NEWS RELEASE – RESULTS Media Contact: Cheyenne Lord at [email protected] or Betty Weibel at 440-543-8615 PHOTOS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST Chagrin Hunter Jumper Classic Closes With Rave Reviews July 15, 2019 – The Chagrin Hunter Jumper Classic (CHJC) closed Sunday amid cheers and rave reviews. The 10-day horse show celebrated 70 years of equestrian competition with various events and beautiful weather conditions at the Cleveland Metroparks Polo Field in Moreland Hills. The grand finale of the competition was the $50,000 Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund Cleveland Grand Prix, which has been running since 1965. An estimated 4,000 spectators turned out to cheer on a field of 14 horses, and they weren’t disappointed. Designed by Eric Mayberry, the course consisting of 15 jumping efforts eliminated all but four competitors from the original starting field. Two of those four were Ohioans Ali Wolff (New Albany) and Megan Bash (Hunting Valley). First in the jump-off was Elyria Sitte, a 9-year-old Swedish mare, ridden by Filip de Wandel of Mechanicsburg, Pa. The pair had been together for about eight weeks, and this was Elyria Sitte’s first grand prix. They set a speedy time to beat with a clear score of 38.989 seconds. Originally from Belgium, this was de Wandel’s first time at the CHJC. Next in the jump-off was Willie Tynan of Wellington, Fla., aboard Freya, the only of his four entries to clear the first round. De Wandel’s lead held as Tynan and Freya knocked a rail at the second-to-last jump, fashioned after the Terminal Tower in downtown Cleveland. Ali Wolff of New Albany, Ohio, was third in the order, riding her 14-year-old Holsteiner Casall. With similar speed and tight turns, Wolff jumped clean in 38.943 seconds, beating de Wandel’s time by just hundredths of a second. Closing out the round was Megan Bash of Hunting Valley, Ohio, aboard 20-year-old Silver Spring, the most seasoned horse in the class. They also went fault-free in the jump-off but couldn’t out-speed the other competitors, earning a time of 42.904. “I didn’t even know,” Wolff said about the difference between the times. She added that if she watched too many riders before her round, she would get too competitive. “I have to focus on just riding my round, not worrying about someone else’s.” Earlier in the week, Wolff and Casall won the $10,000 Welcome Stake, and de Wandel and Elyria Sitte topped the field in the $5,000 Open Speed Stake. Both said they were very happy with their horses throughout the show. “They do such an amazing job here and run such a great show that I want to keep supporting that,” Wolff said. “This is also a great horse show to use for getting clients into the ring in bigger classes to gain experience, while at the same time competing against a lot of big-name people.” $50,000 Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund Cleveland Grand Prix Results Placing Horse Rider Hometown Prize Money 1 Casall Ali Wolff New Albany, OH $15,000 2 Elyria Sitte Filip de Wandel Mechanicsburg, PA $11,000 3 Silver Spring Megan Bash Hunting Valley, OH $6,500 4 Freya Willie Tynan Wellington, FL $4,000 5 Fancy Girl Willie Tynan Wellington, FL $3,000 6 Dominique Willie Tynan Wellington, FL $2,500 7 Halibo van Texelhof Hayley Barnhill Collierville, TN $2,000 8 Quirie 2 Ali Wolff New Albany, OH $1,500 9 Gregory ES Hayley Barnhill Collierville, TN $1,500 10 Carlton Cafe Jill Gaffney Batavia, OH $1,000 11 VDL Giardo Alexa Lowe Upperville, VA $1,000 Wiseman 12 Corneel Virginia Bonnie Upperville, VA $1,000 Ali Wolff and Casall (Credit: Anne Gittins) In Hunter Action In the hunter ring, professional Kelley Farmer of Wellington, Fla. won the top hunter prize in the $20,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby Saturday night. She was the busiest rider of the night with four entries and won aboard Consent, a 7-year-old Westphalian owned by David Glefke in partnership with Olympian Kent Farrington. “All four of my horses were first-year horses this year,” Farmer said. “This horse (Consent) is so amazing. I was a little afraid coming in because we kept taking second in other shows, but he tries so hard. I’m so excited for him because he deserves those kinds of scores.” Consent earned a combined score of 401 points between his classic and handy rounds, beating second-place Nandino, ridden by Samantha Cooper of Hudson, Ohio, by nearly 20 points. Kelley Farmer and Consent in their victory lap (Credit: Anne Gittins) In the $5,000 National Hunter Derby on Sunday, Jennifer Alfano of Ocala, Fla., took top honors aboard the 12- year-old Silver Lining, owned by Kathy Chiaf of Edmond, Okla. “We always love coming here,” Alfano said. “It’s a nice show in a nice area, and they always do a really nice job. This is probably one of our favorite shows of the season.” Many Chagrin Valley