FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jennifer Wood for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International

Samantha Harrison and Santika Qualify for the North American Junior Young Riders Championship Team

San Juan Capistrano, CA - June 12, 2009
Karen Healey Stables showed at the Blenheim Equisports June Classic I this past week, June 3-7, 2009, and had the usual excellent results.

It was an exciting week for Karen Healey student Samantha Harrison of La Canada, CA. Harrison has been very successful on the jumper circuit with her mare Santika, and she has now qualified for the Zone 10 Junior team. Riders on the team get the opportunity to compete in the FEI North American Junior and Young Rider Championships (NAJYRC), which will be held July 21-26, 2009, at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY.

"I am so excited; I can't wait," Harrison smiled. "Words can't explain it. I am so thrilled and it is probably a once in a lifetime thing that a kid gets to go back east and be on a team, so it is just an amazing feeling."

Harrison has had Santika (left) for three years and explained that she has a very good connection with the nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare. "She is the most amazing horse. I have had her for so long that she will do anything for me."

Leading up to the championships in Kentucky, Harrison plans to spend her time practicing and will not be showing again until then. "We will probably be working on my weaknesses or just practicing and drilling and really getting after it," she stated. "I guess my biggest weakness is that I like to go slow because I like enjoying it. I like the time in the ring and it is really fun, so I have to work on going faster."

Harrison added, "I would like to give a special thanks to Karen Healey for all of the help that she has given me. There have been so many things that she has told me that are really meaningful, and I try to make her happy. She has really shaped me as a rider, and I am thrilled that I can do this myself as well as for her."

Harrison (right) had a great show at Blenheim that led up to her qualification for the NAJYRC team. She showed Santika in the $10,000 High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic and placed fifth and was also first in the Pessoa/USEF National Hunter Seat Medal and won two classes over fences for the Equitation 16-17 championship.

Fellow Karen Healey Stables rider Hannah Selleck also competed in the High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic and went double clean on both of her horses, Bauer and Tosca, to finish second and third respectively. Selleck also placed first with Tosca and second with Bauer in the in High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper division.

Fred Bauer rode Roma-M to a second place finish in the Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic along with a first place win in the division. Roma-M also placed first with Kasey Ament in the 1.30m Jumpers.

Michelle Morris showed over the weekend and had a third place win in the Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search aboard her jumper Liechtenstein 7 along with a fourth in the 1.25m Classic and two seconds and a fourth place ribbon in the division.

Jocelyn Neff was second in the Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search and also won a first and two second place ribbons in the Equitation 16-17.

Other wins include Grace Shelton and Kylee Arbuckle who each showed in the Equitation 14-15 division and each won first and second place ribbons, and Yvette Harris who placed third in two of the classes over fences for the Limit Equitation 18 and Over division.

Karen Healey Stables will compete next at the Blenheim Equisports June Classic II, June 10-14, 2009, as well as the Gold Coast Series Horse Show IV, June 12-14, 2009.