Hyde Moffatt
PHOTO CREDIT – Kathy Russell Photography
Hyde Moffatt of Brantford, ON, rode Khaleesi, owned by Ariel Grange, to victory in the $12,000 Seven-Year-Old Jumpers on Thursday, February 28, during the Deeridge Derby, the third and final leg of the Palm Beach Masters Series®, in Wellington, FL. Seventeen entries contested the class, with 10 of the young horses jumping without fault over the first-round track set by American course designer Phil DeVita to return for the jump-off. Eight of the 10 returning combinations produced double-clear efforts, with the lead changing hands several times. As the last to go, Moffatt and Khaleesi, a Dutch Warmblood mare (Gaillard de la Pomme x Sir Corland) that he just began riding this winter, stopped the timers in the winning time of 35.59 seconds.
Cassandra Kahle
PHOTO CREDIT – ESI Photography
British Columbia native Cassandra Kahle topped the $10,000 KindredBio Open Prix on Thursday, March 7, during the HITS VIII Ocala Winter Finals in Ocala, FL. Kahle and Blue, a 10-year-old warmblood gelding (Chacco-Blue x Rex Z) owned by Adelaide Toensing, crossed the finish line in 40.39 seconds to claim victory over Tracy Magness riding Intenz van HD who stopped the clock in 41.12 seconds. Three days later, Kahle came close to scoring another win at HITS Ocala but settled for second place in Sunday’s $50,000 Summit Joint Performance Grand Prix aboard Pyrenes de Louzes, owned by Redfield Farm. The win went to Haley Gassel riding Quite Dark 2 while Kahle incurred four faults in the jump-off to finish runner-up.
Jim Ifko
PHOTO CREDIT – ESI Photography
Jim Ifko of Calgary, AB, took the top two spots in a field of 45 entries in the $30,000 SmartPak Grand Prix held Friday, March 15, at HITS Coachella in Thermal, CA. Ifko claimed the win aboard Un Diamant des Forets, an 11-year-old selle francais stallion (Diamant de Semilly x Papillon Rouge) that he has been riding for the last five years for owner Eventyre Farms Ltd. Ifko’s second-place mount was another Eventyre Farms Ltd. entry, Celine LS La Silla, a 10-year-old La Silla mare (Quintero x San Patrignano Cassini). Helping the Canadians make a clean sweep of the podium was 27-year-old Ali Ramsay of Victoria, BC, who finished in third riding her own Casino.
Eric Krawitt
PHOTO CREDIT – Jump Media
The luck of the Irish was with Eric Krawitt of Okotoks, AB, on Sunday, March 17. The 14-year-old claimed not one, not two, but three classic victories on three different mounts at HITS Coachella in Thermal, CA. Krawitt first bested 23 entries to win the $3,000 Junior Jumper Classic aboard Wellington, the 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding that Krawitt rode to a team gold medal in the Children’s division at the 2018 Adequan™ FEI North American Youth Championships. The young rider then topped both the $10,000 1.35m Junior/Amateur-Owner Classic riding High Jack, an 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, and the $2,500 Marshall & Sterling High Children’s Jumper Classic riding Gigolo, a 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding. All three mounts are owned by A.E.S. Equestrian, Inc.
Erynn Ballard
PHOTO CREDIT – Sportfot
Erynn Ballard of Tottenham, ON, rode Maestro Vica v/d Ark to victory in the $20,000 Spy Coast Farm Seven-Year-Old Developing Jumper Series Classic on Friday, March 22, during Week 11 of the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) in Wellington, FL. Ballard and the Belgian Warmblood stallion (Lordanos x Heartbreaker), owned by Natalie Dean, were one of 11 entries from the 25-horse field to advance to the jump-off over the course designed by Steve Stephens and Nick Granat. While seven of the 11 jump-off contenders produced double clear efforts, none could catch the finish time of 31.50 seconds turned in by Ballard – a member of the Canadian team for the 2018 World Equestrian Games (WEG) – and the mount that she has ridden successfully at select shows throughout the past year, including at the 2018 Hampton Classic where the pair won all three classes comprising the Seven-and-Under Young Horse division to claim the championship title. Finishing in second with a time of 33.14 seconds were Taylor Land and Get Go, owned by Pinetree Farms, Inc.
Sam Walker
PHOTO CREDIT – Sportfot
Sam Walker piloted Waldo to the win in the 12th Annual George H. Morris Excellence in Equitation Championship on Friday night, March 22, at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) in Wellington, FL. The victory marked another major equitation addition to Walker’s resume that already included wins in the 2018 Running Fox CET Medal National Final and the ASPCA Maclay National Championship. Walker was one of 40 entries to contest the George H. Morris Excellence in Equitation Championship, with all entries qualifying for the championship by winning equitation classed throughout the WEF season. Following an opening round, the field of 40 was narrowed to 15 riders who were invited to return in reverse order of standing to jump a second track set by course designers Steve Stephens and Nick Granat. Walker, 16, of Nobleton, ON, sat in second going into the second round, but a seamless test and a score of 91.50 aboard Missy Clark’s and North Run’s 12-year-old Warmblood gelding, Waldo, shot him to the top of the leaderboard. The top four were then called back for a final phase of additional testing, and with a well-executed test over the abridged course that included two-counter canter fences, a hand gallop, and a halt, Walker cemented his victory. Second place went to Elli Yeager, and third place was presented to Sophee Steckbeck.