by KatyM, Community News

Spruce Meadows Skyliner:  Junior/Amateur Week

Week three of the Spruce Meadows Summer Series is exclusively dedicated to junior/amateur competitors.  There are divisions for juniors and amateurs at all the Spruce Meadows shows, but this is the show where they take all the headlines.

The week starts off with welcome classes for each division, from 1.00 meter to 1.40m.  In each class during the week, riders earn points which allow them to qualify for one of the biggest classes:  the Final Four.  This special class is run under a similar format to the individual championship at the World Equestrian Games:  Four riders qualify.  Each must ride a course with their own horse, then in turn ride each of the other competitors' horses over the same course.  

Other classes during the week include a Prix de Nations run under a nation's cup format:  teams of four riders battle it out for the top prize.  There are also Grand Prix classes in each division and on the final day, a Barrage.

It was a great week for the Land family of Alpharetta, Georgia.  Both Taylor and Frances won big classes in the 1.40m division and placed well in others.  Starting with the Paramount Resources Prix de Nations, both were on the second place 'Just World" team, coached by dad, Jay Land.  Frances was fourth in the Friends of the Meadows Grand Prix and she won the Birchcliff Energy Ltd. Barrage. Taylor won the Friends of the Meadows Final Four.

Frances Land and Merlin winning the Birchcliff Barrage.  ©moranequinephoto.com

Taylor Land and Nepal in the Friends of the Meadows Final Four. ©moranequinephoto.com

Caitlin Zeigler also had a great week starting with a seventh place in the RSA 1.40m Welcome, a double clear performance on the winning Prix de Nations team, third place in the Grand Prix, and the silver medal in the Final Four.

Caitlin Zeigler and Touch Down. ©moranequinephoto.com

Cayla Richards won the Friends of the Meadows Junior/Amateur 1.40m Grand Prix and was second in the Birchcliff Energy Ltd. Barrage.

Cayla Richards and Faustino. ©moranequinephoto.com

Reed Kessler just returned from a very successful USET European Young Rider Tour where the team scored a win at the CSIOY in Austria and she took the individual won the CSIOY Grand Prix.  She continued on that form at the Skyliner Tournament to win the RSA 1.40m Welcome and take fourth place in the Birchcliff Energy Ltd. Barrage.  She also rode on the second place 'Just World' team in the 1.40m Prix de Nations.

Reed Kessler and Flight. ©moranequinephoto.com 

Another top competitor was Lydia Ulrich who had good ribbons in the RSA Welcome and in the Grand Prix, and posted a double clear round in the Prix de Nations.  She also earned the bronze medal in the Final Four.

Lydia Ulrich and Santos Utopia. Santos Utopia was the Top Horse in the Final Four competition having clear rounds with each of the riders. ©moranequinephoto.com

All the results from the 1.40m as well as the 1.00m through 1.30m divisions can be found at www.sprucemeadows.com.