Article & photos by Nancy Brannon; additional photos by Gary Cox
West Tennessee Hunter Jumper Association’s 2022 show season got underway the first Saturday in April (2) with their semi-annual schooling show, followed by the national-rated Springtime in Dixie, April 7-10 and Springtime Encore, April 13-16.
Schooling Show
Beautiful Spring weather brought out 73 horses to be shown in nearly 300 classes over courses designed by Jason Schnelle and judged by Reagen Bugg and Kristen Schnelle. Local trainers had many riders to brag about. Beanie Cone from Hunters Edge Stables brought 21 riders and their accomplishments included Champion and two Reserve Champions in Short/Long Stirrup division: Callie Mullins on Patchwork Seagull (CH), and Emily Nyen on Biggie Smalls and Avery Nyen on Willie Be Mine, respectively. Brooke Buras and Blue By You were 2’6” Open Hunters Champions.
Clara Farrell and Billy the Kid were Aintree Farms’ Short/Long Stirrup division Champions.
Jane Olsen noted that Lily Powell and Stay Classy were Champions in the 0.8m Jumpers in their debut performance. Another debut was Jaelyn Miller on Westside, who was Champion in Opportunity 2’ division.
Trinity Farms’ Remus, ridden by Aleix Scott, was 0.7m Jumper Champion.
Springtime in Dixie
Eric Mayberry of Sarasota, FL was the course designer for Springtime in Dixie, with judges Mary Eufemia of Palm Harbor, FL and Sheryl Sutheby of Ellicott City, MD. Tara Krisle Williams was the Jumper judge for all spring shows. Weather was fair, breezy and in the lower 60s on Thursday, but turned windy and much cooler on Friday, with a frost early Saturday morning. Sunshine dominated the rest of the show with warmer temperatures.
A featured class of both shows was the $3,000 WTHJA Hunter Derby, and both included several divisions of Classics. Autumn Chase Farm’s Jason Schnelle captured first in the WTHJA Hunter Derby on Cheryl Rubenstein’s Capisce and second on Nicole Walters’ Playbook.
Placing in 34 of 40 classes entered, Jason Schnelle also rode Cheryl Rubenstein’s Capisce to Champion in Performance Hunter 3’3”/3’6” (comb.) and Nicole Harris’ Le Diplomate to Reserve Champion. He rode Nicole Walters’ Playbook to first in USHJA 3’. He rode Nicole Harris’ other horse Girl Crush to reserve champion in USHJA 2’6” and Carolyn Woodard’s Talladega to first in USHJA 2’3”. He rode Prescott to champion in Baby Green Hunter.
Spring Mill Farms’ Naomi Gillen placed in 35 of 38 classes entered; she rode Seaton Edmonds’ Granit M to Green Hunter 3’9”/3’6” Champion.
The third busiest rider was Hunters Edge Stables’ Catie Beth Varian, placing in 26 out of 31 classes entered, riding six different horses.
Rachel Sutton was Amateur Owner Hunter 3’3”/3’6” (comb.) Champion on her Solo Con Te 2.
Turner Kitchens was Pony Hunter Champion on The Roan Ranger.
Full results of the shows are posted at horseshowsonline.com. Find complete information about the Springtime shows at www.wthja.com.
West Tennessee Hunter Jumper Association’s 2022 show season got underway the first Saturday in April (2) with their semi-annual schooling show, followed by the national-rated Springtime in Dixie, April 7-10 and Springtime Encore, April 13-16.
Schooling Show
Beautiful Spring weather brought out 73 horses to be shown in nearly 300 classes over courses designed by Jason Schnelle and judged by Reagen Bugg and Kristen Schnelle. Local trainers had many riders to brag about. Beanie Cone from Hunters Edge Stables brought 21 riders and their accomplishments included Champion and two Reserve Champions in Short/Long Stirrup division: Callie Mullins on Patchwork Seagull (CH), and Emily Nyen on Biggie Smalls and Avery Nyen on Willie Be Mine, respectively. Brooke Buras and Blue By You were 2’6” Open Hunters Champions.
Clara Farrell and Billy the Kid were Aintree Farms’ Short/Long Stirrup division Champions.
Jane Olsen noted that Lily Powell and Stay Classy were Champions in the 0.8m Jumpers in their debut performance. Another debut was Jaelyn Miller on Westside, who was Champion in Opportunity 2’ division.
Trinity Farms’ Remus, ridden by Aleix Scott, was 0.7m Jumper Champion.
Springtime in Dixie
Eric Mayberry of Sarasota, FL was the course designer for Springtime in Dixie, with judges Mary Eufemia of Palm Harbor, FL and Sheryl Sutheby of Ellicott City, MD. Tara Krisle Williams was the Jumper judge for all spring shows. Weather was fair, breezy and in the lower 60s on Thursday, but turned windy and much cooler on Friday, with a frost early Saturday morning. Sunshine dominated the rest of the show with warmer temperatures.
A featured class of both shows was the $3,000 WTHJA Hunter Derby, and both included several divisions of Classics. Autumn Chase Farm’s Jason Schnelle captured first in the WTHJA Hunter Derby on Cheryl Rubenstein’s Capisce and second on Nicole Walters’ Playbook.
Placing in 34 of 40 classes entered, Jason Schnelle also rode Cheryl Rubenstein’s Capisce to Champion in Performance Hunter 3’3”/3’6” (comb.) and Nicole Harris’ Le Diplomate to Reserve Champion. He rode Nicole Walters’ Playbook to first in USHJA 3’. He rode Nicole Harris’ other horse Girl Crush to reserve champion in USHJA 2’6” and Carolyn Woodard’s Talladega to first in USHJA 2’3”. He rode Prescott to champion in Baby Green Hunter.
Spring Mill Farms’ Naomi Gillen placed in 35 of 38 classes entered; she rode Seaton Edmonds’ Granit M to Green Hunter 3’9”/3’6” Champion.
The third busiest rider was Hunters Edge Stables’ Catie Beth Varian, placing in 26 out of 31 classes entered, riding six different horses.
Rachel Sutton was Amateur Owner Hunter 3’3”/3’6” (comb.) Champion on her Solo Con Te 2.
Turner Kitchens was Pony Hunter Champion on The Roan Ranger.
Full results of the shows are posted at horseshowsonline.com. Find complete information about the Springtime shows at www.wthja.com.
