Colorado Girls At Maclay

Another year's Maclay has come and gone. Pretty proud of my barn buddy, Ande Sozzi for qualifying and making the journey out there. Unfortunately, she had a stop at jumps 1 and 2 and did not move into the finals. She is so young (only 13 years old), I know she will be back next year!

Another Colorado girl, Kelli Cruciotti, took second place in the finals! Kelli qualified at the Colorado Horse Park taking first place in the ASPCA Maclay Region 6 Finals over the summer. She trains and rides out of Serenity Farm in Elizabeth, Colorado. An amazing equestrian facility with rolling green turnouts, amazing jumps, and many young excellent riders. I bought my now semi-retired Irish Sporthorse, Paddy, from that stable. The trainer there, Cindy Cruciotti, has trained many young riders and has pushed them through to qualifying for the Maclay. Reviewing her show results, I would say Cindy is one of the state's best equitation trainers.

Seriously though, their stable is beautiful! I had to add these photos of Serenity Farms. How could you not want to train here everyday?! No wonder every rider is a super star here, they probably are at the barn all the time! Check out Serenity Farm on facebook.

Okay...back to talking about Maclay....Kelli all smiles with a second place win at Maclay! 

Kelli on Monterrey at Maclay. He is such a handsome guy, love his cute face over the jumps. Photo by Nancy Jaffer

After one round at Maclay, Kelli was called back at 8th place. A total of 30 riders moved into the next round, an an extensive flat class that including extension, counter canter, sitting trot, and half passes at the trot and canter. After the brutal, ab burning flat class 20 riders were invited back and Kelli was again one of them. Kelli's performance in the flat placed her in third place from there. 

The final test was three oxers in a row to a bending line over the ASPCA jump. The competitors then cantered an oxer to a trot a gate and then cantering again to another oxer, followed by a double wall combination without standards and then a counter canter to a fan jump. From there, they had another bending line and a triple bar to a vertical-oxer double combination and a final oxer. Just typing this has got me exhausted! Kelli rode her horse, Monterrey, beautifully and shined at the trot gate where her transition was smooth. and flawless. Personally, my favorite obstacle in her round.

Kelli at the double wall combination without standards int he final round at Maclay.

@Phelps Media Group http://www.phelpsmediagroup.com/viewarticle.php?id=8485

Kelli has now proudly added her Maclay second place onto her extensive show background and other wins in Junior Large Hunter divisions 15 and Under. It's hard to believe such a well educated rider is not over 15 years old! She is truly an experienced rider, making her visits to many east coast shows prior to Kentucky, like the Pennsylvania National Horse Show where she took 10th place in the Pessoa Medal Finals on her horse Monterrey.