Horse Shows by the Bay Series II concluded on Sunday afternoon with the week’s highlight event, the $30,000 Grand Traverse Bay Grand Prix. Spectators from all over the region came out to the beautiful Flintfields Horse Park Sunday afternoon to enjoy the beautiful weather and watch some of the country’s best compete at the highest level of show jumping competition. Twenty-six entries showed over the difficult course set by Brazil’s Guilherme Jorge, and it was Scott Lenkart and Impulsive that came out on top to win the first place prize.

A total of ten entries jumped clear over the first round course in the grand prix and six of those finished double clear. It was then a race against the clock to see who could complete the fastest round. Impulsive, owned by Macmillan Sport Horse and ridden by Scott Lenkart, is the horse that has won the most grand prix classes at Horse Shows by the Bay since the show first started seven years ago. Lenkart and Impulsive have won grand prix classes all over the country, and have totaled an impressive 15 grand prix victories while showing together. Lenkart and Impulsive were fast and clean around the course on Sunday, and leaving out a stride in the last line put the pair at the top of the class with the fastest time of 35.999 seconds. The second place finishers were Vicky Miller and Picobello, who stopped the clock in 37.120 seconds. Denise Wilson and Life is Life 15 finished in third with their time of 38.450 seconds. Other top finishers included Luke Tokaruk and Lucius 35, Denise Wilson and Namos, and Vicky Miller with Cincinnati.

Also competing in the Grand Prix Ring this morning were the Children’s and Adult Jumpers. The $2,500 Modified Child/Adult Jumper Classic was held first, sponsored by Grand Traverse Resort and Spa, with a win for Lexie Berger and Amorette. The $5,000 NAL/WIHS Children’s and Adult Jumper Classics were each held thanks to the generous sponsorship of Coaching4Teens and Founder Lee Ann Ingram. Catherine Hanlon and Sorin were the winners in the Children’s Classic, while top prize in the Adult Classic was awarded to Gay Sykes and Waterford.

Sunday’s competition concluded week two of the 2010 Horse Shows by the Bay hunter/jumper series. The show will start up with Series III on Wednesday, July 28, and the show will conclude on August 1. For more information, please visit www.horseshowsbythebay.com.

Jumper Highlights – Wednesday through Saturday

The 2010 Horse Shows by the Bay Equestrian Festival continued with its second week of hunter/jumper competition on Wednesday with the start of the professional hunter and open jumper divisions at the beautiful Flintfields Horse Park in Traverse City, MI. The jumpers took main stage in the Grand Prix Ring in the morning with wins for Frankie Chesler-Ortiz and Lisa Jacquin in the 1.30m and 1.35m Jumper divisions. The horses and riders showed over tracks set by renowned course designer Guilherme Jorge of Brazil.

Showing first in the morning, the $1,000 1.30m Jumpers competed thanks to the generous sponsorship of Blue Gate Farm and Denise Wilson of Oconomowoc, WI. The class saw 20 entries and an impressive twelve pairs were able to jump clear in the first round to advance to the jump-off. Five of those entries jumped double clear, and it was the fastest time of 32.297 seconds within the 45-second time allowed, which earned Frankie Chesler-Ortiz and Aslan the top call.

Chelser-Ortiz and Aslan beat out the previously posted double clear of Richard Moloney and Olympic Lad in 32.382 seconds to push that pair into second place. Michael Tokaruk and Roger Rabbit made a valiant effort to beat the time, but finished in 32.927 seconds to finish in third place. Kim Farlinger and Bay Street were just a second slower in 33.795 seconds to earn the fourth place honors, and Juan Ortiz and Ghandi had the only other double clear round in 34.249 seconds to finish in fifth.

Also showing in the Grand Prix Ring Wednesday afternoon was the $1,250 1.35m Jumpers with a win for Lisa Jacquin and Casa Blanca La Silla. Jacquin and Casa Blanca La Silla completed one of just three clear trips in the first round of the class to jump-off. The pair was first to attempt the shortened course and stopped the clock in 33.358 seconds, which would be the fastest time for the win. Blythe Marano and Askaban jumped off next and finished double clear in 42.300 seconds to take home second place honors. Luke Tokaruk and Lucius 35 jumped clear in the first round, but chose to voluntarily withdraw from the jump-off to finish in third place.

