Annville, PA—May 31, 2006—As the 2006 North American League (NAL) season heads into summer, riders continue to vie for top positions.
The NAL runs season-long series in six hunter-jumper divisions — Adult Hunter, presented by Practical Horseman, Children’s Hunter, Open Jumper Speed, Adult Jumper, Children’s Jumper and Pony Jumper. Each division’s series culminates with a championship final at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show in Harrisburg, PA in October. All horses competing in the NAL finals earn U.S. Equestrian Federation Horse-of-the-Year points.
The current NAL qualifying period runs from September 1, 2025 through August 31, 2006. Riders need not be members of the NAL to compete in any qualifying classes, but only current members earn points toward year-end finals.
Classes held through the spring generated plenty of excitement for competitors and spectators alike. Thousands of horses and riders continued their quest to qualify for the 2006 NAL finals as the summer began to heat up. Top spots become more difficult to maintain as the season progresses, and some impressive horse-and-rider combinations were holding the lead in each of the six divisions going into the summer months.
In the NAL Adult Hunter division, presented by Practical Horseman, Lara McPherson of McLean, VA, and Tenerife led with 2,433 points. In second with 2,309 points was Parker Minchin of Vass, NC, piloting Mandrake. Following Minchin in third place with 2,227 points was Meghan Rehman of Mechanicsburg, PA, aboard Macallan.
With 2,540 points, Adele Norton of Falls Church, VA, and Just One Look led in the Children’s Hunter division. Colleen Holton of Hilliard, OH, and Gatsby followed in the standings with 1,825 points. With 1,776 points, Madeline Baker of Chagrin Falls, OH, sat in third with Stonewashed.
In the Jumper Divisions, U.S. equestrian team veteran Laura Chapot of Neshanic Station, NJ, maintained a decisive lead in the Open Speed division, which features this country’s top riders competing for the right to ride in the NAL Finals. Chapot, with 9,595 points, had more than twice as many points as Brianne Goutal, who sat in second with 3,700. Goutal, of New York, NY, show jumping’s newest up-and-coming superstar, stayed less than 700 points ahead of Sydney Olympian Laura Kraut of Oconomowoc, WI, who has 3,025 points. Points in the Open Speed division are awarded for riders only, based on their best finish in a class regardless of the horse on which the finish was obtained.
Patty Van Housen of Mequon, WI, and Ima Good 1-2 led the Adult Jumper division with 3,249 points. Following Van Housen in second place with 3,200 points was Meghan Abbott of Coral Springs, FL, riding Colleen, and in third was Kris Hoffman Kennedy of Newtown, PA, on Quest D’Or with 2,682 points.
Topping the Children’s Jumper division standings were Kaitlin Campbell of Upper Black Eddy, PA, and Lucy in the Sky, with 5,121 points. In second place with a total of 3,727 points was Holly Cerasano of Stillwater, NY, with Koko. Rounding out the top three was Olivia Goossen of Howell, NJ, with 3,175 points riding Inca.
In the Pony Jumper division, Wilhelmina Horzepa of Englishtown, NJ, and Exhilaration sat atop the standings with 1,085 points, nearly 400 points ahead of second place rider Paige Coles. Coles of Wellington, FL, had 686 points aboard Indigo. Lillie Ross of Wheaton, IL, sat in third aboard TNT with 680 points.
For more information on the North American League and a list of qualifying competitions for the 2005-2006 season, please visit the Ryegate Show Services website at www.Ryegate.com.
The 2006 North American League leader boards appear below:
ADULT HUNTER – As of May 26
Presented by Practical Horseman
Plc HORSE; Rider Points Rider - City, State
1 TENERIFE; Lara McPherson 2433.00 McLean, VA
2 MANDRAKE; Parker Minchin 2309.00 Vass, NC
