Meet the Champions

by Joshua Walker

It seems safe to say the 2009 Bit of Britain/USEA American Eventing Championships left a lasting legacy in its final gallop through the Lamplight Equestrian Center in Wayne, Illinois. The weather was gorgeous, the atmosphere was festive, and the competitors boasted their best through four full days of the nation's most exciting competition.

The country's top riders and horses contended for over $100,000 in prizes, $50,000 in prize money, and national honors at every level during this sixth year of the event. Countless volunteers, sponsors, organizers, staff, and many other eventing enthusiasts made this year's AEC one of the best to date and deserve accolades equal to the 14 champions crowned during the weekend.

Julia Spatt

Training Junior Champion

Julia Spatt has already learned some difficult but priceless lessons in her young life and riding has always been there to reinforce what truly matters. One of those lessons is to "celebrate the small successes," and to this 17-year-old, winning the Training Junior division at the 2009 Bit of Britain/USEA American Eventing Championships was certainly a success to celebrate.

"Riding has really helped me to overcome some really difficult times in my life," said Spatt, "It has taught me to celebrate the small successes, whether that's a clear show jumping round, or having a sound horse for a full season."

Spatt lost her father to a climbing accident three years ago at the age of 14. Three years later, her beloved Preliminary horse, Surroyalist, also passed before his time and Spatt says riding has helped her grow and persevere. Surroyalist sustained a ligament injury last year in July, one week before the pair was to ride on the Area IX CCI1 * team at the North American Junior and Young Riders ' Championships. He subsequently colicked and underwent surgery, only to colic again six months later and not survive the relapse.

Still, she stayed with the team that year and groomed. Spatt also achieved her Pony Club B-Rating and earned her hunt buttons with the Arapahoe Hunt, both on borrowed horses.

"There are some things you have no control over," Spatt said. "But hard work and perseverance have their own rewards."

In April, Spatt and her mother, Kimberley Campbell, found a 6-year-old off-the-track Thoroughbred gelding called Tazzmania, with whom she travelled from her home in Centennial, Colorado, to the Lamplight Equestrian Center in Wayne, Illinois, to compete at the AEC. Though the young horse wouldn't be ready to compete at the NAJYRC in 2009, it is still a tangible goal for 2010 and Spatt saw the AEC as an ideal stepping-stone to reach that goal.

"I had only purchased Taz in April 2009 and knowing that he would be too inexperienced to qualify for the Young Riders CCI1* team, I wanted to make a Training level goal for us," Spatt explained. "So I chose to take him to the AEC. It was a chaltenging Training course and it was a great way to give Taz some experience and confidence before moving him up."

The pair started their weekend tied for third place with a dressage sco re of 31.1. After coming closest to the optimum time after their double-clear cross-country trip, they broke the tie and sat in third place heading into show jumping. Overnight leaders Erin Strader and L.M. Yukon caught a rail during their stadium trip while Spatt and Taz kept it clear to take top honors.

"I had three great phases that weekend but my favorite was definitely cross-country," Spatt remembered. "Taz was very brave throughout the course which was great because I've been trying to help him become more confident all season. But the racehorse in him thought that the victory gallop was the best part!"

Since the AEC, Spatt completed two Preliminary level events in the fall where she finished in second and eighth place. "I am so blessed to be given the chance to work with such a talented young horse and I can't wait to continue working towards our potential," she said.

Spatt trains with John Staples and says without his guidance, she wouldn't have qualified, let alone known what to do with her first young horse. "Without John I would never have known how to take on training and competing the first young horse I've worked with," she said. "And of course I would never be able to do anything without my mom. She has been so amazing and willing to drive my horse and me all over the country to compete and give us the opportunity to accomplish our riding goals."

The Story of the 2009 AEC Champions

Leslie Law won the Advanced Championship aboard Beatrice and Guy Rey-Herme's Selle Francais/Arabian gelding Fleeceworks Mystere du Val for the second consecutive year. Except this year, it was the real deal. "It is a little bit different from last year," Law explained. "The weather is totally opposite, and last year the cross-country got rained out and it ended up being a combined competition. So, it was nice to come back and do a full event and win it with all three phases."

The Advanced division also served as an Adequan USEA Gold Cup event. Law's victory earned enough points to seize the Series lead and, after the final Gold Cup event ran at the Twin Rivers Horse Trials later that month, secure this year's title as Keeper of the Cup.

"I didn't set out this season to run in the Gold Cup Series, but after my win at Richland I started thinking about it," Law explained. "I had the choice to run at the Bit of Britain/USEA American Eventing Championships or the Plantation Field Horse Trials. Since I had quite a few points I decided to head to the AEC and give the Gold Cup a chance."

Coming out on the positive side of that chance earned him the $10,000 year-end bonus for winning the Series. "The $10,000 is going to be split with Fleeceworks Mystere Du Val 's owners, Beatrice and Guy Rey-Herme, but my portion will still be a huge help," Law said. "With a new baby I am sure the check will be swallowed up very quickly!"

