Thermal, Calif. – Jan. 22, 2022 – Saturday of Desert Circuit I welcomed all Junior Hunters back to Hunter 2 to show off their abilities and vie for championship honors and Junior Hunter Classic titles. Taking home blue ribbons in all four over fences classes and the championship honors in the Junior Hunter 16-17 3’6” , sponsored by Callidae, was Avery Rose Glynn with In Favor, owned by B R Farms LLC. Glynn also took home the reserve championship with Aventus, owned by Jennifer Cancellieri, winning the under saddle class and taking home notable ribbons over fences.
Avery Glynn and In Favor. Photo by ESI Photography
For day two of their division, the junior athletes took to the ring to first try their hand over a classic hunter course, designed by Michael Roy Curtis. They then returned for the handy round, featuring a course made up of mostly singles, plus a two-stride, that allowed riders to show their horse’s abilities to maneuver a course smoothly and handily, opening up the stride and wrapping tightly around the corners.
Avery Glynn and In Favor. Photo by ESI Photography
Glynn and In Favor, a 13-year-old Hanoverian gelding, gracefully navigated all four of the division’s over fences classes, meeting each fence with ease and jumping with style. The pair’s handy round showcased the horse’s adaptability when presented with a variety of questions on course. Glynn, who already took top honors in the Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search 2* and the USHJA National Hunter Derby – Jr/Am during Desert Circuit I, had just taken over the reins on In Favor on Thursday when she showed the gelding in the Performance Hunters to get to know him. The pair developed a strong partnership very quickly with the help of Carleton Brooks and were nearly unbeatable in the Junior Hunter ring all weekend.
Violet Tatum and Valedictorian. Photo by ESI Photography
In addition to the classes held as part of their respective divisions, the Junior Hunters also competed for top honors in the Junior Hunter Classics, combined with all entries for each fence height. The course was extended to use 10 fences in Hunter 2 and the course design allowed riders to show off their horses’ scope and consistency across a longer track. The first hunter round of the division served as the first classic round, while classic entries returned to be scored in the second round for a total, two-round score. The Junior Hunter 3’3” Classic, sponsored by Tack Warehouse, was topped by Hailey Eynon and Exquisite RW. Valedictorian and Violet Tatum won the Junior Hunter 3’6” Classic, sponsored by Rusty Brown Jewelry.
Hailey Enyon and Exquisite RW. Photo by ESI Photography
Hunter competition for Desert Circuit I concludes on Sunday with the Amateur-Owner Hunter division championships as well as the Amateur-Owner Hunter Classic 3’6”, sponsored by Rusty Brown Jewelry, and the Amateur-Owner Hunter Classic 3’3”, sponsored by Platinum Performance.
FROM THE WINNERS CIRCLE
Avery Glynn – Champion, Junior Hunter 16-17 3’6”
On In Favor:
“This horse is in training with Carleton and Traci Brooks at Balmoral Farm. They asked me if I would show him for them in the Junior Hunters this weekend. I’d ridden some horses for Carleton in the past; they’re good friends of mine and my parents’. His barn name is “Finn.” This week, I showed him in the Performance Hunters on Thursday as a warm-up to get to know him and then I did him in the Juniors on Friday and Saturday. Carleton coached me on him and he taught me everything I needed to be able to ride him. Overall, he was just a lovely horse to ride. He was so brave to the jumps; he gives you a really good feeling around the course. He was really a lot of fun.”
On her approach to the handy round:
“The handy today I liked because I felt that they made it a little different. Since they combined the Small and Large Older Juniors I ended up actually having three horses in the division this week, so I got to do that course three times. On each horse I took a slightly different track because I wanted to do the best track for the horse I was on. My gameplan for the handy was to make it as tidy as possible, while still giving myself space for lead changes so the horses could follow me through the course. I could keep the flow so I could get down the lines and make it a nice, even course.”
On goals for circuit:
“I personally ride a lot of horses that are for sale, so it’s hard for me to set specific goals on horses because I never know when they will sell or if someone else will get the ride. My goal is really to just improve my overall riding in all three rings: the hunters, jumpers and equitation. I would love to compete in the Ronnie Mutch Equitation Championship during Week 8, and I’m looking forward to hopefully getting in the jumper ring more and continuing to be successful in the hunter and equitation ring as much as possible.”
RESULTS
3’6” Junior Hunter 16-17
Place / Horse / Rider / Owner
- In Favor / Avery Rose Glynn / B R Farms LLC
- Aventus / Avery Rose Glynn / Jennifer Cancellieri
- Echezeaux / Chloe Hazen / Chloe Hazen
- Gerardus / Clea Caddell / Georgy Maskrey-Segesman
- Everything / Avery Rose Glynn / Stephanie Ray
- County Line / Mia Burlington / Aleron LLC
- Get Rowdy / Kyra Russell / Teton Farms LLC
3’6” Junior Hunter Handy 16-17
Place / Horse / Rider / Owner
- In Favor / Avery Rose Glynn / B R Farms LLC
- Everything / Avery Rose Glynn / Stephanie Ray
- Aventus / Avery Rose Glynn / Jennifer Cancellieri
- Echezeaux / Chloe Hazen / Chloe Hazen
- Gerardus / Clea Caddell / Georgy Maskrey-Segesman
- County Line / Mia Burlington / Aleron LLC
- Get Rowdy / Kyra Russell / Teton Farms LLC