Amanda Flint of Long Valley, NJ, won the 1.30m championship riding Ami des Gemmes on Saturday, July 4, at the Vermont Summer Festival in East Dorset, VT. Photo Credit - David Mullinix Photography

July 4, 2009 – East Dorset, Vermont – Amanda Flint of Long Valley, NJ, rode away with two championship titles on Saturday, July 4, at the Vermont Summer Festival in East Dorest, VT.

Flint earned the 1.30m championship title riding Ami des Gemmes, and also took the 1.20m championship title with Will of Iron.

In Saturday’s 1.30m competition, Flint was the final entry and posted a double clear round in a time of 33.69 seconds to take the win. The victory, combined with a second place finish in Wednesday’s 1.30m class, gave Flint and Ami des Gemmes the championship title. Emily Pope, 18, of Goldens Bridge, NY, was the reserve champion with Seize the Moment.

“He is a really scopey horse with a big stride,” said Flint of the seven-year-old gelding owned by Richard Marki of Bedminister, NJ. American-bred, Ami des Gemmes is sired by Rafiki, the grand prix mount of Olympic Gold Medalist Chris Kappler. “The faster you go, the higher he jumps. He is serious about his job, he likes to do it, and he gets better every time he goes in the ring.”

Like Ami des Gemmes, the 1.20m champion, Will of Iron, was also bred in the United States. The nine-year-old chestnut gelding is sired by Superman, a horse that is also competing at the Vermont Summer Festival in the low children’s division.

“This is his first show back since last September, we are just bringing him back slowly,” said Flint of the horse owned by Kathy Kamine. Flint works for Kamine, and also helps Annabel Benito of Westfield, NJ, run her business and train clients.

Flint has been coming to the Vermont Summer Festival for the past eight years, generally bringing 20 to 30 horses. Flint explained, “We like the atmosphere, and our client’s families spend the time here on vacation.”

Flint is hoping her winning streak extends to Sunday’s $30,000 Vermont Summer Special Grand Prix, Presented by Johnson Horse Transportation, Inc. She will have two entries in the featured class, Cajun, the horse that won Wednesday’s 1.45m class, and Texas Hold ‘Em. Flint will face stiff opposition from Kate Levy of Wellington, FL, who won and placed second in Friday’s $10,000 Lilly Pulitzer Open Welcome Stake, Presented by Manchester Designer Outlets. Levy has three mounts entered in Sunday’s Grand Prix.

Admission for Sunday’s Grand Prix, which is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m., is $7 for adults and $5 for children. All gate receipts are donated to the Friends Foundation for MEMS, benefiting programs in the local Elementary & Middle School.

Running through to August 9, 2009, the six-week Vermont Summer Festival is the largest “AA” rated hunter/jumper horse show in New England, as well as the richest sporting event based on purse in the state of Vermont offering more than $750,000 in prize money.

For more information about the Vermont Summer Festival, please e-mail: info@vt-summerfestival.com or visit www.vt-summerfestival.com.