Local Riders Compete at Steeple Ridge
by Trish Blood,
September 10, 2010, page 17.....

On August 29, 2010, at the Steeple Ridge III Horse Show in Charlotte, the Vermont Hunter Jumper Association, (VHJA) performed the annual Sarah Hadley Memorial Horsemanship Challenge. Steeple Ridge Farm on Hinesburg Road, owned by Mindy Hinsdale, has hosted five USEF sanctioned horse shows this summer.
Sarah Hadley was an outstanding young rider who passed away at an early age of MS. This three-phase challenge each year reflects all that Sarah stood for and the love and care for the animals she worked with to create a team in and out of the show ring.
Riders are encouraged to learn all aspects of caring for their horses and always to keep the best interest of their horses ahead of anything else.
The challenge has a written exam with multiple-choice questions, testing a rider’s knowledge of equine management, equipment, riding and general horsemanship. Fourteen participants from Charlotte, Shelburne, Hinesburg and surrounding areas were tested, and eight passed the exam to move on to the next phase.
The practicum phase is a one-on-one meeting with one or more judges (including a veterinarian), a horse and some riding equipment. The finalists bring a ringside grooming bag to the appointment time, showing what they would need to care for their horse and themselves before entering the ring. During the practicum the judges can ask questions about horse health and sickness, equipment, weight, exercise routines, etc.
Upon completion of the practicum, the finalists are moved on to the final riding portion of the challenge. Scores from all three phases are tallied, and results were announced Sunday afternoon.
This year, 23 points separated first and eighth places. It was a tough competition; the riders clearly studied hard for this test. First through fourth place winners receive a credit towards VHJA shows in the 2010-2011 year.
Devyn Blood and Katie Higgins of Shelburne tied for first place; Jackie Flynn of Charlotte placed third; Scarlett Stone of Shelburne placed fourth; Sunny Drescher and Katie Pelletier of Hinesburg tied for fifth place; Sara Eddy Stewart of Hinesburg placed seventh; and Amanda Gellis of Charlotte placed eighth.
The majority of the finalists keep their horses at barns located in Charlotte. In addition, the three trainers of the first place winners, Ashley Conway of Fox Horn Farm and Annie Dotoli and Mindy Hinsdale of Steeple Ridge Farm, are Charlotte residents.
The VHJA finals will be held at the Champlain Valley fairgrounds on September 25 and 26. Please come to watch and support your local riders. All horse shows are free, and every age is encouraged to attend.