University of Tampa Equestrian Peyton Wong ended her competition season ranked 6th overall in the 2022 High Point Rider standings for Zone V Region 5 of the Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA). This ranking is based on the points accumulated by all riders in every division in every show over the course of the IHSA season.

Riding in the Open Division, the highest and most competitive in collegiate competition, Wong’s High Point Rider ranking was boosted by her solid performance at the final show of the season, the IHSA Zone V Region 5 Regional Finals, which took place in Ocala, FL. “This last show was an amazing way to end a great show season,” she noted. “I pulled an amazing horse Argon who helped me place 2nd in the flat and Cupido who helped me achieve 5th over fences.”

In collegiate competition, horses are furnished by host colleges and are chosen by drawing lots. The format fairly tests the horsemanship of the athletes as there is no opportunity for warmup, or practice, before entering the ring. Divisions range from Beginner to the Open Division for more experienced riders.

Wong’s strong performance helped the University of Tampa Spartans Equestrian Team to finish 7th out of the 16 teams competing at the IHSA Zone V Region 5 Finals. In reflecting on her successful season, she gave credit to her coach, Karey McGee of Premier Show Stables, and to her teammates, saying “I knew it was an honour to have been placed in this division and know that my trainer and other team members had faith in me to compete at such a level.” She also praised the opportunity to “compete at very nice facilities and alongside amazing riders”, and “to bond with all my team members forming close friendships.”

The Spartans will have to do without Wong this coming fall as she plans to take a semester abroad to study in Ireland; she looks forward, however, to rejoining the team in the Spring of 2023!

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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Congratulations to the Camperdown Equestrian Centre Sand Dollar Varsity Team (Hannah D’Aguilar, Alexis Osazuwa, Eve McLeod and Arielle Arthur) and the Mariposa Gold Drops Futures Team (Katarina Coello, Kaia Kull, Emma Johnston and Anouk Formige) who emerged as Champions in the first BIEL/IEA show hosted by the LCIS Dragons at Mariposa Stables on Saturday, October 30.

Competition was stiff, with the CEC Sand Dollar Varsity and CEC Blue Marlins Varsity teams finishing tied for first place! The tie breaker was decided by points awarded in the over fences classes.
Congratulations also to Kim Johnson and Frances Doyle, coaches of the winning teams.

The format of the show reflected BIEL’s new identity as a member region the US-based Interscholastic Equestrian League (IEA). As a result of this partnership riders will have the opportunity to compete in IEA competitions abroad and have access to multiple college recruiting and scholarship opportunities.

Special awards were also granted. Kathryn Goulandris won the Sportsmanship Award for her selfless attitude and outstanding contributions to her team and fellow riders during the show. Casino Royale was voted by the Judge as the Horse of the Show, being the horse who showed a willing attitude and kind disposition to every level of rider who drew him as a ride.

The show was judged by Mr. Woody Dykers of Georgia, USA. As a top-rated Judge with the United States Equestrian Federation, a Past President of the Georgia Hunter-Jumper Association, and a former equestrian coach of the University of Virginia with over 40 years of riding and coaching experience, Mr. Dykers was impressed with the performance of all the riders.

Final Varsity Team placings were: 1st place – CEC Sand Dollars; 2nd place – CEC Blue Marlins; 3rd place – Mariposa Monarchs. Final Futures Team placings were: 1st place – Mariposa Gold Drops; 2nd place – LCIS Dragons; 3rd place – Mariposa Swallowtails; 4th place – CEC Blue Marlins Futures. Complete team and individual point standings will be available on the IEA website within 14-21 days.

Riders returned to the ring on Sunday for an instructional clinic with Judge Dykers, who also took the time to answer questions from riders, coaches and parents about the keys to success in the show ring from a judge’s point of view. Students asked questions about show procedure and listened intently as the judge emphasized the importance of form, balance, and awareness.

The riders will have the opportunity to put into practice everything they learned when competition resumes in two weeks, this time at Camperdown Equestrian Centre’s Annual Horse Show which will take place on November 13-14.

The collegiate equestrian competition season is off to a promising start for Peyton Wong. The University of Tampa sophomore made her debut last weekend in the first show of the season for Zone 5, Region 5 of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA). Wong made an immediate impression on the judges, competing in four different classes in the Open Division and winning a ribbon in each against stiff competition.

The show took place over two days in Ocala, Florida, and featured hundreds of riders from eleven teams across the southeast, including the University of Florida, University of Central Florida, Savannah College of Art and Design, University of South Florida, Florida State University, and of course Wong’s University of Tampa team.

Wong rose to the challenge, placing 5th and 6th in her classes on Saturday, and then improving to place 2nd in the Open Varsity Under Saddle and 5th in the Open Varsity Over Fences on Sunday. She praised her teammates and the team coach, Karey McGee, as being “super supportive of each other”. Despite her strong showing Wong noted room for improvement. “Even though I didn’t place as well as I hoped I felt that I rode well and learned a lot,” she said. “The Open division is the highest division and is the hardest, so I have to continue to improve and get stronger as a rider.”

In IHSA competition the horses are furnished by the host colleges and are randomly assigned to riders by drawing lots. No schooling or preparation is permitted, a format designed to challenge the horsemanship of the athletes. This posed no challenges for Wong, who was captain of the Queens College Equestrian Team back home in Nassau and rode in Bahamas Interscholastic Equestrian League (BIEL) shows which follow a similar, horse-drawn, format.

