Grand Working Hunter Championship Goes to Cookie Beck and Winter Place at Horse Shows by the Bay

The 2008 Horse Shows by the Bay equestrian festival continued competition today in its first scheduled week, which runs through Sunday, July 20. The entire show continues until Sunday, August 3.

After two successful days of competition and a championship win in the Second Year Green Working Hunters yesterday, Cookie Beck and Winter Place were presented with the award for Grand Working Hunter Champions this morning. Winter Place, owned by Caitlyn Ziegler of Mequon, WI is a very special and talented horse and greatly deserves the win according to both owner and rider.

Day three of Horse Shows by the Bay continued on in the Polk Family Main Hunter Ring today with the ASPCA Maclay Horsemanship and the Pessoa/USEF Hunter Seat Medal classes.

Coming in first place in the Maclay were Laura Pfeiffer of Temperance, MI and her equitation mount Eli. The young horse has had a successful year so far with Pfeiffer riding him to wins in several competitions including Ocala, Kentucky and now here at Horse Shows by the Bay.

"We are putting some miles on him and breaking him in," Pfeiffer said. "He is a super horse, (and) he has great potential."

Fifteen-year-old Pfeiffer is part of a family with five generations of riders. Her family, the Howard family, runs Fox Meadow Farm, a boarding and training facility that works with a lot of hunter, jumper and equitation horses and riders. Fox Meadow Farm and the Howard family are the sponsors of the championship awards for series III here at Horse Shows by the Bay this year.

After a win in the Maclay, Pfeiffer and Eli also went on to place second in the Pessoa/USEF Hunter Seat Medal.

Following behind Pfeiffer and Eli in their Maclay win were Erin Hickey of Cincinnati, OH and her horse R. Adermie 4.

"I am really happy, that was one of my best rounds ever!" exclaimed Hickey after her second place Maclay ribbon.

The 16-year-old high school junior trains with David Beisel and has been riding for nine years now, but just started doing the 3'6" equitation classes this year.

"She was really good for me this round," Hickey said. "I am very happy."

Following Pfeiffer and Hickey in the Maclay standings were Concerto and Lauren Sogard of Indianapolis, IN in third place and Vintage and rider Natalie Thompson in fourth.

Next up came the Pessoa/USEF Hunter Seat Medal with a first place win going to Emily Reynolds and Grimaldi 54, owned by Casey Hodges and family of Aiken, SC. Reynolds, from Glen Ellyn, IL, is 14 years old and has been leasing the horse from the Hodges family for the past two years and competing in the equitation with him for about a year.

After a successful jumping round in the class, only Reynolds and three other riders were called back to test. The test was a challenging one for the four horses and riders consisting of a hand gallop to the first jump, counter canter to a second jump, regular working canter bending around to a third jump and then the execution of two flying lead changes on their way back to line. Reynolds and Grimaldi 54 performed the test flawlessly, landing them the win.

"I am really happy right now, really excited," Reynolds said after her win. "I liked the test a lot. It was actually great for him because he is really good at all the lead changes."

Owner of the horse as well as Reynolds' trainer, Wendy Arndt-Hodges, had nothing but good things to say after the ride. "She is up and coming," she exclaimed. "Watch out!"

Following Reynolds and Grimaldi 54 in the top four to test were Laura Pfeiffer of Temperance, MI and Eli in second, Laura King-Kaplan and Stallone VDL in third, and Katherine Stewart and Diamond Rock in fourth.

Another full day of equestrian competition is scheduled for tomorrow here at Horse Shows by the Bay in beautiful Traverse City, MI. Be sure to check back in for all of the day's highlights.

For more information on Horse Shows by the Bay and the fun events planned for competitors and spectators alike, please go to www.horsesportsbythebay.com.