Two top junior athletes scooped leading accolades in the equitation ring at the Kentucky Spring Horse Show, US, (11-16 May).
Mimi Gochman rode 13-year-old Gochman Sporthorse LLC’s Belgian warmblood gelding LLCHeroy Von De Hei to win in the ASPCA Maclay.
“The course was nicely complicated,” said Mimi, who has previously earned top placings at several of the major equitation finals including the ASPCA Maclay and the WIHS Equitation Finals. “They added a ton of jumps at the end and one in the middle, as well as plenty of inside turns and little things to manoeuvre through.”
Mimi and Heroy Von De Hei had had a few weeks out of the show ring:
“I was a little off, but he felt great and he kept his calm,” she added. “Next, I’m heading to the Upperville Colt and Horse Show in Virginia, and then I’ll aim to do some jumper stuff in Europe over the summer.
“I love Kentucky and it’s definitely one of my favourite shows; the weather is beautiful and the field is always great. The horses love the space, the rings are beautiful with great footing and the stalls are peaceful with great grazing.”
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Also in the ribbons was Taylor Cawley, who dominated the 3’3’’ medal classes aboard Quax. The pair flew to the top of the class in both the Hamel Foundation NHS 3’3’’ medal and the USHJA 3’3’’ hunter seat medal.
18-year-old Oldenburg gelding Quax — who is owned by Kimberly Griffiths — demonstrated fluidity and ease to each distance that would push him to the head of the class in the Hamel Foundation NHS 3’3’’ Medal. Cawley is an up-and-coming equitation rider who has continually impressed judges in the THIS Medal and the 3’3’’ Medal classes throughout the past year.
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Former H&H showing editor and deputy features editor
Born and raised in the Lake District, Alex has grown up on the showing scene. She has qualified and competed ponies at the Royal International, Horse of the Year Show and Olympia and has first-hand knowledge of the current issues in the showing world as well as the horses, ponies and riders who compete in the sport. Alex joined H&H in January 2018 as showing editor, cementing its place as the leading equestrian publication for both showing reports and current showing news in the UK. She moved on in October 2024 to pursue other opportunities, but continues to write for us on a freelance basis.
