Corinne Ashton and Dobbin Win Advanced Championship - Nate Chambers Keeps His Cool to Win Intermediate at the Wellpride American Eventing Championships

By Amber Heintzberger

Advanced

Nothing was easy to predict in the stadium jumping phase of the Advanced championship at the Wellpride American Eventing Championships at Lamplight Equestrian Center in Wayne, IL today. Only Canadian rider Kelly List and Minstral was the only rider to have a double clear round.

Dressage leader Allison Springer, who was in fifth place going into the final phase riding Arthur, had eight time faults to finish on 40.7.

Fourth-placed Corinne Ashton on Dobbin had one rail down for a score 36.5, then Darren Chiacchia on Timothy Holekamp's Windfall II had two rails to finish on 38.4. John Williams and Sloopy were ranked second going into stadium but three rails down plus a time fault dropped them to a final sixth place (42.6). When overnight leader Becky Holder and Courageous Comet had four rails down and four time faults they dropped to a final eighth place, giving Ashton the win.

It has been a successful year for Ashton, who won the Adequan USEA Gold Cup events at Southern Pines and was second at Stuart horse trials. An employee of Dover Saddlery and mother of two daughters, she has commented that she feels now is the time for her to really 'go for it' with Dobbin. She and the gelding have competed at the Rolex Kentucky CCI**** and he is now 13 years old.

Intermediate 

Nate Chambers is overcome with happiness after winning the Intermediate Championship on his 11-year old Hessen gelding Rolling Stone II on his dressage of 33.4. Chambers, 19 of Middleburg, Virginia won the Preliminary Championship at the inaugural AEC in 2004, also with Rolling Stone II. The pair moved up to Intermediate level last year and had a few growing pains, but he started training with Mara Dean and Phillip Dutton last winter and he said his riding has improved tremendously. The proof is in his results since last month he earned an individual silver medal at the NAJYRC in Lexington, Virginia. He said that his horse has earned a rest and will have some time off until December, when he'll start work again in preparation for going to Aiken to train and compete starting in January.

Chambers rose to the occasion and put in a double clear round following dressage leader John Williams on Sweepea Dean, who won the 2005 USEF one-star championship, with added time faults to cross-country to tie Chambers' score. Williams had two rails down and finished with the reserve championship on a score of 41.4.

"I always love the AEC," commented Chambers. "It's a lot of fun and I love the big show atmosphere – it feels like a big deal."

Chambers also finished 33rd in the Jr/YR Preliminary Championship riding George Grayson's Truman IX, a horse that he said is still quite green at this level.

Preliminary

Jennie Brannigan of Temecula, CA had a stellar weekend, winning the Jr/YR Preliminary Championship with her own horse Cooper, a 6-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding that she bought from Kelli Temple. Later in the day Brannigan claimed the Jr/YR Training Championship on Mona Munos' Plain Jane (27.9).

"She's a super kid," commented Brannigan's coach and employer, Mike Winter. "She's going to be good – she's a very talented rider."

Tiffany Lunnie and My Tuition won the Preliminary Amateur Championship after Lisa Barry withdrew and overnight leader Duncan MacRae crossed his tracks on course and was eliminated.

Lauren Kieffer and David O'Connor's Walk on the Moon started out in eighth (29.2), moved up to third after cross-country and finished on their dressage score to win the Preliminary Horse Championship. Mike Winter and Jim Walker's Unsteelable moved up from eleventh after dressage to finish second (30.4) adding nothing to their dressage score, followed by Justine Dutton who was in the lead with Samson VIII going into stadium but dropped to third place after a rail down.

Training

Plain Jane and Jennie Brannigan moved into first after dressage and cross-country leader Nina Ligon on Chai Thai dropped a rail in stadium to finish on 29.8 in second place. Munos bought the mare at a sport horse auction and Brannigan has been riding her since March. This was only the mare's third competition at Training level. 

