Laura King and Vida Blue Win $5,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Hunter Classic at Horse Shows by the Bay

Lillie Keenan and Ingenue Victorious in $5,000 Pony Hunter Classic

Traverse City, MI - Today's competition at Horse Shows by the Bay in beautiful Traverse City, MI wraps up the first of three weeks of equestrian competition running from July 16 to August 3 at the Flintfields Horse Park show grounds. Laura King and Lillie Keenan were victorious in the Polk Family Hunter Ring as the afternoon hunter classics competed.

Vida Blue and Laura King of Irvington, NY won the $5,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Hunter Classic, sponsored by Lanes End and The Farish Family of Lexington, KY. King also took the second place spot with her horse Heartfelt.

"My horses have been really good," King said. "Heart was awesome. He was so good for the third day in a row and Vida was perfect for me."

"I am just getting to know Vida," King continued. "She is a mare so she is a little sensitive, but I think she is softening up a little bit, which is good."

"Heart is really fun around the barn. He is very sweet. In the show ring he can get a little nervous, which is sort of a hard thing about him, but once you get started he always knows what he's doing," she added.

"The horses are the best part about riding for sure," King continued. "I love all of their different personalities and I love being with them. I love the days at the barn when it is relaxed and I just get to ride and have fun."

Sixteen-year-old King started riding when she was ten years old and has come a long way, but she hopes to keep improving. "I am really happy with how far I have gotten and I hope to keep going forward," she said. "I am not really sure where it will take me. I like the jumpers a lot, so I am hoping to move up in that, but I don't know where that is going to go. I definitely want to keep doing equitation and hunters though."

"My parents are really, really supportive. They always just tell me good luck and do your best and however you do it is great," she said.

Up next was the $5,000 Pony Hunter Classic, sponsored by PJP Farm and Peter Pletcher of Magnolia, TX. Taking home both top honors in this class was young rider Lillie Keenan of New York City. Keenan was not only named Horse Shows by the Bay Grand Pony Hunter Champion with her large gray pony, High Cotton, but was also first place in the classic with Ingenue, and second place in the classic with Neverland.

"Ingenue is a really terrific pony," Keenan said. "I am kind of big on her now, but I have been riding her for awhile, so I know her really well and I knew that she would be perfect around the course. She will jump anything and she jumps really high. I always feel really safe on her because I know she is going to do her job."

"High Cotton is a large and he has a really high jump. He is a good mover and he is really, really athletic; he can leave for the jump from anywhere and is able to clear it perfectly. I was really excited to ride him."

Eleven-year-old Keenan is now making the change over from riding the ponies to doing the horses in the Children's Hunters. "Its exciting to do the horses now. I have been doing the small ponies, so I am big on them now and then I get on the horses and I am kind of small on them still."

"I have a horse named Violets are Blue and I do her in the children's hunters and she is perfect. She does her job and I have done really well on her so far."

Week one has come to its conclusion here at Horse Shows by the Bay in Traverse City, MI, but there is much more to come in the next two weeks.

For more information on Horse Shows by the Bay and the fun events planned for competitors and spectators alike, please go to www.horsesportsbythebay.com.

Final Results: $5000 Junior/A-O Hunter Classic
1. Vida Blue, Laura King, Laura King
2. Heartfelt, Laura King, Laura King
3. Godiva, Becky Gochman, Becky Gochman
4. Pirate, Katherine Newman, Katherine Newman
5. Safari, Caitlin Ziegler, Caitlin Ziegler
6. Federal Hill, Tracy Scheriff, Tracy Scheriff
7. Cisco, Stacey Aranti, Marigot Bay Farm, Llc
8. Sirius Black, Christina Gellos, Christina Gellos
9. Africa, Caitlin Ziegler, Caitlin Ziegler
10. Genuine, Laura King, Laura King
11. Undercover, Mary Kron, Mary Kron
12. North Country, Laura King, Laura King

Final Results: $5000 HSBB Pony Hunter Classic 
1. Ingenue, Lillie Keenan, Chansonette Farm
2. Neverland, Lillie Keenan, Dogwood Hill Llc
3. Windfall Caroline, Anna Bryn Short, Anna Bryn Short
4. Make My Day, Lillie Keenan, Lanes End
5. Rockette, Mary Margare Kron, Rachel Degabrielle
6. Pink Floyd, Lillie Keenan, Chansonette Farm
7.Bedazzled, Rachel Redmond, Rachel Redmond
8. Donte, Virginia Ingram, Riverview Farm, Llc
9. Beau Rivage, Lillie Keenan, Casey Green
10. Incrediblue, Virginia Ingram, Lochmoor Stables
11. Right On Time, Samantha Schaefer, Samantha Schaefer
12. High Cotton, Lillie Keenan, Chansonette Farm

Photo Credit: Lillie Keenan and Ingenue won the $5,000 Pony Hunter Classic at Horse Shows by the Bay. Photo (C) 2008 Randi Muster.