Traverse City, MI – June 13, 2025—Kaitlin Campbell (USA) surprised even herself during the Traverse City Spring Series by winning the $63,000 GFL Environmental CSI4* Welcome Stake on Friday.
“This was the biggest class she’s ever jumped,” admitted Campbell, who didn’t expect a win to be in the cards for this horse just yet. “I thought this was going to be a nice, easy experience to teach her something. I’m so happy with today.”
The Traverse City Spring Series, presented by Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel, continues through June 29 and features three weeks of FEI jumper competition, weekly hunter derbies, including the International Hunter Derby Regional Championships, in addition to the USHJA Green Hunter Incentive Championships and the Markel/USHJA Platinum & Zone Jumper Team Championships.
From a starting field of 35, Campbell was one of 13 who advanced to the tie-breaking jump-off over courses set by Peter Grant (CAN). She set a standard of 37.83 seconds that could not be caught.
Irish Olympian Shane Sweetnam jumped to the runner up position in a time of 37.96 seconds riding Coriaan van Klapscheut Z, owned in partnership with Voquest, LLC. USA’s Hunter Holloway and Henry Jota Ariel took third in 38.04 seconds for owner Hays Investment Corp.
Questa vd Heffinck returns to Northern Michigan this year after the 9-year old Belgian Warmblood mare (Cabrio Z x Cooper vn de Heffinck) made a debut as part of Campbell’s string at Traverse City Horse Shows last year. “I was jumping her 1.35m just getting to know her,” recalled Campbell. I’m from California, so we spent the winter there stepping up. We brought her to Traverse City because it’s a really nice place to step up a young horse; it’s friendly but still challenging enough that it’s the next level.”
While Questa vd Heffinck stands at only 15.2-hands tall, she punched above her weight on Friday to win her first four-star. “Her stride is massive,” said Campbel. “It’s one of the biggest strides I’ve ever ridden, so it was a good jump-off for her today because there were a lot of straight galloping lines. We’ve been working on her rideability and getting her to turn tighter. Today, there was a big gallop to a hairpin turn, and she handled it far better than I thought she would.”
Campbell admits that she was sold on buying a horse sight unseen from an online auction, but that’s exactly how then 8-year-old Questa vd Heffinck’s owner did it. “He was sitting on the computer clicking bid, bid, bid—he was committed.
“I was not 100% convinced in the beginning,” continued Campbell. “She’s really come around. She’s probably the smartest horse I’ve ever sat on; you teach her something, come out the next day and she remembers exactly what you taught her the day before, which is extremely rare in horses. She’s been fun to work with.”
International competition comes to a peak at Flintfields Horse Park on Sunday with the $182,000 Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel CSI4* Grand Prix. To see complete results from the $63,000 GFL Environmental CSI4* Welcome Stake, click here.
After the CSI4* Welcome, the World Wide Technology Team Jumper Challenge returned to the Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel International Ring on Friday afternoon. Two teams of four athletes took to the Nations Cup format class hoping to claim the title over two rounds. Team Beisel, made up of Sonia Talwar on Fortunate Son, Ny’omi Hill aboard Hawai Balia NL, Tennyson Marie Halacka riding Peninsula Emerald Lass, and Maelyn Taule in the irons of Haufom, took the top call.
The World Wide Technology Team Jumper Challenge will return weekly through the sixth and final week of the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival (GLEF), presented by B&D Builders.
Nick Haness Continues Winning Streak in $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby
After a clean sweep of the Platinum Performance/USHJA Green Hunter Incentive Regional Championships a day earlier, California native Nick Haness returned to the winner’s circle on Friday in the Highstreet Arena to take the $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby title.
Haness, who hails from Temecula, CA, piloted a very seasoned mount in HH Elmo, owned by Lindsay Maxwell, to the top spot. The pair sat in third before the handy, sitting on a classic round score of 90.5. With points to make up, Haness and HH Elmo climbed to the top on a second score of 93 for a total of 183.5 on the board.
