Alissa Kinsey Scores $2,500 Marshall & Sterling Adult Jumper Classic Win at Vermont Summer Festival

Alissa Kinsey of Danville, NH, won the $2,500 Marshall & Sterling Adult Jumper Classic to kick off the final day of week five at the Vermont Summer Festival on Sunday, August 7. The Vermont Summer Festival runs for six consecutive weeks from July 5 through August 14, at Harold Beebe Farm in East Dorset, VT.

Kinsey and her own Capella 37 were the winning pair and notched their fourth adult jumper classic win of the season on Sunday. They topped a ten-horse jump-off and were the fastest among seven double-clear efforts over tracks set by course designer Manuel Esparza of Mexico. Stopping the clock at 31.55 seconds, they pocketed the win by less than a second.

Darina Depenau of Pittstown, NJ, challenged Kinsey, but crossed the timers in 32.05 seconds to finish second aboard Winterfell, owned by Laura Ganny. Joy Slater of Unionville, PA, jumped to third in the irons of Oilean Uno, owned by Fat Chance Farm, in 33.42 seconds, and Lauren Brody of Lloyd Harbor, NY, was fourth with Urfee de Bornival in 34.15 seconds for owner LJB Equine, LLC. Kendall Milkey of Temple, NH, piloted her own Valencia to round out the top five in 35.06 seconds.

Kinsey imported Capella 37, a 13-year-old Danish Warmblood mare (Cajus x World Record xx), during the 2016 winter season to allow her other proven winner, Grisset, to enter semi-retirement.

“Grisset is 19 now and I needed to cut back her schedule and start phasing Capella 37 in,” she said. “We had a lot of retraining to do [with Capella 37] even at 13. We still need to get a little more rideability, but we are going to move up when she's ready.

“We don't know each other too well, but she is like a big stretch limo that flies,” continued Kinsey. “We joke that she's like a pegasus; any distance, any jump, she just goes.”

After winning the classics during the first, second, and fourth weeks of the Vermont Summer Festival, Kinsey felt the pressure to perform on Sunday.

“It was hard because I knew there were a lot of fast horses,” she said. “I had to lay something down, but I didn't want to go too crazy and have a rail in the process. We were fast enough and she was perfect.”

The next winners in the grand prix ring on Sunday were 13-year-old Ava Ellis of Annapolis, MD, and Clive in the $1,500 Marshall & Sterling Children's Jumper Classic. Ellis and Clive, a 16-year-old Warmblood gelding owned by Diederique Van Der Knaap, were the fastest of four double-clear rounds in a nine-horse jump-off to take the win in 33.46 seconds.

Nearly two seconds off the pace, Samantha Johnson of Skillman, NJ, rode her own Andorado to second place in 35.19 seconds. Samantha Rice of Mountain, ON, and her own Cheval D'Espoir Z accepted third in 35.99 seconds, while Emily Scalia of Bernardsville, NJ, took fourth aboard her own Volcan Alia in 38.09 seconds. Ellis also rounded out the top five with the fastest four-fault jump-off round in a time of 33.12 seconds aboard Delilah for owner Peacock Ridge, LLC.

Ellis and Clive were third in the children's jumper classic during week four before earning their first classic win together on Sunday.

“He is game for whatever,” she said. “His canter is so smooth and he always jumps his hardest. I was feeling confident after last week, so I decided to go for it and he was really good.”

Ellis hopes to move Clive up to the junior jumpers, and Sunday's win proved her hard work is paying off.

“I have had some rough patches with him,” said Ellis of the horse she got the ride on from trainers John Brennan and Missy Clark of North Run. “I got him during WEF and we just started in the children's jumpers. I have done a lot of learning so far, so it was really exciting for me to win because I didn't think I would ever get this far with him in this amount of time. I want to move up when my trainers feel I am ready, but for now I will try to have fun and stay competitive.”

