Hillary Dobbs and Marengo won the $30,000 Manchester & The Mountains Grand Prix on Sunday, August 2, to conclude week five of the Vermont Summer Festival Horse Show in East Dorset, VT. Photo Credit - David Mullinix Photography

August 2, 2009 – East Dorset, Vermont – Hillary Dobbs of Sussex, NJ, and her mount, Marengo, won the $30,000 Manchester & The Mountains Grand Prix, Presented by The Inn At Willow Pond, on Sunday, August 2, to conclude week five of the six-week Vermont Summer Festival in East Dorset, VT.

A total of 24 horses vied for the prize money, including the winner’s check of $9,000, with eight advancing to the jump-off over the course designed by Jamie Alder of Collierville, TN. Dobbs was first into the ring and, after leaving all the jumps in place in a time of 32.93 seconds, set the time to beat.

Mary Lisa Leffler of Brookeville, MD, was the next to try her luck with Rolling Acres’ Gerona 92. The big grey mare jumped all the fences with room to spare, but could not cover the ground with enough speed to catch Dobbs. They turned in a clean round in a time of 36.74 seconds to eventually take third place.

Winner of the $30,000 Battenkill Grand Prix, Presented by Devoucoux, on Sunday, July 12, riding Palona as well as the $30,000 Otter Creek Grand Prix, Presented by the Equinox Resort, one week later with Obelix, Ireland’s Darragh Kenny was looking to make it three for three. The 21-year-old, who hails from County Offaly, geared up for another win but after Obelix dropped two rails and crossed the timers in 35.11 seconds, seventh place was the best he could muster.

Janice Syphers of Gwynedd Valley, PA, took a chance by entering the Grand Prix, and the 18-year-old advanced to the jump-off. Over the shortened course, Syphers played it safe and stayed with her plan to earn a sixth place ribbon after she and Cover Girl had one rail down in a conservative time of 37.26 seconds.

Hugh Mutch, riding out of Paradysz Farm in Mill Neck, NY, qualified PF Twister II for the jump-off with mixed results. Two rails down for a score of eight faults in a time of 36.97 seconds placed him eighth.

Dobbs also qualified Corlett for the jump-off but could not better her first performance. The turn to the second fence was a bit off and set the tone for the next fence where they had a rail down. The pair finished the course in a time of 34.47 seconds with four faults, placing them fourth.

Irish Olympian Kevin Babington galloped into the ring on Coronett 2, but an unlucky rail down and a slow time of 35.31 seconds left them in fifth place.

The final challenger in the jump-off was Torano of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, riding Heechhiem’s Tampa. Leaving all the fences intact, Torano crossed through the timers almost three seconds slower, in 35.86 seconds, to take second place.

“Marengo is so good,” said Dobbs, who injured her hand on Saturday in the schooling area. “I always know that if I give him a good ride, I’m all set.”

On Friday, July 31, Darragh Kenny added yet another feather to his cap by winning the $10,000 Tumi Welcome Stake, Presented by Manchester Design Outlets. The victory, this time riding Castletto, marked Kenny’s third time winning the Welcome Stake at the Vermont Summer Festival in the three times he has entered the competition. All five horses that advanced to the jump-off were ridden by either Kenny or Dobbs, who both train with Missy Clark and John Brennan at their North Run Stables in Warren, VT.

Ashley Foster had a big week with her string of horses and ponies. Foster, who hails from Brookeville, MD, was named Best Child Rider Pony for the second week in a row. Not only did she pilot Brighton Undeniably and Poster Boy to the Champion and Reserve Champion titles in the Medium/Large Pony Hunter division, she also took the top two ribbons in the Pony Hunter Classic with them.

Foster also showed Minden and Sam Adams in the Small Junior Hunter 15 and Under division and neither horse ever left the ring without a ribbon. Words of Wisdom gave Foster a spectacular win in the $1,500 WIHS/NAL Children’s Jumper Classic to finish out week five.

The $2,500 Marshall & Sterling Adult Jumper Classic was won for the fifth week in a row by Alissa Kinsey of Ft Myers, FL, with her horse Grisset, a 12 year-old Hanoverian mare.

Alexandra Arute from Farmington, CT, was named Best Child Rider – Horse for her stellar week in both the equitation and hunter competitions. With Ostentatious, she was the winner of all four classes over fences in the Large Junior Hunter 16-17 division. Riding Tucker, she won both the USEF Hunter Seat Medal and the WIHS Jumper Phase.

The fourth time was the charm for Alexandra Arute of Farmington, CT, who took the top prize riding Sander in the WIHS Equitation competition. Despite the rain, there were the 41 contestants in the WIHS Equitation competition.

Amber Henter was victorious in the Platinum Performance USEF Talent Search equitation class for the second time this year at the Vermont Summer Festival, having also captured the win during week three. The 17-year-old from St. Petersburg, FL, rode Triumph, a bay gelding owned by Redfield Farm, to win the class in perfect form. When at home, Henter regularly makes the two-hour commute from St. Petersburg to train with Bob Braswell and Christina Schlusemeyer at Quiet Hill Farm in Ocala, FL.

The New England Jumper class, featuring fences set at a height of .90m, had to be split into two sections to accommodate all the entries. Winner of Section A was Hayley Anderson of New Boston, NH, with her pony, Super Sonic. Anderson won the Pony Medal class at last year’s Vermont Summer Festival.

Section B was won by Krystyna Metcalf from Providence, RI, who piloted Doron 5, a little bay Hannoverian mare, to victory. Metcalf, 22, is a senior at Boston University and is the Captain of the Boston University Equestrian Team. Majoring in Finance and International Management, Metcalf trains with Patty Harnois at Holly Hill Farm.

The Vermont Summer Festival continues with the final week of competition, the Vermont Summer Celebration, culminating in the $50,000 Vermont Summer Celebration Grand Prix on Sunday, August 9, 2009, the final day of competition.

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.