Class winner Casa Blanca La Silla is an eight-year-old gray Holsteiner mare owned by Flintwoode Farms, LLC. The mare was first shown by Anne Kursinski in 2009 and then went on to a great partnership with Lisa Jacquin this year. Jacquin has been showing the mare in the Seven & Eight-Year-Old Young Jumper division and the 1.35m Jumpers this winter and spring, including competing at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Florida, the Kentucky Spring Horse Shows in Lexington, and the Devon Horse Show in Pennsylvania. The mare has placed well all year and shows great talent as an up and coming young horse.

The second week of hunter/jumper competition at the 2010 Horse Shows by the Bay Equestrian Festival continued on Thursday with the Five/Six-Year-Old and Seven/Eight-Year-Old Young Jumpers competing in the Grand Prix Ring at the Flintfields Horse Park. Coming out on top in the day’s qualifiers were six-year-old Imprimis, owned by Windswept Farm and ridden by Laura Pfeiffer, and seven-year-old Kirikou AC Z, owned and ridden by Kate Bomgaars. Both divisions were generously sponsored by Captivate Farms LLC, of Schoolcraft, MI, and the first place prizes were sponsored by Paddock Cakes.

In the Seven/Eight-Year-Old Young Jumper Qualifier, Kate Bomgaars and her mount Kirikou AC Z were the only pair to jump double clear to win the class. Richard Moloney and Wiloma III completed the jump-off with four faults in 40.813 seconds to finish second. Lisa Jacquin and Chapel Z finished with four faults in 42.595 seconds to finish in third.

Earlier in the afternoon the Five and Six-Year-Old Young Jumpers were combined for their qualifier and the top call went to Laura Pfeiffer and Imprimis with the fastest clear jump-off round in 39.833 seconds. Frankie Chesler-Ortiz and Masquerade finished in second, jumping clear in 40.772 seconds. Third place honors went to David Beisel and Ameretto with four faults in the jump-off in 40.367 seconds.

First time Horse Shows by the Bay competitors Willie Tynan and Cartier Van Schuttershoff jumped to an exciting victory on Friday afternoon in the week two $10,000 Welcome Prix, sponsored by Positive Step Farm and Patrice Schreiber of Howell, MI. Tynan won the class over Juan Ortiz and David Beisel in a three-horse jump-off over a course set by Guilherme Jorge of Brazil.

With seventeen entries showing in the first round of the Welcome Prix, David Beisel and Berkley, owned by Foxridge Farms Stables, were the first pair to jump clean. They were shortly followed by Juan Ortiz riding Ghandi and then Willie Tynan and Cartier Van Schuttershoff, owned by Emily Skoggard. Beisel and Berkley returned first for the shortened course, but had one rail down to finish in third place, incurring four faults in a time of 41.814 seconds. Ortiz and Ghandi followed and put in a clear jump-off round in 44.449 seconds to take the lead. That lead did not hold for long however, as Tynan and Cartier Van Schuttershoff returned next and jumped double clear in 41.481 seconds to win the class.

The spacious Grand Prix Ring at Flintfields Horse Park hosted another exciting day of jumper competition at the Horse Shows by the Bay Equestrian Festival on Saturday as the junior and amateur-owner jumper riders showed in the classics for their divisions. The $5,000 NAL Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic ran first, sponsored by Turtle Creek Casino, with a big win for Samantha Oliva and her horse Javelot D’Helby. The $10,000 SJHOF Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Prix followed, sponsored by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute of Lexington, KY, with a victory for Laura Pfeiffer and Anberlin.

Showing over an intricate track set by course designer Guilherme Jorge, the $10,000 SJHOF Junior/AO Jumper Prix saw just four entries jump clear in the first round. Soulshine and Courntey Frederick were the first pair to return for the jump-off and took down one rail for a total of four faults in 43.269 seconds to finish in third. Paige Johnson and Amagedon 3 returned next, but had an unfortunate knock down at the first fence to finish with four faults in 38.128 seconds to finish in second. Sarah Bagworth and Untouchable had a refusal in the jump-off and finished with four jumping and three time faults in 52.134 seconds to eventually finish in fourth place. Completing the class, week one winners Laura Pfeiffer and Anberlin returned last, but a rail at the second fence left the duo with four faults. They then raced through the rest of the course in order to finish with the fastest round in 36.243 seconds for the win.

Also competing on Saturday, the $5,000 NAL Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic saw six horses jump clear in the first round to return for a jump-off. Top finishers included Samantha Oliva and Javelot D’Helby, who won the class with double clear rounds and a jump-off time of 36.994 seconds. Laura Pfeiffer finished in second place with her Low horse Imprimis, jumping double clear in 37.118 seconds. Third place honors went to Kealy Tomeu riding Sienna to a clear jump-off in 37.642 seconds, and fourth place was awarded to Lisa Kent and Balaika Du Ry for their time of 37.744 seconds.

