Samantha Schaefer wins WIHS Equitation Classic

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Washington, D.C. – October 24, 2009 – Samantha Schaefer of Westminster, MD, last night won the WIHS Equitation Classic finals, a top national competiton for junior riders. The three-phase event is run over two days, with hunter, jumper and a final phase for the top ten riders, who draw to ride another competitor’s mount.  Chase Boggio, of Canton, GA, was second, and Tina Dilandri, of La Jolla, CA, third.   

Schaefer led from the beginning with a top score of 87.92 in the hunter phase, and added a jumper phase score of 86.92. As the last to go in the top 10 work-off, where the riders switched horses, she was feeling the pressure from Chase Boggio, of Canton, GA, who had a high score in the work-off of 89.67. Boggio masterfully rode Molly Braswell’s The General to increase his leading point total to 261.999.

Schaefer returned on Lucy Davis’ mount, Patrick. She had a smooth round and a bold final line. The judges rewarded her with a score of 91.67 for the work-off and a total of 266.498 for the win. Schaefer trains with Andre Dignelli, Kim Stewart, Kirsten Coe, Patricia Griffith and Don Stewart.

“It went really well. I thought I stayed pretty consistent through all three phases, and I got pretty lucky. I got a really nice horse to ride in the final phase too,” Schaefer said of Patrick. “I didn’t know anything about the horse. I have never seen it go, but they told me a lot about it and it rode just like they said. He was really easy. I think it is a young horse, but he has a really big stride and he doesn’t really move you over the jumps.”

This was only the third time that Schaefer has shown her original horse, Travino. “I have never shown my horse in the jumper phase,” she remarked. “He is young. He did the First Years earlier in the week. He is really sweet to ride, he is easy, and he has a nice rhythm. He is fun; I like him a lot.”

Although Boggio and 10th-place finisher Molly Braswell both train with Bob Braswell and Christina Schlusemeyer, Boggio had never ridden The General before. “He is in the same barn as I am, but I had actually never ridden him before today. I don’t think I could have been any luckier with the draw though,” he said. “I have seen him go enough to know what he is like. He was sort of similar to my horse. You just have to ride him forward like a hunter a little bit, so it wasn’t too big of a difference.”

Earlier this year, Boggio won the equitation championships at Capital Challenge Horse Show and was seventh in the USEF Medal Finals. He said of his mount Graphiq, “I just feel like I really click with him. I have just gone in with really no expectations, and it has all just sort of come together all at once.”

Tina DiLandri of La Jolla, CA, had scores of 82.33 and 86 with her mount Cadeau and a score of 76 in the work-off on Boggio’s Graphiq for a total of 244.330 and third place. Lucy Davis of Los Angeles, CA, finished fourth with a total of 243.582, while Reed Kessler of Armonk, NY, was fifth with 240.999 points.

For her win tonight, Schaefer was awarded the WIHS Equitation Classic Trophy, donated by Mr. and Mrs. G. Ralph Ours III. Schaefer’s mount Travino, owned by Heritage Farm, won the Lugano Memorial Trophy donated by Stone Hill.

The 2009 Washington International Horse Show concludes tomorrow with pony hunter and local hunter competition. The World of the Horse special exhibition will be the last event of the show.

Photo: Jennifer Wood, Phelps Media Group

inal Results: WIHS Equitation Classic Finals
RIDER, HORSE, JUMPER PHASE, HUNTER PHASE, WORK-OFF, TOTAL

1. SAMANTHA SCHAEFER, TRAVINO: 86.92, 87.92, 91.67= 266.498
2. CHASE BOGGIO, GRAPHIQ: 89.33, 85, 89.67= 261.999
3. TINA DILANDRI, CADEAU: 86, 82.33, 76= 244.330
4. LUCY DAVIS, PATRICK: 79.67, 82.92, 81= 243.582
5. REED KESSLER, RICHOCHET: 79.33, 82.33, 79.33= 240.999
6. LILLIE KEENAN, LOGAN: 73.67, 85, 79.33= 237.999
7. ALEXANDRA ARUTE, SANDER: 83, 77.67, 74.33= 234.999
8. ZAZOU HOFFMAN, IVY: 81.67, 77.70, 75.33= 234.699
9. TAYLOR KAIN, SPOCK: 80.17, 79.17, 68.67= 227.998
10. MOLLY BRASWELL, THE GENERAL: 86.33, 86.92, 40= 213.249

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WIHS is an official USEF Heritage Competition, and holds the highest rating,  CSI5*-W, awarded by the Fédération Equestre Internationale, as well as a US Equestrian 6* Jumpers and  Premier Hunters. It is recognized by the US Hunter Jumper Association, Maryland Horse Show Association, and Virginia Horse Show Association. WIHS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization.