Samantha Does It Again

Upper Marlboro, MD-October 5, 2002-For the second consecutive year Samantha Schaefer, 8, walked out of the arena at the Capital Challenge Horse Show in Upper Marlboro, MD, with the grand pony hunter championship ribbon hanging from her pony’s bridle. This year the young rider accomplished the feat riding Northwinds Onyx. The pony, “Sally,” is only five years old but has the attitude of an old campaigner. As a four-year-old she was champion at the Royal Winter Fair in Canada and this year she has won enough to qualify for Harrisburg and Washington.

Last year Schaefer collected the grand championship riding Halcyon Hawthorn – her favorite of all her ponies. This year, in addition to the medium and grand championship finish aboard Sally, Schaefer also took home the small pony championship on Peek A Boo and the medium reserve ribbon with Prince Valiant. Rounding out her winnings Schaefer went on to collect the Best Child Rider on a pony award. Schaefer, a resident of Westminster, MD, trains with Kim Stewart and is a fourth grader at Winfield Elementary.

Champion in the large pony hunter division went to Devon Yacka, 15, of West Chester, Pa., who rode Remember The Laughter to the honors. Yacka started leasing the seasoned pony from Scott Stewart last year. According to her trainer Louise Serio, Yacka has learned a lot from the veteran pony hunter. In the junior jumper division Nancy Amling of Fallston, Md., collected the tricolor aboard Castania. Amling described the big mare as very forgiving. “She gives with her whole heart,” she said. The 11-year-old grey Holsteiner has been with Amling for the past two and a half years. Originally from Europe, “Cassie” was once on the junior Olympic team before she was imported and ended up with Amling. The pair train with Tommy Serio and are competing in the high junior jumpers. For Amling her success at Capital Challenge was the high point of a rough year. At Devon this past May the horse and rider combination fell at a jump and Amling was taken away with a fractured pelvis. After weeks of healing, Amling and Cassie quickly got back on track and haven’t felt any repercussions of the accident.

The Capital Challenge Horse Show wraps up on Sunday, October 6, with classes in three rings. The junior and children’s hunters will run throughout the day. The highlight of the final afternoon will be the two World Champion Hunter Rider challenge classes and the junior/amateur-owner jumper prix. Admission is free. For more information please contact the show office at 301-952-7944/7945 or look for scheduling, results, photos and more on the show’s official website – www.capitalchallengehorseshow.com.