Chagrin Falls, Ohio – July 18, 2024 – The Chagrin Hunter Jumper Classic (CHJC) celebrated 75 years of equestrian tradition with a full eight-day competition schedule at the beautiful Chagrin Valley Farms in Bainbridge, Ohio, July 5-14.
Opening Weekend commenced July 5-7 with a range of hunter, jumper and equitation classes, including Saturday’s featured $1,500 Open Jumper Classic and Sunday’s 2’3”, 2’6” and 3’ hunter derbies. Brittany Sekanic of Aubrey, Texas, made her trip to Ohio a memorable one, taking top honors in the Open Jumper Classic aboard her 7-year-old Oldenburg mare, Glory Hallelujah.
“We drove all the way here from Aubrey, and we’re loving the cooler temps,” Sekanic said. “I think that helped me out with my little mare since she tends to get tired, but she held it together today. We took the blue, and more importantly, we had a great time.”
Brittany Sekanic and Glory Hallelujah won the $1,500 Open Jumper Classic as part of the CHJC’s Opening Weekend festivities © Casalinova Photography
Other weekend champions included Riddle Me SSF, an 8-year-old Oldenburg mare owned and ridden by Carolyn Sanders of Pontiac, Michigan, who secured several top placings including the 2’6” Hunter Derby and both weekends’ Low Adult Amateur Hunter Championship. Cornus Alba D’or, a 7-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding owned and ridden by Stacey Friend of Parma, Ohio, won the 3’ Hunter Derby and Junior/Amateur-Owner 3’3”/3’6” Hunter Championship, in the Carr & Day & Martin Hunter Ring.
Carolyn Sanders on Riddle Me SSF, winners of the 2’6″ Hunter Derby (left), Nicholas Fix on Timeless, winners of the 2’3″ Hunter Derby (center), and Stacey Friend on Cornus Alba D’or, winners of the 3′ Hunter Derby, during Opening Weekend of the Chagrin Hunter Jumper Classic. ©Casalinova Photography
On Monday, July 8, the riders and carriage drivers of Fieldstone Farm Therapeutic Riding Center stole the spotlight for their annual Riders with Disabilities Horse Show. Gates Mills Councilwoman Sandra Turner attended the event, presenting ribbons to 35 talented equestrians throughout the day. Among them was Katherine Devonshire, 28, who earned double blue ribbons with Fieldstone Farm’s Diego to an excited cheering section in the stands.
Katherine Devonshire was one of many Fieldstone Farm students to take the stage in the Riders with Disabilities Horse Show. Photo courtesy of Chagrin Hunter Jumper Classic.
The CHJC continued with its rated competition week July 10-14, where more than 100 horse-and-rider combinations vied for top honors in various divisions. Among the local Ohio champions were:
- Avery Edmonds of Chagrin Falls and Sara Cloud’s Orchard Hills Dressed In Black, who earned the Medium Pony Hunter Championship;
- Emilia Effner of Chardon and Thomas Thomasson’s Picturesque Knick Knack, who earned the Small Pony Hunter Championship;
- Natalie Geller of Mantua and Gold Standard Equestrian’s Tyrus, who earned the Green 3’/3’3” Hunter Championship;
- Ava Kowalski of Pepper Pike and her own Best Kind, who earned the Combined Children’s Pony Hunter Championship;
- Emily Kowit of Gates Mills and Tek Show Horses LLC’s Charlie NS Z, who earned the Non-Professional 2’6” Hunter Championship;
- Paige Weisberg of Chagrin Falls and her own Levisto, who earned the Adult Amateur 18-35 Hunter Championship;
- Daryl Whitmoyer of Chagrin Falls and Daw Ventures LLC’s Sovereign, who earned the Adult Amateur 36+ Hunter Championship.
On Friday, July 12, Shana Steinberg of Chagrin Falls piloted her 8-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare Circee De Valmont Z to the top of the leaderboard in the $1,500 Open Speed Stake to kick off the final weekend festivities.
Saturday’s (July 13) featured events included the $5,000 Grooms’ Class presented by Caroline and Campbell Kahn, where hunter and jumper grooms showed off the horses in their care and were celebrated for their hard work keeping those horses fit, healthy and ready to show. Rachel Diamond-Zaluski from Gold Standard Equestrian in Mantua, Ohio, won the Hunter Grooms’ Class for her exceptional turnout of Sensational, who competes in the Adult Amateur Hunter division with owner Emily Bloch. Juan Meijaq from Cleveland Equestrian in Novelty, Ohio, won the Jumper section with Dolce 19, Eden Koeth’s 1.0m Junior/Amateur Jumper mount.
