East Dorset, VT — Emma Schauder of Greenwich, CT, won the WIHS Equitation Classic on Thursday, July 7, at the Vermont Summer Festival in East Dorset, VT. The six-week equestrian competition is running at Harold Beebe Farm from July 6 through August 14, 2011.

Schauder, 16, won both the hunter and jumper phases of competition that comprise the WIHS Equitation Classic to take the overall title riding Lord Corda G.

“The hunter phase was really good, I thought it was a really smooth trip,” said Schauder.

Schauder earned a score of 86 points to win the hunter phase before moving to a different competition arena for the jumper phase.

“In the jumper phase, the time allowed was a little bit tight, so I wanted to clean up the ends of the ring and not waste any time,” explained Schauder. “I wanted to have a flowing course, but keep a pace that allowed me to be under the time allowed.”

A score of 88 from the judge not only won the jumper phase, but also gave Schauder the overall title. It marked the first win in a WIHS Equitation Classic competition for Schauder, who only began competing in that division this year.

Schauder’s mount, Lord Corda G, is a horse that she has only been riding for two months. While Schauder is coached by her parents, Christina and Fred, she also meets up with well-known equitation trainer Stacia Madden at some of the bigger events. It was Madden who spotted Lord Corda G while the eight-year-old bay Holsteiner gelding was competing at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL, this winter, and suggested he might be a good match for Schauder. Schauder is now leasing the horse from Grace Shelton of Pasadena, California, and is looking forward to competing in the ASPCA Maclay Medal, the USEF Talent Search, the USEF/Pessoa Hunt Seat Medal, and possibly the WIHS Final this fall.

“I have never done the WIHS before, so if I do qualify I would like to try it,” said Schauder of the year-end final held at the Washington International Horse Show in October. “Since he is still pretty new to me, I want to get to know him better. I am excited for the Finals this fall.”

Country Lane Farm, the training business run by Schauder’s parents, has 11 horses competing at this year’s Vermont Summer Festival.

“I’ve been coming here since I was a little kid,” said Schauder, who will enter grade 11 at Greenwich High School this fall. “We love all the activities outside of the show, like shopping and going swimming at the quarry.”

In addition to showing Lord Corda G in the equitation divisions, Schauder also competes in the High Children’s Jumper division with Ah Ha. Unlike Lord Corda G, Schauder has a long partnership with Ah Ha.

“We bought him as a six-year to be a hunter prospect, but he didn’t like the hunters so we converted him to a children’s jumper,” said Schauder of the 13-year-old bay Westphalian gelding. “It is so great to ride him because I know him so well now.”

Schauder plans to continue her competitive career by riding on an Intercollegiate Team at college, and some day may be bringing students of her own to the Vermont Summer Festival.

The first week of the Vermont Summer Festival features the $10,000 The Bird Place Open Welcome Stake, Presented by Manchester Designer Outlets, on Friday, July 8. The $30,000 Vermont Summer Special Grand Prix, presented by The Equinox Resort and Spa, will begin at 1 p.m. on Sunday, July 10.

Offering more than $750,000 in prize money, the Vermont Summer Festival is the richest sporting event based on purse in the state of Vermont. The first five Sundays of the Vermont Summer Festival feature a $30,000 Grand Prix at 1 p.m., culminating with the $50,000 Vermont Summer Celebration Grand Prix on Sunday, August 14. In addition to the $10,000 Open Welcome Stake, Presented by Manchester Designer Outlets, held each Friday, the weekly $10,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame Junior/Amateur-Owner Classics are hotly contested. New for 2011, the Vermont Summer Festival will host a $5,000 Hunter Derby each Thursday five of the six weeks.

Competition begins at 8 a.m. daily, Wednesday through Sunday. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for children, Wednesday through Saturday. On Grand Prix Sunday, admission is $7 for adults, $5 for children. As always, 100 percent of the gate proceeds benefit the Friends Foundation for MEMS, (Manchester Elementary and Middle School).

For over 20 years, the Vermont Summer Festival has attracted exhibitors and their families to the Manchester region each summer. For more information about the Vermont Summer Festival, please e-mail: [email protected] or visit www.vt-summerfestival.com.