Bill Shuttles, Ryan Strider and Stephanie Martin edged out the top Carolina 1 team of Ryan Murphy, Sarah Ferebee and Andrew Diemer in winning the event.
The Keystone 2 team (Adrienne Gill, Tess Oberdick, Daniel Johnson) also finished ahead of Carolina 2 (Taylor Smith, Celia Spillman, Racheal Gereard) in the A division.
In the B grade, Chris Younger of Whispering Pines played on an independent team that took second place out of five teams. Manny Diemer, Mel Minery and Elissa Gerard finished third for Carolina Polocrosse Club.
In other polocrosse news, Andrew Diemer, 14, has been tapped to play for Team USA Under-16 in an international match against Australia July 16-17 in Douglas, Wyoming.
Another one-day polocrosse tournament has been scheduled for the Carolina Horse Park on May 29. Call 875-4814 for information.
Center Stage at CHP
It’s been two years since hunters and jumpers showed at the Carolina Horse Park, and riders and trainers seem to be favorably impressed with the changes.
“The footing is great, and the parking and facilities are convenient,” said jumper owner Tammy Lyne. “I think everybody is enjoying it.”
Rush Management was pushed off the calendar at the Harness Track due to U.S. Open preparations, so the move to CHP was inevitable for keeping active dates with the U.S. Equestrian Federation.
The May 14-15 show was a N.C. Hunter and Jumper Association recognized show on Saturday, and a USEF B-rated show on Sunday.
This weekend, May 20-22, is a USEF A-rated show, with hunter and jumper classics, lucrative purses, and top competition.
Diane Tate won the $2,000 Welcome Jumper Stake with a new Starland Farm mount, Ellis Island. The pair were also level four-jumper champions, with Kristian Kirk and her Liaizon in reserve. Kirk, a native of Pinehurst and a student at St. Andrews College, was second and third behind Tate in the Welcome Stake with her two jumpers Liaizon and Normandy, both owned by her mother Tammy Lyne.
In the hunter results, Don Sheehan dominated the pro divisions with multiple rides. Sheehan won the pre-green championship with Patty Heuckeroth’s All About Me, and claimed both champion and reserve honors in the 3’3” pre-green division with Sue Sisco’s Barkentine and R. Braga’s River Mist.
In the baby green class, Sheehan piloted Gabrielle Jones’ Ella to the championship.
The Ellis family horses, Wisteria Lane, Sandy Lane and Duncan, figured prominently in the schooling hunter classes, ridden by Effie and Sassy Ellis.
In the adult amateur divisions, Christina Bishop was a star with her two horses, Canada Dry (champion) and Greek Knight (reserve).
In the older adults, Torrie Clavan pulled the same trick, earning champion and reserve with her own Double Down, and Heuckeroth’s All About Me.
On Sunday, Guy Noir and Nancy Henson and Mandrake and Parker Minchin topped the amateur ranks. And Sarah Kohn piloted Parker and Ed Michin’s Final Call to the baby green reserve championship on Sunday.
In equitation, Diane Simpson earned a second place with her new mount In Fashion. For complete results, www.rushshows.-com.
Charles Back on Top
Maryann Charles of Southern Pines hasn’t competed in the jumper ring since last fall, but came back with a bang to win the $10,000 Chateau Elan (Ga.) Jumper Classic with her Bombay on May 14.
On Sunday, Bombay finished second in another $10,000 class. Tanqueray, another jumper owned by Maryann and Brad Charles, earned an eighth-place paycheck in the first class on Saturday, but didn’t place on Sunday.
Western News
At the Carolina Spring Fling May 14-15 in Lake Waccamaw, Nancy Paulson of Seven Lakes won the novice non-pro western pleasure class with her Appaloosa gelding Counts Chip. The pair also placed second in senior western pleasure and limited non-pro western pleasure, divided by age of horse and rider.
Paulson also showed her yearling colt Ima Stylish Lad, winning the non-pro stallion and yearling colt classes and capturing reserve grand champion stallion honors.
This is Paulson’s second year showing halter classes, and first season competing in performance classes. The Appaloosa Horse Club recognized show was held at the Boys and Girls Homes of North Carolina, Inc. exhibition center, and organized as a benefit for the Charlie Hodge Scholarship fund.
Hodge, a youth member of ApHC, passed away in 2003 due to complications from mononucleosis.
