Floridian Wins the 2007 AHJF Hunter Classic Spectacular

The Crowd - The Competition - The Course

The crowd was ready to witness this annual event, something they look forward to every year. Even though the first rider was not scheduled to go until 7:30, by 5:00 spectators were showing up on the grounds to choose their seat location. They reserved their spaces on the grassy hillside with beach and director’s chairs, horse blankets, and anything else that worked. Many brought coolers filled with food and beverages making this a great outing for their respective groups. Since there was no cover charge and the weather was beautiful despite the wind, it was a great way to spend the evening.

The field was still sunlit as people slowly arrived and the setup crew readied the grounds. The colorful fences on the grass gave it that special feeling which was one of the reasons so many tried to qualify for this class. Once the sunset and the lights covered the field it was a different kind of elegance and a new challenge for the horses since the lights left shadows around the field. However, the horses were ready for the challenge as they fought valiantly to win this prestigious class.

The starting field of 25 horses each jumped at their respective showing heights of 3’6”, 3’9” and 4’. The horses were judged by four teams of two judges including Alex Jayne and Liza Dennehy, Mark Jungherr and Mindy Minetto, Randy and Pam Mullins, and Sue Ashe with Brian Lenehan. Each team of judges gave one score and then the four scores were averaged for a final round total. The eight horses with the highest points returned for a second round, which was then added to the first for a final tally.

Both Teall and Goguen praised the Michael Rheinheimer designed course. “The whole field was used and you had judges everywhere,” commented Teall. “The course was great,” added Goguen. “There were a lot of single jumps where the horses could find the distance to the jumps.”

Ferrell agreed adding, “Mike did a great job with the course. It was fun, twisty, turny, long, all over the place; It was different. It was a beautiful night. I don’t think anybody can complain about anything. Hat’s off to Mike.”

AHJF Vice President Louise Serio was equally pleased with the course saying, “I thought the course and the jumps were the best that we’ve had. It was an awesome night. There were a lot of things going on out there and a lot for the spectators to watch.”

This was exactly what Rheinheimer had planned for his second time designing the novel hunter class under the lights. Before the class, Rheinheimer, Chardon, OH, was keenly aware of the size of the arena and the fact that the lighting created shadows on the field.

“Because of the lights the more symmetrical the jump is the more inviting it is,” he explained. “For the course I wanted to make it as interesting as possible without horses just cantering around just jumping jumps. I wanted to have a little fun with it myself.”

Rheinheimer started out with a flowing course with no related distances and then added some related distances “to balance the horse up and get them jumping great.” To make it “interesting,” Rheinheimer put fences everywhere, including a few roll backs, two in and out combinations and a bold final jump designed specifically by the AHJF. The idea of this final jump came from Louise Serio, who wanted to have a jump designed that was different from the same hunter fences they jump all the time. “It had trees as the standards and was wider than the normal jump (at 16’),” explained Serio. “It was a slight change from the normal hunter jump and something fun and different to gallop to.”