Forty-one junior and amateur equitation riders came to compete in the 2017 CPHA Foundation West Coast Equestrians (WCE) Medal Finals on Friday and Saturday at the Las Vegas National.
Friday afternoon’s first round course with rollback turns and bending lines demanded an accurate ride and track. Junior rider Kaitlyn Lovingfoss topped the field with an initial score of 88, seeking to pull off her third medal final victory of the season. Natalie Dean sat in second place with a score 86.
On Saturday afternoon, every rider had the opportunity to return for the second round, but only the top 10 from the two rounds moved on to the third and final round. The second course included a triple combination and a multitude of tight turns, as well as a time allowed of 78 seconds. Sitting in sixth after day one, twenty-one-year old amateur riderJayme Omand and her mount Zador dominated this round with a score of 83.75, with a total of 159.25 over the two days, moving into second place overall. Lovingfoss still held a narrow lead with a total of 162.75.
Having sat apart in the previous two rounds, in round three, judges Alex Jayne and Don Stewart watched and scored the top ten competitors as a pair. While maintaining their control and position, their final test was to exectute a 10-obstacle speed track. Lovingfoss came out on top with 90 points, followed by Omand, who finished with a round three score of 81.
Jayme Omand aboard Zador
The third medal final victory for her this season, Lovingfoss also won the 2017 CPHA Foundation Equitation Championship Final, 21 & under, and the 2017 CPHA Junior Hunter Seat Medal Final. Now having been paired with her horse Hasta La Vista for a year, Lovingfoss has now set her equitation goals even higher for 2018, looking to be top ten in the national medal finals on the West Coast and at Indoors.
Kaitlyn Lovingfoss and Hasta La Vista with (l-r) former CPHA President Paul Bennett,
Assistant Trainer Javier Abad, Trainer James Hagman, Dawn Miller,
Emily Esau Williams, Alexandra Rheinheimer, and Lexie Looker
The champion took home gift certificates from One K Helmets, Equifit, Roeckl Sports Riding Gloves, plus a new pair of Deniro Salento Riding Boots provided by Outdoor Outfitters. Blenheim EquiSports awarded Lovingfoss a $1,500 gift certificate from English Riding Supply and a $1,500 show credit for any Blenheim EquiSports show in 2018. Her mount, Hasta La Vista, galloped off with a cooler, sash, and a carnation wreath.
All of the top ten finalists earned extraordinary prizes including a cooler, flowers, a medal, a CPHA baseball cap, saddle pads from Ogilvy and WCE, as well as gift cards from WC Equestrian, Roeckl Riding Gloves and a pair of Foot Huggies boot socks.
RESULTS
CPHA FOUNDATION WCE MEDAL FINALS
Placing – Rider – Trainer – Rd 1 Score/Rd 2 Score/Total Score
1. 145 – Kaitlyn Lovingfoss – Jim Hagman – 88/82.75/252.75
2. 284 – Jayme Omand – Kelly Van Vleck – 80.5/83.75/240.25
3. 371 – Blake Lindsley – Jenny Karazissis – 76.5/83.25/238.75
4. 181 – Catherine Tomlinson – Liz Hutchison – 81/82.5/237.5
5. 113 – Emma Reichow – Harley Brown – 77.5/83.75/237.25
6. 280 – Nikola Barnes – Kelly Van Vleck – 77.5/80.75/235.25
7. 175 – Rollin Sykes – Nicole Husky – 77.5/78.5/233
8. 179 – Hayden Zadel – Liz Hutchinson – 83/78/231
9. 282 – Christina Vail – Kelly Van Vleck – 75/82.125/224.125
10. 126 – Libby King – Lori De Rosa – 84.5/787.5/221
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