Traverse City, MI – July 6, 2025—Daisy Farish (USA) collected four international top-10 placings in Traverse City during the Spring Series, but a win had eluded her until Sunday. In the irons of Etonemoi Del Cabalero, she left the Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel International Ring as winner of the $117,000 Meijer CSI3* Grand Prix to close out opening week of the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival, presented by B&D Builders.
The 11th season of GLEF features six weeks of FEI competition running through August 10, showcasing an FEI Nations Cup CSIO3*, the FEI North American Youth Championships and the return of Major League Show Jumping CSI5* competition to Traverse City. Highlights also include the $100,000 USHJA World Championship Hunter Rider Central Spectacular and weekly qualifiers for the all-new $150,000 Traverse City Equitation Championships debuting in September.
The stage was set for a nine-horse jump-off over tracks built by Mauricio Garcia (PUR). “If I’m anywhere near the jump-off, she always has the fastest time. It’s just whether I can make her get the right distance in front of the jumps on my end,” beamed Farish, 24, after the winning round.
She guided her 11-year-old Selle Français mare (Air Jordan x Le Tot de Semilly) to an uncatchable time of 38.02 seconds for owner Lanes End Showjumping. USA’s Jacob Pope put in a solid effort but came up fractions shy in 38.77 seconds riding Highway FBH, owned in partnership with Sherri Crawford. Canada’s Ali Ramsay rounded out the podium placings riding Conrado 12, owned by David Sport Horses, Inc. and Ramsay Equestrian, Inc.
Farish has had the ride on Toni—as the mare is known around the barn—for three years. “She’s a fighter of a horse; extremely fast and always trying to win. It came together for her today. She is incredible at this level; she easily jumps 1.50m very competitively.”
Northern Michigan is home for the summer for Farish and her string of horses at Manciais Stables. “It’s the first time we will be here until September, but we love horse showing here; the town is incredible and there’s always a nice build-up to the grand prix each week. But you still have to be competitive; there’s a lot of talented riders there.
“No matter what ring they’re in at the horse show, it feels just as special as the next,” concluded Farish of her experience at Flintfields Horse Park. “The clients and the horses enjoy being here as much as I do, and that’s the main thing.”
Sunday’s win also secured Farish the Turnham Green Leading Lady Rider title for GLEF’s opening week, and named her groom Miguel Valadez as the Equifit Winning Groom.
Complete results from the $117,000 Meijer CSI3* Grand Prix can be found here.
Ashley Weiman and Laura Zingg Collect Adult Hunter Classic Wins
Flintfields Horse Park played host to competitive adult amateur hunter classics on Sunday of opening week at the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival, presented by B&D Builders. In the Karina Brez Jewelry Adult Amateur Hunter Classic, Ashley Weiman of Ramona, CA, and C Suite took the win, while Williamsburg, MI, native Laura Zingg topped the Great Lakes Golf Cars Low Adult Amateur Hunter Classic aboard Candor.
Weiman received a text from trainer Nick Haness on Friday evening telling her she would catch ride C Suite, owned by Lexi Ferder and trained by Carleton Brooks of Balmoral Farm, the following day. “I said ‘okay’ and thanked him for the opportunity,” said Weiman.
She showed up on Saturday, won both classes and again topped two classes on Sunday, including the Karina Brez Jewelry sponsored classic. “It didn’t take very long to get to know him,” continued Weiman. “He’s bigger than I’m used to, so I focused on getting used to making sure that I got all the gears together. He’s a very straightforward horse and Carleton is so lovely to work with.
“I want to be Nick someday,” laughed Weiman. “So, I am honored to get these opportunities to catch ride and follow in his footsteps. This horse has an amazing jump; he gives his 110 percent effort over every single jump, so I was making sure I found my distances and got my lead changes. Carleton just told me to have fun!”
After earning several tricolors with her horse Gifted Romance, Weiman will focus more on catch riding in the coming weeks as her horse switches gears to the jumper ring.
For full results from the Karina Brez Jewelry Adult Amateur Hunter Classic, click here.
Laura Zingg rides with Northern Pines based in Maple City, MI, and piloted Melissa Hirt’s Candor to victory in the Great Lakes Golf Cars Low Adult Amateur Hunter Classic. When not focused on her full-time job as Vice President of Kalkaska Memorial Health Center, Zingg can be found in the saddle.
“I keep my plate full, and somehow fit it all in, but I love horses dearly,” said Zingg. “Today, my first couple rounds weren’t great and I thought, ‘I have to pull this out.’”
Battling through a Northern Michigan rain shower, Zingg rallied to fix what needed to be fixed for the classic. “I used my corners, trusted him a little more, got my pace a lot better and he was absolutely beautiful. I couldn’t ask for more.
“I got to pull the rabbit out of the hat for my trainers,” concluded Zingg with a beaming smile.
For full results from the Great Lakes Golf Cars Low Adult Amateur Hunter Classic, 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.
