Savanah Stuart and Andover ( The Book LLC)
Andover is just six years old and competes in the Pre-Green Hunters. Stuart has ridden him for a year, calling him her “project horse.” Andover competed at Capital Challenge last year in the Pre-Green Hunters as well. Although he is still young, Stuart said his good brain and level-headedness is what brings success.
“You never have to worry about him doing anything crazy. He does have a little ADD so when he has his baby moments, he will look outside the ring at something,” she pointed out. “We worked a lot on building his straightness and really keeping him connected. But for the most part, he has the mindset of a 12-year-old. He’ll jump anything.”
The change from last year's competition was a positive one, Stuart said, “I brought him last year, but I was still figuring him out. Coming back this year I could really see the improvement, so that’s been great.”
Stuart is finishing the last few shows of her junior career, and Capital Challenge is the only indoor show in which she will ride Andover. “I didn’t have the best junior career. I had a lot of horses that would get hurt midway through the season. I was always challenged with that. I never had a steady, consistent ride, so having the year that I had being able to ride my horses has been a blessing. This was a great way to end my junior career. I think going out with a bang was kind of nice. I finally got there,” she expressed.
The championship in the Children's Hunter 14 & Under Section B, sponsored by Mr. & Mrs. Gary Duffy and Little Brook Farms, Inc., went to Central Park, ridden by Mimi Gochman for David Gochman. The 10-year-old rider from New York City rode Central Park to first over fences and first under saddle. The reserve champion was Monopoly, ridden by Aubrienne Krysiewicz-Bell for owner Margaret O'Meara. They jumped to first and fifth places and were fourth under saddle.
Gochman started with “Duke” this winter. “He’s slow, and he has a lopey canter. His jump isn’t too big. He’s a good mover, he’s pretty and he’s sweet. He has a good personality,” she said.
Transitioning to the horses from ponies has been easy for Gochman. “(Central Park) has a bigger stride so it’s almost easier. And the jumps seem so much bigger when you’re on a large (pony than) to him because he’s so big. You don’t need to go very fast, so it’s nice to keep a steady pace,” she said.
Central Park has taught Gochman “how to sit still” when riding. “In the first class, I moved up and I leaned, and he said, 'No way, we’re not jumping that far!' He’s taught me how to sit still and hold him because he can still jump very well while I’m sitting up. He’s good at fitting it in even though his stride is big,” she recalled.
It was a winning affair for the entire Gochman family at Capital Challenge, with her sister Sophie winning in the pony hunters yesterday. “It’s sweet because we’ve been practicing and trying really hard to do really well here, and we did it. And my mom was WCHR Challenge winner!” she added.
The champion in the Children's Hunter 14 & Under Section A, sponsored by Mr. & Mrs. Gary Duffy and Little Brook Farms, Inc., was Chelsea, ridden by Emma Weiss and owned by Baylor Wickes. The 15-year-old rider from New York, N.Y., started riding Chelsea in February. They won an over fences and were second under saddle. Weiss was also awarded the Stewart Warner Cup for children's riders. The reserve champion was Mimi Gochman on David Gochman's Romance. They placed second and third over fences and third under saddle.
Weiss described Chelsea as “not easy, but not too hard. We have a bond where I let her do her thing, and she lets me do my thing. We have that relationship where it just works out that way,” she said.
Chelsea is only 15.1 hands high, “but she makes up for it with her stride,” Weiss said. Weiss also said that Chelsea loves treats. “She knows she’s the princess!” she said.
This is Weiss' first time at Capital Challenge. “I came in on Friday because I had the presentations for WCHR,” she said. “I spent all yesterday just hanging out, watching the ring to see how it runs so that when I showed it would go easier. It’s incredible (to win). I was really happy because my lease ends with her soon, so it’s nice to end it on a high note.”
Grooms of the winning horses today included:
Small Junior 15 & Under Hunter: Chromeo/Bailey Manning
Large Junior 15 & Under Hunter: Tiffani/Ubaldo Duron
Junior Hunter 3'3”: Bella K/Lauren McKay
Children's 14 & Under Hunter Sec. A: Chelsea/Mauricio Gaytan
Children's 14 & Under Hunter Sec. B: Central Park/Gabriel Barcena
Children's 15-17 Hunter: Andover/Katie Ambrosio