Annual horse trials attract record number of riders

July 10, 2002 6:00 am
submitted photosCanadian team members Sarah Sellmen and Buddy Bold give it their all over a fruit jump.
submitted photosCanadian team members Sarah Sellmen and Buddy Bold give it their all over a fruit jump.

The 26th annual Whidbey Island Pony Club Horse Trials were held July 5, 6 and 7 off Zylstra Road with thanks to the Chuck Sapp and Chuck Arnold families.

Organizers Suzette Keller, Margot Carter and Linda Chatfield welcomed 256 riders, a record number, with 80 Canadian riders who participated in the Can-Am Challenge. The American teams swept all their divisions while the Canadian teams won in the unmounted games.

Winner of the WIPC Founders’ trophy, offered by the Mueller family of Madrona Ridge Ranch, Coupeville, was Kendra Leisher on Tupelo Honey. Amy Tryon of Redmond won the open intermediate trophy on Woodstock. Tryon recently competed in an international four-star badminton tournament where she placed 11th and was the highest placing American. She is on on the short list for the Olympics to be held in Greece in two years.