The Ft Rucker Spring Horse Trials was a great event and for the dozen or so Georgia competitors that ventured down into Alabama. As always if not right on the ball it was a tough event that tests both horse and rider combinations right down to the last fence.

There is no doubt the cross country and stadium courses are the cause for a lot of changes in the standings but isnt thats what it's all about?. There is no room for complacency at any time and one is never too far away from the ribbons at Ft Rucker. The Georgia contingent came home with mixed results but with some great performances by several young riders on young and inexperienced horses.

The dressage on Saturday morning was held under lovely sunny skies and with the Prelim riders having first shot it was Amy Lee and her grey TB Double Down to start. This was Amy's second try at Ft Rucker after a 8th last spring and after dressage this weekend she was in 10th place. Recent winner at Pine Top Katherine Coleman from Athens on Trader Vic looked solid with a 37.5 and 2nd place. Liz Zerkus on her NZ TB Sartori completed a nice test with a 39.7 to be in 4th place. Daniel Ditching on her ISH, Marron Coin was into 5th place with a 40.8.

The Training riders Shelby St John on Phenomenal a Dutch Warmblood/TB and Julia Burns on Moonlight Sonata a Connemara/ITB found the competition tough sitting 8th and 9th respectively after dressage. The Novice Rider group was led by Mary Andrews on Highlander IV with a 37.5 and 4th place with Carla Vaneffen and Bendaround having some issues and settling in 12th place. In the Open Novice Division Sheila Martin from Newnan on Chaz with a 34.6 found herself in 2nd place and looking ahead to the afternoons cross country test.

In BN Susan Burns debuting with Falcon had a lovely test for a first try and was in 2nd place with a 34.0 and Jessica Adamson with two rides had a mixed start. On her 10yr QH aptly named "Big" some greenness showed out but they still managed to sit 7th after all was done. Jessica's other ride Elegant Justice faired slightly better and they were 6th after dressage. Sheila Martin's second ride for the day on Clip Art was the first HT appearance for the 4yr old APDX and they sat in 10th place after the morning scores were posted.

On to Cross Country in the afternoon on a course that can only be described as a true test for the ability of both horse and rider. Also probably not the right course to try and debut a horse on, but there were plenty of Eventers doing just that. Traditionally a tough course for Prelim competitors to make time, however with some smart riding it was shown this weekend it could be done. Amy Lee and Daniel Ditching improved their placing with just a few time penalties while Liz Zerkus on Sartori found herself in 2nd place overall after also accruing 8.4 time penalties.

Most other divisions found the going tough and although the course rides well it winds intricately through a Pine forest with every jump being something different. The course really is a credit to its creator Stan Heath (Col. ret). There were several retirements and eliminations through all divisions but Carla Vaneffen on Bendaround and Sheila Martin on Chaz had great double clear rounds. Carla moving from 12th to 6th place and Sheila remaining in 2nd place after scores were posted in the Open Novice division. In the BN division excellent double clear rounds went to Sheila Martin on Clip Art to move them from 10th to 7th and Jessica Adamson from LaGrange on Big moved from 7th to 5th overall.

Sunday morning and the sunshine greeted a most elaborate stadium course. For anyone that had been here before there was not much new other than the set up, except for one fence. Amazingly this fence was to be the bogey of many riders throughout the morning changing division standings repeatedly right down to the last competitor. The fence in question was a roll top painted white with a large vanishing black triangle in its center. The standards were green and yellow. Perhaps the dark interior was seen as large gaping hole in the earth to the horses but for sure it challenged the most experienced rider and horse combination all morning.

First to go were the BN divisions with Susan Burns having a trouble free ride and just 1 time penalty. Susan unfortunately was a victim of the CC course on Saturday but still finished in 10th place. Recall this was Falcon's first ever event, so still a great result. Also in BN A was Sheila Martin and Clip Art, they had 4 jump penalties and finished in 6th place. Another great result for a first time show. Jessica Adamson finished on her dressage score of 42.5 for 5th place on Big. The first of many recognized events for Big and ribbons we are sure. Well done to Jessica.

In the Novice rider group Carla Vaneffen climbed her way from 12th after dressage on Saturday morning into the ribbons with a clear stadium round on Bendaround. Carla hails from Douglasville and this was Bendaround's second ribbon at Ft Rucker having a 3rd place last spring. Sheila Martin on Clip Art had 4 jump penalties but clung onto 6th place on Chaz. A great weekend for Sheila with two ribbon placings. In the Training division Shelby St John and Julia Burns had slipped to 9th and 10th after CC but jumped up a few places to 7th and 8th respectively with solid stadium rounds. Well done!

The final division Prelim and unfortunately after Amy Lee was eliminated and Katherine Colemen withdrew, it was up to two other young riders in Liz Zerkus from Fayetteville on Sartori and Daniel Ditching from Roswell on Marron Coin to fly the flag for Georgia. Both riders completed the stadium course without faults and found themselves in 2nd and 3rd places respectively a great result for both horses and riders. Congratulations ladies!

As a side note Katie Boehme from Huntsville Alabama was the first person to ever go around the Prelim CC course and make time. Katie finished the event on her dressage score of 51.5 in fourth place.

Photos can be found in the photo gallery section via the main menu.