When the final classes were pinned at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, Sarah Chovnick took home three of the four tricolor ribbons awarded in the large and small divisions and was named the show’s best junior hunter rider.
Aboard Prime Time Show Stables’ Late Entry and Piano Man, Chovnick swept the small junior, 15 and under division, taking the championship and reserve championship. She also guided CeCe Williamson’s Ivanhoe to the large junior, 15 and under, championship.This was Chovnick’s first championship with Late Entry, a bay, Holsteiner gelding her family purchased last fall from Betty and Ernie Oare, of Warrenton, Va.
“He went great at Lexington,” said Chovnick. “I’m really figuring him out and getting used to him. It was nice to go into the ring and have fun and relax.”
Chovnick, 15, Middleburg, Va., said she’s shown “Corky” fewer than 10 times, so to have two consistent days with top ribbons over fences in each class was rewarding.
“This is probably the best I’ve ridden him,” she said smiling. “It took time to get the feel of him.”
Late Entry, who also competes in the second year green division with professional Sandy Ferrell, is best known for earning the most prestigious hunter victory on the Winter Equestrian Festival circuit in Florida. With Ferrell in the irons, he topped the $45,200 AHJF Hunter Classic Spectacular of Palm Beach last February.
Aboard Piano Man, Chovnick has enjoyed a successful spring season. She and “Bosco” earned championship honors at the previous week’s Lexington Spring Premiere Horse Show and at the HITS Commonwealth National in Culpeper, Va., in April.
Even though Chovnick described Late Entry and Piano Man as perfect junior hunters, she noted each has a distinct way he likes to be ridden. “They’re both relatively easy to ride, but they take a different ride. Piano Man naturally travels uphill, while Late Entry likes to stretch out and down at the canter. To ride both of them well the same weekend was a major accomplishment.”
Chovnick’s third tricolor winner came as something of a surprise when trainer Tommy Serio asked her to catch ride Ivanhoe in the juniors on Saturday morning. “It was very exciting. I was thrilled,” said Chovnick. “He was a lot of fun. I got on him and jumped six jumps and went in the ring. I was very confident on him—he’s just my ride.”
Ivanhoe is regularly seen in the amateur-owner, 36 and over, division with owner Williamson, and they’re frequently top contenders throughout Zone 3.
Trainer Ginny Edwards of Hidden Hollow, Upperville, Va., was thrilled with Chovnick’s performances. “She rode all three horses beautifully,” said Edwards. “She’s really maturing as a junior hunter rider, and she’s also establishing herself as an up-and-coming junior jumper rider as well.” Partnered with Njordoctro, Chovnick earned ribbons in the low junior/amateur-owner jumper division and placed fourth in the Junior/Amateur- Owner Jumper Classic during the Lexington Spring Premiere.
Chovnick’s next outing will be at the Keswick Horse Show, May 17-21, in Keswick, Va. “I had two very good weeks at Lexington, and I hope that I have the same good fortune continue,” added Chovnick.
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