Kali Jerman and Canon Take Washington International Horse Show Children’s Jumper Championship; Ericka Schaefer Rides Maizy Toltien to Adult Tri-Color

Washington, D.C. - October 26, 2005 – On Wednesday night the Children and Adult Jumpers took center stage at the 2005 Washington International Horse Show, running now through Sunday October 30th, at the beautiful MCI Center in Washington, D.C.

In the $10,000 WIHS Children’s Jumper Championship, twenty-four starters were challenged by courses designed by Steve Stephens of Palmetto, Florida. Scoring was under Table II, Sec 2a. Time First Jump-Off.

Twelve of the twenty-four produced first round clears to advance to the second round tiebreaker against the clock.

In the jump-off it was Farmingdale, New Jersey’s Kali Jerman and Canon coming home with the runaway victory. Jerman crossed the finish line in a blazing time of 30.703 seconds for the win. Her time was 2.90 seconds faster than second place finisher Laura Pfeiffer of Temperance, Michigan. Pfeiffer and her mount Cortez broke the beams in 33.604 seconds.

Caspar and Olivia Clancy finished third with a clear go in 33.734 seconds and Braveheart and Alexandra Arute were fourth, coming home in 33.755 seconds.

“The key for him is to come in and go stride strong and look for the deep distances. Then turn tight and jump high,” Jerman laughed following her victory gallop. “I was very pleased that he maintained his composure today, especially in the warm up ring. And in the jump-off he stayed nice and round and he was very, very fast.”

It was a special but nervous day for the winner. “The atmosphere here is so intense. Very nerve wracking. But, overall it was a great experience. And today was my birthday, so it was a great birthday present I gave myself,” said a beaming Jermen.

Second place finisher Laura Pfeiffer said her goal tonight was improvement. “It was all good,” Pfeiffer said. “He was really backing off the jumps and a little spooky, but he jumped so well. I was pretty nervous because at Harrisburg we had two rails in the jump off and I didn’t want that to happen again. So we went fast, but not super fast. I wanted to make sure I got the clean round.”

Official Results – Class 188 – $10,000 Washington International Children’s Jumper Championship -10-26-05 – Table II, Sec 2a

• 1 – Canon, Kali Jerman – 0-0/30.703
• 2 – Cortez, Laura Pfeiffer – 0-0/33.604
• 3 – Caspar, Olivia Clancy -0-0/33.734
• 4 – Braveheart, Alexandra Arute – 0-0/33.755
• 5 – Nifty, Taylor McMurtry – 0-0/33.785
• 6 – Obsession, Heather Dobbs -0-0/34.055

In the $10,000 Adult Jumper Championships, seventeen starters went to the post. Again Steve Stephens designed and again the scoring was Table II, Sec 2a. Time First Jump-Off.

Only three of the seventeen Adults managed to negotiate the first round course without penalty.

In the jump-off, Foul Play ridden by Mindy Blackford of Mayfield Heights, Ohio went first and set the pace with a fast and fault free performance in 33.934 seconds.

But Rockville, Maryland’s Ericka Schaefer aboard her mare, Maizy Toltien, was able to shave 1.65 seconds off of Blackford’s time for the win. Schaefer tripped the timers in 32.280 seconds. Third place went to Ima Good 1-2 and Patty Van Housen who pulled an early rail in the tiebreaker.

“Thank goodness I got a chance to watch Mindy go,” said Schaefer. “I saw how fast she went, how solid a ride she gave and I knew for me it was all or nothing. I got a good gallop going from the beginning and kept my leg and my horse took it from there,” she said.

Blackford said that she knew she had left the door open for Schaefer. “I decided to take a safe route. Rather than do the inside turns, I decided to go fast but go around. I wanted to keep my horse on a big stride and leave strides out where I could rather than balancing and doing the inside turns. I didn’t know if I’d be fast enough.”

Schaefer had problems prior to the class. “I was extremely nervous. I had a huge stomach ache and I was on the verge of tears,” said a smiling Schaefer. “I had to sit there and calm myself down and luckily my horse just goes in and does her job and does it very well.”

For Schaefer, who is the Administrative Director of the Washington International Horse Show, this win was extra special. “I just started working for the horse show in July and not a lot of people know who I am,” she admitted. “So tonight, it was really nice to be able to make a name for myself. Maybe people will recognize me now. I know I’ll be walking around with my head held high for the rest of the week!”

Official Results – Class 189 - $10,000 Washington International Adult Jumper Championship – Table II, Sec 2a – 10-26-05

• 1 – Maizy Toltien, Ericka Schaefer – 0-0/32.280
• 2 – Foul Play, Many Blackford – 0-0/33.934
• 3 – Ima Good 1-2, Patty Van Housen – 0-4/33.931