Lexington, Ky. – Nov. 3, 2021 – Amateur-Owner riders took to the Alltech Arena Wednesday afternoon to vie for the Grand Champion Amateur-Owner Hunter title for the “Ruxton & Scot To Do” Challenge Trophy. Awarded to the competitor with the most points accumulated in the Amateur-Owner 3’6” 36 & Over Hunter and Amateur-Owner 3’6” 18-35 Hunter divisions, Concerto and Caroline Ingalls were the pair to come out on top to be crowned Grand Amateur-Owner Hunter Champion at the 2021 National Horse Show (NHS). In the Amateur-Owner 3’3” Hunter divisions, Private I and Kelly Sims took home the Grand Amateur-Owner 3’3” Hunter Champion title for the “Susanne Stroh” Perpetual Trophy.
Bobby Murphy (USA) once again set forth two beautiful 8-obstacle hunter courses for the Amateur-Owner horse-and-rider combinations to navigate through. Each pair took their turn over a handy and stake round that included several tactful turns that showcased the horses handiness and ability to keep a consistent and forward pace. Many horse-and-rider pairs found difficulty with the brush trot jump that led to the long two-stride, but in the end, Concerto and Private I stepped up to the plate to take home the top honors.
Caroline Ingalls with Concerto
Ingalls and her longtime partner Concerto, her own 10-year-old Westphalian gelding, came into day two of competition with top scores from day one, including a second-place finish in the under saddle and a top-five finish in the first over fences class. Eager to improve their over fences placings, the pair came into Wednesday’s competition with a vengeance and dominated the division earning two scores of 91 and claiming the win in both over fences classes to earn champion in the Hunt, LTD Amateur-Owner18-35 Hunter division. Following their clean sweep of the Hunt, LTD. Amateur-Owner 18-53 Hunter division Wednesday afternoon, Ingalls and Concerto were crowned the Grand Amateur-Owner Hunter Champion in addition to their division championship.
Sims and Private I, her own 9-year-old Oldenburg gelding, made a splash in the Oare & Adikes-Hill Amateur-Owner 3’3” 36+ Hunter division during Tuesday’s competition, winning the over fences class with a high score of 91. The dynamic duo proved to be a force to reckon with during Wednesday’s continuation of the division, laying down two beautiful rounds and winning both the handy and stake class with scores of 89 and 90. These two are no strangers to the winner’s circle as they have claimed several tricolor ribbons throughout the 2021 season at some of the countries top venues, including the Winter Equestrian Festival, Washington International Horse Show, Pennsylvania National Horse, Capital Challenge, Middleburg, Upperville Colt & Horse Show and several other venues.
Hunter competition will continue Thursday, November 4 at 7:00 a.m. with the Small Junior 15 & Under Hunter division, and will conclude the day with the highly anticipated $72,900 Welcome Stake. To learn more about the 2021 National Horse Show, click here.
FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE
Caroline Ingalls – Grand Champion Amateur-Owner Hunter
On Concerto:
“His name is Concerto. His barn name is Bolo. I have had him for five years, and he is 10 now. He has just been getting better and better. We started out in the young hunter divisions and moved up to the Amateur-Owner 3’6” Hunter division for three years now. We were actually champion in the Amateur-Owner’s in 2019. It is even more special to come back and have your name put on these trophies again and be Grand Amateur-Owner Champion this year. He is so chill and is my best friend. I plan to have him forever, and one day he will live in my backyard.”
On 2021 season:
“It has been going great. We were Reserve Circuit Champion at the Desert International Horse Park this year. We had various tri-colors throughout the year, and we were most recently Reserve Champion at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show in the Amateur-Owner Hunters 18-35. And to end it on this note, I could cry right now. I am just so thankful.”
On the course:
“The handy was definitely really tricky today. There were alot of opportunities to be slick and tight. That was definitely a tough round. The stack was really fun. I loved how long the lines were riding since my horse has such a giant stride. We can just get up those lines and just steady. They built the jumps big, which is always really nice.”
On competing at the National Horse Show:
“It is so amazing. This horse show is very dear to my family. My mom rode Side Saddle Seat Equitation, and she rode at Madison Square Gardens. She won the Good Hands Final at the National back when they had Saddlebreds. It is just such a special horse show for us, and it means so much to have been champion a couple of years ago and come back to be Grand Amateur-Owner Champion. I know my mom is just floored; it is just really special for all of us.”
