Hunters Clean Up at 23rd Marshall & Sterling Insurance League National Finals
SAUGERTIES, NY (September 17, 2012) – Children’s and Adult Hunter riders, their horses and their ponies were the center of attention in the Strongid® C 2X Grand Prix Stadium this weekend during the Marshall & Sterling Insurance League National Finals at HITS-on-the-Hudson. While year-end award winners were crowned during the annual awards ceremony at Diamond Mills Hotel and Tavern on Friday evening, the Children’s and Adult Hunters took to the saddle and rode for even more ribbons over two days.
Children’s Working Hunter – Small Pony
Despite a riding accident earlier this year, Isha Swani of New York, New York has found her stride in the show ring again and piloted her own Patchwork Blueberry to Champion in the Children’s Working Hunter Small Pony division during the Marshall & Sterling Insurance League National Finals.
Swani trains with Joe Currais of Hunter’s Landing and won the Stake and Under Saddle on Saturday to secure the Championship. She was fifth in the first over fences class on Friday. “She performed exceptionally well during the Finals,” said Currais. “She rode most of the lines off her eye and saw every distance.”
Currais matched Swani and Patchwork Blueberry at the short stirrup level and they have been together for two years. “Getting here has been such a great journey for her,” he added. “These finals are very motivational for the riders and it generates a lot of enthusiasm for true sportsmanship and the industry as a whole.”
Reserve Champion honors went to Sophee Steckbeck of Clarksburg, New Jersey with her own Coconut Creek. They were second in both Over Fences classes and third in the Under Saddle.
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Isha Swani and Patchwork Blueberry on course.
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Joe Norick of Marshall & Sterling Insurance and Shelly Nelson of HITS congratulate Isha Swani.
Children’s Working Hunter – Medium Pony
Hensley Humphries and Stella Propp, both hailing from New York, New York, made their owners proud in the Children’s Working Hunter Medium Pony Division. Both rode ponies owned by First Blue, LLC and swept Champion and Reserve Champion honors.
Under the direction of Jenna Weinfurt, Humphries piloted Blu Venture Rainbeau to the blue ribbon in both the Stake and the Under Saddle to earn enough points for Champion.
Propp, who also trains with Currais, gave him another reason to celebrate, riding Simply Magical to Reserve Champion. She won the first Over Fences class, was seventh in the Stake and rode to third in the Under Saddle.
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Hensley Humphries and Blu Venture Rainbeau on their way to a win.
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Joe Norick of Marshall & Sterling Insurance and Shelly Nelson of HITS present Henley with top honors.
Children’s Working Hunter – Large Pony
Erica Ferreira of Sag Harbor, New York was the one to beat in the Children’s Working Hunter Large Pony division, winning the Stake and the Under Saddle riding Jenna Weinfurt’s His Way to Champion.
“He’s so much fun to ride and I can always count on him being there for me,” said Ferreira of the six-year-old pony. “Winning the over fences class was definitely the high point for me today.”
While Ferreira was all smiles after win, Weinfurt gave kudos to the winning pair. . “It’s always nice to have a pony that can win the Under Saddle and those points really helped us,” she said. “Erica was accurate and the pony was brave and scopey all day.”
Emilie Flower of Westport, Connecticut rode to Reserve Champion with Anna Petterson’s Smooth Move after winning the first Over Fences class and placing third in the Under Saddle.
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Erica Ferreira and His Way on course.
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Joe Norick of Marshall & Sterling Insurance congratulate Erica.
Children’s Working Hunter – Horse
Top scores in the Children’s Working Hunter – Horse division went to Vivian Zetterstrom of Huntington, New York her own Spotlight. Zetterstrom piloted Spotlight, a 16.2 bay gelding to a win in the first Over Fences class and was third in the Under Saddle.
Zetterstrom rode to the victory under direction by Brooke Chasin of North Shore Equestrian Center.
Adriana Savettiere of Chester, New Jersey her own Bullet Proof were Reserve Champions after winning the Stake and placing fourth in the Under Saddle.
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Vivian Zetterstrom and Spotlight jump to a win.
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Joe Norick of Marshall & Sterling Insurance and Kristen Vale of HITS present champions honors to Vivian and Spotlight.
Adult Working Hunter
Not only did Lauren Muller of Bradenton, Florida ride to Champion in the Adult Working Hunter Division on Lisa Beebe’s Love and Honor, she was also named Best Adult Rider at the conclusion of the Marshall & Sterling Insurance League National Finals.
Muller and Love and Honor were in the money three times during the Adult Working Hunter Division, finishing third in the first Over Fences class, winning the Stake and finishing second in the Under Saddle.
Reserve Champion was awarded to Rebecca Clawson of Plympton, Massachusetts and her own Freeport. They topped Muller in the first Over Fences round with a blue ribbon, were right on her heels in the Stake in second and finished fourth in the Under Saddle.
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Lauren Muller jumps Love and Honor to a win.
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Joe Norick of Marshall & Sterling Insurance and Kristen Vale of HITS present Lauren Muller with winner's awards.
About The Marshall & Sterling League
The Marshall & Sterling League was designed to enhance the level of competition for children and adult riders, with an opportunity to qualify for a prestigious National Finals competition. Now celebrating their 22nd year, the Marshall & Sterling League features 14 divisions of competition. Riders who are members of the League had the opportunity to earn points throughout the year by competing in Marshall & Sterling classes in order to qualify for the Marshall & Sterling League Finals, held at HITS-on-the-Hudson in Saugerties, New York.
The Marshall & Sterling League is proudly sponsored by Marshall & Sterling Insurance, Inc. Marshall & Sterling Insurance, Inc., founded in 1864, is among the largest privately owned insurance agencies in the United States. For more than a quarter century, Marshall & Sterling has protected precious equine assets with unparalleled service and support, whether the family hunter, a champion racehorse or a commercial farm. An employee-owned company, Marshall & Sterling is recognized throughout the nation as a leader in providing exceptional service and support. The company maintains a national presence and is licensed in all 50 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands.