2002 Northeast Junior/Young Rider Dressage Championships

Wintec Leadline Class

One of the highlights at ringside on August 18, at the NEJR/YR Championships was the Wintec Leadline class. Eleven riders and their ponies were judged and every rider took home not only a blue ribbon, but also bags of goodies from the sponsors.

The Maple Magnum Memorial Trophy is presented to the oldest horse that completes the competition, and this year it was awarded to five-year-old Jimmy Iarusso, riding Tiz Dunn in the leadline class. Jimmy's mother, Anne Guptill, led Tiz, a 32-year-old mare.

The trophy is named after the Grand Prix horse ridden to great success by Anne, and later by Susan Dutta. A tearful Anne was emotional about the award and thrilled for her son, who will have the big silver trophy for a year. Jimmy was very happy to receive "Thumper's Trophy" - the nickname the great Grand Prix horse earned for his floppy ears.

Jimmy, who will be starting kindergarten in two weeks, was participating for the third year in a row in this class. Anne acquired Tiz from a client when the little mare was retired from competitive dressage. Tiz Dunn now has a career as a schoolmaster for beginners.