Thank you to the Rotary Clubs of New Providence for their continued generosity, and to all the riders, trainers and spectators who came out to participate in the 14th Annual Rotary Horse Show on March 11-12. Held at Camperdown Equestrian Centre, the show was judged by Clay Farrell of Venice, Florida. In this last rated show of the season, our young riders showed their very best – Mila Sands won the Judge’s Choice Tibri Sportsmanship Award, and Taylor Haines captured the overall High Point trophy.
The show also featured the exciting two-part finale of the Bahamas Junior Classic. Siena Holowesko aboard Erika Adderley’s Valhalla led after the Hunter phase on Saturday, especially remarkable since she was forced to change mounts at the last minute when her regular ride, Gandolfe, went lame. On Sunday, Maya Tilberg aboard Dehlia mounted a challenge with a fast and flashy Jumper round – but in the end, Siena prevailed to win the Classic. Maya was second, and Carisa Brogdon aboard Kim Johnson’s Sterling Silver was third.
Now that the regular show season is over, our young riders can look forward to one more exciting experience – the Bahamas Interschool Equestrian Championship Event, which will take place on Saturday, April 29, at Camperdown Equestrian Centre. Coaches are currently in the process of team selection, and riders can look forward for the first time to a team event where they will represent their schools!
Stay tuned for more information, which will be coming soon!
Miss Tyler Hanlan receives the first Tibri Sportsmanship Award. At right is horse show judge Mr. Robert Robold
Congratulations to all riders and horses who competed in last weekend’s show at Camperdown Equestrian Centre, and thanks as always to the trainers, parents, and other supporters who were on hand to make the weekend a success!
Horse shows are a great time to gather and reconnect as an equestrian community. Every horse show is also an opportunity for our riders to execute their skills in a technical setting, and gain valuable feedback from internationally rated judges. This past weekend we welcomed Mr. Robert Robold, a widely-sought after USEF “R”- rated judge who was selected in 1982 as an alternate for the German Olympic Equestrian Team, and served as President of the East Coast Hunter-Jumper Association for three years. Mr. Robold has trained numerous Champion horses and
riders to compete all over the United States and Europe. As so many of our guests judges do, at the close of the show he was kind enough to take time to speak to interested riders, encouraging them and giving suggestions for improving their technique.
Valerie Shipp, niece of Camperdown Equestrian Centre President Mr. Pierre Dupuch, presents Anton Gottberg with the Tibri Sportsmanship Award for the February CEC Show
The most special event of the weekend, however, was the introduction of the Tibri Sportsmanship Award. The Tibri Award was conceived by Mrs. Fran Dotoli of Tibri Stables in Rhode
Island, USA, who judged a show at Camperdown in November, 2016. Mrs. Dotoli was so impressed with the attitude and sportsmanship of our young Bahamian riders that she undertook to sponsor the Tibri Sportsmanship Award, to be presented at each show to the rider who in the Judge’s opinion best exemplifies the principles of sportsmanship.
Mrs. Dotoli specified that Ms. Tyler Hanlan, a Camperdown Equestrian Centre student, was to be the first recipient of the award. Tyler caught Mrs. Dotoli’s eye at the CEC November show for remaining calm and looking first to the safety of her horse even when things did not go well in the show ring. Mr. Robold then had the privilege of selecting the February recipient – and the lucky young man was Anton Gottberg from Mariposa Stables, who “demonstrated a sportsmanlike attitude to everyone around him, both on and off the horse.” Congratulations to Tyler and Anton for demonstrating that sportsmanship is every bit as important as winning ribbons!
See you next month at CEC for the Annual Rotary Clubs Horse Show (March 11-12), when the two-day final of the Bahamas Junior Classic will be contested! Admission is free, and all are invited to attend.
Due to Hurricane Matthew and government funding re-allocations, the Bahamas Interschool Equestrian League competitions have been re-formatted this year to comprise a single event, the Inter-school Championship Show. The Inter-school Championship Show will feature riders and teams from all competing schools in Nassau and Grand Bahama, and will be held on Saturday, April 29, 2017, at Camperdown Equestrian Centre.
