Prison Break, Barrels and More
by Katherine O. Rizzo with photos by Linda Davis
Brian Gesuero of Federalsburg rides Casino around the barrels at the Laurel Saddle Friends Show on June 13 in Laurel, Deleware.
A rider starts the Great Escape Equestrian Challenge at Lorton Prison, now called Laurel Hill.
The Great Escape
On June 20, the Great Escape Equestrian Challenge was held at Lorton Prison, now called Laurel Hill in Fairfax County, Virginia. The actual prison closed in the early 1990s and the land was given back to the county in 2002. It now holds a golf course, the Lorton Arts Foundation, a water treatment plant, some schools and a 170 acre equestrian park along with other parks and resource areas. The equestrian park is where the Great Escape trail race was run, which offered Open, Amateur and Novice divisions with a few Marylanders topping the placings.
Ray Parker placed third in the Open division.
Virginian Melissa Grzymkowski won the Open division with Marylanders taking the second- and third-place spots. Jacquie Cowan finished second aboard Jaquie’s Frosty Gatsby and Ray Parker of Cross Trail Stables placed third.
Kimberly Hicks begins the first obstacle, called the Strip Search, which involved un-tacking and re-tacking the horse.
Marylanders earned the top two spots in the Amateur division. Topping the list was Dawn Wright riding Dawns Lunar Eclipse. In second was Kimberly Hicks aboard Infinities Approvin It.
A Virginian—Stephanie Ochoa—also won the Novice division, riding Thirstys Classic. Marylander Jeremey Henley rode Sugar Bear to 10th.
Stephanie Ochoa and Katerina Pecinovsky check their maps during the race. Ochoa won the Novice division and Pecinovsky placed second.
Jeremey Henley coaxes Sugar Bear through obstacle 3, called Meet Your Cell Mates.
Barrel Racing Standings
Below are the current top 10 standings for the J Bar W Ranch Barrel Racing series (Union Bridge) as of July 18.
Amy Albright – 55 points*
Ann Colson – 38
Mandy Huffer – 37
Kristi Buffington – 36
Julie Stovall – 34
Sammi Bazan – 29
Jami Cornell – 28
Paige Reynolds – 26
Ashley Phillips – 24
Katie Gossert – 24
* Amy Albright broke the J Bar W Ranch record for the fastest time on July 18.
Fun With Caroline’s 4-H
The Caroline County 4-H Fun Show was held on June 14 in Denton. Here are just a few photos from that fun day.
Tracy Snyder during the Egg & Spoon race
Brittney Wiley tries to pop a balloon with a water gun while cantering Dusty.
Loren Wilkinson and Bucky during the Doll Parton race
Amber Bennet jumps Buck Eighty in the Beginner Cross-rails class.
Racing More Than the Clock
by Caitlin Parker
Alexa Briscoe of Boyds won the Non Sanction Beginner Novice division aboard her dressage horse Dante. This was the pair’s first race.
There was much more than just running around barrels at Maryland’s first Craig Cameron Extreme Cowboy race. The race focused more on precision and rider-horse cooperation through a series of timed obstacles. Perfect weather drew competitors from up and down the East Coast to participate in the June 6-7 event at Loch Moy Farm in Adamstown.
Approximately 13 different obstacles lay atop one of the farm’s sloping hills, providing challenging tasks similar to those encountered on a ranch. Riders were required to do everything from a leg yield while straddling an L-shaped log, to ground tying their horses in pens while lifting several bales of hay. Judges gave the competitors a score for each “station,” taking into account the attitude of horse and rider.
Brooke Vrany of Manchester jumps a cross-country log and finished in fourth place in the Non Sanction Beginner Novice division.
Brooke Vrany of Manchester had a great round on her Days End Farm rescue horse, Isabel. She predicted that either the collected canter through the poles or the gate opening-and-closing task would be most difficult for her horse. The friendly and instructional environment allowed competitors to gain insight into working in unison with one’s horse to achieve these tasks.