3 MACALLAN; Meghan A. Rehman 2227.00 Mechanicsburg, PA
4 PLAY WITH FIRE; Elizabeth Sponseller 2100.00 New Market, MD
5 IN KOMMAND; Julie Harrington 1961.00 Harrisonburg, VA
6 WALKABOUT; Rosalie Morton 1928.00 Pasadena, CA
7 TALISKER; Jessica Ianello 1635.00 Chicago, IL
8 NABIENNE; Sarah Grubner 1522.00 Barrington Hills, IL
9 BOWMORE; Lindsay Ianello 1450.00 Lake Forest, IL
10 FINDING NEVERLAND; Cari Gleeson 1444.00 Moreland Hills, OH
11 RIESLING; Cheryl Rubenstein 1361.00 Memphis, TN
12 SHOWCASE; Cheryl Rubenstein 1344.00 Memphis, TN
CHILDREN’S HUNTER – As of May 26
Plc HORSE; Rider Points Rider - City, State
1 JUST ONE LOOK; Adele Norton 1968.00 Falls Church, VA
2 GATSBY; Colleen Holton 1825.00 Hilliard, OH
3 STONEWASHED; Madeline Baker 1716.00 Chagrin Falls, OH
4 PEREGRINE; Adele Norton 1570.00 Falls Church, VA
5 TOBASCO; Alexandra Thornton 1470.00 Bedminster, NJ
6 CHOCOLATE MINT; Kassi Smith 1457.00 Elgin, IL
7 MELANDA; Salli Slack 1407.00 West Dundee, IL
8 GIZMO; Hannah Gorman 1372.00 North Barrington, IL
9 JUNIOR MINT; Natalie Morris 1196.00 Raleigh, NC
10 DONNERKIND; Ryan Umberger 1320.00 Court Leesburg, VA
10 HENNESSEY; Bristol Markward 1320.00 White Hall, MD
12 FRONTIER; Alexandra Shaffer 1290.00 Richmond, VA
OPEN JUMPER SPEED – As of May 26
Plc Rider Points City, State
1 Laura Chapot 9595.00 Neshanic Station, NJ
2 Brianne Goutal 3700.00 New York, NY
3 Laura Kraut 3025.00 Oconomowoc, WI
4 Robin Sweely 2705.00 Madison, VA
5 Margie Engle 2510.00 Wellington, FL
6 Leslie Howard 2210.00 Westport, CT
7 Kent Farrington 2125.00 Chicago, IL
8 Joe Fargis 2010.00 Middleburg, VA
9 Scott Lenkart 1850.00 Delano, MN
10 Kimberly Prince 1835.00 Hume, VA
11 Norman Dello Joio 1580.00 Wellington, FL
12 Jonathan Millar 1510.00 Perth, Ontario, Canada
ADULT JUMPER – As of May 26
Plc HORSE; Rider Points Rider - City, State
1 IMA GOOD 1-2; Patty Van Housen 3249.00 Mequon, WI
2 COLLEEN; Meghan Abbott 3200.00 Coral Springs, FL
3 QUEST D’OR; Kris Hoffman Kennedy 2682.00 Newtown, PA
4 FOUL PLAY; Mindy Blackford 2661.00 Mayfield, OH
5 CONTI-B; Elizabeth Maloney 2509.00 Franklin, MA
6 GYPSY ROSE; Mindy Blackford 2491.00 Mayfield, OH
7 GATOR B. CAREFUL; Kathleen Mitchell 2208.00 Lockport, NY
8 GRACIA; Hayley Carlson 2050.00 Northport, NY
9 FOXTROT ECHO; Chris Richards 1875.00 Arlington, TN
10 NZ DIP; Megan McGregor 1800.00 Durham, NC
11 SHAKER; Visse Wedell 1598.00 New York, NY
11 NETHERLAND’S STAR; Tiffany Ann Avon 1598.00 Lake Worth, FL
CHILDREN’S JUMPER – As of May 26
Plc HORSE; Rider Points Rider - City, State
1 LUCY IN THE SKY; Kaitlin D. Campbell 5121.00 Upper Black Eddy, PA
2 KOKO; Holly Cerasano 3727.00 Stillwater, NY
3 INCA; Olivia Goossen 3175.00 Howell, NJ
4 TOSCA; Flavia D’Urso 2380.00 Chester, NJ
4 JASMINE; Rachel Snyderman 2380.00 Princeton, NJ
6 MANUELA DEL JUNCAL; Heather Timm 2304.00 Wellington, FL
7 VOTE FOR PEDRO; Alexandra Sonnenberg 2294.00 Purcellville, VA
8 AK MICKEY; Mackenzie Keck 2289.00 Allmunchy, NJ
9 LORALINDE; Rebecca Payne 2276.00 Rochester Hills, MI
10 ZEITGEIST; Laura King-Kaplan 2182.00 Irvington, NY
11 GULIT; Channing Thomas 1932.00 Bristol, VA
12 TIGER LILLY; Paige Henderson 1925.00 Skillman, NJ
PONY JUMPER – As of May 26
Plc HORSE; Rider Points Rider - City, State
1 EXHILARATION; Wilhelmina Horzepa 1085.00 Englishtown, NJ
2 INDIGO; Paige Coles 686.00 Wellington, FL
3 TNT; Lillie Ross 680.00 Wheaton, IL
4 VERTIGO; Wilhelmina Horzepa 545.00 Englishtown, NJ
5 MAGIC BB; Kaitlin D. Campbell 526.00 Upper Black Eddy, PA
6 NOBODY’S FOOL; Mary Elizabeth Horzepa 351.00 Englishtown, NJ
7 DOUBLE DELIGHT; Edie Ringger 322.00 Midland, GA
8 C’EST LA VIE; Kasey Cannon 250.00 North Wales, PA
9 THE WATERBOY; Amber Siegelman 244.00 Versailles, KY
10 PATRIOT’S NO BOUNDARIES; Abby Westmark 213.00 Royal Palm Beach, FL
11 FARMORE ROYAL T; Laura Bostwick 205.00 Wellington, FL
12 FROSTY; Hannah Holik 192.00 Jackson, WY
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