January 14, 2024, Myakka City, Florida. The last weekend of competition during the 2024 Sarasota Winter Classic was all about the junior and amateur riders. A plethora of junior/amateur and child/adult classics took center stage in the Lakeside Arena at TerraNova Equestrian Center. In 2023, the Sarasota Winter Classic partnered with TerraNova Equestrian Center to elevate the exhibitor experience and provide unparalleled amenities and hospitality. The $15,000 1.30m Junior/Amateur Jumper Classic, presented by Leibold Irrigation, Inc. debuted the weekend’s non-professional competition with another win by young amateur Morgan Ashby.
Ashby (Lincolnton, North Carolina) piloted two mounts across the first-round track, designed by Mauricio Garcia Ballesteros (PUR). She qualified Allen Nabors’ and Jessie Mazzoni’s 13-year-old Zangersheide gelding, Bon Chatsworth Pierre (Revaou de la Bergerie x Little Star Z), for the short course. Ashby returned as one of four competitors to qualify for the jump off. She and Bon Chatsworth Pierre were one of only two combinations to produce a double fault-free finish.
“I wanted to go for it this week,” she said. “He’s a very fast horse, and last week I held him back. The first week I took it way more relaxed and just worked on getting them all back in the ring and confident, but this week I decided to get their feet moving. They feel really good.”
While Ashby competes on the grand prix circuit as an amateur, she shared how thrilled she was to see the junior and amateur divisions highlighted during the Sarasota Winter Classic. She said that the experience has prepared her and her horses for the upcoming circuit.
“The atmosphere was actually really nice because… he’s just coming back,” Ashby said. “This class was similar in format to a grand prix where you come back for the jump off, and it was good for his brain to be able to train that without the fences being as big as yesterday. It was great for his confidence building.”
Porter Tobin (Lutz, Florida) piloted Melinda Taylor’s 10-year-old Swedish Warmblood mare, Arielle Race (Boss x Akvileja), to the second-fastest clear round, clocking in at 41.946 seconds behind Ashby’s blazing 38.597. Haley Gassel (Morriston, Florida) and the Westwind Equine Training Center’s 16-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding, Iliano van D’abelendreef (Ogano Sitte x Baroness van D’Abelendreef), rounded out the lap of honor.
$3,500 Michael Saunders & Company 1.15m Classic
Saturday morning competition kicked off with the $3,500 Michael Saunders & Company 1.15m Classic. Sunshine Buchanan (Morriston, Florida) took the top call aboard Hudson Meadows Racing LLC’s Don’t Stop. The pair stopped the clock in 39.630 seconds, just ahead of Ashby’s time of 39.886 seconds with her own 13-year-old warmblood gelding, Yalambi’s Garibaldi (Yalambi’s Carpino Z x Yalambi’s Siviola). Tobin was in the ribbons taking third-place honors on his own 13-year-old Oldenburg mare, Carla (Carrico x Anna W), with a time of 40.226 seconds.
$10,000 1.30m Open Jumper Classic
Classic competition continued Sunday with the morning’s first class, the $10,000 1.30m Open Jumper Classic. Flying high from her Saturday success, Ashby picked up the coveted blue ribbon, this time aboard her own Dutchess Carola (Contados x Korsika II). Five entries of the original 11-horse starting field advanced across Ballesteros’ first-round course. Only one pair put forth a better time than Ashby, but at the expense of the fallen rail, costing them the lead.
As the final to contest, Ashby smoothly piloted her 13-year-old Holsteiner mare safely into first place on 39.407 seconds. Stephanie Gallucci (Toronto, Ontario) and the Equine Partners International LLC’s 7-year-old Zangersheide mare, Infinity SMS Z (Ilias vh Vlasmeer x Felicia Van Het Harteveld), earned the reserve title with 41.171 on the clock. Shannon Hicks (Lake Saint Louis, Missouri) and Helen Gilbert’s 7-year-old Selle Francais stallion, Halo de Maugre (For Pleasure x Finesse du Seigneur), rounded out the top three.
$10,000 1.20m Junior/Amateur Jumper Classic
Next on the Sunday schedule was the $10,000 1.20m Junior/Amateur Jumper Classic. In an exciting head-to-head duel, Ashby’s barn mate, Sharon Brown, fought for victory and won after besting Ashby by close to six seconds. Determined not to take the runner-up position, Brown blazed across the short course on her home-bred 14-year-old Oldenburg gelding, Thunderstroc USA (Roc USA x Contina).
“Morgan [Ashby] is an incredibly fast rider,” Brown said. “Yesterday we were both in another classic, and I ended up fourth. I was determined not to let her beat me today! I could tell he was really in top form today, and we’ve been working on tighter turns with our trainer, Allen Nabors.”
For Brown, building a partnership with the gelding has been a lifelong process since the day he was born.
”It was a dream of mine from the time I was a kid to breed my own horse,” she said. “When I got out of college, I didn’t ride for 25 years because of expenses and time, but as soon as I got back into riding I thought about it again. I was there the day he was born, and I always said that someday, when he was done jumping the grand prix [events], he was going to be my amateur horse. He’s fourteen now, and it’s worked out great because he thinks this job is pretty easy. He has been the thrill of my lifetime.
“Allen’s been a phenomenal trainer, and he has helped us immensely,” Brown said. “He is so dedicated, so it really means a lot to him when we do well.”
Ashby accepted the second place ribbon with Kristen Franz’s 15-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, Numero Dos (Numero Uno x Suleska), with a time of 44.145 seconds and the only other clear effort. Vida Vasic (Lynnfield, Massachusetts) and David Jenning’s 18-year-old warmblood gelding, Diamond B Casanova (Conquistador x Temptation), posted the fastest four-fault performance for third place.
$7,500 NAL/WIHS/M&S 1.10m Child/Adult Classic
The Sunday afternoon highlight was the $7,500 NAL/WIHS/M&S 1.10m Child/Adult Classic. Kaitlyn Nussel (Williston, Florida) and RCR Equestrian’s 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding, Nacint Z (Numero Uno x Cacinti), took the win after landing from the final jump-off fence in 42.529 seconds. As the only other combination to post a flawless first-round effort, Jordann Fabian (Miami, Florida) and the 12-year-old Warmblood gelding, Porthos, advanced to the jump off for second place. Tayler Eldridge (Dayton, Maryland) and her own 12-year-old Holsteiner gelding, Carlson Vom Dach (Clarimo x Silbermoon I), finished out the victory gallop in third.
$2,500 1.0m Child/Adult Classic
Classic competition closed out as six horse-and-rider pairs took on the $2,500 1.0m Child/Adult Classic. Of the three double-clear rounds produced, Lily Lidsky (Windermere, Florida) and her own 11-year-old Holsteiner gelding, Calisinni (Clinton I x Urania VII), earned the final classic blue ribbon of the day with a fault-free time of 36.498. Danielle Walawender (Plainsboro, New Jersey) and Kallie Schafer’s 15-year-old Thoroughbred gelding, Kolohe (Jumpstart x unknown) ended in second place ahead of Sydney Woodroof and SPW Equestrian LLC’s Conner’s Boy (Connor x Annegrete).
The leadership of the West Horse Shows and TerraNova Equestrian Center are grateful to our sponsors, exhibitors, owners, spectators and guests for joining us for the Sarasota Winter Classic. Please join us for our upcoming events!