Ashley DeBoer, 24 of Haslett, MI won the Training Amateur Championship riding her six-year-old Hannoverian mare Safari (30.5) that she imported from Germany from Alex Gerding. She started in fourth after dressage, moved up to third and then won the event by finishing on her dressage score. DeBoer lives and trains at the Foote family's Shoeman Road Family Farm, home of today's Jr/YR Novice Championship winner Taylor Foote. The Foote family has four daughters, all riders.

"I went once to the AEC at Training level," said DeBoer. "I finished on my dressage score but didn't place. My horse was just perfect this week. We were well prepared and she was awesome."

Mary Jordan and Paxton Abbey moved up from ninth place after dressage to claim the reserve championship. Jordan, who drove all the way from Maine for the Championship, also claimed the reserve in the Novice Championship at the Wellpride AEC last year. She has Multiple Schlerosis and rides for Team Copaxone, a drug company that sponsors athletes with MS in various sports. Jordan said that her mother passed away in June and that riding has helped her stay happy and focused. "I was at the GMHA adult camp and the instructors there were an inspiration," she said. "To win here, it's just amazing to have lightning strike twice. I just moved up to Training level this year and both times I have been less than a point from the winner. It's just incredible."

Leslie Law and All the Buzz, a horse he brought over from his native England, won the Training Horse Championship on their dressage score of 23.7. Law said that the young horse is still quite green but he thinks that he is the most talented horse he has ridden since his successful international horse Shear L'Eau.

Novice

Rebecca Goad and Happy Daze had a rail down and Christina Lawton and R'Romeo won the Novice Amateur Championship (29.0). Rondi Bystrom and Blue were close behind (30) with Jim Koctavy and For Play moving up from ninth after dressage to finish third (30.5).

Emily Beshear and Phinneus led from start to finish (22.6) in the Novice Horse Championship, besting a field of 52 entries that included top riders Allison Springer, Boyd Martin and Mike Huber.

"Phinneus was very green but honest on cross-country yesterday," said Beshear. "Today he was good; he was a little stressed out in the warm-up but he went in and did his job." Beshear also placed sixth overall in Intermediate (50.2) riding her husband Jeff's big grey gelding Blue Devil.

The Jr/YR Novice Championship went to 11-year-old Taylor Foote of Michigan riding her beautiful grey gelding Lazerbeam, owned by her mother Theresa Foote. Taylor also competes in jumpers, which she said helps her out in the stadium jumping phase at events. She plans to move up to Training level in Florida over the winter.

Beginner Novice

In the Open Beginner Novice division Laura Chumley on Neil Sorum's adorable Fjord pony SNF Maarta finished on their dressage score to win the division. Dressage and cross-country leader Tera MacDonald, who scored an impressive 19 in the dressage and went double clear cross-country riding La Tee Da, was unfortunately found to be ineligible to compete at the Beginner Novice Championship since she has competed at the Preliminary level within the last year. She said, "I thought qualification was by the horse, not the rider. It's too bad, but I am grateful to have completed the event." For her graciousness in agreeing to ride Hors Concours, MacDonald was presented with a special award by the USEA.

Tawn Edwards and Luna had a rail down and dropped from second to fifth place while Rene and Pancho Villa went clear to finish in second place.

Chumley lives in Kentucky and trains with Cathy Wieschhoff who also competed this weekend. Chumley also rode Rung Rim's Grainne, owned by Pat Reichle in the Open Beginner Novice Championship and tied for seventh place (29.0).

The fourth annual Wellpride AEC proved to be a huge success. Record entries competed at Lamplight Equestrian Center this week and enjoyed four days of competition, seminars, socializing and shopping in the trade fair. New friends were made, old friends reunited, and competitive goals were achieved. The event will return to Lamplight for the next two years, and is sure to get better and better. See you there in 2008!

Photo Credits: Corinne Ashton and Dobbin accept their award for the Advanced Championship at the Wellpride AEC.
Nate Chambers and Rolling Stone II won the Intermediate Championship at the Wellpride AEC.
Photo Copyright Amber Heintzberger 2007