Hunter Holloway Rides Away with Ronnie Mutch Equitation Championship

The R.W. "Ronnie" Mutch Equitation Challenge Trophy is presented each year to the junior rider who shows the most consistency throughout the two days and four equitation classes of the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair. The 2015 winner, Hunter Holloway, and her mount Any Given Sunday have proven that consistency time and again across the hunter, jumper and equitation divisions.

On Friday morning at the Devon Horse Show, Holloway, from Topeka, Kansas, rode to victory in the ASPCA Maclay Horsemanship Section C. That win, coupled with first place finishes in the WIHS Equitation Classic - Jumper Phase Section A and the Pessoa/USEF Hunter Seat Medal Section C and a third place finish in the Platinum Performance/USEF Talent on Thursday, culminated with the Ronnie Mutch Equitation Championship title. 

"It's very exciting," said Holloway. "It's such an honor to win at such a prestigious show as this horse show is. To have such an amazing horse and team behind me is just unbelievable." 

For Holloway, this marks her third year at the Devon Horse Show, the same horse show where she last year rode to both the Small and Large Junior 15 & Under Hunter Championships and the Overall Small Junior Hunter Championship, again spotlighting her consistency and ability across disciplines.

Similarly, her mount Any Given Sunday, has proven successful in the hunter ring, in the grand prix jumper arena and, most recently, in the highest levels of equitation competition. Having competed "Sunny" in all three areas, Holloway knows the horse's ins and outs, and the pair makes the perfect team.

"It's nice because I'm so confident on him," Holloway said. "We know each other so well. We're used to jumping a lot bigger tracks together, so I think for both of us when we walk into this - and he's such a confident horse on his own -it's a confidence boost for me to know that he can definitely do this. There's no reason that I can't do this too. He's such an amazing horse all-around, and to be able to ride such a horse is an honor."

Being successful at the Devon Horse Show requires more than just a talented horse and rider - it takes a village. Holloway counts herself as lucky to have the support of her parents, Brandi Holloway and Larry Ellerman, and trainer Don Stewart.

"It's nice for me to take the credit because I really don't have to do anything," joked Stewart, who trains Hunter Holloway alongside Brandi Holloway. "Having my own daughter, I know what it's like working with your own child. You have to get somebody else in there."

At home, Hunter Holloway trains with her mom at their Equi-Venture Farm, meeting up with Stewart prior to horse shows.

"At home, Hunter loves flatwork, and she'll flat all the time. The week before a show, I'll remind her, 'Okay, Hunter. We have to jump and get those jumping muscles going on the horse,'" Brandi Holloway said. "I think it's a little bit unique for a young kid because I know that every time I rode a horse I had to jump something when I was little. Whatever it was, I had to go jump. We just try to keep it very disciplined but as relaxed as I can be. I'm wired, so Don calms that down."

"[Hunter and Brandi] are very disciplined," Ellerman said. "We have a bit of everything at the house. We breed. We have young ones. We buy investment horses. There are 50 at home, and there are three or four riding all of them. So Hunter, she'll get on the 3- and 4-year-olds at home, and they can't jump. They have to do the discipline work. They have to learn to do everything on the flat."

All of her hard work and dedication at home shines through in the show ring and helps contribute to her calm and confident demeanor at horse shows. 

"It's hard to get a junior with that much depth," Stewart said. "She's got so much depth in her riding. She's got the feel, and she has the timing. The rest of it is easy for her. She really looks to do just what you tell her. She's a top, top student as far as that goes."

Ellerman added, "I don't know many kids that can walk in [like Hunter does]. We're getting ready to do the [HITS Great American $1 Million Grand Prix] and she's maybe 8 or 9 people out. She's playing Candy Crush at the in-gate. It doesn't affect her. There's not pressure. It's just all she knows."

Hunter Holloway finished the two days of equitation competition with 25 total points. Not far behind her, in a three-way tie at 19 points were Virginia Ingram, McKayla Langmeier and Ali Tritschler.

Tritschler, who trains with Norfield Stables LLC, topped the ASPCA Maclay Horsemanship Section A on Friday morning after having also earned an impressive victory in the WIHS Equitation Classic - Jumper Phase Section B and a second place finish in the Pessoa/USEF Hunter Seat Medal Section A.    

"Devon is such a special place and a special town, and it's just a new set of pressures. The pressure does not get in the way of her performance," trainer Timmy Kees said of Tritschler. "In my opinion, the special kids do that well. They don't fold under pressure; they rise up to another level. It's fun to watch and great to be a part of it."

Tritschler concluded, "I feel really good. I was second in the Medal last year and the year before, but I've never been this consistent at Devon before. It was just really nice to be that consistent and have the judges show that consistency in my results."

