Traverse City, MI – September 13, 2025—The first-ever Traverse City Equitation Championships presented historic prize money and winners on Saturday evening during the penultimate week of the Traverse City Tournament of Champions at Flintfields Horse Park.
Taking to the Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel International Ring in the $100,000 Dudley and Barb Smith 3’6” Equitation Championship, Olivia Sweetnam of Wellington, FL, emerged the winner in a final flat test against Madison Ramsey of Palm Harbor, FL. In the $50,000 Cherry Capital 3’3” Equitation Championship, Alice Goodwin of Richmond, VA, took top call.
Qualifying for each championship took place and various horse shows throughout the season, including weekly at TCHS. The top 25 riders were accepted into the final events, both judged by Jimmy Torano of Wellington, FL, and Bill Schaub of Wellington, FL. Courses were designed by Thomas Brawley of Middlebury, VA.
$100,000 Dudley and Barb Smith 3’6” Equitation Championship
After two rounds of jumping, Sweetnam, aboard Seven Miles, and Ramsey, on Mac one III, were within two points of each other and called back for a final test on the flat. After a high score in the first round of 93, Sweetnam emerged from the flat the winner on a 177.5 total.
“In the second round, I just wanted to keep another consistent round,” said Sweetnam, who piloted a 12-year-old Zangersheide (Hunter’S Scendix) owned by Sweet Oak Farm. “I didn’t need to blow it out of the water, and I’m very happy with how my horse was. This is his first time competing at night, and he handled the environment really well.
Qualifying for the Dudley and Barb Smith 3’6” Equitation Championship was a goal of 16-year-old Sweetnam since the start of the summer season, and she entered the final sitting second in the overall standings.
“Ken Smith, my trainer, thought this would be a good idea to kickstart the finals season for us,” she said. “Seven Miles is green when it comes to equitation, so it definitely feels good to start the season with a win. I’ve always had confidence in him, but this just proved me right.”
Ramsey and Mac One III finished on a final score of 176 for second, and Lily Epstein of Coral Gables, FL, took third aboard Charlie Brown on a score of 171.
For complete results from the $100,000 Dudley and Barb Smith 3’6” Equitation Championship, click here.
$50,000 Cherry Capital 3’3” Equitation Championship
Alice Goodwin, 16, combined scores of 93 and 82 aboard her own 9-year-old Westphalian gelding August (Cornet Obolensky) to win the $50,000 Cherry Capital 3’3” Equitation Championship on a total 175.
She started the day sitting third in the overall standings, which afforded her the opportunity to watch most of the riders compete before taking her turn in the Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel International Ring.
“We won a few of the qualifiers here in Traverse City, so I was really looking forward to the championship,” said Goodwin, who trains with Abby Blankenship and Three Ships. “The course had a lot of different things that I haven’t done before like the triple bar to the hay bales in ‘c’ shape. I had a lot of fun with that.”
Goodwin now carries the confidence of this win into the fall equitation finals season.
“I’m proud of me and “Augie”. He’s still pretty young and I struggle with the pressure of championships like this,” admitted Goodwin. “I think we really stepped up today; he was great and I handled my nerves well. The future is looking bright for us.”
Ava Crolick of Clarkston, MI, rode Donatello to second on a 169.5, and Grace Majoros of New York, NY, took third in the irons of RF Marvel on a final score of 169.
For complete results from the $50,000 Cherry Capital 3’3” Equitation Championship, click here.
About Traverse City Horse Shows
Traverse City Horse Shows (TCHS) offers 13 weeks of top equestrian competition each summer at Flintfields Horse Park in Williamsburg, Michigan—just 15 minutes from downtown Traverse City. The venue blends world-class sport with the natural beauty of Northern Michigan and features 12 weeks of FEI-ranked events, including three five-stars and an FEI Nations Cup CSIO3*.
The season culminates in the three-week Tournament of Champions, highlighted by the $340,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ CSI5*-W—Traverse City and $340,000 American Gold Cup CSI5*. New this year, the $100,000 Dudley and Barb Smith 3’6” Equitation Championship and $50,000 Cherry Capital 3’3” Equitation Championship deliver big prize money and prestige to the equitation ranks.
For more information on the season, visit TraverseCityHorseShows.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for updates.
