Chestnut Hill is happy to welcome new client, Caroline DeMoss and her horse, Indiana Jones (pictured above) a 14-year old Thoroughbred.  The duo have been successfully competing in the hunter, equitation and medal rings.  

Chestnut Hill horses will have three more year-round paddocks available this winter, thanks to the work that the Beaumont Farms team started this weekend.  The paddocks will be ready long before the rain comes.  Year-round paddocks allow the horses to safely spend more time outside during the wet, muddy, rainy months, where they can stretch their muscles, get a few bucks out and just plain relax.  (Pictured above:  Laying the foundation for the year-round paddock footing.)

Congratulations to Sissy Robbins on the purchase of Jonagold from fellow Chestnut Hill rider, Jenna Huang.  Jonagold is a 17 hand, 15 year-old Belgian Warmblood.  Look for this new pair in the Adult Amateur hunter ring, as well as the 3′ equitation and medal rings!  

Trainer Beverly Jovais just returned from judging at the Horse & Hound Medal Finals Horse Show, held at the Brookside Equestrian Park in Elk Grove, California.  Of her her first outing in her newest professional challenge, Beverly said, “Judging requires not only a wealth of knowledge, but extreme concentration for long periods of time and an organized system.  I learned a great deal from my fellow judges, and I have a better appreciation for what a difficult job it is.  I will be sure to always thank them for their hard work.  I know that judging will make me a better trainer.  It is a labor of love and a great way to give back to the sport I love.”

Bernie Traurig, legendary rider, trainer and coach, winner of the prestigious AHSA and Maclay Medals, member of the U.S. Three Day Event team, winner of numerous dressage Grand Prix as well as National Working Hunter Championships, gave a two-day clinic at Chestnut Hill.  Traurig, who was also short listed for the World Championship trials and Olympic Games, took riders through a series of flat and jumping exercises and identified specific solutions for each rider and horse pair.  The encouraging, but tough master did lots of work improving riders’ position to make them more effective riders.  He offered mounted demonstrations as well, allowing participants to witness the application of his principles in action.  (Pictured above: Katharina Coleman riding Bridget Twomey’s “Thoughtful”, Bernie Traurig, and Katy Hull on Blaire Kinglsey’s “Gran Turismo.” Pictured below:  Tylor Nowell on “Canterbury Brightlight”, Bernie, Gwen McLaughlin on “Capito.”
 

Congratulations to Kelley LaFond and her mount Sporting United (pictured above) on winning the NorCal Senior 3’6 Medal Final.  The biggest challenge of the competition, according to Kelley, was shifting from a “conservative trappy course on Saturday to an open, galloping-type course on Sunday.”  She credited her “great, amazing horse and an inspirational, intelligent coach with a sense of humor – Beverly,” for her big win.

Ashley Delgado and her pony Prince Monticello (pictured below) won the championship in the Small Pony Hunter division.  For more results from this and other shows, click on the “Results” button in the navigation bar above. 

Chestnut Hill riders and their horses bested the field by winning the following divisions: Pre-Green Hunter, Modified Open Hunter, Children’s Hunter, Adult Amateur Hunter, Low Adult Hunter, Schooling Pony Hunter, Equitation 12 – 14 and Low Adult Equitation divisions.  In addition, they won reserve championships in Pre-Green Hunter, Modified Open Hunter, Children’s Pony Hunter, and Equitation 15 – 17 divisions. Congratulations to all!

Chestnut Hill team Kelley LaFond and “Sporting United,” her 18 hand, 15 year-old Hannoverian gelding placed 3rd in this year’s PCHA Adult Medal Final.  According to Kelley, the finals were a great test for both riders and horses, with a technical course and the USEF tests built in.  She said, “you had to be able to ride by the seat of your britches!”  The duo will be at the NorCal Show this week, along with the rest of Chestnut Hill.  Kelley and her horse will compete in the NorCal 3’6 Adult Finals and will finish up the year in Los Angeles for the WCE and PCHA Equitation Championship.  Congratulations and Good Luck to all!