T.J. O'Mara on his way to winning the Kathy Scholl Equitation Classic
Culminating three weeks of hunter-jumper horse show competition in the Adirondacks, the Kathy Scholl Equitation Classic is open only to those who finished in either first or second place in the Pessoa U.S. Hunter Seat Medal, ASPCA/NHSAA Maclay, Platinum Performance USEF Show Jumping Talent Search, National PHA, or WIHS equitation classes. The Classic is held in the all-grass Richard M. Feldman Grand Prix Field at the North Elba Show Grounds.
"I like this class because it brings together the top riders and features the top level of competition from the three weeks of horse shows here," said O'Mara. "It gives you a real feel of being in a final and helps get you ready for what you'll see in the national finals in the fall."
O'Mara, who placed third in each of his first two years qualifying for the Classic in 2013 and 2014, received the highest score of 91 for his ride over the first-round course that featured 10 fences with one double and one triple. He was one of four riders called back for the second round along with Katherine Bundy of Westport, CT who had a first-round score of 90, McKayla Langmeier of East Granby, CT who had a score of 89 and Ashton Alexander of Ocala, FL who had a score of 88.
O'Mara took top honors again in the second round to secure his win. Langmeier moved up to finish in second place with Bundy finishing third and Alexander fourth.
Saturday's other highlights included wins by Teagan Long on Pollux De Shalimar in the $7,500 Price Chopper Low Junior Jumper Classic; by Ned Cunniffe on Dollydoo in the Children's Jumper Classic; and by Heather Senia on Fortune Hunter in the USHJA $5,000 National Hunter Derby.