Rachel Diamond-Zaluski (left) and Juan Meijaq (right) won the hunter and jumper sections, respectively, in the $5,000 Grooms’ Class presented by Caroline and Campbell Kahn © Anne Gittins Photography
Campbell Kahn of Moreland Hills, Ohio, was on hand as both a sponsor and a rider, successfully posting the only double-clear round in Saturday’s $9,999 Chagrin Classic Mini Prix. She and her 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Fly Away W galloped faultlessly through the timers to victory, which was made that much sweeter as she wrapped up her career as a junior rider at the same show where she started in the Lead Line classes.
Campbell Kahn and Fly Away W, winners of the $9,999 Chagrin Classic Mini Prix. ©Anne Gittins Photography
Each year before the prix, a special panel of judges awards the Sarah Allison Steffee Sportsmanship Award to the junior or young rider who exhibits the most exemplary conduct around the showgrounds. For her fantastic sportsmanship, manners, dress, and consideration of others including her own horses, Ava Lindsay of Strongsville, Ohio, was honored with this year’s award.
Lindsay was among the busiest riders at the CHJC, riding multiple horses in the Junior Hunter, Children’s Pony and USHJA 2’3” Hunter divisions under the watchful eye of trainer Candyce Petrie. “I’m very grateful to have a team like Petrie Show Stables behind me when I show,” Lindsay said. “And I always have so much fun when we’re here in Chagrin!”
Ava Lindsay earned the 2024 Sarah Allison Steffee Sportsmanship Award. © Anne Gittins Photography
Several familiar faces returned to the winner’s circle for the show’s culminating hunter derbies presented by Kevin Warrene of Carr & Day & Martin and Arenus/Sore No-More on Sunday, July 14, after claiming their division championships earlier in the week. Among them was Jenny Drago of Aurora, who has shown at the event since she was six years old. This year, she claimed top honors in the Combined Amateur-Owner Hunter Championship and Sunday’s $7,500 USHJA (United States Hunter Jumper Assn.) National Hunter Derby riding her own Black Tie. Both hunter rings I and II, the Carr & Day & Martin Hunter Ring and Arenus/Sore No-More Hunter Ring were combined into one large space for Derby Day, giving riders plenty of space between fences to show off for the judges.
Jenna Drago on Black Tie, winners of the $7,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby. ©Anne Gittins Photography
After earning the Large Pony Hunter Championship, Lilly Herzog of Pepper Pike brought home the blue in Sunday’s $500 Chagrin Classic Pony Derby with Boca’s Pop Star, owned by Ponies & Palms Show Stables LLC. “We call her Olive in the barn, and she really loves peppermints!” Herzog said of her champion mount.
Stella Rembielak of Gates Mills also had a successful week, riding Holly Mathews’ Katie to the Low Children’s Hunter Championship before taking victory in Sunday’s $1,000 Chagrin Classic 2’6” Non-Professional Hunter Derby.
Kevin Warrene of Carr & Day & Martin and Arenus/Sore No-More, presents awards for Stella Rembielak and Katie receiving their awards alongside trainer Margaret Kruse and (top), and Charlie Waikem on Kalisto the Music with for their Jr./Am. Jumper Classic win (bottom). Photos courtesy of Chagrin Hunter Jumper Classic.
Full show results can be found at HorseShowsOnline.com – Opening Weekend and Rated Week.
About the Chagrin Hunter Jumper Classic
The 2024 CHJC presented by Carr & Day & Martin was an eight-day July horse show celebrating 75 years of equestrian tradition and competition. Designated an official Heritage Horse Show by the U.S. Equestrian Federation, the show has been operating since 1949 and in 1965 introduced the nation’s first show jumping grand prix, the Cleveland Grand Prix. Each year, it has been a top attraction for visitors (exhibitors and spectators) to the Chagrin Valley area. The horse show was held at Chagrin Valley Farms (9250 E. Washington Street, Chagrin Falls, Ohio), with Opening Weekend July 5-7, the Riders with Disabilities Horse Show July 8, and National Rated Week July 10-14.
The excitement continued outside the show rings with various events including a pre-show book talk and open house with Betty Weibel, author of The Cleveland Grand Prix: An American Show Jumping First and Little Victories: A True Story of the Healing Power of Horses (June 30); a veterinary open house and educational session with Meridian Equine Rehabilitation & Wellness (July 11); the show’s fifth annual pizza party and volleyball tournament (July 12); an exhibitors’ dinner and silent auction to benefit the show’s charity partners (July 13); and visits throughout the week with Maggie’s Mission Dog & Horse Rescue.
For more information on the CHJC, visit ChagrinHunterJumperClassic.org.