United States Eventing Association

Aspen Farms Horse Trials Concludes and Crowns Area VII Championship Winners

Yelm, Wash.—Sept. 16—Aspen Farms Horse Trials and the first part of the United States Eventing Association (USEA) Area VII Championships has concluded with more than $35,000 worth of cash and prizes awarded by show sponsors to top finishers from throughout the region and beyond. The final leg of the USEA Area VII Championships will be for Starter and Modified divisions at Spokane Sport Horse Fall Horse Trials in two weeks.

In the Tin Men Supply Advanced, Sophie Click and Tarantino 54 jumped double clear over Chris Barnard's show jumping track to win. Karen O'Neal and Clooney 14, owned by Annika Asling, also show jumped clear, finishing second less a few points behind Click on the leaderboard.

"The course was big, but Quinn and I were on the same page," said Click. "I'm super pleased with how he jumped. He tries so hard. Even when I make mistakes, he always tries, and he and I can always work it out. We have such a great relationship-- "

Click and Quinn are next headed to Woodside in California to run the CCI4*-S.

Marc Grandia and GHS Calexico, owned by Calexico Syndicate LLC, jumped double-clear to win the USEA Area VII Open Intermediate Championship. Devin Robel and her Warmblood gelding, Gillou, had one rail to drop to second, and Paige Dinnie and Crown Royal jumped clear to move from fourth to third.

"There's always things you want to improve, but she's just such a nice horse to show jump she makes me look good," said Grandia after his victory gallop. "This is an amazing opportunity to have a horse this nice. We went looking specifically for a horse this nice, and I feel like it's really coming together. Thank you to the members of the Calexico Syndicate for allowing this to happen."

Grandia and Calexico have their sights set on the Maryland CCI3*-L in October.

In USEA Area VII Open Preliminary Championship, Chloe Kischuk of California and her warmblood gelding, Dassett Endeavour, secured the win in a division with no room for error. The finished on a score of 33.3. Brooke Phillips and JL’s Dartagnan finished second on 33.8, and Jordan Linstedt and Magnesium Overcast, owned by Janine Jaro, finished third on 34.6.

"I was so happy with our round," said Kischuk after their double clear show jumping. "I waited a little too much to fence two, but I didn't make that mistake again. I'm happy I didn't bury myself down into it. We work on show jumping at home the most. It feels really good to have a round like that. I'm so lucky to get to ride him."

The pair will be heading to the CCI2*-S at Woodside closer to home.

In Open Intermediate, Alyssa Schaefer and Fuego won definitively, leading the division from start to finish.

"Third times the charm!" Schaefer said about her win, referring to less-successful attempts at Aspen Farms in the past. "He and I have had some struggles out on cross-country. Not because he's not good, but because we sometimes have miscommunications, and he can jump me out of the tack. He's really good at cross-country. When we crossed the finish line yesterday, I was so excited!"

Schaefer could not be happier with the way Fuego performed, having overcome multiple injuries in his career to return to this level of competition feeling stronger than ever. She has her sights on moving up to Advanced at some point in the future.

Erin Grandia and Riptide Rio, owned by Adriane Jimenez, won the USEA Area VII Open Training Championship. After their clear show jumping effort, Grandia reflected on how consistent and reliable the 7-year-old Irish Sport Horse is to compete. This was his fourth win at Training level this season.

O'Neal and MNF North Forks Summit, owned by Angela Wilson, finished second in Area VII Open Training Championship, and Whitney Spicher and Excel Star High Jinx finished third.

In USEA Area VII Amateur Training Championship, Reese Blinks and Lowmax finished on their dressage score of 29.8 to win. Sylvia Rouse and FE Chardonnay finished second, and Macaulay Dukes and SRF Western Territory finished third.

"I have two horses, but I only brought Lowmax this weekend to focus on him and give him all my attention," Blinks shared after her winning show jump round. "I had a blast taking a relaxing weekend with just one horse. This can be a bigger-atmosphere venue, especially for the young ones. There's a lot going on here. But he handled it so well. Aspen Farms did a great job making it relaxing and fun but still creating a competitive environment that the Championships require."