Competition for the junior riders continues at the Devon Horse Show on Saturday morning with the Junior Hunters beginning at 8 a.m. For the full schedule and horse show results, visit www.devonhorseshow.net.

Patience Proves Perfect for Kelli Cruciotti and Zidante in Junior Jumpers    

Training a horse to compete at the highest levels of show jumping takes time, and Kelli Cruciotti's patience with Zidante was rewarded in tonight's highlight event. Taking three years to build up the 9-year-old Dutch Wamblood mare's confidence in the High Junior Jumpers paid off when they sped to victory in the Wigg's Bar Challenge Trophy, sponsored by The Capital Grill King of Prussia, at the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair.

Nine of the 25 entries cleared Paul Jewell's first round track and returned for the tiebreaker, which included a sharp slice after the first fence, a double combination, and an inside turn to the final oxer.

Giavanna Rinaldi was the pathfinder with GPS Brilliant Disguise, breaking the beam in 30.548 seconds to set the pace, but her lead did not hold up for long when Daisy Farish pressed the gas aboard Triviant. The pair stopped the clock at 29.645 seconds. One round later, Madison Goetzmann slipped between them, showing Andretti to a clear effort in 30.395 seconds.

After seeing Rinaldi's round, and knowing Farish beat it, Cruciotti knew that she had to go for it if she wanted to bring home the blue with Zidante. They sliced the second fence and did a quick turn back to the third obstacle before slipping inside after the combination to make their way to the final oxer. The duo galloped through the timers in 28.966 seconds to win the class, while Farish settled for second, followed by Goetzmann and Rinaldi, respectively.

"It was the fastest I have ever gone for sure," expressed Cruciotti. "She's a naturally really fast horse, so I was able to use her natural way of going to really benefit me around the whole course. I didn't get to watch Daisy go, but I know she is crazy fast on that horse, so I just had to try and let Zidante figure it out, and she really came through for me."

Zidante came through because Cruciotti took her time building the horse up to this level. After purchasing her three years ago, Cruciotti slowly started her in the Junior Jumpers.

"Zidante had not jumped at the High Junior level, so we were slow with her and we built her up," she explained. "We have been going up and down. We would do it, but she's really careful, so we would drop her back down, build her confidence, and then do it again. This year is the first year we have consistently been at this level."

This was the perfect year for Zidante to come into her own, as 17-year-old Cruciotti is enjoying her last junior year. She does not plan to let her career in the sport slow down.

"I am hoping it's a stepping-stone to the next level," said Cruciotti. "I am really excited to see what the future holds and I can't thank my team enough. It's unbelievable to win a class at such a prestigious show like this - so many other people have won and started here."

Tomorrow night, Cruciotti and Zidante will return for the $20,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame Junior Jumper Classic, and she concluded, "Zidante is here to win!"

Earlier in the day, the Junior Jumpers had their first turn in the ring during The Flight Cup, sponsored by the Courtyard Marriott. Featuring two double combinations and a liverpool vertical, the inviting track saw 14 of the 26 entries finish without error.

Today's winner of the R.W. "Ronnie" Mutch Equitation Championship, Hunter Holloway, was the first to break the 53-second mark, clearing the course in 52.612 seconds with I Love Lucy to set the pace to beat. Five rounds later, Madison Goetzmann jumped to the top of the leader board with Andretti, finishing in 52.181.

Despite two riders finishing in under 53 seconds, it was the veteran mount Promised Land that showed the competition how it's done. At 21 years old, the Holsteiner gelding has made many trips to the Devon Horse Show, and today it was with McKayla Langmeier in the irons. The pair easily jumped over each fence, and without looking rushed, they broke the beam in 51.212 seconds to take a one-second lead in the event.

The only other rider to come close to catching the time of Langmeier and Promised Land was the last in the class. Katherine Strauss also broke the 52-second mark with All In, finishing the course in a clear 51.965 seconds, which would be good enough for second place. Langmeier led the victory gallop, while Goetzmann finished third and Holloway rounded out the top four.

Although Langmeier only began riding Promised Land at the beginning of the year, she was confident with her experienced mount.

"He's probably been here the most out of any horse, so he probably knew the course and the turns where you could make up the time," she laughed. "He's just so awesome. He knew that it was an important event and he went for it! This is the first big event I have done with him, and he was wild."

Langmeier and Promised Land will also be back in the Dixon Oval tomorrow night to compete in the $20,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame Junior Jumper Classic. At the end of the night, the Junior Jumper Champion and Leading Junior Jumper Rider will be named, and the Shalanno Style of Riding Award will also be presented.

For more information about the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair, please visit www.DevonHorseShow.net.