Junior Exhibitors Step Up At Des Moines Springfest
Monday, May 10, 2004
by Kelly Creech
DES MOINES, Iowa - Des Moines Springfest started off on a dreary Thursday evening. Soon after the show started, a cute chestnut horse with a flaxen mane and tail helped many forget the weather outside. That cute little horse was Shiny New Penny with Faye Wuesthofen, who started the junior exhibitors off with an excellent ride in the Open English Pleasure 17 and Under class to win. Wuesthofen had a great weekend at Des Moines. She not only showed Penny to win the Show Pleasure 13 and Under qualifier and the Junior Exhibitor Show Pleasure Stake, but also won the Junior Exhibitor Three-Gaited Stake as well with her expressive Cheetah’s Admiral. The three-gaited qualifier went to the bright new team of Walterway’s Allstar and Natalie Stevosky. Reserve in the qualifier went to Cheetah’s Admiral while reserve in the stake went to Meghan Archer and Undulata’s Gypsy.
Another person who had a good weekend was Aimee Langer. She won the UPHA Pleasure Challenge Cup with a very smooth pattern after previously winning the pleasure equitation 14-17 class. Jourdan Schaye and Courtney Ledo were the other big winners in pleasure equitation this weekend. Schaye won the 13 and Under Pleasure Equitation class and Ledo won the Saddle & Bridle Pleasure Medallion and the Pleasure Equitation Championship.
In the open equitation division Meaghan MacQueen was undefeated for the weekend; winning the UPHA 13 and Under Challenge Cup, the USEF Saddle Seat Medal, and the Saddle Seat Equitation Championship. Taking reserve in the championship after winning the 11-13 class, was Lyndi Skinner. Skinner showed her versatility by winning the Junior Exhibitor Three-Gaited Park Trimmed Horse class as well with her horse Margarita Man.
The Junior Exhibitor Five-Gaited class proved to be one of the toughest classes of the weekend. Kate Bauman and The Man of the Hour fought hard to win both the qualifier and the stake. Reserve in the qualifier went to The Perfect Face and Ashley Johnsen, an impressive new team to look out for in the future. Reserve in the championship went to My Pepper Ann and Whitney Anderson.
Des Moines Springfest showcased excellent new teams as well as numerous well-known campaigners. The junior exhibitors were well represented throughout the weekend both in the performance and equitation divisions.
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