The final local horse show of the 2014 season was Nov. 15 at Pine Haven Stables and Riding Academy in Brunswick and featured successful showings by Liberty County riders.
“The fall horse show was geared to give the local area barns’ riding students a place to show off their riding skills and be introduced to the show ring. It was a great success, with six barns participating and over 60 riders showing, many for the very first time” said Christy Parker, owner and trainer for Pine Haven Stables.
Liberty County barns Bluff Creek Stables of Colonels Island and Dixie Stables of Allenhurst had large numbers of academy riders participate at the show. In addition, Liberty County residents Bunny Braun and Lindsay Dasher, who ride for Pine Haven Stables, showed in the performance classes.
Dixie Stables brought home six first-place ribbons. In the academy classes, Lily Darsey won the WTC equitation and showmanship championships, and Mirah Van Buran won the WT on lead line championships.
In the performance classes, Rachel Griffis won the adult equitation and the ASB country pleasure championships while Caitlin Jarriel brought home the open English pleasure championship riding I’m Worried.
Bluff Creek Stables’ Teyha Bly won the WT academy showmanship and equitation championship. Sydney Prindaville claimed second place in the WTC academy equitation class and third in the WTC showmanship class. Braun won the 17-and-under equitation performance class and the 17-and-under championship class.
Braun, a Liberty County High School freshman who has been riding for Parker at Pine Haven Stables for the past three years, has had a good 2014 show season.
“I have really improved in all areas of my riding this year,” she said.
Riding her American saddlebred, We Be Jammin’, she has placed high in all local, regional and national shows in 2014.
In March, she competed at the Tampa Charity Horse Show in Tampa, Florida, where she won first place in show pleasure equitation. In June, she competed in the Lexington Jr. League charity horse show in Lexington, Kentucky, where she finished seventh out of 17 of the top riders in the country.
The Lexington show, a national event, is considered the first leg of the saddlebred triple crown.
In all local and regional shows, she has finished first or second in every performance class she has participated in this season.
When asked what her riding goals were for the future, she said she wants to be as good a rider as Ashley Brandies, who has been riding with Parker for many years.
Brandies is a member of the World Cup Team that will participate in competitions in South Africa and Canada this summer.
Parker agreed, saying “2014 has been a very good year for Bunny. She has worked very hard and it is all starting to pay off.”