In USEA Area VII Junior Training Championship, Dakota McGill and NSC Mettaphor led from start to finish despite one rail in show jumping. Courtney Brandt and One True King, owned by Laura Brandt, and Caterina Ritson and Tiz Franklin, owned by John Camlin, finished third.

"I think it was good," McGill reflected after show jumping. "There were some rough patches, but he saw the distances, I kept my leg on, and he was there."

The pair is going to move up a level in two weeks at Spokane Sport Horse Fall Horse Trials.

In USEA Area VII Open Novice Championship, Anna Stein and Our Theodore, "Ted," owned by Lisa Escobar, jumped double-clear to move from second to first. Marc Grandia and Obligado VD Watermolen, owned by Melissa Jaten, were second, and Anni Grandia-Dodson and Graceland's Lucia, owned by Amelia Brummel, were third.

For Stein, the "highlight of the weekend with Ted was making his owner proud. Lisa had an unfortunate injury earlier this season. I was able to qualify for Championships with Ted at Equestrian Institute Horse Trials. I know that means the world to her to know she has a champion on her hands. It feels good to make her happy!"

In USEA Area VII Amateur Novice Championship, Kimberly Johnson and her rescue mare Ascendance won, followed by Eva Miller and Dune, owned by Anna Collier, and Jodie Corless and Exactleigh.

"Our round was so smooth," said Johnson. "It went almost the exact way I was hoping it would go! It was a really fun way to end the weekend with the stadium going well."

Johnson's ultimate highlight from the show was being able to be at the Championships competing with her daughter, Alexis, who placed fourth in the USEA Area VII Junior Training Championship division.

In USEA Area VII Junior Novice Championship, Flynn Patinkin and Black Cape Hero finished on their dressage score of 29.2 to beat Payton Hsue and Molon Labe in second on 29.4.

Reflecting on the show, Patinkin shared his favorite part of the weekend was the cross-country course designed by Morgan Rowsell: "The pace felt so good... To soar over those jumps, especially the combinations; it was so fun."

Patinkin and Black Cape Hero are moving up to Training level at Spokane Sport Horse Fall Horse Trials.

In USEA Area VII Open Beginner Novice Championship, Sarah Sullivan and PD Badger, a mustang gelding owned by Shelly and Megan Weber, won on their dressage score of 30.9. Catie Cejka and Pillow Talk SSH, owned by Spokane Sport Horse Farm LLC, were second, and Louise LaRue and TH Cassian were third.

PD Badger's owner Megan Weber shared that this was the gelding's first year competing at Beginner Novice level, and she couldn't be prouder of his performance with Sullivan this weekend.

"Definitely the highlight was watching him on cross-country," said Weber. "He looked like he had a blast--he had a need for speed!"

Weber was assigned PD Badger for the 2022 "Mustang Makeover" competition at the Washington State Horse Park. They placed third in the 100-day makeover in-hand class. Since then, the Webers and Sullivan have been training PD Badger to be an event horse. Weber is hoping to ride him next season and see how far he goes.

"The Mustangs are amazing eventers," she said. "They are super hardy. I have another Mustang gelding I've been competing at Training level, and we're getting another one! They are an awesome breed, and they deserve to be recognized more because they are amazing jumpers, very capable, and they love it!"

Gabrielle Hansen won the USEA Area VII Amateur Beginner Novice Championship with Kealah D, her 9-year-old warmblood mare.

"The highlight of Championships was finishing on my dressage score, and feeling the improvements that my horse has made this season in her confidence and in understanding her job. She has really grown up this year," she said.

If she is able to get off the waitlist for Spokane Sport Horse Fall Horse Trials, Hansen hopes to enter their first Novice.

In USEA Area VII Junior Beginner Novice, Addisyn Parahoniak and ADR's Fausto won on 27.8, Carsyn Ritter and MR. CURIOSITY got second on 28.8, and Elora Ellefson and Champ got third on 32.8.

See the final scores online on Show Connect, here: https://showconnect.org/scorin...