Lexington, KY - New USEF National Eventing Championships got underway in Lexington, KY, October 17-21, and five CCI* titles were handed out at the Mid-South Three-Day Event held at the Kentucky Horse Park. Karen Shull put on a flawless performance at the Kentucky Horse Park and had the lowest overall score in any of the divisions to claim the junior and overall championship.
Riding Just My Style, the 18-year-old from Bryan, TX, won the dressage on a score of 43.6 and never looked back, finishing on her dressage score. In the National CCI* Championship, Marty Whitehouse was second riding Final Score on their dressage mark of 46.5, and Jamie Furtado and Come Out and Play were third with 55.6. Furtado was the National Amateur Champion. She won the dressage with Come Out and Play but added six time faults in the show jumping, narrowing her lead to less than a point over Liz Lund and Lady Hanna B. Katherine Lasher and Silver Surfer were third.
In the Junior Championship, Shull was much the best, clearly winning by almost 10 points with the 10-year-old gelding. Kate Owens and Much Ado II were second on a score of 52.1 and Ashley DaFermo and Puff Dragon who finished on 55.7. These three junior riders all finished the competition on their dressage scores.
In the 19-21 year old Championship Whitehouse prevailed over Lund and Katherine Brown was third riding Mojito. Whitehouse, 19, who lives locally in Lexington, KY, rode her own Final Score to top honors in the new championship. Final Score, a 12-year-old Thoroughbred gelding was eighth at the Mid-South CCI* in 2005.
“My horse was absolutely spot on this whole weekend,” said Whitehouse, who attends the University of Kentucky. “He was so supple and willing and he knew it was a big weekend. On the cross country he was phenomenal, he saved me at the Weldon’s Wall but I helped him out in a few places so it was a good team effort. It was an absolutely great weekend.”
Shull took home more accolades in the inaugural USEF Eastern JR/YR One Star Team Championship. Along with teammates Owens and Abbie Golden, who rode Phantom Pursuit, the Area V Team made their trip from Texas worthwhile, finishing on a score or 183.3.
For more information please contact Joanie Morris, High Performance Communications Manager at: [email protected].
ENDS