Gauge LLC, who rocked the ring. The duo earned a first round score of 87 from the judges’ panel, putting them into second place going into round two. As the second to last rider to try their hand at the second over fences, Boggus and Subject To Change again wowed the judges with their precision and flowing pace, earning a second round score of 86.5 and a total score of 173.5 to garner the championship title. Ainsley Sadlo and her very own Kesh, a 9-year-old Oldenburg mare, earned the reserve championship honors after earning a first round score of 85, the second score of 87 for a total of 172. Rounding out the top three was Laura Van Rooyen and her mount Biarritz, a 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding. The horse-and-rider combination earned a two-round total of 171.5, just half a point shy of the reserve champion horse and rider to secure the yellow ribbon.
The final day of competition at the 2021 National Horse Show will kick off Sunday morning at 7:00 a.m. with the prestigious and highly anticipated 2021 ASPCA Maclay National Championship, presented by Chansonette Farm. To learn more about the 2021 National Horse Show, click here.
FROM THE WINNERS CIRCLE
Lillie Parr – $10,000 Children’s Hunter Classic winner
On Act Of Valor:
“He is the sweetest horse in the whole world. He was actually my sister’s before he was mine, so we have had him in the family for like 10 years. When my sister got him like 10 years ago, she did him in the 3’3” Junior Hunters, then the 3’6” Junior Hunters and a lot of derbys. Then my sister went to college and I got to take over the ride. She rides in college but he is such an amazing horse and honestly, I feel like it’s not even riding, it’s flying. It’s awesome.”
On the courses:
“My trainers and I came here a little early and walked the course, which was really nice of the horse show to do because you don’t usually get to walk courses like this for the Children’s Hunters, so it was really nice of them to do that. We really just made a plan and decided you just needed to hit all of the key points, like stay straight, have rhythm, find the distance, and then everything else from there just sort of shows up for us.”
On what she learned from the first course:
“I would definitely say that my first jump in the first course was a little mousey, and we landed a little in a jumble. For the second course, I wanted to make sure I had a really nice canter and it showed up just fine!”
On competing at the National Horse Show:
“It’s such an amazing show. I have had the amazing opportunity with my mom and everyone who let me come here, so this is my third year coming here. It’s such an amazing show and a really special opportunity that you can’t get anywhere else. It adds to the pressure, but at the end of the day, it is so amazing. You can’t replicate it! I wasn’t here last week and all I have done so far is the [ASPCA Maclay National Championship] warm-up class this morning. I am really excited for the Maclay. This is my second year doing it, so fingers crossed, this year is going to be great. I am actually riding one of my sister’s horses in that too – her Junior Jumper. Both of her horses are so amazing and my coaches really helped me out.”
On her place for the ASPCA Maclay National Championship:
“I am 141st in the order. I actually have a steadfast rule for myself that I only watch 15 before I go. If I watch any more than that or sit there too long, I get hazy and I can’t think. It doesn’t keep my focus sharp, so I have a rule that I can only watch 15. I will probably do a little bit of school work, come here, ride some other horses, and try not to focus on the class too much then you get your nerves going.”
On her future plans:
“I’m a senior in high school right now, so I am planning to go to college. I am not planning on riding in college, but I’ll continue to ride my horses and try to qualify for the big equitation again since I am not aging out this year. So, I will probably be here again next year! A big thank you to my coaches and my parents for making this all possible, and the horse show of course!”
Rachel Boggus – $10,000 Adult Amateur Hunter Classic, presented by presented by Mr. & Mrs. Ernest Oare and Ms. Patricia Adikes-Hill, winner
On Subject To Change:
“His name is Smarty. I got him last May and was actually not even looking for a Hunter but someone approached my trainer and said he was available. She didn’t like him for the original person she tried him for but thought of me. I rode him in the schooling area in Lamplight and was like ‘I have to have him’ and bought him then. Ever since then we have been doing the Adult Hunters and he has just been so wonderful. He is so low stress for me since I can not ride that much because of my job. As an amateur, that is very reassuring.”
On courses:
“I am just coming off of the Pennsylvania National Horse Show where we won the Adult Amateur Classic there as well. What I think benefited me there was being very bold to the first jump and that was my plan going into the second round today. I wanted to go back to the traditional Hunter roots and have a nice forward pace.”
On National Horse Show:
“This horse show is so grandiose. They do such a beautiful job with the decorations, the flowers and the jumps are really built up. I always love showing here because it just feels very important.”
On future plans:
“I am actually getting married this coming year. I previously used to go to Wellington every winter but with work and the wedding, we decided to stay closer to home. It really wears on you to travel that much so I will be horse showing in Wilmington, Ohio for the winter.”
RESULTS
Horse / Rider / Owner / R1 Score / R2 Score / Total Score
$10,000 Children’s Hunter Classic
1. Act Of Valor / Lillie Parr / Pinecone Farm, LLC / 85 / 87 / 172
2. Mackinac SCF / Campbell Cauthen / DCTM, LLC / 81 / 88 / 169
3. Exceptional / Caroline Hoover / Kristie Parciak / 79 / 86 / 165
4. Dicaprio 3 / Lillian Soroken / Lillian Soroken / 83 / 77 / 160
5. Hollywood / Ava Curowski / Meg Turecamo / 84 / 70 / 154
6. Undaunted / Maya Grove / Maya Grove / 69 / 73 / 142
7. Rutherford / Olivia Amason / Olivia Amason / 60 / 80 / 140
8. My Wingman / Sara Burchfield / Sara Burchfield / 64 / 75 / 139
9. Sincerely / Riley Hogan / EMO Stables / 90 / 46 / 136
10. Cobalt Blue / Isabella Curkowski / First Blue LLC / 50 / 85 / 135
11. Alajolie / Alexander Miller / Alexander Miller / 55 / 79 / 134
12. Legacy / Alexa Anastosio / Ashley Vogel / 63 / 68 / 131
$10,000 Adult Amateur Hunter Classic
1. Subject To Change / Rachel Boggus / 18 Gauge LLC / 87 / 86.5 / 173.5
2. Kesh / Ainsley Sadlo / Ainsley Sadlo / 85 / 87 / 172
3. Biarritz / Laura Van Rooyen / Laura Van Rooyen / 89 / 82.5 / 171.5
4. Sidenote / Betty Oare / EMO Stables / 86 / 84 / 170
5. Ravello / Alexandria Benson / Wolfstone Stables & Sales Inc / 79 / 88 / 167
6. King of Hearts / Lindsey Tomeau / Jessica Hameline / 80.5 / 86 / 166.5
7. Bella Noche / Lily Rupinski / River Run Farm, LLC / 78 / 85 / 163
8. Coastline / Karen Howey / Karen Howey / 81 / 81.5 / 162.5
9. Northgate / Danielle Holliday / Danielle Holliday / 80 / 82 / 162
10. Levianto / Barbara Ann Brungess / Barbara Ann Brungess / 77 / 81 / 158
11. Constantin / Anne Koenig / Ashland Farm / 86.5 / 46 / 132.5
12. Confidant / Deirdre Agnew / Deirdre Agnew / 83.5 / 45 / 128.5