Laura Pfeiffer and Copperfield (Diana Hadsall)
Pfeiffer’s score in the Handy round was a 92, which was the highest score of the Derby out of both rounds and was what was needed to take the lead from Med Howard-Fuleky and News to Me, owned by Lissa Guyton, who was leading the Derby after her second round of 91. Howard-Fuleky earned an 86.5 in their first round, which gave them a total combined score of 177; third place finisher, Emma Wujek and Magic Man, owned by Abigail H. Wujek, finished their two rounds with an overall score of 175.25.
“It was a close race, that’s for sure,” remarked Laura Pfeiffer who rides for her family’s Fox Meadow Farm and who was standing in fourth place after the first round with an 87. “After I witnessed my Aunt Meg score a 91 I knew we’d have to be on it to take over the lead. I also knew that Hillary Johnson and Eclipse were in the hunt with their 89 from the first round so I had to leave nothing to chance. I had fun. It was a great course – I love galloping, especially when we combine the two rings into one at this show – and the weather couldn’t have been nicer. My horse did all the tight turns and the trot jump with ease….he was great!” Pfeiffer rides Copperfield, an 8-year-old Belgian Warmblood in the First Year Green Working Hunters after a successful career last season as a Pre-Green and Adult Amateur Hunter.
Rounding out the top 12 places in this order were: 4th) Jennifer Farless and Strictly Business – 174.5pts; 5th) Hillary Johnson and Eclipse – 173 pts; 6th) Laura Pfeiffer and To My Delight – 172.5 pts; 7th) Laura Pfeiffer and Zen – 170.5 pts; 8th) Sophia Yzerman and Crowd Pleaser – 167.75 pts; 9th) Erin Galsterer and Lockhart – 164 pts; 10th) Alexis Gorman and Confidant Z – 162 pts; 11th) Ehrin Rittmueller and Tripoli – 157.75 pts; 12th) Meg Howard-Fuleky and Rubens – 145.5 pts.
The Hunter-Jumper Association of Michigan’s Annual Horse Show makes up the final show of the three-week USEF “A” circuit, which has been held at the Waterloo Hunt Club in Grass Lake, MI for the past five seasons. The Association is organized for the purpose of stimulating the sport of riding and showing in the Hunter and Jumper Divisions; to service, promote, and protect the interests of the Association and the exhibitors; to insure uniform and consistent standards for all Association shows; to encourage the development of exhibitors of all ages by making objective and fair rules for governing competition and to insure impartial and competent judging for all shows; and, to service and promote the best interest of the USEF under which all competitions shall be held.
More information on the Hunter-Jumper Association of Michigan can be found by visiting www.hjam.net; complete horse show and circuit standings can be found at www.horseshowing.com.