Jennie Brannigan rode her young gelding, Cambalda, from tenth place to the win in the Intermediate division on a score of 41.7.

"Cambalda is still young and developing, but he has three lovely gaits," Brannigan said. "This is only his fourth Intermediate event, and I think it is a great testament to the horse that he has gone and won something this big. I have no question that this horse is going to jump around Advanced."

In the Preliminary Amateur division, top honors were given to Lynne Partridge and her very successful six-year-old Oldenburg gelding, EI Cid. The pair led from start to finish not adding a single fault to their dressage score of 25.4.

"I am just elated," Partridge exclaimed after finishing her stadium round. "EI Cid has just had the best year ever, and he has won almost everything, and this just tops it all off. He was absolutely fabulous in all three phases; he has just grown up so much this year."

Local Illinois rider, Kristen Rozycki and her Thoroughbred mare, Full Circle, won the Preliminary Horse division by finishing on their dressage score of 29.2. In second place after the dressage and cross-country, Rozycki outrode overnight leaders Phillip Dutton and Vidalia in the stadium to capture the blue.

Rozycki has only been competing Full Circle since May of this year, and the AEC marked the pair's third Preliminary competition.

Sixteen-year-old Elinor MacPhail and her own Woodstock II took home the blue in the Preliminary Junior/Young Rider division. MacPhail sat second after dressage on a 30.8. When class leaders Alison Wilaby and Memphis II incurred a stop on cross-country, MacPhail posted a double-clear run to seize the lead and keep it.

MacPhail purchased Woodstock II from Amy Tryon two years ago and the pair was named to the USEF's Developing Rider list this year. However, due to some lameness issues, MacPhail decided to weigh Woodstock's interests as top priority and moved the 15-year-old Throughbred gelding back to Preliminary and ease him into retirement.

"I love coming to the AEC, and I love having it at Lamplight," MacPhail said. "I show here a lot, and I always love coming here."

In the Training Amateur division, Tracey Corey and SuperNova a earned the lowest dressage score, not only in their division, but of the entire competition. They claimed the Championship by adding nothing to that 24.7 throughout the rest of the competition.

Much like Rozycki, Kerry Torrey and Carlin Vickery's Wellfleet started out the weekend head to head with Phillip Dutton in the Training Horse division. It only took 1.2 time penalties on cross-country to open the door for Torrey and Wellfleet. Two double-clear trips kept the pair atop the leaderboard for the Championship, just 1.2 faults over Dutton and Young Man.

Cindy Bonamarte rode her own Trakehner mare, Eva, to the Novice Amateur Championship after achieving a score of 29.0 in the dressage phase and fin ishing on that score. In the Novice Horse division, Chrissy Hollnagel partnered with Sherry Hohn's Saki and ran away with the Championship. Hollnagel, who also placed second in the Intermediate division aboard Harlan's Flight, added no penalties to her dressage score of 26.3.

"Saki is a fabulous horse," Hollnagel said. "I am so happy to get the experience of riding her. Sherry Hohn is her owner, and she allowed me to bring her to the AEC, and we just got our qualifications in the nick of time."

In the Novice Junior division, Evelyn Bulkeley rode Freya II and began the competition tied for first place with Nicholas Hansen and Grand Cru. When Hansen added only 0.8 time penalties on cross-country, Bulkely was able to hold the title alone with double-clear trips; one across the country and in the stadium.

"I am just so happy," Bulkeley exclaimed after her stadium round. "At this time last year I had broken my back, so to come this far in a year makes me so happy."

Ellen Guthrie, Beginner Novice Amateur Champion, drove two days from Utah with Ideal Life to compete at the AEC. And the trip was well worth the road time. This was Guthrie's first time competing at the AEC, and she said it was a dream come true since she was able to win with a horse that she bred, started, and trained with the help of her coach.

"I actually won a silent auction bid at the USEA Convention in Portland," Guthrie explained. "Drinking wine, bidding on a stud fee in a benefit auction, I won the breeding. He is now six-years-old, and like a magical pony. When I went to go get him to tack him up for show jumping today, he was flat out on his back snoring."

First prize in the Beginner Novice Horse division went to young Sammy D and his rider Susannah Lansdale. Sammy is only four-years-old and the AEC was his fifth competition. Lansdale bought Sammy D as a seven-month-old and trained him herself. He was then bought by one of Lansdale's clients, Melanie Helms, for whom Lansdale rode Sammy D at the AEC.

"My weekend started out a little bit sticky when my Preliminary horse had a stop out on cross-country, but Sammy D made my day when he placed first in dressage," Lansdale said. "The atmosphere here is great, and I just love coming to the AEC."

In the Beginner Novice Junior division, Katherine Hauck and California Girl led the competition from start to finish on a score of 25.5. Hauck trave lled with her 16-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare from Iowa to compete in this year's competition.