ASPCA Maclay Regional Qualifiers Award Six Winners

New York, NY - Six of the eight ASPCA Maclay Regional qualifiers have been held and top junior riders came home with victory. The ASPCA Maclay National Championship will be held at the Syracuse Invitational Sporthorse Tournament, featuring the 125th National Horse Show. The show will run from October 29 to November 2, 2008, at the Oncenter Complex in Syracuse, NY.

The ASPCA Maclay Horsemanship class has been held since 1933, and it is one of the most prestigious competitions for junior riders in the United States. Its winners are some of the biggest names in equestrian sport. Previous winners include: William Steinkraus in 1941, Frank Chapot (1948), George Morris (1952), Leslie Burr (1972), Stacia Klein Madden in 1987, and Nicole Shahinian Simpson in 1992. Last year's ASPCA Maclay National Championship winner was Kimberly McCormack of Clermont, NJ.

The winner of the Region 2 qualifier was 16-year-old Jacqueline Lubrano of Glenmoore, PA. She piloted her horse Golou II, a 15-year-old Hannoverian gelding. Golou was her sister Elizabeth's equitation horse and her sister finished second at last year's National Championship. This was only Jacqueline's third show on him. Lubrano trains with Beacon Hill Farm.

Lubrano was third after the jumping phase and moved up to first after the flat phase. She stayed on top after the top six riders were tested. This will be Lubrano's third year at the ASPCA Maclay National Championship. "I want to stay consistent in the equitation in all of the finals; that's a big goal for me," she said.

The Region 8 winner was Shelby Wakeman of Westlake Village, CA. The 17-year-old rode San Francisco, the horse that she placed third with at last year's National Championship. "My horse was amazing and everything just worked out beautifully. I don't really know how to explain it," Wakeman recalled. "When I walked into the ring, I just relaxed and everything came naturally." Wakeman sat in second place after the jumping phase and moved up to first after the flat phase. There was no test given in the class. Wakeman trains with Karen Healey Stables.

The youngest Regional qualifier winner was in Region 3. Riding as a thirteen-year-old, Hasbrouck Donovan of Gainesville, FL, piloted Levity to the win. She trains with Don Stewart Stables. Donovan rode well in both phases to ensure that a work-off was not necessary.

"I was really nervous," Donovan revealed. "The course was hard; it was definitely a little bit of a challenge. We had to do rollbacks to gates, and I thought I did that pretty well." This will be Donovan's first time showing in the ASPCA Maclay National Championship. She remarked, "I'm excited that I made it and that I get to go to Syracuse. I would like to get a ribbon there hopefully. I felt very good and that all of my work paid off."

Seventeen-year-old Chris Nelson of Dallas, TX, took home the win in Region 5. He is a working student for Don Stewart and rode Stewart's new horse Caruso to victory. This is Nelson's first year showing in the equitation divisions. "It was very exciting to win; I was really quite shocked because I hadn't done equitation very much before," he said. "Bibby Farmer Hill was up there for Don, and she did so much for me. I really appreciate all that she did."

"I'm really excited that I get to go to indoors," he added. "I've only been to Capital Challenge, and this is my first and last chance to do the Maclay. I'm not sure who I'll be riding, but I've been riding a lot of different horses and trying to get prepared for anything they ask us to do."

In Region 6, it was 16-year-old Audrey Carlson of Boulder, CO, who was awarded the blue ribbon. "I was really excited and kind of speechless at the same time," said a smiling Carlson after the contest. "I wasn't expecting it at all since I had a few mistakes, so it was really nice."

"The (Maclay Regional classes) are very important to me," added Carlson, "just because they are in the regional level and they are a goal that can be accomplished." Carlson trains with Michael Dennehy.

The Region 7 winner was 14-year-old Hannah Evans of Kirkland, WA. Evans trains with Denise Youell. This was Evans' second time in the Maclay Regional; she placed fourth last year. "It was a really good class. I came in on top into the flat phase from the first round of jumping, and they tested the top four," she explained.

This year marks the first time that Evans will attend the ASPCA Maclay National Championships. "I'm looking forward to meeting new people and figuring out the swing of things. It will be a whole new experience," she said.

