Miranda Travers-Cavill Tops ASPCA Maclay at Bay Equestrian Festival

Traverse City, MI – The third day of competition at the Horse Shows by the Bay Equestrian Festival began Friday in the Polk Family Main Hunter Ring with the ASPCA Maclay and the Pessoa/USEF Hunter Seat Medal classes. The blue ribbon during the ASPCA Maclay was awarded to Miranda Travers-Cavill for her ride aboard Linkin, while today’s win in the Pessoa/USEF Hunter Seat Medal was presented to Rachel Schnurr and Landor 17. The Horse Shows by the Bay series will continue through Sunday, August 2, at the scenic Flintfields Horse Park.

Riders competing in the ASPCA Maclay were first asked to compete over a course of eight fences, including a broken line and a two-stride line. All riders without major faults during the jumping portion were asked to return for the under saddle portion of the class, where the judges asked them to show at a walk, trot, canter, and lengthen at the canter down the quarter line.

After successfully completing the jumping portion and the under saddle portion of today’s class, Canadian-native Miranda Travers-Cavill and Linkin took home the blue ribbon. Julia Lourie and Markus followed in second place, while Cara Monforton and Justin placed third.

Linkin is only six years old and Travers was thrilled with his performance during today’s class. “He’s just a baby, but he’s really coming along,” she smiled after her victory. “I was just planning for him to get experience in the ring today but he did better than I expected.”

“After the broken line I didn’t really have enough pace through the turn and so to the oxer I really had to move up hard,” Travers continued. “I didn’t think Linkin would handle that very well but it turned out great.”

Travers described Linkin as a sweet, friendly horse, but admitted he can get distracted easily. “Sometimes at the trot he loses focus; he’ll look off and he won’t pay attention,” she explained. “Today during the under saddle he was really good. He needs a lot of connection; he’s not really the type you can just be soft on. He’s a baby so he likes you to ride with a lot of leg.”

Following the ASPCA Maclay, twenty-nine juniors competed in the Pessoa/USEF Medal. Riders competed over a similar jumping course with singles, broken lines, and a two stride, and the top four were called back to test. The test asked riders to canter directly to the first fence, trot the second fence, hand gallop to an oxer, walk four steps, counter canter the final fence, and return to the line-up at a sitting trot.

All four riders successfully completed the test, but Rachel Schnurr and Landor 17 had the winning round. Cassie Moffatt and Pop-Socks were awarded the second place ribbon, while Lacey Gilbertson and Cannoli earned the third place award, and Caitlin Ziegler and Veto followed with the fourth place honors.

“During the course I wanted to be efficient and make sure everything was smooth,” said Schnurr. “I thought the course was nice, it was a very flowing.”

For the test portion of Friday’s class Schnurr had a very specific plan. “I wanted to make sure I had a good hand gallop to the oxer because I knew a lot of riders wouldn’t ask their horses to go for it,” she explained. “I’ve never had to walk four steps and pick up the counter canter before. I was a little nervous, but everything worked out.”

Schnurr is also a Canadian-native and traveled from Ontario with trainer Anne McKay to compete at the Horse Shows by the Bay Equestrian Festival. “This is a very nice horse show,” she noted. “I like the rings and the fact that the jumps are decorated so nicely. At home they’re not as dressed up.”

Schnurr also plans to compete at HITS Culpeper this year and hopes to qualify for the year end equitation finals.

English Riding Supply of Scranton, PA donated both first place prizes; Travers received an embroidered Centaur Show Pad for her Maclay win and Schnurr took home a Pessoa Bridle for winning the Pessoa/USEF Medal.