ATTACHED PHOTOS

Click on the above photos for details and a high resolution version.

Photographs may be used free of charge only in relation to the PMG press releases they pertain to.

Lynn Walsh Wins Ovation Leading Amateur Rider Award at Horse Shows by the Bay

Written by: Elise DeVoe
Client: Horse Sports by the Bay, Inc.
Release Date: 2007-08-05

Traverse City, MI - August 5, 2007 - Horse Shows by the Bay, the three-week equestrian festival held in Traverse City, MI, concluded today at Flintfields. In the R.L. Polk Family Main Hunter Ring, the Amateur-Owner and Adult Amateur Hunters awarded their champions.

The morning began with the 18-35 Amateur-Owner Hunters where Priscilla Flawn-Chopp rode her Leonardo, earning the division tricolor. Flawn-Chopp trains with Peter Pletcher, of Magnolia, TX. Rachael Herkowitz guided her Brooke to the reserve championship.

In the Over 35 Amateur-Owner Hunters, Donald Graves piloted Cologne to the championship. Another of Pletcher's students, Becky Gochman, rode her Cape Town to the reserve championship.

Earlier in the week, Pletcher received the Ovation Leading Professional Hunter Rider award and his student, Caroline Gibson, earning the Ovation Leading Junior Hunter Rider award. Today, Lynn Walsh, who also rides with Pletcher, received the Ovation Leading Amateur Rider award. "[Amateur-Owner Hunter] is a really great division [at Horse Shows by the Bay]. There are a lot of really great riders and great horses, so it's pretty exciting [to win]," explained Walsh.

In the Adult Amateur Hunters, Wendy Lewis and her beautiful chestnut Forget Paris were the ones to beat. The pair earned the Over 50 Adult Amateur Hunter tricolor as well as the Grand Adult Hunter championship. Lewis, who trains with Jeff Gogul, also won the $500 Horse Shows by the Bay Adult Hunter Classic. "[Forget Paris] always goes super. I am a little rusty because this is only my fourth horse show this year, but we came together today," explained Lewis. Mary L. Hepler earned the reserve championship in the Over 50 Adult Amateur Hunters aboard Engaged.

Also today, Morgan Rusnak and Kiss Me Quick earned the 18-35 Adult Amateur Hunter tricolor. Melissa DeCaster rode Donna Lee to the reserve championship.

In the 36-50 Adult Amateur Hunters, Beth Harrison-Meyer rode Everafter to the championship. Jody Scudder piloted Amulet to the reserve.

Horse Shows by the Bay began on July 18 and concluded today after three weeks of top-level competition. For complete results, please visit www.horseshowing.com.