Jim Camby from Falling Waters, West Virginia rode his Arab-cross pony Chip and valued the experience, saying, “This was, bar none, the best confidence builder for the horse and rider I have attended.”
Division winners:
Non-Sanctioned Beginner Novice – Alexa Briscoe of Boyds, riding Dante
Ride Smart Division – David Butts of Union Bridge and Ron Dolan of Clear Spring
Non-Pro Division – Stacy McCoy of Watkinsville, Georgia, riding Silent Poco Sunday
Tracy Pinson of Bushnell, Florida guides her horse through “Trash Ally.” Pinson rode two horses in the race and placed second and third in the Non Pro division.
Derry Leinaweaver from Millerstown, Pennsylvania jumps a small vertical rail and placed fourth in the Non Pro division.
Stacy McCoy of Watkinsville, Georgia trots through the water. McCoy won the Non Pro division.
Leslie Nay of Myersville turns quickly around the barrels. She placed third in the Non Sanction Beginner Novice division.
David Butts, Thoroughbred race trainer and equine dentist, tied for first place in the Ride Smart division riding his 16-year-old TB Buster.
Ron Dolan of Clear Spring was the other winner of the Ride Smart division.
Dawn Wright of Waldorf holds the Maryland flag before placing it back in its holder. Wright placed second in the Non Sanction Beginner Novice division.
Entries Up at Open Shows
Megan Neal riding Sheeza Terrific Nugget at the Caroline County 4-H Open Western Show on April 19.
Cherokee Champions
by Sandy Weinreich
The number of people showing at open shows is up 20% from last year. This is probably due to the number of close to home show locations, friendly atmosphere and the American Quarter Horse Association’s decision to point some open shows.
Brittany Sommer riding Moments Of Brilliance
The Cherokee Raiders Horse Show Association was established in 1969 and offers exhibitors the opportunity to show in halter, leadline, speed, Western pleasure and English (flat and jumping) classes. It is the organization’s mission to promote interest in horses and ponies, both in Harford County and the surrounding counties. All breeds of horses and all levels of competitors are welcome.
The season kicked off for Cherokee Raiders on April 19 with everyone enjoying the day.
Holly, shown by Taylor Young, won the champion ribbon for the Halter Mares class. The pair also won Youth Championship class. In that class, Megan Gioffre rode Build-A-Bear for the reserve. Magic At Last, handled by Jerry McCourt, was the reserve champion Halter Mare. Topping the Stallions and Geldings class was Justa Too Cool, also shown by McCourt. Reserve went to El Hadiya, shown by Vicki Marcin.
Sophie Shucosky riding Hobby Cat
Jackie Simpkins won the Senior Showmanship class with Frost In The Sierras. Kim Young took home the reserve with Wynonna’s Winner. Kaitlyn Heckner was the champion in the Junior Showmanship division showing NOTF Colonals Dream Girl. The reserve went to Lauren Offidani, also showing Wynonna’s Winner.
Speeding to victory in two classes was Lottie Too Hottie. The horse earned the championship in both the Adult Beginner and Walk/Trot/Jog Speed classes. Jennie Jenkins won the Adult Beginner class and Elizabeth Jenkins won the W/T/J class. Bob Majewski rode Tags for the reserve in the Adult Beginner class and Caitlyn Wolfe rode Rain to the reserve in the W/T/J class.
The Senior Speed champion was Tina Sherman riding Diamond Girl, with Jessica Hardy riding Desert Moon Cztorm in reserve. Garrett Nooft and Reba were super-fast, winning the Youth Speed class. Laura Zorn rode Coal Meadows Katie for the reserve.
Mission Impossible carried two young stars to top honors in the Leadline classes. Gabrielle Deans won the 4 and Under class and Lexie Palmer won the 5 to 7 class. In reserve were Katie Conrad riding Azuleja for 4 and Under and Olivia Desimone riding Hot Wheels in 5 to 7.
Winning the Mini Youth classes were Sophie Shucosky riding Hoby Cat and Logan Moore riding All That Glitters. Reserves went to Kiersten Zinkhan aboard Frisbee and Mason Moore aboard Charlie Brown, respectively.
