International competition concluded Saturday night, but the excitement stayed with finalés for the Horse Trials and Regional Championships components of the Eventing Championships at Galway Downs. There might have been fewer current stars competing, but there was no shortage of tomorrow’s likely leaders – horse and human – and lots of love for horses and joy found in the sport on inspiring display.
For the second consecutive year, the USEA Area VI Championships were expanded to welcome pairs from any region. This season-ending Galway Downs event has always drawn many from throughout the West. Those numbers are increasing as reports of generous prize money, first-class prizes and a welcoming, celebratory atmosphere filter through the industry. “I just paid for my entries!” was an exclamation overheard often at the back gate when winners received their checks in bounty bundles made possible by sponsors.
I think we are really moving this in the right direction. I think we got the classes right, reflected in more people in them, and the prize giving and prizes. The goal is to make it a West Coast version of the American Eventing Championships.” – USEA Area VI chairman Andrea Pfieffer
US Eventing’s American Eventing Championships will be held at Galway Downs next August, but they are traditionally held on the East Coast. The Regional Championships will be staged again as part of the early November Eventing Championships and the vision is to keep growing participation.
Students of Pfeiffer’s Chocolate Horse Farm excelled in several divisions, adding to her enthusiasm for the event.
Pfeiffer predicts the Regional Championship’s growth will align with more Olympic hopefuls making the trek West to familiarize themselves with Galway Downs, which is the proposed venue for the LA28 Olympic equestrian competition. “I’m surprised more riders haven’t come out for it already, but I think we’ll see it soon.”
Echoing sentiments expressed throughout the week, Pfeiffer is grateful to organizer Robert Kellerhouse and his relentless enthusiasm and drive to improve the venue, support the region’s riders and improve the sport. “His excitement is infectious!”
Meet Our Regional Champions
Soobin Oh & HSH Redfield Hillside Are Preliminary Champions
High school senior Soobin Oh has early decision college application deadlines looming, but that didn’t deter her from rising to the top of this division. Partnered for one year with HSH Redfield Hillside Star, an 8-year-old Irish Sport Horse, the pair has always excelled in the jumping phases. “He’s the one that gives me confidence,” Soobin relayed. “I thought the coffin was so difficult and that he would take a strong look at it, but he was like, ‘No problem’,” she said of Friday’s cross-country outing designed by Alessandra Allen-Shin.
Dressage is a work in progress, but fault-free efforts on cross-country and stadium propelled the pair to the top of the leaderboard on their 38.6 dressage effort.
Oh rides with James and Helen Alliston, and is considering a gap year as a working student for the Northern California professionals.
Mia Edsall and True Story finished in reserve on Oh’s same score, with the cross-country time breaking their tie. Erin Storey and Dot Notation were third.
Alexis Hellfrich & Casanova Are Open Modified Champions
Professional Alexis Hellfrich and Casanova, a 6-year-old German Sport Horse, stayed on their stellar 21 dressage score to win and didn’t need the rail-plus in hand to top the division.
Patience with Casanova has paid off for Hellfrich, whose Cheval Training is based in Northern California. “He’s still young and he’s a very sensitive, careful horse so I’ve had to take my time with him. This is the first show where I feel he’s become more mature and is really listening to me. It’s his best performance all around and I could not be more pleased. You never know with horses, but if he continues this trajectory, I think he’s going to be very nice.” Hellfrich hopes a step up to Preliminary early next year.
Hellfrich is thrilled Casanova chose the Eventing Championships to shine. “You come here and feel like you’re at the Olympics. It’s a top-notch venue.”
Shelby Murray and Mannoury vd Watermolen are reserve champions, also ending on their dressage score: a 26.9. Sophie Celeste and Max Attraction are third.
Tamie Smith and Kareena K are Modified-Training Champions
Halloween is over but, according to Tamie Smith, there’s been a ghost hovering all weekend – especially over Kareena K, the 7-year-old Holsteiner, who looks, behaves and performs eerily like Soliguayre California. That 2023 Luhmuhlen 5* partner was lost after a freak injury, but her spirit seems to live on in several of Smith’s talented young horses.
