BURBANK, CA -Once again Langer Equestrian Group, Inc. will award three professional horsemen with a week’s stay in Maui at the Marriott Ocean Resort on Ka’anapali Beach. LEG’s President and CEO, Larry Langer, was the instigator of the Maui prizes. “Having been a professional horseman myself, I know how hard the trainers work. I wanted to come up with a prize that would be very meaningful to professionals, and to acknowledge their support of LEG’s horse shows.” As a result, LEG developed three Maui trainer awards, one for each of LEG’s horse show divisions.
The first of the three Maui trips was awarded at the recently concluded Memorial Day Classic (May 25-29) held at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center. The Memorial Day Equitation Challenge features teams of three riders competing over two nights. The teams are comprised of a junior, an amateur, and a professional. Competition is keen and the prospect of a week in Maui attracts some of the top professionals.
After two rounds, a pair of teams found themselves tied for the top spot. The pressure was on as the tie was broken with a work off between the two professionals, Kacey Ament, representing Bauer’s Babes, and Dan Silverstone, representing Dan the Man and the Babe-ettes. Ament is the professional rider for Karen Healey Stables, and their name referenced Healey’s married name of Bauer. Amateur Yvette Lang-Einczig and Junior Shelby Wakeman made up the team. Silverstone of Elvenstar was joined by Junior Michelle Morris and Amateur Justin Felton.
Ament was riding a horse that had been a jumper only weeks prior to the class, and in the halt the horse was clearly tense and never really stood. Silverstone, riding Katie Gardner’s veteran Amadeus knew that any mistakes would be his. However, a smooth work off round assured him of the trip to Maui. Together with his partner, Jim Hagman, they are heading to Maui in December. Last year Silverstone’s team was second.”This is really great. Last year we were so close and then to have to work off this year!”said Silverstone.
LEG hosts seven USEF A and AA shows at the lovely Horse Park at Woodside in Northern California. Trainers earn points toward the Woodside Hunter Incentive based on their five highest scoring hunters at each show. After two shows Leslie Nelson is in the lead with 496 points. Nelson has won the Maui trip two years in a row. “This is so amazing to have professionals recognized with such a great prize. My family and I have had the most incredible time in Maui. While it would be great to win again, I know that another professional will also really appreciate the experience,” said Nelson. Diane Yeager is close on Nelson’s heels with 457 points, followed by Lesann O’Sullivan (448.5 points). Full point standings and program details are listed on the LEG website: http://www.leghorseshows.com/special_hunter.php.
At the Colorado Horse Park (Parker, CO), LEG produces eight USEF A and AA shows. At each show a trainer’s five highest point earning horses accrue points toward the Colorado Trainer Incentive. “Any division or section that offers a championship counts,” explained Show Manager Charlotte Skinner. “It doesn’t matter if a trainer has all jumpers, hunters or equitation riders. We calculate their five highest scoring horses or riders based on the championship charts of each show.” By counting a trainer’s best five horses or riders, those with smaller barns remain competitive for the trip to Maui.
After two shows, Corky Shaha is in the lead with 152 points. For the last two years she has worked to win the trip to Maui, but each time she was edged out at the final two shows. Shaha was represented by an equitation rider, two jumpers, and a hunter to earn her points. Tied for second and not far behind are Becky Andrews and Molly Rinedollar with 135 points each. Full point standings and program details are listed on the LEG website: http://leghorseshows.com/special_colorado.php.
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