“What an animal he is,” said Haness of the Dutch Warmblood gelding. “He’s shown all over the world. He has more stamps in his passport than I do.”
Beginning his career in Europe as a jumper and climbing through the ranks with British show jumper Tim Wilks, HH Elmo has competed at some of the largest horse shows in the world up to the five-star level. In his second act, the gelding has proven multi-ring talent and quickly became a forever horse for owner Lindsay Maxwell and a special mount for Haness.
“He’s won a lot of great classes in his hunter career,” mentioned Haness, who took over the ride in 2019. “Most memorable for me—he was the first horse I ever won a [WCHR] Hunter Spectacular on.”
Now 16, HH Elmo leads a life of low stress. “He lives a very chill life with us. At home, he lives next to my rescue camels and goes out for hacks to stretch his legs. Lindsay lives in Europe now, so she’s told us to have fun with him and here we are.”
Following a point behind Haness was Courtney Lenkhart of Bartonville, TX, riding Allegretto, owned by Lori Mathews. The pair finished on a 182.5 with a classic score of 90 and handy score of 92.5. Closing out the top three was Tiffany Morrissey of Wellington, FL, aboard Cullighan, owned by Claudia Millstone, with scores 92 and 90 to total 182.
In addition to winning the derby title, HH Elmo was also named the Platinum Performance Hunter Horse of the Week.
For complete results of the $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby, click here.
Anna Tyler Captures $10,000 USHJA Jr/Am National Hunter Derby
Derby action continued in the Highstreet Arena with the $10,000 USHJA Jr/Am National Hunter Derby. A competitive field of 28 took to the classic round, but it was the final competitor who bested the rest. Returning in the top spot for the handy round on an initial score of 92, Anna Tyler of Raleigh, NC, and Your Welcome BC, owned by Don Stewart, reigned supreme as they posted a score of 91 to total a winning 183.
“He has an amazing jump and super fun personality,” said Tyler of the eight-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding. “I started riding him at the beginning of this year and he’s always game when we head into the ring.”
Spending the summer in Traverse City, 16-year-old Tyler and Your Welcome BC, can usually be found in the 15 & under small junior hunters with hopes of aiming towards indoor championships in the fall.
Following Tyler in the lap of honor was fellow Don Stewart student Elizabeth Rinehart of Carmel, IN, and Jaguar, who totaled 181.5 after earning a classic score of 89.5 and a handy score of 92. Closing out the top three was Rachael Herkowitz of Bloomfield Hills, MI, and her own Harmony. The pair finished in close quarters with second place, earning equal scores of 90.5 to total 181.
For complete results of the $10,000 USHJA Jr/Am National Hunter Derby, click here.
Also highlighting action on Friday at Traverse City Horse Shows, Katelyn Martin of Tampa, FL, won the $10,000 TCHS 3’6” Equitation Championship Qualifier aboard Relevé, and Sydney Mohrhardt of Boca Raton, FL, won the $5,000 TCHS 3’3” Equitation Championship Qualifier riding San Louis.
Both classes offered valuable qualifying points for the $100,000 Dudley and Barb Smith 3’6” Equitation Championship and the $50,000 Cherry Capital 3’3” Equitation Championship, both taking place during the Tournament of Champions at Flintfields Horse Park in September.
About Traverse City Horse Shows (TCHS)
Traverse City Horse Shows (TCHS) is a premier destination for summer equestrian events in North America, hosting 13 weeks of world-class competitions, including 12 weeks of FEI-ranked events. Nestled in the scenic landscape of Williamsburg, Michigan—just 15 minutes from downtown Traverse City—TCHS attracts elite equestrian talent from around the globe to Flintfields Horse Park—a venue that seamlessly blends top-tier sport with the natural beauty and vibrant culture of Northern Michigan.
For more information on the season, visit TraverseCityHorseShows.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for updates.
