Whitney Goulart Takes Flatwork Portion of USEF Finals

Article by Nancy Degutis

Whitney Goulart made her challenge to the USEF Show Jumping Talent Search title by winning the first portion, the flatwork, with a 91 on Convent 8. “He is good on the flat; he really likes it,” she said of her mount. Although she has ridden him before, this was the first time she showed him.

While no one could match her for most of the first day, a minor error dropped her back to fifth overall by day’s end. That still left the Mendham, NJ rider with a 211-point total and within striking distance of the title.

Can Change Plan

“You can always change your plan,” said Goulart, 18, who was making jus t behind Charlie Jayne (215) and Michael Del Fiandra (124.5) an ahead of ng her second trip to the USEF finals.

Her flexibility came into play when she and her horse came in “too forward to the triple,” said Goulart, 18. “He got away from me at (fence) three and I got him back by (fence) four.”

Course is "Fair"

Goulart believed “the course was fair. It asked a lot of different questions. You may not always know what they (the judges) are looking for.”

Still, the judges “wanted to rally see you ride. You weren’t penalized for taking a chance to make it work,” said Goulart who delayed entrance for a year to Vanderbilt University where she will major in biomedical engineering.

Not Far Behind

Goulart, who trains with Frank and Stacia Madden out of their Beacon Hill Show Stables along with her good friend, Maria Schaub, doesn’t feel left behind in the chase for the blue ribbon in the finals.

“I am only a point ahead of Maria,” she said of her tally. That puts her just behind of a strong showing of male riders--Charlie Jayne in third with 215 and Michael Del Fiandra in fourth with 124.5 and ahead of Nikko Ritter in eighth with 209.

“I am going to go out tomorrow (in the show jumping), be confident and have fun,” she said.