“No more testing.”
That was the word which came down from the judges after the top 24 competitors had completed their rides in the second round test of the ASPCA Maclay on Sunday.
The announcement had to be anticipated by anyone who was watching Carlee McCutcheon’s flawless performance on Chacco Star in that segment, 12 hours after the class started at the National Horse Show in Lexington, Ky.
Unlike her victory in the Dover Saddlery/USEF Medal Finals last month, when she came to the top from fourteenth place, Carlee led all the way through the Maclay in the Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park. Last year, she led until the final tests, when bobbles wound up putting her fourth.
There was no mishap this time around. The victory capped off quite a fall season for Carlee, who also was second in the Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals East, and third in the Washington International Horse Show’s equitation championship last weekend.
“Today was really just a blessing, and I’m so grateful,” said Carlee.
Carlee McCutcheon and Chacco Star. (Photo by Shawn McMillen Photography)
“Having a partnership like I have with Chacco, is a big advantage for me, he makes me so confident and brave every time I walk in the ring,” she noted.
“I know he’s so good at the equitation; he’s very seasoned at it. He’s way better at it than I am, for sure. I think having that sort of confidence going in the ring makes a big difference for me.”
Winning at the National “means more than I think I can express. It’s so historic to be here,” said Carlee, whose name will be engraved on the iconic silver tray with the likes of those including Bill Steinkraus, Frank Chapot and Leslie Burr Howard, among so many great riders who won Olympic medals for the country.
“I’m always grateful just to qualify for this horse show,” Carlee remarked.
“It’s such a special feeling to walk into the ring here knowing the highest level of the sport has competed here and won here.”
Carlee comes from an equestrian family that breeds winners, although they are best known for reining—in which Carlee also competes. Her grandparents are Colleen and Tim McQuay; her parents are Mandy and Tom McCutcheon, all names well recognized in the horse world, no matter which branch you favor.
Carlee, who is trained by Max Amaya and T.J. O’Mara at Stonehenge in Colts Neck, N.J., also collected the Dennehy award for the best record in the fall equitation finals. She has finished her junior years with the ultimate triumph, and will be starting her professional career now.
The reserve champion was Eleanor Rudnicki, riding Waldo. She is trained by Berry Porter and North Run. Explaining what the show means to him, Berry said, “I remember watching some of these people on television and going, `Oh,it would be so cool to meet them or know them.’
“And then to have Missy Clark and John Brennan supporting me and at the ring with me is kind of cool. Never though it would happen.”
Tessa Downey, third on HH Moonshine, earned the same color ribbon as she got last year, but the University of Georgia equestrian team member stated she is “a lot prouder of the result” in 2023. She is trained by Peter Pletcher and Emily and Ken Smith.
Eleanor Rudnicki, Carlee McCutcheon and Tessa Downey with the famous trophy.
All three of the top-placing Maclay riders are from Texas, which is the first time that has happened at the country’s oldest major equitation championship, which began in 1933. (But it came close to happening last year, when the second, third and fourth-place ribbon winners were Texans.)
The officiating was being handled in a different fashion this year, with four judges: Rachel Kennedy, Wendy Peralta, Tamara Provost and Danny Robertshaw.
They were divided into two teams, complete with scribes, on each side of the ring, and the scores were done as averages.
“We spent a lot of time in Florida talking about how this should go,” said Rachel.
“I think the day went great. The kids rode great and the course was great. I can’t tell you enough good things about how today went.”
Transparency was the name of the game. The standby list was updated every 50 riders, and there was a QR Code on the livestream that people could access to find out the standings as the class went along. That innovation was enabled by Liz Soroka, who works magic behind the scenes at the show.
It took nine hours for the 226 Maclay starters in the first round to finish the beautifully landscaped course, designed by Kentucky Horse Park regular Bobby Murphy and Kevin Holowack, a Canadian who studied architecture in college. Kevin said proudly that a trainer told him the course “subtly separated” the contenders.
The challenges on the initial route included a unique first fence, a single red, white and blue pole over a base covered with artificial grass, and two one-stride double combinations with four strides between them.
A group of 24 was selected to perform on the flat, with 12 in each section.Competitors were asked to counter-canter, ride without stirrups, and lengthen stride in the sitting trot.
In the second round over 13 fences, judges included two tests; calling for the 24 riders to hand- gallop fence 4, an oxer on one side of the ring, and on the other side of the ring, put in six strides between the one-stride double of verticals and fence 10, an oxer.
As the leader following the first round, Carlee was honored with the new Hannah Serfass Memorial Award, named after a 15-year-old equestrian who died at a Florida show in April when her horse fell on her during a show jumping competition. Hannah’s score in the first round was 96.5; Eleanor’s was 94.75.
Here’s a shout-out for New Jersey: Kate Egan of Glen Gardner, who rides with Emil Spadone and Luke Olsen at Redfields, finished seventh; Caroline Signorino, who rides with Geoffrey Hesslink, was ninth.
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