Augusta Iwasaki and Attendu De Lannois Z Claim $100,000 WCHR Central Hunter Spectacular
Traverse City, Mich.—June 28, 2022—Augusta Iwasaki's trip from California to Michigan was worthwhile as she capped off the $100,000 World Championship Hunter Rider Central Hunter Spectacular at Traverse City Horse Shows on Saturday, June 25. The Junior rider rode Attendu De Lannois Z to a two-round score of 175.50 to claim the tricolor, just ahead of fellow Juniors Ariana Marnell on Babylon and Raina Swani on Small Occasion.
Iwasaki, of Calabasas, California, and Ashland Farms' Attendu De Lannois Z led round one of the two-round Hunter classic from the start, taking to the ring first in a field of 31. Over the Joe Carnicom-designed course, the pair earned a score of 86.50, holding the lead for more than half the class until Swani posted an 87.25 with Small Occasion. The second round then opened the opportunity for Iwasaki and the Zangersheide gelding to flourish, finishing with an impressive 89 and a two-round score of 175.50.
“My main thought was to be as tidy as I could. Even from jump one I really wanted to gallop down there, and then I just tried to be really tidy through all of the turns after that. My horse is primarily an equitation horse so I thought that showing off his handiness would be the best way to show him off," said Iwasaki.
Rising from fifth after the first round with an 84.50 was Marnell, of Las Vegas, Nevada. The West Coast rider and Babylon, owned by Marnell Sport Horses', earned an 88.50 in the second round, securing the reserve honors with a two-round score of 173. The Oldenburg gelding also contested the $100,000 WCHR Peter Wetherill Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular earlier in the year with John French in the irons, finishing eighth.
Swani, of Jacksonville, Florida, added an 85.25 to her first-round score with Shadowfax Equestrian, LLC's Small Occasion, totaling 172.50 on the scoreboard and taking third.
The class, a two-round Hunter classic, was scored by two panels of two judges, including Tammy Provost and Geoff Case; Tom Brennan and Nancy Sefried. The 12 top-scoring horse-and-rider combinations returned for a second round. Earning the highest combined score, Iwasaki won $30,000 in prize money, a custom WCHR jacket and a cooler.
The WCHR West Coast Hunter Spectacular will be held during National Sunshine Series I, November 2-6, at Desert International Horse Park in Thermal, California.
The USHJA sends special thanks to the entire Traverse City Horse Shows team and Morrissey Management Group for hosting the Spectacular and to Official Sponsors Exhibitor's, CWD, Nutrena, Parlanti and Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital.
For more information about the USHJA World Championship Hunter Rider Program, visit ushja.org/WCHR.
Photos by Andrew Ryback Photography
$100,000 WCHR Central Spectacular Results
Horse | Rider | Owner
Round 1 Avg. | Round 2 Avg. | Final Score
1. Attendu De Lannois Z | Augusta Iwasaki | Ashland Farms
86.50 | 89.00 | 175.50
2. Babylon | Ariana Marnell | Marnell Sport Horses
84.50 | 88.50 | 173
3. Small Occasion | Raina Swani | Shadowfax Equestrian, LLC
87.25 | 85.25 | 172.50
4. Get Rowdy | Karli Schroeder | Teton Farms LLC
78.75 | 86.50 | 165.25
5. Chivalry | Geoffrey Hesslink | Little Brook LLC
78.00 | 86.00 | 164.00
6. Unbelievable | Jacob Pope | Forget Me Not Farms LLC
84.50 | 79.50 | 164.00
7. Didgereedoo VDL | Kelsey Epperson | Lashier Properties LLC
81.00 | 81.50 | 162.50
8. Small Love | Augusta Iwasaki | Iwasaki and Reilly
81.00 | 81.00 | 162.00
9. G. Eleven | Jacob Pope | Don Stewart
83.75 | 77.50 | 161.25
10. Sweet Caroline | Sterling Malnik | Sterling Malnik
80.50 | 78.00 | 158.50
11. Aribo | Lauren Little | Little Brook LLC
80.25 | 75.50 | 155.75
12. San Pedro 15 | Jacob Pope | Don Stewart
85.00 | 45.00 | 130.00