The Green Horse 1st Year Western championship went to On Sudden Impulse, ridden by Mindy Schneider. The pair also won the Junior Western class, with Jen Sause riding Zippo’s Gold Doc to the reserve. Jerry McCourt added another reserve champion ribbon to his stash, riding CML Hesa Too Faced in the Green Horse 1st Year Western division. Smoothly Diversified, ridden by Stephanie McPeak, won the Green Horse 2nd Year Western class.
McCourt and Justa Too Cool picked up two more championship ribbons in Handy Horse Western and Senior Western. Vicki Marcin and El Hadiya earned their second reserve championship of the day in the Handy Horse Western class. Brit Edelen rode Mister Bayberry to the reserve in Senior Western.
Hot Wheels, this time ridden by Haley Ferguson, won the Youth Beginner Western class, while Izetta Keithley rode Pepper to the reserve. JoAnne Jett rode Best Chick By Bee to win the Adult Beginner Western class with Jeannie Jenkins and Lottie Too Hottie taking home their second reserve of the day.
In the Green Horse 1st Year English classes, the championships went to Stephanie Wolf riding On Second Thought and Lynn Bowman riding Pick Up Line. Kaitlyn Heckner riding NOTF Colonals Dream Girl and Heather Young riding Heza Lucky Charm earned reserves. I’m Smarter Than I Look won the Green Horse 2nd Year English division with Abby Schimming on board. Erin Brown won the reserve with Philly Dollar.
Jess Knell and Katie Whitman won the two Handy Horse English classes. Knell rode Major League Star in the “A” group and Whitman rode By Far A Lady in the “B” group. Lauren Rider and Julie Russell earned the reserves aboard Questionably Designed and Scharoot, respectively.
Stephanie Wolf riding On Second Thought
Caylin Walp rode Undercover Agent for the championship in the Youth English class, with Lynn Bowman riding Pick Up Line for the reserve.
Taylor Muller and Fiddlers Green won Junior English 13-15 and Brittany Sommer rode Moments of Brillance to win Junior English 16-18. The reserves went to Jen Sause aboard Zippo’s Gold Doc and Abby Schimming aboard I’m Smarter Than I Look, respectively.
Silver Lining, ridden by Jessica Belfit, won the Senior English division. Jennifer Gurski riding Wicked Wizard came in second.
The Working Hunter English championship went to Amanda Kirby and Get Off My Case. Schimming and I’m Smarther Than I Look tied for the reserve with Sydney O’Dell and Vivid Lee.
Lauren Dorn won the Youth Beginner English class aboard All That Glitters. Mercy Dunham earned the reserve riding Moments of Brillance. In the Adult Beginner English class, it was Tracy Turmelle who won the championship aboard On Second Thought. The reserve went to Michelle Gerdom riding Kings Country.
Allison Whitman riding King of Late Night
Four Stars for 4-H
by Linda Davis
The Caroline County 4-H Open Western Show was held April 19 at the 4-H and Youth Park just south of Denton.
The High Point Champion of the day was KimBerly Hicks. She won several classes, including Adult Pleasure Walk/Trot, Adult Pleasure Walk/Trot/Lope and Plug. Jeremy Henley was the Reserve High Point Champion. His wins included Halter Pony, Junior Showmanship, Junior Horsemanship W/T/L, Junior Pleasure W/T, Junior Pleasure W/T/L, Junior Trail, Scamble and Poles.
KimBerly HIcks was the High Point Champion at the Caroline County 4-H Open Western Show.
Another rider who topped many classes was Megan Neal. She won the Halter Mare class, the Senior Showmanship class and the Senior Horsemanship class, not to mention the Pleasure class and the Barrels class.
The top gelding in the Halter Gelding class was shown by Erin Brown. Allison Whitman won the Junior Showmanship class and Mindy Nashold won both Adult Horsemanship classes. Nashold also won the Adult Trail class.
Erin Brown riding An Ultimate Conclusion
Joyce Ann Butler riding Watch Me Step
