Darien, Conn. – June 13, 2019 – A rainy morning at the 88th Annual Ox Ridge Charity Horse Show, presented by the Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund, couldn’t stop hunter riders from competing Thursday, with the two age sections of the Adult Amateur Hunters taking center stage. In the Adult Amateur 18-35 Hunters, Chelsea Dwinell and her own Keystone walked away with the tricolor ribbon, while Heather Fargis and Bluestone Stables’ Emerson captured the championship in the Adult Amateur 35 and Over Hunter division.
With the Adult Amateur 18-35 Hunters first on the docket, Dwinell and the 11-year-old Warmblood braved the rain to compete in two over fences rounds and an under saddle class. The pair accumulated the most points out of the pack thanks to their consistent placings, earning two blue ribbons and a second place to claim their championship ribbon. Scoring marks of 77 and 79 over fences for a total of 176 points over the course of competition, Dwinell and Keystone could not be caught by their competitors. Taking home the title of reserve champion in the division was Macquarie Simon and her own Call Me Cool.
Training out of Old Salem Farm in North Salem, New York, Dwinell has been paired with the gelding for a number of years. Starting their partnership first under a lease, Keystone, fondly known in the barn at “Otto,” underwent two colic surgeries, leaving his team unsure of whether or not he would be able to jump again. With the help of Dwinell and the team at Old Salem Farm, Keystone was rehabilitated back into top form and returned to the show ring, now competing regularly at the 3’ height.
Later in the day, the Adult Amateur 35 and Over Hunters tried their hand in the ring at the Ox Ridge Riding and Racquet Club, still braving the uncooperative weather. Fargis, hailing from Greenwich, Connecticut, claimed first prize after her top placings of first and second in the two over fences classes aboard Emerson. Emerson, an 18-year-old Rhinelander gelding, has been partnered with Fargis for four years. The pair is walking away from the historic Ox Ridge Charity Horse Show with a newfound accomplishment, as Thursday’s victory is their first championship ribbon together. Reserve honors were awarded to Erin Brennan and Overheard with a total over fences score of 157 points.
The 88th Annual Ox Ridge Charity Horse Show will continue Friday, with the $5,000 National Hunter Derby serving as the feature event of the day. Junior competitors will vie for top honors in the Junior Hunter Classic as well as the latter halves of their respective Junior Hunter divisions.
FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE
Chelsea Dwinell – Adult Amateur 18-35 Hunter winner
On Keystone:
“This is Keystone, we call him Otto in the barn. I leased him two years ago and he actually had colic surgeries. They weren’t sure if he was ever going to jump again, but I still bought him because I loved him so much. Now he is back jumping and he has been amazing. We worked with his vets a lot. They said that he would tell us if he was going to be able to jump again or not. We brought him up slowly and,I actually just had a baby six months ago, so it worked out really well timing wise. It’s exciting when he does well because we never would have thought he would be doing this again.”
On competing at the 88th Annual Ox Ridge Charity Horse Show:
“We’re right down the road at Old Salem Farm. We’ve come here as long as I’ve been there. We love it here. It’s a fun show for everyone. With all the rain today there are no puddles in the ring and the footing is great. It’s been a great experience so far.”
Heather Fargis – Adult Amateur 35 and Over Hunter winner
On Emerson:
“Emerson is an 18-year-old Rhinelander owned by Bluestone Stables. I’ve been riding him for four years. He has a lot of experience and he is very consistent. He is not phased by anything and has been to a lot of shows. We stuck with the plan we use at most shows today. He is pretty easy to get to the ring.”
On competing at the 88th Annual Ox Ridge Charity Horse Show:
“I stabled at Ox Ridge [Riding and Racquet Club] in the 80’s when I was a junior. It’s great to be back and the new facilities look absolutely amazing. I’ve been showing with Emerson for four years and this is our first champion ribbon together so it feels amazing to win here.”
For more information, please visit oxridge.com/horse-shows.