Author: andy

Congratulations to Hannah Ritchie, Katarina Coello and Emma Johnston on being in the ribbons!
Super congratulations to Ella Saidi who qualified for the IEA National Finals in Harrisburg, PA!

Congratulations to riders from the CEC Blue Marlins Varsity Team, the Mariposa Gold Drops Team, all Individual riders and super coaches Erika Adderley and Kim Johnson who represented Region 13 at the IEA Zone 4 Hunt Seat Finals this past weekend at the Tryon International Equestrian Centre in North Carolina.

Adiza Albury, Isabella Coello, Katarina Coello, Hannah D’Aguilar, Anouk Formige, Emma Johnston, Kaia Kull, Melania Nixon, Alexis Osazuwa, Hannah Ritchie, Ella Saidi, Samantha Sands, Sienna Tinker and Connor Watkins made the trip and did us proud, competing in team and individual classes at Varsity and Futures Levels against riders and teams from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

The first day of competition was devoted to the Varsity teams and riders (grades 9-12). Hannah Ritchie started the ball rolling for Region 13 by winning 6th place in the Junior Varsity Novice Over Fences Team class, representing the Camperdown Blue Marlins Team.

On Sunday the Futures (grades 4-8) riders competed with even more success. Katarina Coello placed 3rd in the Future Intermediate Equitation on the Flat Team to represent the Mariposa Gold Drops. She also won individual honours, placing 6th in the Future Intermediate Equitation Individual competition. Emma Johnston made her mark in the Future Beginners Walk Trot Canter Individual class, placing 3rd overall.

Ella Saidi of the LCIS Dragons turned in the stellar performance of the competition for Region 13, placing 2nd in the Future Intermediate Equitation Over Fences Individual competition! As one of the top 2 finishers in her class, Ella earned a coveted spot to compete in the IEA National Finals, which will be held from April 28-May 1 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Congratulations to all our riders and our coaches for the solid performance against tough competition…and best wishes to Ella Saidi as she moves on to the IEA National Finals!

Equestrian Millie Vlasov is firmly on the path to representing The Bahamas at the 2023 CAC Games after her strong performance in the first weekend of the Andalucίa Sunshine Tour in Vejer de la Frontera, Spain. Riding at the CSI 4* level, Vlasov rode one clear round after another at successively higher heights. Her final clear round aboard Gulliver du Saint-Chệne in Sunday’s 1.40m class meant that Vlasov has met the first of the minimum eligibility requirements for qualification to the individual equestrian event at the CAC Games, scheduled to be held in May 2023 in El Salvador.

The weekend began with Vlasov and her long-time partner Beaumont M/V placing 8th out of a field of 135 in the 1.20m class. On Saturday Millie had another clear round, wrestling a fresh and forward Etos HBC around a challenging 1.30m course. “I had to work with him,” Vlasov acknowledged.

On Sunday Vlasov found herself in exalted company, riding the 1.40m course designed by Luis González Molina against the likes of the 2012 Olympic individual gold medalist, Steve Guerdat of Switzerland, and 2016 Olympic team gold medalist Penelope Leprevost of France. However Vlasov and her horse Gulliver du Saint-Chệne made short work of the course, going clear in a time of 62.54 seconds and ultimately placing 39th in the field of 102.

Vlasov will continue to compete in the Sunshine Tour under the guidance of her coach Gilles Bertrand. She intends to move up to the 1.45m level next week.

Bahamian collegiate rider Carisa Brogdon and the Roger Williams University Equestrian Team wrapped up the Fall season this past weekend at the University of Rhode Island Horse Show. Brogdon and the RWU Hawks compete in Zone 1, Region 1 of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA), placing second overall for three consecutive shows.

The Hawks’ strong showing was powered in part by the performance of Brogdon, a sophomore at RWU. Although this is her first year competing since competitions last year were canceled due to Covid-19, Brogdon cemented her place on the team by competing in multiple classes and earning at least one first place in every show this semester.

Brogdon is the only sophomore on the RWU Equestrian team. Her multiple blue ribbons at the Limit and Novice levels mean that next season she will likely represent RWU in higher level divisions. In the meantime she will continue to train with her team until competitions resume.

Congratulations to the CEC Show Organizing Committee on successfully hosting the first Equitation/Jumper show of the year on November 13-14. Thanks to all riders, trainers, sponsors, volunteers and parents for their support and participation!
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