Grace Jackson and Enrico were named Circuit Champions in the New England Restricted Children’s Hunter Division at the Vermont Summer Festival in East Dorset, VT. Photo by David Mullinix Photography

August 12, 2010 – East Dorset, Vermont – Grace Jackson of Acton, MA, and Enrico were named Circuit Champions following their stellar performances at the six-week Vermont Summer Festival in East Dorset, VT.

Jackson and Enrico participated in three weeks of competition and, each week, were declared the champions in the New England Restricted Children’s Hunter division by amassing the highest number of points. Jackson, 10, and Enrico, 19, owned by John Skinner, also competed in the Modified Children’s Hunter division during her stay at the Vermont Summer Festival, where they were named champions on two occasions.

“She couldn’t show the pony that she was supposed to ride in Florida this year, and I was looking around for another pony,” explained Jackson’s trainer, Mitch Steege. “Stacy Schaeffer told me about Enrico. He is a very famous pony; he has won everything there is to win in the large ponies, champion at Capital Challenge and Devon for example, and Lucy Davis had him out in California. Normally his lease fees would have been very high, but Stacy said not to worry about that, she just wanted him to have a good job because he is now 19 years old.”

Steege went on to say, “He is not a pony for a person who wants to practice a lot. In Ocala, Grace wanted to practice on him. He was good for about three minutes, and then it was back to the barn! But he has done that with everybody. So she wasn’t sure she wanted to ride him, but we told her not to worry, when he goes in the show ring it is going to change. Once he walks in the show ring he is a totally different pony. At home we just flat him and jump in one lesson a week. Now she is not worried about it because she knows that when she goes to the show ring, it will all work. He is just a wonderful pony.”

About his student, Steege said, “Gracie is very cute. She is very serious about horses. A lot of kids come to the horse show and they text and play with their ponies, but she sits at the ring and watches. They bought a house about a half mile from my farm, so she rides her bicycle to the farm every day. That’s a dedicated kid!”

The sixth and final week of the Vermont Summer Festival is now underway, and culminates with the $50,000 Vermont Summer Celebration Grand Prix on Sunday, August 15. Located at Harold Beebe Farm in East Dorset, admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children Wednesday through Saturday. On Grand Prix Sunday, admission is $7 for adults and $5 for children. All gate proceeds benefit Manchester Elementary-Middle School (MEMS).

Running July 7 through August 15, 2010, the Vermont Summer Festival offers more than $750,000 in prize money, making it the richest sporting event based on purse in the state. The Vermont Summer Festival is a proud member event of the Show Jumping Hall Of Fame, the Marshall & Sterling League, and the North American League (NAL). For more information about the Vermont Summer Festival, please e-mail: info@vt-summerfestival.com or visit www.vt-summerfestival.com.