United States Eventing Association

Each year the quality of horses gets better and better at the USEA Young Event Horse Championships and this year’s East Coast final was no exception. Some truly class young horses vied for the honors to be named the best four-and five-year-old on the East Coast the last two days at the Dutta Corp. Fair Hill International in Elkton, Md. When the final horse had galloped through the finish flags a pair of mares were named the Champions, SpectraVET Cohiba and Luna.

The five-year-old division boasted 34 horses, so the judges, Ian Stark and Bea di Grazia definitely had their work cut out for them. Only the top five horses broke into the 80s and the top two, SpectraVET Cohiba and Metallica, were separated by a mere .02 points in the tight competition.

SpectraVET Cohiba was sitting in third following the first day of competition, but a score of 41.9 in the jumping phase (which counts for 50% of the total score) boosted her into the Champion spot with a total of 82.38. “She really impressed me,” said Symansky. “I didn’t know what to quite think about it going in – she has just run one Novice, but she is a superstar. She has a great brain and is a really athletic type, and I just couldn’t have been happier with the day.”

Lynn Symansky purchased SpectraVET Cohiba from Julia Schmid in Germany off of a short video clip and the Wurtemburg mare (Con Spirito x Lea) arrived in the U.S. in early spring. The mare has had a quiet introduction to the U.S., only running one Novice Event in addition to her YEH qualifying competition. “I like to take some time at home really getting to know them before I bring them out to the competitions,” explained Symansky. “I plan to do one more Event with her this fall and then kick on a bit quicker in her six-year-old year.”

Symansky will have to wait for the results of the West Coast YEH Championships in two weeks to find out who will be the top contender for the 2017 Holekamp/Turner Young Event Horse Lion d’Angers Prize.

Overnight leader, Metallica dropped down to the Reserve Champion position with a 40.5 today. Kelli Temple rode Kara Angulo and Charlotte Hogg’s Holsteiner mare by Cancara. The pair finished on an 82.36.

Team Rebecca LLC’s Don Dante, an Irish Sport Horse gelding by Pacino, made a huge leap up the leaderboard from 14th to third when William Coleman piloted him to the highest jumping mark of the competition, a 44.65 giving them a total of 81.96.

Earning the title of four-year-old YEH East Coast Champion is Nina Gardner’s Luna, a Dutch Warmblood mare who was ridden by Jennie Brannigan into today’s lead. Luna moved up from fourth following the first day with a jumping score of 39.45 to finish on a 78.39.

“I was laughing this morning as I was getting dressed and rushing to jump,” said Brannigan. “I was thinking in my head I really wanted to put on Facebook ‘if you survive riding your freshly clipped 4-year-old at 8:00 in the morning in the jumping, is it an honor to get to go do CCI3* dressage?’”

“I was thrilled with how she jumped today. I could tell by looking at the scores we were kind of a little in shot to move up, but I didn’t think I was going to win. I was completely shocked when Brian [O’Connor] announced it – that was really cool. She just jumped around like a champ,” continued Brannigan.

Luna and Brannigan have had a connection from the beginning as Brannigan is great friends with Luna’s breeders, Mike and Cherye Huber. In addition, Brannigan has ridden Luna’s dam, Sportsfield Maisie Grey, who competed through the two-star level before being bred to Sandro Hit. Luna was born via embryo transfer and is the first horse bred by the Hubers.

Reserve Champion went to Cooley Renegade, an Irish Sport Horse Gelding (Shannondale Sarco St Ghyvan x Lisglassic Just The Point) owned and ridden by Lacey Ogden and sourced by Richard Sheane. Cooley Renegade earned a total of 77.5.

Quantum Leap is another one who leapt up the leaderboard to take the third spot with the highest jumping score (39.75) of the four-year-old class. Ridden by Doug Payne and owned in partnership by him and Susan and Dave Drillock, the RPSI gelding (Quite Capitol x Report To Sloopy) was bred by CNG Sporthorses who are local to Fair Hill.

Full scores available here.

The USEA would like to thank all of the generous YEH Sponsors, who make the Series and the Championships possible: Fleeceworks, Priefert, Event Clinics, Standlee Hay, Merck Animal Health, SmartPak, Pyranha Fly and Insect Control, and Professional’s Choice.

For information on the Young Event Horse program, go here. For further questions please contact Kate Lokey, 703-779-9897.