The $5,000 NAL Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic also highlighted grand prix ring action on Sunday with a win for Ellie Ferrigno of Newton, CT, and Easy Street, owned by Blue River Farm Sales. For the victory, Ferrigno was presented with a pair of Tonic paddock boots and half chaps from sponsor Schockemoehle.

Second-place was awarded to Danielle Torano of Wellington, FL, aboard Emerald Grace for owner Jimmy Torano, with Stephanie Lessard of Candiac, QC, taking third on HFO Cordyte, owned by Horse Farm Ontario. Ashley Foster of Brookeville, MD, and Amon de Diamante' were fourth for Rolling Acres Show Stables, and Hayley Alcock of Philomont, VA, rounded out the top five on Arko for owner Nicole Perry.

Concluding classic Sunday, Brianne Link of Sayville, NY, won the $10,000 High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic, presented by Dr. Robert Barber & Team Barber, for the second week in a row aboard her own Wednesday Mornin. Alexandra Pielet of Highland Park, IL, took second aboard Helene VE, owned by Co-Pielet, LLC, and Thaisa Erwin of Middleburg, VA, claimed third with her own Matilda. Kendra Gierkink of Harpswell, ME, landed in fourth with Conisha Van de Helle for owner Kadley Holdings, LLC, while Andres Alberto Correa of Wellington, FL, and his own Quasini Landai rounded out the top five.

For over 20 years, the Vermont Summer Festival has attracted exhibitors and their families to the Manchester region in southern Vermont for great competition in an ideal summer setting. Outside the show ring, exhibitors enjoy the charm of Vermont's shopping, dining, and outdoor activities.

The final week of competition will kick off on Wednesday, August 10 and conclude on Sunday, August 14. Admission is $6 for adults and $3 for children from Wednesday through Friday beginning at 8 a.m.  On Saturday and Sunday, admission is $9 for adults and $5 for children with 100% of all gate proceeds benefiting the Manchester Community Library, Dorset Equine Rescue, and Meals on Wheels.

Please e-mail or visit www.vt-summerfestival.com for more information about the Vermont Summer Festival.

$2,500 Marshall & Sterling Adult Jumper Classic - Sunday, August 7, 2016

Rider Hometown Horse Faults Time

1. Alissa Kinsey Danville, NH Capella 37 0:0 31.55

2. Darina Depenau Pittstown, NJ Winterfell 0:0 32.05

3. Joy Slater Unionville, PA Oilean Uno  0:0 33.42

4. Lauren Brody Lloyd Harbor, NY Urfee de Bornival 0:0 34.15

5. Kendall Milkey Temple, NH Valencia 0:0 35.06

6.  Alyson Gurney Washington, DC Black Friday 0:0 35.20

7. Claire Kenna Wakefield, RI Udento VDL 0:0 36.47

8. Patricia Hurter Harvard, MA Bachelor 0:4 34.35

9. Wendy Wood South Hamilton, MA City Life 0:4 37.77

10. Joy Slater Unionville, PA Splash 0:11 53.19

$1,500 Marshall & Sterling Children's Jumper Classic - Sunday, August 7, 2016

Rider Hometown Horse Faults Time

1. Ava Ellis Annapolis, MD Clive 0:0 33.46

2. Samantha Johnson Skillman, NJ Andorado 0:0 35.19

3. Samantha Rice Mountain, ON Cheval D'Espoir Z 0:0 35.99

4.  Emily Scalia Bernardsville, NJ Volcan Alia 0:0 38.09

5.  Ava Ellis Annapolis, MD Delilah 0:4 33.12

6.  Andrea Correa Wellington, FL Une Perle du Joret 0:4 35.40

7. Alliah Kassem Fayetteville, GA Brunello 7 0:8 34.60

8. Emma Ellis Annapolis, MD Cassidy 35 0:8 45.68

9. Samantha Johnson Skillman, NJ Campol 0:WD

10. Andrea Correa Wellington, FL Siracusa Cherry 4 71.99