Augusta Iwasaki Scores a Bullseye in $30,000 Traverse City National Grand Prix

The sun shone brightly on the Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel International Ring on Saturday afternoon during the second week of the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival (GLEF), presented by B&D Builders. The featured class of the day was the $30,000 Traverse City National Grand Prix, won by Augusta Iwasaki (USA) and Bullseye 111 Z.

Course designer Mauricio Garcia (PUR) built a challenging test for the 30 horse-and-rider combinations. At the completion of the first round, six athletes had managed to navigate successfully to move on to the tie-breaking short course. Time played a factor in the case of three riders, while a single rail was the demise of another five combinations.

Jonathan McCrea (USA) laid down the gauntlet with a clear effort as the first rider to return across the jump-off track and the only athlete to qualify more than one horse. It appeared McCrea could very well have the class in the bag as the next two riders incurred faults on course. Iwasaki was all business as she piloted the Ashland Farms’ nine-year-old Zangersheide gelding (Bamako de Muze x Der Senaat 111) efficiently around the track. 

Augusta Iwasaki & Bullseye 111 Z. Photo © Andrew Ryback Photography

“I started riding this horse at the beginning of the summer and he has been just so awesome,” explained Iwasaki. “He has a great amount of scope and he’s incredibly careful. He really tries hard. I took a shot to the vertical-to-vertical rollback because I know how careful he is, and he really got out of the way; that’s where I think we had the time today.”

While Iwasaki is well-known for her success in the hunter ring throughout her junior and amateur career, she says she looks forward to spending more time in the jumper ring. 

Jonathan McCrea & Kannascha. Photo © Andrew Ryback Photography

“I love the jumper ring and want to do more of it for sure,” she enthused. “I am so grateful to Ashland Farms for allowing me to ride this special horse, and I’m excited to keep building on this partnership throughout the summer and hopefully get to compete in some FEI classes with him.” 

Jonathan McCrea & Chaccotilino PS. Photo © Andrew Ryback Photography

As the final to enter the arena with his second mount, Windsor Show Stables’ nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, Kannascha (Kannan x Lux Z), McCrea gave it one more all-out effort but missed Iwasaki’s mark by mere tenths of a second to take second place with a time of 39.478 seconds. Having also produced the only other fault-free effort with his first horse on course, McCrea donned the third place ribbon on Windsor Show Stables’ nine-year-old Oldenburg gelding, Chaccotilino PS (Chacco-Blue x Centadel).  

The Top 3 teams stand on the podium with Team Schaefer in gold. Photo © Andrew Ryback Photography

The $10,000 World Wide Technology 1.10m Non Pro Team Jumper Challenge rounded out the full jumper schedule in the main arena. After two rounds of competition, Team Schaefer went head-to-head against Team Plain Bay in a jump-off to determine who the final winning team would be.  Laurel Walker (Copper Canyon, TX) and Dorothy Cox’s nine-year-old Belgian Sport Horse mare, Conajita (by Ublesco), went first for Team Plain Bay but Team Schaefer ultimately scored the win as JJ Torano produced a slightly faster jump-off time with Jet Show Stables’ nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Kybalia (by Baltic VDL). Team Schaefer, consisting of Olivia Sweetnam (Wellington, FL), Ava Berman (Baltimore, MD), Ella Tarumianz (Charlotte, NC), and the jump-off victor, JJ Torano (Wellington, FL), finished out the evening at the top of the podium.  

Kate Hagerty Creates Magic with Magic Moment in Combined Junior Hunter Classic

Kate Hagerty & Magic Moment. Photo © Andrew Ryback Photography

It was a battle of the junior riders on Saturday in the Main Hunter Ring as junior competitors from all 3’6” Junior Hunter divisions vied for the top title in the combined Junior Hunter Classic during week two of the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival, presented by B&D Builders. A total of twenty-five pairs put down their best efforts in a first-round trip to attempt to qualify for the final classic competition, but only the top-12 duos made their way back for another round.

With a first-round score of 86 points, Kate Hagerty of Terrebonne, OR, earned the highest classic round score of 88 points to take the lead on a 174-point total. 

“He’s such a versatile horse,” she detailed of The Hagerty Family’s 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood  gelding, Magic Moment (by Diarado). “He is always ready to step into either the hunter or the equitation ring and he does both so well. I think he has a nice presence and a very consistent way of going in the ring.”

For Hagerty, this summer season is extra special as she wraps up her final GLEF season as a junior competitor. 

“Being able to close out our time here this way means a lot,” she added. “It’s a really rewarding feeling to be able to finish top in the ribbons in such a competitive class, and this is definitely something special to add to his achievements.”

Katherine Mercer (Wellington, FL) produced the second highest score in the class aboard Frog Pond Stables’ 12-year-old Hanoverian gelding Bonne Starlight (by Bonne Chance). Pairing a first-round score of 87, the highest in the first round, with a classic score of 85.5 to total 172.5 points, the duo took home the red ribbon. The top three was rounded out by JJ Torano (Wellington, FL) and Partridge Hill Equestrian LLC’s seven-year-old Warmblood gelding Say When with a two-round total of 172 points. 

Hunter and jumper competition will resume on Sunday as GLEF II comes to a close. For full results, please click here.



SHARE THIS
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email