Jamie Taylor and Hero celebrate double win

Credit: McCool Photography

Jamie Taylor and Hero celebrate double win


It was a banner Friday the thirteenth for Jamie Taylor and Marnell Sport Horses’ Hero. After leading the victory gallop in Thursday’s $10.000 Young Hunter Championships, presented by Brookway Stables, the pair topped the field in the fifth annual California Professional Horsemen’s Association (CPHA) West Coast Green Hunter 3’ & 3’3” Incentive Championship, this year with prize money totaling $31,412.50.

Welcoming eighteen entries on the grass of the Pacific Field, Taylor impressed judges Bob Crandall and Tony Sgarlata to earn an 84 in Round 1 and 86 in Round 2 for an 85 average and the top call. John French and Ausable also earned solid scores to finish in second place with an 85 and 81.5, for an average 83.25. Taylor also earned the yellow ribbon with Marnell Sport Horses’ other entry, Casino Cash, with scores of 83 and 83, just .25 points off French’s average.

Hero’s owner, Ariana Marnell, was elated with her horse’s performance this week. “It was really nice to see that he was so good last night and was still so happy and comfortable out here today,” she noted. “We bought him last year as a 5-year-old from John French and Corinne Bevis, and we’ve just taken our time and been slow with him – it seems to be working!”

Marnell shows in the 3’3” Junior Hunter division and some equitation classes on Hero. She is looking forward to competing her sweet bay mount in the $25,000 National Hunter Derby at the Las Vegas National Horse Show this November.

The CPHA West Coast Green Hunter 3’ & 3’3” Incentive Program offers an opportunity for green hunters to win prize money year-round in Incentive Stake classes, and also participate in the fall season Championships. Forty-five percent of the nomination fees collected add to the purse for the final class, plus forty-five percent is added to the top three Leading Horses and Riders of the season.

Before the class began, CPHA Green Hunter Incentive season awards were presented in the ring as follows – Quicksus, owned by Noelle Wolf, earned top horse while John French was once again the season’s top rider, Both took home a DaMoor’s cooler, CPHA hat and saddle pad, as well as a check. Second place horse of the season was Breanna Karanikolas’ C’est Moi, one of several mounts that second place rider of the season Sophie Simpson competed on. Nivelo, owned by Debra Chambers, earned the third place horse of the season honors. And Katie Taylor was the third highest placing rider.