Claire Simic and Stephanie Fernandez Claim Pérez & Bennett Open Equitation 16-17 Championships   ​   

Claire Simic and Stephanie Fernandez Claim Pérez & Bennett Open Equitation 16-17 Championships at National Horse Show


Lexington, Ky. – Oct. 30, 2021 – The penultimate day of the opening week of the 2021 National Horse Show (NHS) kicked off Saturday morning in the Alltech Arena of the Kentucky Horse Park. Throughout opening week, age group equitation divisions for both amateur and junior athletes took center ring, welcoming a competitive field of riders to the oldest indoor horse show in America for its 138th annual event. In the Pérez & Bennett Open Equitation 16-17 division, Claire Simic stood out in the field of 32 entries in Section A, and Stephanie Fernandez bested the 33 horse-and-rider pairs in Section B to garner the championship honors at the conclusion of Saturday’s competition.

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Caroline Olsen and Ariana Marnell Crowned Champions in Pérez & Bennett Open Equitation 14-15 Division


Age group equitation riders were the highlight of competition Saturday, October 30, in the Alltech Arena as they battled for the championship title in their respective age groups. Combined 84 horse-and-rider combinations in two sections of the Pérez & Bennett Open Equitation 14-15, presented by Cindi Pérez & Anne Bennett, tried their hand over one final course set forth by Kentucky’s very own Bobby Murphy (USA). In the end, it was Caroline Olsen who claimed the championship title in Section A, while Julia Brown took home reserve champion after winning the over fences class on the final day of competition. Section B saw the final 42 horse-and-rider combinations, crowning Ariana Marnell champion at the conclusion, while Ella Witt and Quinn Van Cara took home co-reserve champion.

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Click the image above to hear from the Leo Conroy Equitation Grant and Mason Phelps Spirit of the Sport Grant recipients!