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Articles: Press Release
Winners and Still Champions
The Zone 1 team from New England successfully defended its Prix Des
States, Junior Jumper Championship title by a margin of four rails at the
Pennsylvania National Horse Show.
Thirty-six riders, representing nine of the 10 zones, entered the ring in the
first round. Only five went clean.
"Awesome " was the word Sarah Willeman, 17, from Hamilton, MA, used to
describe the Jose Gamarra's course. "It was difficult in many different
ways. You had a lot of options," she said. Willeman rode cleanly in both
rounds. "He designs courses you have to walk again. They appear easy, but
they aren't," added teammate Cody Baird.
This class is the third in a series of Junior Olympic classes sponsored
by the Black Entertainment Network and the American Horse Show Association.
It is unique because of its Nation's Cup format. Competitors ride as a team
with faults accumulating for the team in the first round. The top four teams
return to jump the same course. The total faults from rounds one and two are
totaled to determine the winner. Medals are awarded along with prize money
of $2,400 for the winning team. Gold medalists also a $1,500 scholarship.
The Zone 1 team had two returning members, Willeman and Jennifer Hannan
of Wakefield, RI. Hannan only learned October 9 she had made the team.
Seventeen-year-old Emily Bickman a first year competitor in Junior Jumpers,
was new as was Baird, who at 13, is one of the youngest Junior Jumpers
competing here in Harrisburg.
In keeping with the BET On JAZZ theme, each team had a theme. Zone 1
chose several including "We are the Champions" and "We will rock you." Both
seemed to be true.
The silver medals went to Zone 10 (CA, NV) Claire Prieto - Freestyling,
Randy Sheman -Charles R, Eva Gonda - El Campeon's Adriano and Rebecca Wolfson
- Winnie.
Southern contingent, Zone 4 (Al, FL, GA, MS, TN, SC) finished third with
Susan Fried - Aces Greystone, Maggie Jayne - Kindablue, Charlie Jayne -
Melbourne, and Jennifer Jone on Let's Dance Jil.
Fourth after the second round was Zone 3 (DC, DE, MD, VA, NC, WV).
Riding were Tomas Velez - Henkel, Jonathan Phillips- Jewel's Idiam, Anna
McKnight - Marina, and Paige Johnson - Just Dreamin.
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