Thanks to everyone who came out on October 1 and 2 for the first show of the season, which was a great success! The Mariposa show was judged by Carolyn Vaillancourt, a senior Equine Canada Hunter, Jumper and Equitation Judge for over 32 years. Judge Vaillancourt gives judging clinics all over Canada, and with fellow judge Randy Roy has co-authored the best-selling books “Here Comes the Judge”, and “The Judge is Back”. As always Mariposa provided great hospitality for all visiting horses and riders, and we finished off the show with Miguel’s fantastic paella!
We look forward to seeing everyone at the next show, to be held at Camperdown Equestrian Centre on November 12 and 13. See you there!
Tamsin Nottage and Iko Iko prepare to enter the show ring at HITS-on-the-Hudson.
Bahamian equestrian athletes continue to shine abroad! This past weekend, young Bahamian riders Ella Holowesko, Siena Holowesko, and Tamsin Nottage travelled to Saugerties, New York, with their trainer, Mrs. Erika Adderley-Coello of Mariposa Stables, to compete at the Marshall & Sterling Insurance League 2016 National Finals. All three athletes rode very well, but undoubtedly the highlight of the weekend was Ella Holowesko’s victory over a field of 60 riders in the 3’0” Sore No-More Children’s Medal Final.
The Marshall & Sterling Insurance League is a grassroots organization dedicated to providing competition for up-and-coming Children and Adult Hunter, Jumper and Equitation riders. It has grown, since its inception in 1991, from 10 member shows with 100 riders to over 1,300 horse shows with more than 2,500 competitors today. The league offers members the opportunity to compete throughout the year for
points that will earn them a place at the prestigious National Finals competition, held each September at the world-class HITS-on-the-Hudson show grounds in Saugerties, New York.
Siena Holowesko won 5th place in the Hudson 2’ 6” Children’s Equitation Classic. At right is her trainer Erika Adderley-Coello.
By virtue of their qualifying points accumulated in local competitions throughout the year, the three riders were invited by the Marshall & Sterling Insurance League to compete as Finalists in their respective events. Siena Holowesko qualified as a Finalist in the 2’6” Children’s Medal, while Tamsin Nottage and Ella Holowesko qualified as Finalists in the 3’0” Sore No-More Children’s Medal. The competition began on Friday, September 16, as all three rode in preparatory classes. Siena Holowesko was the first to compete, riding Veronica Mullin’s talented horse Keating’s Lord, and placing 5th in the Hudson 2’6” Children’s Equitation Classic. On Saturday, her sister Ella followed suit by placing second in the Hudson Children’s Equitation Classic 3’ (Section B).
It was in the Medal Finals, however, that the riders would truly be tested, as they faced a challenging course designed by Rian Beals. Once again Siena was the first to compete, riding against 54 other young competitors, all hoping to take home the Marshall & Sterling Children’s Medal Final title. She placed 34th out of the group of 54 with a very respectable score of 61.5 (out of 100).
Trainer Erika Adderley-Coello (centre) enjoys a smile with riders Ella Holowesko (left) and Tamsin Nottage (right)
In the 3’0” Sore No-More Children’s Medal Final, Tamsin Nottage and Ella Holowesko faced an even tougher challenge against a talented and competitive field of 60 riders. Riding the chestnut gelding Iko Iko, Nottage had a stylish round, but due to a few unfortunate mistakes ended up with a score of 51. It was Holowesko, however, who stole the show. Riding Keating’s Lord, she rode with elegance and flair, earning a first round score of 86. This excellent score qualified her to move forward into the final round, where she stood in second place just one point behind the leader, Annie Walsh, riding Erosmith. After a reset of the course the top 12 finishers rode another round, and in the end consistency was the key to victory: Holowesko scored 85 in her final round, which combined with her first round score gave her the winning total of 171.00! Walsh’s second round score was 80, enough to secure second place. The top five finishers all scored in the mid to high eighties, highlighting Holowesko’s tremendous accomplishment in scoring the winning round.
Equestrian Bahamas’ President, Cathy Ramsingh-Pierre, noted the importance of all three riders’ achievements. “The Marshall and Sterling League is an example of one of the international organizations with which EB currently partners to provide competitive opportunities for our riders,” said Ramsingh- Pierre. “The success of our riders in qualifying for those Finals – and in particular Ella Holowesko’s victory- is a phenomenal testament to their abilities, and to the competency of our training programs here at home in the Bahamas.” Indeed, trainer Erika Adderley-Coello was ecstatic about the performance all three young riders. “Happy, happy, happy!” she said, “I’m so proud of all my girls!”