Kareena is a former show jumper spotted by Sara Mittleider in Germany. The mare’s similarity to California inspired Mittleider to contact Smith. When Smith went to try her, “I couldn’t not call Julianne (Guariglia, California’s owner),” even though she wasn’t in the market for another horse then. With her family’s support, Julie said yes, “It was kind of a Hail Mary pass,” said Guariglia. “We felt like she had to be ours.”
It was a good decision. Even being new to eventing, Kareena and Smith have won every outing together. “She’s a natural on cross-country and dressage, so I’m just teaching her everything.” As she gets fit for the sport, Kareena is channeling California in and out of the show ring. Warm-up ring high jinks and moments of brassy attitude are emerging as California-esque traits she didn’t exhibit on arrival.
“California’s loss kind of tarnished everything we do because it was just such a fluke,” Smith shared. “But to have her living on in these young horses is amazing.”
Kareena won on a 23.4 dressage score, earning Smith another emotional honor: the Jordan Taylor Memorial trophy. The much-missed Taylor won this division in 2021 and passed away suddenly in 2023. Close friends created the award and it was presented on Sunday by Emilee Libby, Katy Robinson and Ashlyn Dorsey.
Asia Vedder and Litmanen Z were reserve champions, followed by Arizona-based veterinarian Anastasia Keyser and Bellatrix.
Mia Brown and Casa de Prestige are Training-Novice Champions
Bringing a young horse along “wasn’t really on my radar,” explained college freshman Mia Brown. But when Casa de Prestige, an 8-year-old Hanoverian, came into Chocolate Horse Farm as a sales horse, Brown was open to giving her a try. “It was love at first sight and it’s been great bringing her along.” Trainer Tommy Greengard ran her a few times at Novice, before Brown took over the ride.
“She’s my total heart horse and I love this little mare,” Brown shared. “She loves to compete and wants to please. Being here at the Championships with the overall atmosphere and community make it really fun to compete here.”
They won on their 25.7 dressage effort. Two professionals followed them in the rankings: Lauren Billys Shady and Luna are reserve champions, followed by Erin Kellerhouse and Million Bitcoin.
Sophie Stocks & Rosco are Senior Training Rider Champions
Amateur rider Sophie Stocks has brought along a few young horses before and Rosco, a 5-year-old Irish Sport Horse, ranks high among them. “I’ve had him since he was 3-and-a-half and we’ve done everything together. He works and tries really hard and it’s been incredibly fun.”
Stocks works full time as an attorney and is grateful to the support of Chocolate Horse Farm’s program for making it possible to progress with serious horsemanship goals alongside a career. Chocolate Horse’s Andrea Pfeiffer “is always in our corner and her team does a wonderful job with everything.”
Stocks and Rosco incurred only one rail through three phases. They won on a 34 score, followed by Lorilee Hanson and Mosaique and Stacia Lloyd and Kid A.
Marilyn Schackner & Georgie Z are Junior Training Rider Champions
Seventeen-year-old Marilyn Schackner is studying to become a commercial pilot and she and Georgie Z flew to a double clear show jump round to retain their lead. It’s the peak in her three-year partnership with the 8-year-old Zangershiede.
Schackner has helped Georgie “find his feet” for dressage, which is a challenge for the ‘big, long horse.” In return, Georgie is honest and brave on cross-country and show jumping. “Even though I make some mistakes, he always helps me a lot and he’s been that way since I first got him.”
Schackner trains with Chocolate Horse Farm and loved the Regional Championships “big atmosphere.” George is “not affected by it too much, but he’s like ‘Wow! This is fun!”
Schackner and Georgie finished on their 30 dressage. Anna Weston-Smith and Kinda B Dazzle are reserve champions and Isabella Rega and Blurred Lines are third.
Lisa Peecook and SZ Raudo are Novice-Beginner Novice Champions
The Chocolate Horse Farm team had an outsize cheer from the stands when Lisa Peecook and SZ Raudo finished show jumping with just .4 time faults. Peecook is a veteran eventer known for her great history turning OTTBs into eventers, but it’s been a while since she’s had a horse partnership story worthy of that applause.
Paired with the 5-year-old Argentine Sport Horse only since August, Peecook said he’s “been a pure pleasure to ride. It’s been a long time since I had a horse that makes me smile so much.” Asked to name their favorite phase from the weekend, Peecook said, “No! because it’s all been so fun. He is really rideable in all three.”