Hunter Highlights – Thursday through Sunday

There were lots of blue ribbons given out in the professional hunter divisions on Thursday at Horse Shows by the Bay. Kelley Farmer cleaned up, and was champion of every division including grand conformation champion aboard Listen and grand regular working hunter champion aboard Bases Loaded.

In the First Year’s, Farmer was champion aboard Solace. Farmer was also reserve champion aboard Taken.

In the Second Year’s, the championship ribbon was awarded to Farmer and Bases Loaded. Reserve champion honors went to Peter Pletcher and NLF Shakespear’s Rhythm.

In the Green Conformation Hunters, Farmer was champion aboard Listen. Reserve champion was News To Me and Meg Howard-Fuleky.

In the Regular Conformation Hunters, Listen was champion with Farmer in the irons. The reserve championship tricolor was awarded to Timber Ridge and Farmer. Listen is only six years old and was champion of two divisions as well as overall grand conformation champion.

In the Regular Working Hunters, top honors went to Farmer aboard Taken. She also took home the reserve champion ribbon for her ride aboard Timber Ridge.

Later in the day, the $2,500 Pre-Green Hunter Classic took place in the main hunter ring. The class was sponsored by Marigot Bay Farm of Dover, MA, and there was a complimentary wine and cheese party to accompany the class, sponsored by Artisan Farms and the Ziegler Family. Top honors were awarded to Peter Pletcher for his ride aboard Valobra.

The Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search, sponsored by Fox Meadow Farm, Inc. of Temperance, MI, took place on Friday at Horse Shows by the Bay. The blue ribbon was awarded to Caitlin Ziegler and Charleston Z as the pair proved to be the best both over fences and on the flat.

Second place honors went to Meghan Caraway and Quick Step. Third was Samantha Olivia and SS Couture. Fourth was Anna Levy and I’ve Been Thinking. Fifth went to Caitlin Creel and Calvin 46. Rounding out the top six was Marissa Monforton and Vito.

Caitlin Ziegler and Winterplace took home the grand championship in the Junior Hunters on Saturday and also received the highest score given out at Horse Shows by the Bay II with a 95 in their Handy Hunter round.

Ziegler and Winterplace won three jumping rounds in the Small Junior Hunters 15-under, and were awarded scores of more than 90 for all of their blue ribbon rounds. Ziegler was also reserve champion in the division on her other horse, Safari.

In the Small Junior Hunters 16-17, champion was Red Panda and Hayley Barnhill. Reserve champion was Raquel and Laura Pfeiffer.

In the Large Junior Hunters 15-under, champion was Ashton and Meredith Darst. The reserve champion was Due West and Kelcie Brophy.

In the Large Junior Hunters 16-17, the championship tricolor was awarded to Breathtaking and Hayley Barnhill. The reserve champion was Rio’s Splash and Laura Pfeiffer.

In the Amateur/Owner Hunters, Sunshine and Sheila Motley took home the grand championship tricolor. The pair was champions of the Amateur/Owner Hunters 18-35, with a clean sweep, winning all five of their classes.

On Sunday, Horse Shows by the Bay II hosted five hunter classics. In the $5,000 Adult Hunter Classic, sponsored by Lisa A. H. Cudahy of Mequon, WI, first place was awarded to Zanselle and Collette Dudek. The pair received a first round score of 85 and a second round score of 83, giving them a total of 168 points.

In the $5,000 Children’s Hunter Classic, sponsored by Sunny FM, the blue ribbon went to Trousseau and Sydney Reed. In their first round, they scored an 86 and in their second round they earned a score of 80, giving them a total of 166 points.

In the $5,000 Junior Hunter Classic, sponsored by PJP Farm and Peter Pletcher of Magnolia, Texas, the blue ribbon was awarded to Safari and Caitlin Ziegler. The pair scored an 84 in their first round and a 90 in their second round, giving them a total of 174 points.

In the $5,000 Amateur/Owner Hunter Classic, sponsored by Team Elmers, first place went to Sunshine and Sheila Motley. They scored a 90 in both rounds, giving them a total of 180 points.

In the $2,500 Pony Hunter Classic, sponsored by Equisport Insurance and Don and Beth Graves of Bloomfield Hills, MI, the blue ribbon was awarded to Woodland’s Talulah and Meredith Darst.