When Katherine Newman entered the arena for the WIHS Hunter Phase at the Kentucky Spring Horse Show, her impressive performance was met with explosive applause and a high score of 88. With the highest score in the class, the smiling fifteen year old from Wellington, Florida, was awarded first place.
Returning into the equitation arena the following day, Newman and Timeless, owned by Mimi Abel-Smith, rode consistently well in the WIHS Jumper Phase and earned an identical 88 as their final score. After receiving top honors in the WIHS Jumper Phase, the duo sealed the overall win for the class.
“Timeless is really, really on his game,” commented Newman, who rides at Allwyn Court with her parents, Kathy and Gerry Newman. “Since we got him, he’s improved a lot and is so easy and so much fun to ride! I basically just have to get the course right,” she said with a giggle. “I was very happy with the way I went because I was consistent. Mimi Abel-Smith owns the horse, and I can’t thank her enough for letting me show him.”
The pair’s winning streak continued in the USET Show Jumping Talent Search. Newman mastered the course, as well as the flat portion, and added another blue ribbon win to her week. When asked about what she focuses on during her rounds, she related, “I usually try to just think from jump to jump and about what my plan is. When I’m concentrating, I just keep thinking about my next plan on course.”
“Usually I just have to keep going forward,” she added. “I think about my position, and I make sure I know exactly where I’m going. In all of my equitation classes, my biggest thing right now is that I get stuck in the corners and get too slow. So, I have to just keep going.”
Newman, who trains with her parents and Olympic veteran Todd Minikus, also competed in the hunter arena and earned top ribbons with Corvet Z in the Small Junior 15 and Under Hunters. Winning both classes the first day and finishing strong the second day, Newman and Corvet Z, owned by Kathy and Gerry Newman, earned the reserve championship for the division. In the Large Junior 15 and Under Hunters, her rides on Castleton, owned by Pamela Dudley, resulted in two seconds over fences and a fifth under saddle.
“Both Corvet Z and Castleton were very consistent on the first day, which I was happy with,” reported Newman. “They’re both basically First Year Green horses, so just to be consistent with them in the ring is really nice. Corvet Z is very easy to ride, especially for a green horse. He’s come a long way since last year and is finally getting in his groove.”
Corvet Z also made his debut in the Regular Conformation Hunters with Todd Minikus in the irons, where they took home five second place ribbons and the reserve championship.
Katherine Newman will try her hand once again at the Kentucky Spring Classic Horse Show, held on Wednesday, May 17th through Sunday, May 21st at the Kentucky Horse Park.
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