The first ASPCA Maclay finals to be held in Tryon, N.C., was quite a success on Sunday, in an impressive arena worthy of the National Horse Show’s signature event.
The three riders who headed the class all had been stars in the previous major fall equitation championships. Their smooth performances put the competition’s four judges to the test in a class that started at 7 a.m. and ended about 10 hours later.
The National moved south this year from Lexington, Ky., one of its several homes over its long history, though many people still think of it in connection with its original base, New York’s Madison Square Garden. The ring at the Tryon International Equestrian Center was beautifully put together, with the show’s orange and black colors prevailing as usual.
The starting field of 160 was narrowed to 24 after the first round of jumping, and the subsequent flat phase kept the leaders close. How to determine who deserved the coveted title? The four judges had a real challenge
The second round over a different course was the final test. The trips from the leading contenders all looked smooth. If you weren’t a licensed judge, you reasonably might have thought several of them were flawless, and been glad you didn’t have the task of selecting a winner.
The top six all got final scores of 90-plus, for an amazing display of quality riding.
Kaitlyn Linck wound up as the winner, but by a very narrow margin. The Clinton Corners, N.Y., resident had been second to Baylee Rowan going into the final jumping phase, with an average score (first round plus flat phase) of 91.71. Baylee was ahead of her with a 92.04, while Valencia/USEF Medal winner Parker Peacock was on 90.13.
Kaitlyn Linck with the Maclay trophy and Missy Clark, Baylee Rowan, Stacia Madden, Ken Smith and Parker Peacock.
So how did judge Hope Glynn, working with Tom Brennan (Scott Fitton and Holly Orlando were the other judging panel), determine who would get their name on the coveted silver tray?
“That top group was all in the mid- to the high 90s, which was exciting. It was exciting to see this group of riders, a lot of whom we hadn’t gotten to see before at this level,” said Hope.
“We saw a lot of new faces rise to the top. We were very proud to judge this group of exceptional riders.”
She added, “We had to decide whether to work off again, an additional work-off,” said Hope.
But in the end, they realized they had seen enough.
“The leader (Kaitlyn) had enough of a lead at the end that she really rose to the top. When Baylee came, she had a beautiful canter, rode beautifully off the turn, a forward gallop to the base of the triple bar (the first fence of the second round) which is exactly what you want.”
But then ” her horse swapped off the lead off the ground there… She got a little snug coming up to the combination in front of us and the horse was a little bit slow with its shoulder there. That to me was the difference between first and second. It was a very strong group.”
Tom Brennan praised course designers Paul Jewell and Nancy Wallis, saying “they built beautiful courses, especially the second round.”
In the first round, the third fence was an oxer, filled unusually with coleus plants that became a topic of conversation. In the second round, it transformed into a one-stride double of verticals, with the B element narrower than the A element. Tom said the judges mentioned a few small things they wanted to see on the route. But Tom noted it was the designers “baby.”
Kaitlyn and the coleus.
Kaitlyn, known as KK, trains with her mother, Karolina, and Stacia Madden at Beacon Hill. She ended up with a final average of 92.39, bolstered by her winning effort of 93.75 for round two. She does her own work with Don Touch de Tiji Z, a Zangersheide who found his niche in equitation for the last three seasons.
KK finished second in both the Washington International’s equitation championship and the Medal on him last month.
“I honestly was kind of expecting to be second again,” she revealed, “so to win really felt surreal.”
Baylee, third in the Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals East four weeks ago, wound up second on 90.78 with a mark of 88.25 for round 2. Since her regular mount, Watermelon, suffered an abcess after the Talent Search, she has been riding different horses but clicked with Lucky Spot RW after riding him for only three days.
As a result, “I didn’t really have any expectations coming in,” she said.
“I’m really happy with the result.” Of her mount, she said, “He’s just been the most incredible partner, and we’ve really grown together.”
The Rhode Islander is a working student for Missy Clark and the team at North Run, which keeps her busy. But since it was such a big day, she said, “I was given a groom for this horse, which was so helpful.”
Parker, second to JJ Torano in the Maclay last year, rides with Ken and Emily Smith at Ashland.
A North Carolinian, she was aboard Montverdi and couldn’t stop talking about him. She blamed herself for a rail in the first round, and noted that through the day. “He was spectacular in every round and on the flat. He tries 110 percent every time he walks into the ring. He wants to win just as much as we do,” she emphasized.
“I am just so grateful to have had him as my partner for these last two years.”
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