Wayne, IL - June 22, 2025 - The third day of competition at the Wachovia Showplace Spring Spectacular II heated up in the hunter rings, as the Junior and Children’s hunters vied for blue ribbons in two classics and points toward tomorrow’s championship honors. Held at the Lamplight Equestrian Center in Wayne, IL, the show runs through Sunday afternoon.
Jennifer Coons and Customary made their show ring debut together this morning and found victory in the $2,500 Marshall & Sterling Children’s Hunter Classic, sponsored by the Struve Family. At age 15, the Barrington, IL, resident has been riding for years, but Customary is a new ride for her, despite the fact that she’s owned the mare for several years.
“I’ve had her since she was a baby, but I’ve only been riding her for a year because she was really young and we sent her away to be trained. She’s 7 now,” Coons described. “This is our first show together, and it’s pretty exciting to win. She was really good today. We were having problems earlier in the week, so we trailered home, but we decided to give her another try, and she was really good.”
She continued, “My trainer, Randy Manuel, showed her throughout the week, and she progressed really well. Today, she was just amazing. She doesn’t spook at jumps much, she’s very calm, and we just have a great time.”
In the $1,000 Junior Hunter Classic, sponsored by the Ziegler Family, Cathy Rolfs took home the top prize with Cidney Carver’s Parcival. Competing in the Small Junior 16-17 Hunter division, the pair won blue in the first class and were second in the handy hunter class with a score of 87, which was counted as the first class for the Classic. They earned a score of 86 in the third round, which secured the win.
Rolfs, 17, has started to pick up catch rides like the one on Parcival this year, and she noted that it has helped her gain experience in the show ring. In addition to riding hunters, she also competes in the High Junior Jumpers and dabbles in equitation.
“This is my first year (catch riding), but it’s really nice. You get a lot of experience doing it, and you get a great horse,” she said. “This is my third show with Parcival, and he’s really nice just to go around on. He’s soft and you just kind of gallop around to the spots - he’s easy.”
Emily Reynolds, 13, proved herself in the equitation ring this week by winning the USEF Show Jumping Talent Search and the Washington International Horse Show Equitation Classic and placing second in the ASPCA Maclay class. Reynolds trains with Katie Kappler of Kappler Farms, and her equitation horse, Grimaldi 54, is owned by Casey Hodges.
Competition will resume tomorrow morning at 7:30 a.m. at the Lamplight Equestrian Center. For more information and complete results, please visit www.showplaceproductions.com.
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