Peecock has oodles of gratitude to Chocolate Horse Farm’s Andrea Pfeiffer and Tommy Greengard for finding Raudo and having such a great team spirit at the barn.
Peecook and SZ Raudo won with a 25.7, followed by Chloe Smith and SR Myconos and Allyson Hartenburg and William Cool Sunrise.
Dawn Scott and Ghost are Senior Novice Rider Champions
Dawn Scott and Ghost, a 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse, both have eventing experience, but their partnership is new as of this year and everything came together to win the Championship. Scott contested the Championships last year on another horse and had a few rails on the final day, which she attributed to her own nerves.
“This year, I felt like I was finally able to take a breath, get comfortable, then be able to help my horse as well. I thought she would be nervous in the big environment, but she wasn’t. And, she’s a strong jumper.”
Students of Andrea Baxter and Rebecca Braitling at Twin Rivers Ranch, Scott and Ghost finished on their 25.6 dressage score. Jeanne Carley and Shannondale Fionn were reserve and Pam Wright and La Adela Nihull were third.
Katarina Sapia and Magheraboy are Junior Novice Rider Champions
Katarina Sapia and Magheraboy topped this division by staying on their 37.8 dressage score. Sepia is 14 and began with the now 6-year-old Irish Draught Horse when she was 12. Their cross-country effort stood out as one of their best, and dressage is coming along, said the student of Katy Robinson’s Outrageous Equestrian. “He’s a little lazy, so I am working on getting him to go forward more so we can make our distances.”
Michaela Smith and Cashmaker were reserve.
Nazila Hejazi and Tessa are Senior Beginning Novice Rider Championship
Nazila Hejazi didn’t get her own horse until she was 45. That was 7 years ago with the now 20-year-old mare Tessa, and neither had any eventing experience. So, today’s accomplishment was a major milestone on many levels.
Hejazi’s favorite phase was cross-country. “It was educational!” she exclaimed. “I counted six 90-degree turns and 2 180-degree turns which emphasized the importance of the outside leg. You have to have that to make those turns going at speed.”
The victory is the result of a team effort, she stressed. “My trainer, Carmela Richards, my husband, my friend Nicole and Nicole’s husband. It’s all team work and I am very blessed.”
Just one rail in show jumping put the grateful pair on a 32.4 to take the title.
Elisa Karnavy and Buzz Ryder are Junior Beginning Novice Rider Champions
Thirteen-year-old Elisa Karnavy got the weekend off to a good start with dressage. Their 34.1 dressage score reflected a best effort yet in her year-long partnership with the 11-year-old Mustang, Buzz Ryder. “I really felt good about that!” said Karnavy, who rides with Sigourney Jellins at Miramar Sport Horses in Northern California’s Woodside.
Karnavy and Buzz Rider had one rail in show jumping, to win on a 38.1. Laine Rethmeier and East Bound & Down are the reserve champions.
Elisa Karnavy and Foxens Little Treat are Starter Champions
After winning the previous division, Elisa Karnavy returned to claim top honors in the Starter Championships with the 20-year-old Foxens Little Treat. The high-stepping Welsh pony, who goes by “Cookie,” had not evented before Karnavy began leasing him three years ago. With the help of her trainer Sigourney Jellins of Miramar Sporthorses, Kanavy helped him learn cross-country. “He hadn’t done it before, but he’s very brave,” the rider explained. “Sometimes too brave!”
The win was a monumental improvement from last year’s Championships when the pair was disqualified after an accidental step outside of the dressage court. No such missteps this year as they started on a 29.3 and stayed there with faultless cross-country and jumping.
Eileen Morgenthaler and Bella Mia Apache are reserve champions and Sierra Clayton and Pancake are third.
Sponsors
Presenting – Land Rover Mission Viejo, Adequan i.m., CWD, Devoucoux
Gold Medal – Majyk Equipe
Silver Medal – Equerry’s, The Farrier’s Wife, ProElite, Nutrena
Bronze Medal – RevitaVet, Chocolate Horse Farm, Shires Equestrian, Area VI, Auburn Labs.
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