It is Anna Ramminger’s summer of horse shows.
The Whitehorse rider has competed in three so far with another to go in Anchorage in a little over a week, and things are going well.
Ramminger, riding her horse Windy Sitka Day, was named Grand Champion at the 2011 Whitehorse Series Finale Horse Show hosted by the Yukon Horse and Rider Association at its show grounds over the weekend.
“It’s not that tough a competition, but it’s really nice for the locals to show what they’ve got, and for the younger kids too, to give the sense of being successful,” said Ramminger, who was competing in the show for the seventh time.
“Last year, in Watson Lake, I got the high point too, but this is the first time I’ve cleaned up like this.”
The Junior A High Point champion took in several firsts and seconds in the show, but winning the jumper class was her highlight.
“In a jumper class - the two-foot-six division - and I got first for that, which I’m proud of because it was open and I was the youngest one in there,” said Ramminger, who is entering Grade 11. “It was really good.”
A total of 55 horse and rider teams took part in the show, down from 98 last summer.
The main cause for the drop in participation was the absence of Juneau teams. After Juneau’s veterinarian recently moved away from the Alaska capital, Juneau riders were unable to get pet certification for their horses to cross the border.
“They make about 30 horse-and-rider combinations, so not having them did change the competition substantially,” said YHRA events manager Anne Lewis. “So we were disappointed, but we heard they are coming next year.”
The show also saw a drop in local western riders. Part of this was from fewer available western coaches in the Yukon, but it’s also just the natural ebb and flow in the popularity of equestrian styles, said Lewis.
“There always seems to be a cycle,” said Lewis. “And what I think is contributing to it is there are a lot of English instructors and coaches right now and fewer western and reining coaches. There were some amazing western coaches that were here but have since moved onto other things. Some of the older coaches are bringing in new kids that aren’t ready yet (to compete).”
The Yukon Horse and Rider Association will be hosting three Pepsi Cola Dash for Cash events later this summer, taking place July 31, August 6 and September 3.
Yukon Championship
Halter champion: Rachel O’Brien (Joker)
Reserve: Angelique Sevigny (Poco Lil Delite)
Gymkhana champion: Angelique Sevigny (Dempsey’s Aurora Skye)
Reserve: Heidi Neufeld (Snow Elf )
Dressage champion: Tracey Andrew (CJ Fortune Cookie)
Reserve: Heather McCann (Rosatta)
English champion: Kathryn Morrison (Lucifer)
Reserve: Spencer Sumanik Wroulet
Western champion: Malorie Hanson (Lady)
Reserve: Rachel O’Brien (Joker)
High Point Championship
Adult
Champion: Heidi Neufeld (Jax)
Reserve: Brooke Nielson (Blaze Kodiak)
Junior A
Champion: Anna Ramminger (Windy Sitka Day)
Reserve: Maegan McCaw (Absolute Perfection)
Junior B
Champion: Laura Holmes (Highlands McDuff)
Reserve: Ashley Borgel (Lady Grey)
Junior C
Champion: Malorie Hanson (Lady)
Reserve: Sarah Diment (Jenny)
Grand Champion
Anna Ramminger (Windy Sitka Day)
Contact Tom Patrick at
tomp@yukon-news.com