riders did well against national competitors, and the list of champions and reserve riders include many children and adult winners. For full results on the show, visit horseshowsonline.com and chagrinhunterjumperclassic.org. Other honors Many awards were given outside the show ring, including the Mike Rheinheimer Equitation Award, which was awarded to Graciela Robert of Concord Twp., Ohio. For the best landscaped stable area, Megan Bash’s Cleveland Equestrian (Novelty, Ohio) won top honors in the Best Tack Room contest. The grooms and braiders of these horses were also celebrated with the Best Presented Horse award. The winner of this contest was the team behind Dalliance, a 6-year-old French-bred owned by Michaella Gerlacher of Galena, Ohio. However, out of all the winners, none shared an experience like that of Sam Francetic of Euclid, Ohio. The Francetics, along with Tessa Merrill and her family, were invited to the $50,000 Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund Cleveland Grand Prix as representatives of Fieldstone Farm Therapeutic Riding Center. Both girls took home top ribbons in Monday’s (July 8) Riders with Disabilities competition, and Sam helped present the Grand Prix awards. “It was our first time ever to see the show, and it was just amazing,” said Sam’s mother, Kim Francetic. “You don’t realize they’re jumping that high when you’re watching TV. We felt honored to be invited by the Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund, and we’re so grateful for Fieldstone Farm for these kinds of opportunities.” Ali Wolff and Casall accompanied by show officials, Tessa Merrill, Sam Francetic, and Caroline Holman on behalf of the Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund (Credit: Anne Gittins) # # # Chagrin Hunter Jumper Classic AA-Rated Week Championship Results Division/Placing Horse Owner Rider Hometown Amateur Owner Hunter Middleton Melissa Jacobs Melissa Buffalo, NY GRAND Champion LLC Jacobs Junior Hunter GRAND Lucretia Isabella Fabrizi Isabella Strongsville, Champion Fabrizi OH Adult Amateur Hunter Sancerre Lisa Rossi Lisa Rossi Washington, GRAND Champion DC Pony Hunter GRAND V.H. Paris Gianna Siegler Gianna Chagrin Champion Fox Siegler Falls, OH Children’s Hunter GRAND Candescence Cara Cheska Annie Soper West Palm Champion Beach, FL GRAND Hunter Champion Consent David Glefke Kelley Wellington, Farmer FL Reserve Truly Maarten Huygens Danielle Wellington, Menker FL Children’s Pony Hunter Ambition Mandy Bittner Kelly Paige Chagrin Champion Vergerio Falls, OH Reserve Annings Isabelle Kaufman Isabelle Beachwood, Catwalk Kaufman OH USHJA 2’3” Hunter Never Ever David Gersh David Gersh Webster, NY Champion Reserve Velez Vanessa Jones- Samantha Hudson, OH Washington Cooper USHJA 2’6” Hunter H. Devereux Lisa Karam Michaella Galena, OH Champion Gerlacher Reserve Turn Key Kim Carey Emily Alinen Chagrin Falls, OH USHJA 2’9” Hunter Amaze Me Emily Kowit Emily Kowit Hunting Champion Valley, OH Reserve Phantom Jori Greene Jori Greene Chagrin Falls, OH USHJA 3’ Hunter Champion Selina Elizabeth Jacobs Jaime Bates Java Center, NY Reserve Candescence Cara Cheska Cara Cheska Wellington, FL Green Hunter 3’ Champion Rhapsody Sharon O’Neill Jennifer Ocala, FL Alfano Reserve Sancerre Lisa Rossi Rachel Brookeville, Kennedy MD High Performance Hunter Witness David Glefke Kelley Wellington, Champion Farmer FL Reserve Enchanted Christel Weller Jennifer Ocala, FL Alfano Performance Hunter 3’6” Charismatic Alexa Kaas Linda Vermillion, Champion Radigan OH Reserve Nandino Ellen Malson Samantha Hudson, OH Cooper Performance Hunter 3’3” Aristocrat Tracy Scheriff- Havens Georgetown, Champion Muser Schatt KY Reserve Noble Blue Use the Ring LLC Havens Georgetown, Schatt KY Green Hunter 3’6” Kindred Kathy Chiaf Jennifer Ocala, FL Champion Alfano Reserve Witness David Glefke Kelley Wellington, Farmer FL Green Hunter 3’3” Truly Maarten Huygens Danielle Wellington, Champion Menker FL Reserve Cortina Julia McNerney Havens Georgetown, Schatt KY Green Conformation Consent David Glefke Kelley Wellington, Champion Farmer FL Reserve Untouched David Glefke Jennifer Ocala, FL Alfano Children’s 14 & Under Candescence Cara Cheska Annie Soper West Palm Champion Beach, FL Reserve Del Piero Alex Trolli Sydney Wellington, Steffee FL Children’s 15-17 Champion Atlas Peak Lily Forney Lily Forney Chagrin Falls, OH Reserve King of Kaylee Tomsich Kaylee Chagrin Hearts Tomsich Falls, OH Take 2 Thoroughbred Valentino’s Heather Froehlich Heather Novelty, OH Hunter Champion Gold Cortell Froehlich Cortell Reserve King’s Vision Lucinda Finley Jaime Bates Java Center, NY Take 2 Thoroughbred Soldier Boy Natalie Natalie Centerville, Jumper Champion McClintock McClintock OH Low Children’s Hunter Fanfare Natalie Gianna Chagrin Champion Hershenson Siegler Falls, OH Reserve Written in the Melodie Robitaille Emma Galena, OH Stars