Traverse City, MI - July 18, 2025 - The first day of the fourth annual Horse Shows by the Bay I began this morning with competitors eager to test out the rings at the brand new show facility, Flintfields, located in scenic Traverse City, MI.
Michigan’s own Erin Haas dominated the field in today’s Low Junior/Amateur Owner Jumper Class, which boasted almost 30 entries. The class was scored under Table II Sec 2 (b) rules, and riders with a clear first round did their jump-off round immediately. Haas rode her veteran mount Mir, a 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood, seventh in the order and set the early lead with a jump-off time of 32.835 second.
“I’ve had Mir for quite a while - maybe 8 years,” Haas explained. “I did him in the grand prix here the first year that the show started, and a couple years ago he had an injury. I just compete him in the Lows because he’s recovered from the injury, but I don’t want to push him to jump the really big jumps again.”
She continued, “He was excellent today. He’s always excited about new rings and going new places. He’s better when he thinks it’s a big show or important, so the fact that we’re on show grounds that he’s never been, he was really quite excited.”
In addition to competing Mir, Haas also rode her bay gelding All of A Sudden to a second-place finish, and another mount, Chianti 67, to a four-fault round. Haas has competed at Horse Shows by the Bay since its inception and said she was delighted with the new grounds.
“I am very impressed and very excited about the new show facility. I had heard good things about it, and it’s really everything that I’ve heard and more than what I thought. I’ve always loved coming to these Traverse City horse shows: I’ve never had complaints about anything, but this is better and better,” Haas said. “The people that they have that I see around haven’t been to shows in Michigan before, and I think it’s great for the state and the industry. With me being from Michigan, I’m always a big supporter of having shows, and I’m excited to have these shows that have big jumper classes that are going to be here to stay and grow.”
In the Level 6 Jumpers class, Benjamin Rosichan of Kalamazoo, MI, earned the victory with the 15-year-old Dutch gelding Tahoe. He rides for Debbie Seelyle and Solitude Farm, a sales and training facility. Rosichan noted that although he was rusty and had not showed the horse in almost five years, “Tahoe was excellent. I missed a few distances, but he jumps better when he’s a little more challenged, so it works out.”
As far as competing at Horse Shows by the Bay is concerned, this is Rosichan’s first experience. “Everything has been great. It’s beautiful - I love it. We will be here for the first two weeks for sure,” he said. Second and third places in the Level 6 Jumpers went to Chevalier and Linda Radigan and Ecstasy and David Beisel, respectively.
In the High Junior/Amateur Owner Jumper Class, 16-year-old Ariana Wallace jumped to victory over the field of nine horses. She and her mount Clitschko tripped the timers in 37.070 for the win. Several riders, including Kels Bonham, had faster times but pulled an unlucky rail at the final fence, a square oxer. Second place went to Linda Radigan on Spray Paint, and Kels Bonham took third with Orley.
Hunter and jumper competition will resume tomorrow morning, with the pinning of the professional divisions in the hunter ring and a $3,000 NAL Open Speed class in the jumper ring.
For more information and complete results from Horse Shows by the Bay, please visit www.horseshowing.com.
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