Liza and Elle Boyd with Loafer’s Lodge Melody
A grand time was had by all during Week 2 of the Blowing Rock Charity Horse Show in scenic Blowing Rock, North Carolina. With special trophies and grand championships up for grabs, the competition was tough, but the Finally Farm team rose to the challenge.
Elle Boyd and Loafer’s Lodge Melody clinched the week’s Medium Pony Hunter championship, the Grand Medium Pony title and were overall Grand Pony Hunter champions for the two weeks at Blowing Rock! For their great performances, they received the Farnley Rutile Perpetual Trophy for the overall Grand Championship.
Elle continued her winning streak with Profound. The pair captured the Children's Hunter Grand Championship, won the Classic and high-score of the day award with an 88! Endless thanks to the Rein family, Deep River and Brady Mitchell for the ride on “Sammy” and for exceptional training!
LuLu Wells and Heaven’s Gift
Super job LuLu Wells and Heaven’s Gift! They earned the Large Pony Hunter championship and the Large Pony Hunter Grand Championship for the two weeks, with exceptional performances throughout the shows.
Elle also rode Callie Kelly’s Girl On Fire to championship honors in the Small Pony Hunters, and they finished the week with the Pony Hunter Classic victory. LuLu and Heaven’s Gift picked up second in the Classic, and Elle rode Loafer’s Lodge Melody to third for a Finally Farm top-three sweep.
Erin McGuire and Kasarr
Erin McGuire and Kasarr won the Week 2 Welcome, but they had a heartbreaking rail in the Grand Prix jump-off. They had the winning time, but settled for third place. Nevertheless, Erin won her THIRD consecutive Leading Open Jumper Rider title, earning the Jim Breedlove Memorial Trophy donated by the Towell Family. Erin also retired the Russell Hall Memorial Trophy!
Held in the evening, the $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby is always a highlight during Week 2, and this year was no exception. The class became a duel between two of the best hunter riders in the country: Liza Boyd and Tori Colvin.
Friends Tori Colvin and Liza Boyd
When the proverbial dust settled after the two-round class, Bryan Baldwin’s El Primero and Tori captured the win, with Liza riding Mary Jane King’s Drumroll to third and Rebekah Warren’s MTM Hand Him Over to fifth. Rebekah rode her own Cassico to an impressive 11th.
Liza and Drumroll also earned the Kathryn G. Clark Memorial Trophy Challenge of Champions and the January’s Best Trophy for the Grand Champion 3’6” Green Hunter. The pair also topped the USHJA 3’6” Green Hunter Incentive Stake, and Liza also took the 3’9” section Stake win aboard Gigi Manigault’s Walk-Off. Aboard her own mount, Gigi captured the 3’6” Amateur-Owner Hunter Classic win!
The Amigos + Olivia + Theresa were awardees of the “Bigotes” Award in honor of Alberto, which is given to the groom of the winning horse in the USHJA International Hunter Derby. Endless thanks to the teams behind these horses! We love Blowing Rock, “where friends compete!”
Cassico and Rebekah Warren
The Junior Hunters were on fire Week 2. Lourdes Low and Sienna scored two 87s on their way to championship honors in the 3’3” Junior Hunter, 16-17, section, while Bettina and MC Nolan claimed the 3’6” Junior Hunter Classic with a beautiful two-round score of 174.
We were sad to see the last day of the iconic Blowing Rock Horse Show arrive. We had a blast, with winning and learning moments along the way. Special thanks to the dream team who puts in the work to make the magic happen, and we can’t wait to be back for next year’s 100th anniversary!
