JUNE 2024 THE RIDER /45


French and Coyle Receive Top Awards at Saratoga Classic I


Stillwater, NY – The profes- sional hunter divisions wrapped up competition on Thursday, June 13, 2024, with John French making multiple trips to the winner’s circle for awards presentations


during


Saratoga Classic I Horse Show at White Hollow Farm. In the Dammerman


Ring, Christian Coyle and Ma Pomme de Tamerville were the


International


owned by Trevor Hawthorne. French and Kaiden’s


the


owner, Lauren Little, have only been riding the nine-year-old KWPN stallion by Chaman x Crawford for six weeks, and this was the horse’s first show in the hunter ring. Little, who joined the amateur ranks in 2024 after a successful junior career, noted that Kaiden is a “really special horse.”


family time and nostalgia for me at this horse show.” French also took home


the champion and reserve champion ribbons in the Green Hunter 3’6” division with Kalvador, owned by Montana Coady, and Incognito, owned by Ellie Sadrian, respectively. The two horses traded top rib- bons both days; Kalvador was first, second, and second over


KWPN gelding. “Because of that, I need to keep him con- tained a bit. It’s nice when the jumps can make him look a bit so that he backs up a little. He’s not spooky at all; nothing fazes him. He’s a sweet horse.” French also won the


Green Hunter 3’ championship with Cygnet, owned by Kent Farrington LLC. The striking grey gelding won both over


with lovely jumps and a nice at- mosphere. It’s really laidback, which I like.” Coyle was first in the ring


and then proceeded immedi- ately to the jump-off, where they recorded a time of 38.689 seconds that couldn’t be beat. Coming closest was Tori Corts and her own Semi Automatic, who were clear in 40.058 sec- onds. The third double clear


could have a look around and keep her happy and quiet,” said Coyle of the 12-year-old BWP mare by Deauville van TL x Contendro II. “She loves it here. She has been going well and was second in the $75,000 grand prix two weeks ago in Saugerties.” For Thursday’s Welcome,


Coyle remarked, “The course was tough enough, big, square,


Kaiden GPH and John French. Photo by Jess Windhurst Photography


fastest double clear to win the $5,000 1.35m Welcome. The Saratoga Classic I continues through Sunday, June 16, with World Championship Hunter Rider competition, while the Saratoga Classic II Horse Show will run the following week on June 19-23. French, who is based in


“We really trust John,”


said Little. “When he said, ‘It’s never done the hunters before, it’s nine years old, and it’s a stallion,’ even though it sounds like a bit of a weird combina- tion, it’s such a great fit. He’s so kind and is the first stallion I’ve ever ridden. When he arrived I opened the stall door, and he


fences, won the handy hunter, and topped the under saddle. Incognito had two firsts and two seconds over fences and was second under saddle. “It was good that


Kalvador ended up champion,” said French. “He’s always been the bridesmaid this year with


fences classes on Wednesday, then placed second and third over fences on Thursday. A sec- ond-place ribbon in the under saddle handed them the top tri- color. French and Checkpoint, owned by Dana Vollbracht, were reserve champions. Over in the Dammerman


John French won the Saratoga Award, presented by Adele Einhorn of Saratoga Horse Shows. Photo by Jess Windhurst Photography


Kaiden GPH won all five classes in the Green Hunter 3’3” division


to take the Grand Hunter Championship, shown here in the presenta- tion with owner Lauren Little, rider John French, and groom Crist- ian Flores Meza. Photo by Jess Windhurst Photography


came from Kyla Makhloghi and Jardin, owned by Twin Is- land LLC, who crossed the timers in 41.213 seconds for third place. “My main aim is the


grand prix on Saturday. Today I was using it more so that she


and enough width in the oxers. It took loads of jumping. I hon- estly didn’t think I was going to win. I just jumped a middling clear round, and I was happy with that wherever I finished. I was lucky enough to finish on top today.”


John French won the Green Hunter 3’6” championship with


Kalvador, owned by Montana Coady, and shown here with groom Cristian Flores Meza. Photo by Jess Windhurst Photography


Wellington, FL, took the cham- pionship ribbon in three divi- sions, including the Green Hunter 3’3” with Kaiden GPH, owned by Little Brook LLC. Kaiden swept all five classes, which earned them the Grand Hunter Championship spon- sored by Ride Every Stride. French was presented with the Saratoga Award sponsored by Glenwood Farm and Chris Brown Design Group as the rider of the Grand Champion horse. Reserve champion in the Green Hunter 3’3” division was Provincetown,


ridden and


was leaning into me and snug- gling. It really felt like an in- stant click, which doesn’t happen typically. I always feel comfortable and safe on him. Usually it takes a while to get to know new horses, but he’s really honest.” Little is originally from


San Francisco, CA, but enjoys coming to the Saratoga Horse Shows due to her family con- nection to the area. “I’ve loved it every year,” she affirmed. “My grandma lives 30 minutes away and my dad grew up around here, so there is a lot of


John French and Cygnet in their winning presentation for the Green Hunter 3’ championship with Remy McDonough of Saratoga Horse Shows. Photo by Jess Windhurst Photography


several reserve championships to other horses of mine. The fact that he was the champion is nice for him this week.” Kalvador competed in the


smaller green division in 2023, taking home a championship at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show. In 2024 they moved up and the plan is for Coady to compete in the Ama- teur-Owner Hunters. “He’s a lot bigger than


most of the horses I ride be- cause Montana is tall, so she needed a tall horse,” said French of the nine-year-old


International Ring, jumper rid- ers competed over courses de- signed by Catsy Cruz (MEX). In the $5,000 1.35m Welcome, Christian Coyle (IRL) and his own Ma Pomme de Tamerville were the fastest double clear for the win. Coyle and “Pomme” are


regular winners at the Saratoga Horse Shows, having secured victory in the $25,000 grand prix during the Saratoga Spring II Horse Show in 2023 and 2024. “It’s a beautiful show with a lovely setting,” said Coyle. “The footing is good


Coyle and Ma Pomme de Tamerville continued their Saratoga winning streak in the $5,000 1.35m Welcome. Photo by Jess Windhurst Photography


Christian Coyle and Ma Pomme de Tamerville in their winning


presentation with Sophia Long of Saratoga Horse Shows (middle) along with wife Chelsea Dwinell and daughters Daisy and Grace. Photo by Jess Windhurst Photography


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