Hunter Holloway (USA) returned to winning ways at the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival (GLEF), presented by B&D Builders, on Friday by riding Kalina N to top the $32,000 Alltech CSI3* Welcome Stake. After winning a two-star grand prix at Flintfields Horse Park in 2021, Holloway bested a field of 35 horse-and-rider combinations over a Manuel Esparza (MEX) designed track in the Turtle Creek Hotel & Casino International Ring.
Eleven horses returned for the tie-breaking jump-off, which set the stage for an emotional win for Holloway and her nine-year-old KWPN mare, owned by Hays Investment Corp. “It was my lucky day; my step dad passed away on the 24th of July, and this is our first big win since then,” she said. “He was one of my biggest cheerleaders so I definitely wanted to do it for him.”
Of the returning challengers, it was the last combination in the ring who took the blue. Holloway and Kalina N stopped the clock at 36.44 seconds to bump current leader Erynn Ballard to second. Ballard has just returned from representing Canada at the Olympic Games in Paris to ride Ginger Ask (Casall x Levisto) to the runner-up position in 37.12 seconds for owner Ilan Ferder.
“We’ve had [Kalina] since she was five years old,” said Holloway after she and the mare stole the win by nearly a full second. “She’s been fun to bring along and she’s just stepped up this year to the FEI level and she’s been a superstar. I’m very excited for the future with her.
“She’s very game and she’s got the perfect amount of blood,” said Holloway of Kalina N (H5 Elvaro x Querly-Elvis). “She’s careful, she’s catty and she’s quick—as she showed today. She has a super heart and always tries to do her best with a great character.”
Bringing up Kalina alongside her partner Dylan Gamble, Holloway has enjoyed the process of producing young horses for top-level sport. “Dylan and I do that together from the ground up,” said Holloway. “I love the process of bringing up young horses and teaching them. I’ve gone through the process with several horses over the years and I really enjoy it.”
Rounding out the podium in third went to Spain’s Francisco Goyoaga Mollet riding Stakato Cornet (Cornet Obolensky x Stakkato), owned by Ashland Farms. The pair finished in a clear 37.43 seconds over the short course.
While making her family and her late step-father proud with a well-earned blue, Holloway is not riding high on momentum ahead of Sunday’s $120,000 Four G Surfaces CSI3* Grand Prix.
For full results, click here.
Libbie Gordon and Sydney Raidy Win $5,000 Leading Junior/Amateur Hunter Rider Bonuses Presented by Makoto Farm & Walkenbach Equestrian
As the 2024 Great Lakes Equestrian Festival (GLEF), presented B&D Builders, comes to a close, seasonal honors are being awarded to those who have experienced strong summer circuits at Flintfields Horse Park.
The $5,000 Leading Amateur Hunter Rider and $5,000 Leading Junior Hunter Rider Award are a new addition to GLEF, and were given to the junior and amateur hunter riders who accumulated the most points in the USHJA National Hunter Derbies and the USHJA National Junior/Amateur Hunter Derbies offered weekly during the Traverse City Spring Series, presented by Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel, and the first four weeks of the GLEF series.
Libbie Gordon, hailing from Statesville, NC, took home the $5,000 Leading Amateur Hunter Rider Award after winning GLEF II’s USHJA National Jr/Am Derby aboard Carino, following her second-place finish during GLEF I.
Sydney Raidy of New York, NY, won the $5,000 Leading Junior Hunter Rider Award after being the only junior rider to win the Junior/Amateur Derby at Traverse City during the given time period. She took the win riding Bigtalu G Z during GLEF III.
“Traverse City Horse Shows does a wonderful job of spotlighting both hunter riders and horses in unique and fun ways. These bonuses are another way to showcase the talent and effort that is required to post consistent top results in the hunter discipline,” said Elizabeth Reilly of Makoto Farms, sponsor of the newly created bonus opportunities. “On behalf of Makoto Farms, Hunters Edge and Walkenbach Equestrian, we congratulate Libbie and Sydney on a job well done and a very successful GLEF season.”
