Healthy Competition Helps Due North Triumph in Amateur-Owner and Large Junior Hunters

Wellington, FL- February 13, 2005 - Multiple championships were common today at the Grand Hunter Field during the last day of the Kilkenny/ICH Internationale at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) in Wellington, FL. The Amateur-Owner 18-35 Hunters were the first division of the day and were split into two sections.

Due North and owner/rider Avery Dimmig of Rougemont, NC, were champions in section B of the Amateur-Owner Hunters, while Brianne Goutal of New York, NY, picked up the ride on the flashy chestnut gelding and reigned supreme in Section A of the Large Junior 16-17 Hunters.

After both riders posted wins in their first over fences classes yesterday, a healthy competition grew between them. “We were just being very competitive with one another about what ribbons we got,” commented Dimmig. Dimmig placed third in the other jumping class of the day, while Goutal was second in hers.

When the show started this morning, both were expecting not only to win their own classes, but wanted to beat each others’ scores. Dimmig guided Due North to wins in both remaining over fences classes, with identical scores of 89. It was a tough lead to follow, but Goutal was determined to win their contest.

Goutal and Due North picked up a sixth place in the Large Junior 16-17 under saddle class, and then entered the ring for two beautiful rounds in the over fences classes. The winner was Goutal, who got the top call in both classes and had scores of 89 and 90. “I kept telling her that I could do better than she did, and then she kept stepping it up another level,” said Dimmig, laughing.

Dimmig found that the ride from Goutal was different than her own, but was still beneficial for the horse. She chose to have Due North participate in two divisions to become more familiar with competing. “He’s young and we wanted to get him more experience in the ring. Brianne rides him a lot differently than I do; she’s a lot looser and more fluid,” explained Dimmig. The different riding styles did not seem to faze Due North, however, as he jumped in fantastic form both days, for both riders.

Due North defeated reserve champions Edwina and Jack Hardin Towell Jr. of Camden, SC, in the Large Junior hunters and Regall and Paige Johnson of The Plains, VA, in the Amateur-Owners.

Brianne Goutal continued her winning ways for another championship this week in the Large Junior 16-17 Hunters. In Section B, she rode Navigator for owner Manhattan Mortgage to two firsts, a second, and seventh places over fences and a fifth under saddle. The ribbons gave her the championship over Say the Word, with Alexandra Skiffington riding for Far Niente Equine.

Paige Johnson was another multiple champion at WEF this week. She and Regall were reserve champions in Section B of the Amateur-Owner 18-35 hunters, and her other mount, Skyy, was champion in Section A. Reserve champions were Reagan and Tracy Scheriff of Saddle River, NJ, in Section A.

ASPCA Maclay Horsemanship

Section A

Whitney Weeks
Tracey Mack
Caroline Oks

Section B

Jessica Speiser
Catherine Wright
Michael Delfiandra

Section C

Blythe Marano
Nikko Ritter
Hillary Dobbs

USEF Hunter Seat Medal

Section A

Heather Dobbs
Cassie Herman
Jessica Springsteen

Section B

Brianne Goutal
Blythe Marano
Whitney Weeks

Section C

Julia Shand
Addison Phillips
Catherine Wright

Photo Credit: Due North and Brianne Goutal, Champions in Large Junior Hunters 16-17 Section A. Photo by Randi Muster.