Kelly Sims – Grand Champion Amateur-Owner 3’3” Hunter
On Private I:
“He is definitely a once-in-a-lifetime horse. Michael [Britt-Leon] found him for me a couple of years ago from Jason Barry, and it has just been an immediate connection and match, and he takes such good care of me no matter what I do. Michael is very patient with me and makes sure that I ride the ride that Private I wants, and he just wants you to be steady and quiet and go with the flow. He is amazing and he knows his job and does his job! ”
On the course:
“The handy round definitely made me nervous. I thought that it had a lot of interesting parts and there were a lot of ways that you could approach different turns and tracks, and to be competitive at a show like this, you have to be able to do the tighter turns and the more competitive routes. Elliot is just a superstar. If you let him do his job, he does amazing at it.”
On competing at the National Horse Show:
“I love riding here. It is a more challenging ring but the courses were so fun and rode well, and the jumps were beautiful. It is incredible. One of my top goals was to win one class, but it would have also been amazing just to ribbon. This has been a dream come true for me. Michael and I have been working on trying to get my rounds consistent, and this is the end of the year and it seems like all of the hard work has paid off. This was such an amazing show and everyone did such a beautiful job and was welcoming.”
On her plans for the future:
“Michael [Britt-Leon] is going to tell me that I need to move up. I just want to continue to take super care of Private I and let him do his job and have fun. The most important thing for me is that we take care of [Private I] and that we have fun. I want to preserve him. He is so versatile – he will go in and jump around four foot with Michael, then cart me around at 3’3”. Sometimes it is hard for a horse to make that adjustment but he knows I am there and he really takes care of me.”
RESULTS
Place / Horse / Rider / Owner
Suzanne Thoben Marquard Amateur-Owner Hunter 36+ Handy:
1. Diatendro / Kelly Corrigan / Kelly Corrigan
2. Fable / James G. Anderson / James G. Anderson
3. Camillo VDL / Jean Sheptoff / Jean Sheptoff
Suzanne Thoben Marquard Amateur-Owner Hunter 36+ Stake:
1. Gabriel / Ellen Toon / JT Farm
2. The Dubliner / Darby Toben / Doreen Toben
3. Bocelli / Blair Balmer / Doreen Toben
Hunt, LTD. Amateur-Owner Hunter 18-35 Handy:
1. Concerto / Caroline Ingalls / Caroline Ingalls
2. Champs Elysees / Callie Seaman / Hallowell Lane Farm LLC
3. Catena 5 / Julia Weiss / Julia Weiss
Hunt, LTD. Amateur-Owner Hunter 18-35 Stake:
1. Concerto / Caroline Ingalls / Caroline Ingalls
2. Solo Con Te 2 / Rachel Sutton / Rachel Sutton
3. Champs Elysees / Callie Seaman / Hallowell Lane Farm LLC
Oare & Adikes-Hill Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’3” 36+ Handy:
1. Private I / Kelly Sims / Kelly Sims
2. High Tide / Kit McClorey / Indian Rock Farms, LLC
3. Demarco / Matthew Lowe / Matthew Lowe
Oare & Adikes-Hill Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’3” 36+ Stake:
1. Private I / Kelly Sims / Kelly Sims
2. Central Park / Mary Eufemia / Mary Eufemia
3. Demarco / Matthew Lowe / Matthew Lowe
The Rencourt Foundation Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’3” 18-35 Handy:
1. Chevito / Lexi Maounis / Lexi Maounis
2. Oh Brother / Vanessa Mazzoli / Vanessa Mazzoli
3. Fabian / Chloe Stix / Chloe Stix
The Rencourt Foundation Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’3” 18-35 Stake:
1. Oh Brother / Vanessa Mazzoli / Vanessa Mazzoli
2. Wisdom / Isabelle Greenbaum / Isabelle Greenbaum
3. Chevito / Lexi Maounis / Lexi Maounis
CHAMPION RESULTS
Horse / Rider
Suzanne Thoben Marquard Amateur-Owner Hunter 36+:
Champion: Gabriel / Ellen Toon
Reserve: Diatendro / Kelly Corrigan
Hunt, LTD. Amateur-Owner Hunter 18-35:
Champion: Concerto / Caroline Ingalls
Reserve: Chablis / Kelly Tropin
Oare & Adikes-Hill Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’3” 36+:
Champion: Private I / Kelly Sims
Reserve: High Tide / Kit McClorey
The Rencourt Foundation Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’3” 18-35:
Champion: Oh Brother / Vanessa Mazzoli
Reserve: Chevito / Lexi Maounis