Willamina Merton and Gillian Galvin Gain Equitation Wins at Ox Ridge Charity Horse Show

Darien, Conn. – June 15, 2019 – On a beautiful morning at the 88th Annual Ox Ridge Charity Horse Show, presented by the Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund, junior equitation athletes took to the jumper ring at the Ox Ridge Riding and Racquet Club. Starting the day with the NEHC Junior Medal, Willamina Merton and Golden Dream captured the top prize of the day. Immediately following, the CHJA Junior Medal, sponsored by the Mackenzie Family, took place with Gillian Galvin and Easy B walking away with the blue ribbon.

Willamena Merton and Golden Dream

Merton, from Pottersville, New Jersey, is new to piloting Christy Johnson’s Golden Dream, a 12-year-old Warmblood. Despite this being their first horse show together, the pair expertly navigated Philip DeVita’s 9-effort course, which asked junior competitors to tackle a number of bending lines and an in-and-out combination. Earlier in the week, Merton and Golden Dream also claimed the blue ribbon in the $1,000 M&S/NAL Child Hunter Horse Classic.

Gigi Moynihan and Up’An Go De St. Druon

The 12-year-old Warmblood, Golden Dream, is normally paired with Merton’s cousin and the NEHC Junior Medal’s second place finisher, Gigi Moynihan. The junior competitor piloted Up’An Go De St. Druon, owned by Maarten Huygens, to a second place finish. Moynihan regularly competes both Golden Dream and Up’An Go De St. Druon in the equitation classes, piloting the geldings to top finishes at the Winter Equestrian Festival, Old Salem Farm, and the Devon Horse Show in 2019.

Gillian Galvin and Easy B

Following the NEHC Junior Medal, equitation athletes returned to the ring to compete in the CHJA Junior Medal. Galvin, from Greenwich, Connecticut, captured the blue ribbon with her own Easy B. The duo have been partnered together for four years and have competed across the country in various equitation classes. Their longtime partnership showed as they tackled the 9-effort first round course and then returned for the flat phase of competition. The flat portion of the medal asked riders to demonstrate both a sitting and rising trot in addition to a canter, which Galvin demonstrated expertly with the 10-year-old Warmblood. Up next, Galvin and Easy B will compete at the Fairfield County Hunt Club’s June Benefit Show before traveling to the Lake Placid Horse Show for two weeks.

Mark Leone and Devne

Second place was captured by Mark Leone and McLain Ward’s Devne. The pair have placed in the top position in junior equitation classes, most recently at the HITS on the Hudson Horse Show in Saugerties, New York.

Equitation competition at the 88th Annual Ox Ridge Charity Horse Show will conclude Sunday, June 16 with the USHJA 3’3” Medal and USEF Talent Search starting the day in the jumper ring.

FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE

Willamina Merton – NEHC Junior Medal winner

On Golden Dream:
“My cousin [Gigi Moynihan] rides this horse most of the time actually. She’s had this horse for a couple of years and we just decided to have me ride him this week. I just started riding him this show, and this is my second time in the show ring with him. It’s been really good. We call him Dreamer and he is such a good boy. My first time in the show ring with him was yesterday and we won the children’s classic. He was really good. I’ve only really done a few lessons on him and I don’t really ride that much actually.”

On the Ox Ridge Charity Horse Show:
“I showed here last year with both of my jumpers. I think that this horse show is really upping their game. The grand prix, for example, used to be $25,000 and now they’ve doubled it. I think that’s really good for this show. The facilities and the set-up of the show is getting really organized and helping the show a lot.”

Gillian Galvin – CHJA Junior Medal winner

On Easy B:
“I’ve had him for around four years now. He is great. Today I just wanted to lay down a solid trip and practice for the upcoming season. He was amazing. To prepare we did a lot of non-stirrup lessons. We did a lot of flatwork practice so we could just go in and have the course run smoothly without being inconsistent. Up next I will go to Fairfield and then Lake Placid for two weeks, so that’s exciting.”

On the Ox Ridge Charity Horse Show:
“I’ve come to the Ox Ridge Horse Shows my whole life. I rode at Ox Ridge Hunt Club for a little bit so I’m very familiar with it here. Their new indoor is really great. It’s huge and the new footing in the outdoor rings is better too. I think the change was needed and it worked out well.”

For more information, please visit oxridge.com/horse-shows.

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