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NORTH SHORE AND EMILY WYGOD HAVE A SURPRISE WIN IN NON PRO 3' FINALS AT LEGACY CUP

Jennifer Waxman & Ulone Winner Juniors

Legacy Cup
May 14-17, 2008

May 16, 2008 - Lexington, KY - Amateur rider Emily Wygod was competing on North Shore in the Non Pro 3' Finals at the Legacy Cup to have some fun. "I wasn't expecting much," said the Californian. That fun ride led to North Shore winning the Go Round, the Finals and the Amateurs. For Jennifer Waxman, Chagrin Falls, Ohio, the winner's circle is her second home and this time she did it again on in the Non Pro 3' Junior Finals. She rode Ulone, a horse she's ridden only a couple of times. The Finals took place May 16th as part of the Kentucky Spring Horse Shows taking place in Lexington, KY, through May 17.

Emily Wygod & North Shore Photo by ©Diana DeRosa

The top 25 riders had to qualify from a field of 37 to compete in the Finals by first riding in the Non Pro 3' Go Round. Winner of the Non Pro 3' Junior Go Round was Mozart, ridden by Lauren Tyree, Chicago, IL, and owned by First Partners. The purse for the Non Pro 3' division totaled $11,400, with $7,400 earmarked for the Finals. The winning horse received $3,406.

The Legacy Cup is unique in that it focuses on being different than the other typical Hunter classes. Riders receive more money and prizes thanks to an add-back format and the support of sponsors. The Non Pro 3' was sponsored by Jan Agardy/Golden Point Farm LLC. Gifts to the horses and riders were thanks to Essex Classics and Malvern Saddlery. Other sponsors include Lisa Cudahy for the Lisa AH Cudahy Perpetual Trophy and EMO Insurance sponsored the ribbons. The grooms for the top three winning horses in each division received a $100 cash award thanks to Goshen Hill Foundation.

NORTH SHORE WINS GO ROUND, FINALS AND AMATEURS
Emily Wygod, 22, was very matter-of-fact after her win in both the Overall and Amateur Non Pro 3' division. Not that she wasn't happy about her win at her first ever Legacy Cup, she was just relaxed. Wygod had only graduated from college four days earlier and hadn't competed on North Shore since the previous November. She'd been sidelined for months because of having surgery on her hip.

At the Legacy Cup she wasn't waiting for a drum roll. Maybe it was that she went in just to have a good time that in doing so both she and her 8-year-old, 16.2H, bay gelding stole the Go Round with a score of 166.5. Then as the last to go in the Finals she knew victory was hers after jumping the very first fence.

"It's the curse of the first jump for me. If it's good it keeps on being good." Emily did admit though that she felt North Shore get distracted a little before his last fence and she made sure he heard her signals and maintained his skillful jumping right to the end of the course.

Wygod, who trains with Rob Bielefeld and Scott Fitton, and North Shore are great pals. "He is like a pet. He follows me around everywhere."

In addition to his being a good guy outside the arena, the horse that loves bananas also is very consistent in competition. "He is great to ride. He has the most comfortable canter. Everything is right there out of stride and he jumps every jump the same."

Wygod also rode Pasolongo who finished 9th. She hopes to spend some time this summer competing and enjoying her horses.

WAXMAN DID IT ULONE IN THE JUNIORS
Sixteen-year-old Waxman enjoyed her ride on Ulone, who is owned by her friend Tim Boulton. "He is very fun to ride. He is really pretty and he knows it. He was so brave going in there," she commented.

Jennifer Waxman & Ulone Photo by ©Diana DeRosa

Waxman didn't have much time to get to know her mount but she was pleased that even though they weren't able to school in the arena before the class, "he went right around."

"I wasn't that nervous. He is pretty straightforward," she admitted. "I tried to carry enough pace and after the first three jumps he was perfect. I took a little bit of a shot at the last fence and he was right there with me."

While Waxman was excited for herself she was equally as excited for Ulone's owner. "I'm glad I did well for Tim."

The weather for the past two weeks has been a flood of rain everywhere and so showing in the indoor arena was extremely inviting. "It was way more appealing to show in here than out there," she added. "Plus the Legacy Cup is a good opportunity for the hunters to win some money for once. And it's fun and different."

MOZART MAKES MUSIC IN THE GO ROUND
Twelve-year-old Lauren Tyree was soft spoken yet excited after winning the Non Pro 3' Junior Go Round on her 6-year-old, 15.3H, bay, Selle Francais gelding, Mozart, who she's only been riding for a year. There ride was as musical as his name.

The prior year, Tyree remembered adding a stride where it shouldn't have been. "I didn't think we would beat everyone else but we got all our lines and nailed all the distances. He was good, sometimes he can get strong but he is really fun."

Tyree, who generally rides four days a week, likes the Legacy Cup. "It's different. You are inside and it's more of a challenge."

ABOUT THE LEGACY CUP
The two-week Legacy Cup is the brainchild of the American Hunter-Jumper Foundation, Inc. (AHJF). It includes two professional and two non-pro divisions at 3' and 3'6". In addition multiple awards are presented within each class and division. In the Non Pros in addition to an overall winner, presentations are also made to the top Juniors and Amateurs.

Each division has a Go Round and a Finals. Each Go Round offers a guaranteed purse of $1,500. Go Rounds rank the top 25 horses for a clean slate Final. The Legacy Cup entry fee is $400 of which 50% goes directly to the division purse and 50% to the AHJF for the expenses associated with the event. In addition the Legacy Cup Committee committed an added purse of $13,000.