There are two remaining qualifiers for the ASPCA Maclay National Championship. The Region 1 (Northeast- CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT) qualifier is on September 28, 2008, at the Grand Fall Classic in Westbrook, CT. The Region 4 (Midwest- IL, IN, KY, MI, OH) qualifier will be held on September 27, 2008, at the Kentucky National in Lexington, KY.

For more information on the ASPCA Maclay National Championships and its qualifiers as well as the National Horse Show Association of America, please visit www.nhs.org.

The Syracuse Invitational Sporthorse Tournament featuring the 125th National Horse Show welcomes the top-ranked equestrians from across the US and the world to downtown Syracuse to compete at the War Memorial Arena in the Oncenter Complex. The event features a full slate of high-level competition, entertainment, shopping and exhibitions and runs October 29 to November 2, 2008. A 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization, the Syracuse Invitational benefits Cornell University Equine Hospital and Vera House. More information is available at www.syracuseinvitational.com.

2008 Maclay Regional Ribbon Winners

Region 2 - Sept. 7 - Old Salem Farm
- Jacqueline Lubrano, Glenmoore, PA
- Sophie Benjamin, Rancho Santa Fe, CA
- Johanna Hyppa, Portland, CT
- Chelsea Moss, Medford, NJ
- Matthew Metell, North Falmouth, MA
- Michael Desiderio, Chester, NJ
- Jessica Springsteen, Colts Neck, NJ
- Laura King-Kaplan, Irvington, NY
- Brian Feigus, Colts Neck, NJ
- Carolyn Curcio, West Islip, NY

Region 3 - Sept. 6 - Jacksonville, FL
- Hasbrouck Donovan, Gainesville, FL
- Molly Braswell, Ocala, FL
- Paige Dekko, Naples, FL
- Paulena Johnson, Bristol, VA
- Chase Boggio, Canton, GA
- Amber Henter, St. Petersburg, FL
- Anders Keitz, Boca Raton, FL
- Lindsay Strafuss, Memphis, TN
- Lindsey Irvin, Woodstock, GA
- Catherine Billings, Tallahassee, FL

Region 5 - Sept. 14 - St. Louis, MO
- Chris Nelson, Dallas, TX
- Kelly Lively, Holiston, MA
- Kirstie Dobbs,, Camel, IN
- Michael Burnett, Carmel, IN
- Caitlin Ziegler, Mequon, WI
- Abigail Crowell, East Dennis, MA
- Ellie Bernstein, New Orleans, LA
- Zoe Glassman, Germantown, TN
- Emma Roberts, Houston, TX
- Sarah Milliren, Sapulpa, OK

Region 6 - Sept. 14 - High Prairie, CO
- Audrey Carlson, Boulder, CO
- Sopie Onody, Aurora, CO
- Emily McCoy, Glenwood Springs, CO
- Elizabeth Wilkins, Evergreen, CO
- Elizabeth Savoy, Parker, CO
- Olivia Chowdry, Golden, CO
- Sybil Rose, Paradise Valley, AZ
- Tyler Grayson, Boulder, CO
- Kelley Buringa, Golden, CO

Region 7 - Sept. 14 - Monroe, WA
- Hannah Evans, Kirkland, WA
- Carly Anthony, Redmond, WA
- Jacque Stuckens, Bellevue, WA
- Sami Taft, Ketchum, ID
- Alexa Anthony, Redmond, WA
- Kendall Bourgeois, Seattle, WA
- Max Thompson, Woodinville, WA
- Amanda Moore, Botholl, WA
- Miranda Coon, South Surrey, BC
- Vivian Keller, Kirland, WA

Region 8 - Sept. 13 - San Juan Capistrano, CA
- Shelby Wakeman, Thousand Oaks, CA
- Tina Di Landri, La Jolla, CA
- Mallory Olson, Newport Coast, CA
- Lucy Davis, Los Angeles, CA
- Jocelyn Neff, Newport Beach, CA
- Jennifer Stillman, Beverly Hills, CA
- Catie Verano, San Clemente, CA
- Allison Fithian, Monterey, CA
- Julia Nagler, Oakland, CA
- Michelle Morris, La Canada, Flintridge, CA

Photo Credit: Jacqueline Lubrano and Golou II were the winners of the Region 2 ASPCA Maclay qualifier. Photo (C) 2008 James Leslie Parker.