Kacey McCann Wins in Junior Hunters at Jacksonville, Jacobs is Top Pony Equitation Competitor at Littlewood
Jacksonville, FL- After her impressive performance at the Maclay Finals last November where she finished second, young Kacey McCann took off two months to refresh and recharge. She returned to the show ring at the Jacksonville Winter National with SBS Farms’, By The Way, and promptly captured the blue ribbon in the WIHS Hunter Phase with a high score of 85. Kacey mentioned, “This is my first course back after two months. It’s 3’6”! I’m really surprised we did so well.”
Riding in the Small Junior Hunter 15 & Under Hunter division, By The Way and Kacey brought home the reserve championship. The pair took first in the Handy Hunter class, a fourth and two sevenths in the other over fences classes and a first in the under saddle class. Kacey commented, “I’m pleased. He’s a little stiff, but we had a good rhythm and this is a nice start to the year for us.”
Kacey and By The Way show with trainer Susie Schoellkopf out of the Buffalo Therapeutic Riding Center, in Buffalo, NY. They will be showing next at the Jacksonville Winter A-Z IV in Green Cove Springs, Florida and then will go on to show at the HITS Ocala Winter Circuit in Ocala, Florida.
Another SBS Farms rider, 11 year old Charlotte Jacobs of East Aurora, NY, has been lighting up the equitation ring at the Littlewood Farm Horse Show series in Wellington, FL this winter. Jacobs rides at Buffalo Therapeutic Riding Center with trainer Susie Schoellkopf while at home during the week and joins Wellington-based trainers Leo and Samantha Conroy in Florida for the weekends. “I leave on Thursdays, have a lesson on Fridays, and show on the weekends,” Jacobs explained.
While Jacobs has mainly competed in the Medium Pony Hunters in the past, riding in the equitation ring is an exciting new foray. “The equitation is really fun,” she said. “I like having as many rounds as I can to ride in.” Jacobs has been dominating the Equitation 11 & Under division at the competitive Littlewood Farm Horse Show series.
At the New Years ‘A’ show on December 30-January 1, Jacobs won the under saddle class and was second and third over fences. These top ribbons gave her the championship in the division. For the equitation, Jacobs piloted her new pony, Home at Last. “He’s very fun to ride. I have to use both hands and both legs on him though,” she commented.
At the Mid Circuit show, Jacobs won both over fences classes to finish as reserve champion. She then finished with the top call in both jumping classes in the Pre-Festival show to capture the championship once again. Jacobs mentioned, “I think the equitation helps me in the hunters.” The hard work paid off in the equitation ring, but has also made a difference in the hunters, as Jacobs won her first Pony Hunter Conformation model class. Trainer Samantha Conroy added, “I think she really likes doing the equitation. She has really improved since last year and she gets better and better each week. She wants to be good, and she has fun at the same time.”
Jacobs also feels that she has improved. “I’ve gotten tighter in the saddle and I sit a lot more,” she described. “I can feel more of my rhythm and pace now.” Jacobs noted that working without stirrups and practicing her turns in lessons have made her better in the ring.
Jacobs enjoys watching fellow equitation rider Kacey McCann compete, and was on hand to see McCann finish second in the Maclay Final. “Now when Charlotte gets to the ring, she already knows her courses, and she likes to go check when she’s on the standby list,” Conroy explained. “She wants to be competitive.”
Jacobs is on the right track to being a top competitor, no matter what class she shows in. Jacobs will compete this winter at the Winter Equestrian Festival in the Medium Pony Hunters on Razzle Dazzle and Home at Last, and will also have her eye on the equitation. Jacobs has also been named the Pony Rider representative for the Just World International philanthropic group.
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