Four more qualifiers were held this past weekend as junior riders around the country try and qualify for this year's ASPCA Maclay National Championship, which will be held on October 31-November 4, 2007, at the Syracuse Invitational Sporthorse Tournament in Syracuse, NY. Hanna Botney of St. Louis, MO, was the winner of Region 5, while Alisha Davis of Littleton, CO, captured the win in Region 6. The top spot in Region 7 went to O.J. Berkes of Bellevue, WA. Tina DiLandri of La Jolla, CA, won the always-competitive Region 8.
DiLandri will make her second trip to the East Coast this fall to compete in the ASPCA Maclay National Championship. The talented 15-year-old rode RSVP, a seven-year-old Warmblood gelding, to the win in the regional qualifier, which was held at the Oaks Blenheim Fall Tournament in San Juan Capistrano, CA. DiLandri was victorious over 33 other entries.
In last year's national championship, DiLandri finished an impressive tenth place, and she was second in the 2006 regional qualifier. Her win this year is a "confidence booster," but she said, "I have to keep my head together and ride well. If I can do that, then the ribbons will come. Winning is great, but it won't happen every time!"
Hanna Botney edged out 13 competitors for the win in the Region 5 Maclay qualifier at the St. Louis National Charity Horse Show. Botney trains with Susan Baginski and had to balance school, riding and another varsity sport on the weekend of her regional qualifier. She competed in three field hockey games before traveling to the horse show and taking home the blue ribbon. "Hanna was on her best game last night," said Baginski.
Eighteen-year-old Alisha Davis is making the most out of her last year in the junior division. Davis rode in the qualifier at the High Prairie Fall Classic at the Colorado Horse Park on her 10-year-old Hanoverian horse, Prada.
"It's very cool," said Davis about her victory. "I'm honestly not touching the ground yet. It was my goal ever since last year, when I went to the Maclays in New York, to go back there again. It's just awesome that I get that opportunity."
O.J. Berkes was able to win the Region 7 qualifier, held this year at the NorthWest Autumn Finals in Monroe, WA, in his second try. The 17-year-old rode a leased horse, Corvester, a 17-year-old Hannoverian owned by Jessie Kempen. Berkes, who trains with Shelly Kerron, is currently trying to find a lease horse to compete with at the national championship. "It's been a goal of mine to ride in the regional and do well. We've been working towards the regional for the last couple of years to see if we could qualify to go back East," he said. Berkes is now one step closer to achieving a second goal, competing at the Syracuse Invitational Sporthorse Tournament.
There are two remaining regional qualifiers for the ASPCA Maclay National Championship. They are:
Region 1 (Northeast-CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT)
September 30, 2007, at Grand Fall Classic in Westbrook, CT
Region 4 (Midwest-IL, IN, KY, MI, OH)
September 29, 2007, at Kentucky National in Lexington, KY
2007 ASPCA Maclay Region 5 Top Ten
1. Hanna Botney, St. Louis, MO
2. Hannah Beresford, Voorheesville, NY
3. Lauren Weller, Chesterfield, MO
4. Jordan White, Spring Hill, KS
5. Abigail Crowell, Dennis, MA
6. Kirstie Dobbs, Carmel, IN
7. Alexandra Biederman, Dallas, TX
8. Kelsey Macpherson, Leawood, KS
9. Rachel Crown, Weston, MA
10. Victoria MacNaughton, Burnet, TX
2007 ASPCA Maclay Region 6 Top Ten
1. Alisha Davis, Littleton, CO
2. Lindsay Sceats, Colorado Springs, CO
3. Emily McCoy, Glenwood Springs, CO
4. Sarah Tredennick, Littleton, CO
5. Kerrie Nelson, Denver, CO
6. Anna Cooley, Castle Rock, CO
7. Katie Hurrel, Golden, CO
8. Audrey Carlson, Boulder, CO
9. Hillary Schoelzel, Englewood, CO
2007 ASPCA