“The Bahamas Interscholastic Equestrian League was founded for this very purpose,” noted Equestrian Bahamas President Cathy Ramsingh-Pierre, “to allow non-horse owners access to quality competition, and to prepare our riders for the collegiate riding format. Congratulations to Peyton! Her success speaks to her dedication and talent, but also to the value of BIEL as a development path for our school-age riders.”

The opening Bahamas Interscholastic Equestrian League competition of the 2021-2022 year will take place at Mariposa Farms on October 30, 2021. Spectators are welcome but Covid-19 protocols such as required masks and social distancing will be strictly enforced.

Last week marked an exciting milestone for Equestrian sport in The Bahamas, as 17-year-old Reine Pagliaro’s successful ride in the FEI World Endurance Championship for Young Riders and Juniors marked the first time ever that The Bahamas has competed in an Equestrian event at the World Championship level.

74 riders from 20 countries vied for top honours over a technically demanding 120km course which took riders through open fields, wooded sections, and hilly terrain in Ermelo, the Netherlands. The course was so demanding that over 45% of the competitors failed to finish. However, Pagliaro rode a strategic and determined race in partnership with her horse, the 11-year old grey Arabian gelding Beautiful Knightmare (affectionately known as Beau). The pair finished the course in 38th place, clocking a final time of 8:09:35 at an average speed of 14.706 km/hr.

Saeed Salem Almuhairi of the United Arab Emirates was the individual first place winner, followed by his teammate Abdulla Ali Alamri. Rut Badia Marfa of Spain finished in the bronze position The young athletes from France won the Team gold, Team Malaysia won the silver behind France, and Belgium earned the Team bronze.
Endurance, one of the fastest-growing equestrian sports, is best described as a marathon on horseback. Strategy, fitness, and a keen understanding of horse welfare are necessary for success over varying terrain and environmental conditions. A Junior World Championship level course is 120 km long, comprised of four loops of varying lengths with a mandatory veterinary checkpoint at the end of each loop. “Welfare of the horse is paramount,” explained Mr. Eric Lamsma, organizer of the event.

So when Pagliaro crossed the finish line after over eight hours of riding, her first thought was for her horse. The priority was to ensure that his hydration and metabolic levels were good and that he was not injured or lame in any way. Once the final vet check had been cleared, it was official, and the Bahamas flag was on the board at the FEI Junior World Championships!

“The feeling is absolutely indescribable,” exclaimed a jubilant Pagliaro, acknowledging that her World Championship performance was the culmination of “years of hopes, dreams and ambitions”. She was quick to praise her equine partner, calling him her “true champion”. “No matter what the day brought, he went the extra mile and gave the extra push,” she said. “For this, I am truly thankful.”

Pagliaro was also full of praise for her support team: her coach, Mary Kathryn Clark; the team veterinarian, Dr. Carter Hounsel, DVM; the ground team who met her and Beau at each stop with water jugs, hugs and support, and above all the Chef d’ Equipe, Peggy Clark, whom she called “the backbone and brains behind the whole experience.”
Trainer Mary Kathryn Clark was equally as ebullient at the finish, heaping praise on Reine, on Beau, and the entire team. “Today was a day of many firsts…first world championships for this talented rider, first world championships for her trusted mount, first world championships for an amazing federation back in The Bahamas…I’m honored to have been part of such an amazing and fun team.”

Despite the time difference with the Netherlands, Federation officials back at home watched the leaderboard intently as the race progressed, cheering when Reine finally crossed the finish line. “We are tremendously proud of Reine and Beau,” said Equestrian Federation President Cathy Ramsingh-Pierre. “Their performance has brought the international presence of Bahamas Equestrian to a whole new level. We congratulate Mary Kathryn and Peggy Clark on the expert training and superb conditioning regimen that allowed Reine and Beau to successfully finish a course that defeated so many other worthy competitors. We extend our thanks to Dr. Hounsel and the entire ground team for their support. This is a wonderful way to begin a new season!”

Equestrian competition has been on hiatus since March 2020 locally due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Plans for the new show season are underway, with the first show scheduled to take place in October.

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Congratulations to Maya Tilberg

Bahamian show jumper Marcus Davis wrapped up an intense June campaign of training and competition in the best way possible – standing alone atop the podium, at the Angelstone Headwaters Cup Tournament in Ontario, Canada!

Davis and his mount, El Porvenir Corro, started strong and improved with each outing over the four-day tournament. In the 1.15m Open Jumper Speed class Davis and Corro finished just in the ribbons, placing 8th out of a field of 54. As the fences rose in height the pair got stronger, riding a clear first round and a fast jump off with just one fence down to finish 4th overall in the 1.30m/1.40m Junior/Amateur Jumper. Davis entered the final leg of the competition – the $1,000 1.30m Jumper Classic – with one goal in mind: to win!

Davis and Corro negotiated the technically demanding Classic course with speed and style, slicing turns in the jump off to go clear in a fast time of just 37.199 seconds. The ride was a personal best for Davis, his first win of a 1.30 Classic!

The entire weekend was a triumph, as not only did Davis win the $1,000 1.30m Jumper Classic, he and El Porvenir Corro finished as overall Division Champions at Angelstone, Canada’s fastest-growing Equestrian Show Jumping Tournament venue.

Davis will continue competing this summer in Canada as they progress toward their goal of representing The Bahamas in Santiago, Chile, at the next Pan Am Games.