September 21, 2019

Aiken Fall Festival II - Bruce's Field - Aiken Horse Park, Aiken, SC

It was a wonderful two weeks at the 2019 Aiken Fall Festival! Thank you to everyone who joined us, we look forward to seeing you all again at Bruce's Field in December for the December Classic I, December 5-8, and at Wills Park for the December Classic II, December 12-15. Prize list and info will be available soon on EquusEvents.com.

The second week of the Aiken Fall Festival was full of social events including two very special fundraisers. On Saturday evening a fundraiser under the VIP Tent benefited The Peeps Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to helping any miniature horse in need. The evening featured a beautiful "Grazing Table" by Ziggy Poplin, as well as appearances by a few of the minis themselves. The Aiken Fall Festival Junior committee headed up the fundraising efforts. Thank you to all who contributed!

Aiken Fall Festival

Aiken Fall Festival

The weekend also raised funds for the Babington Family through a silent auction organized by Locke Kelly held under the VIP Tent, as well as the Green Ribbons for Spinal Cord Injury Awareness fundraiser, organized by Holly Bachor, David Jennings, and Full Circle Farm. Kevin Babington sustained a serious fall while competing at the Hampton Classic resulting in a serious spinal cord injury. You can donate to Kevin's fundraisers here and here.


Our feature class of Aiken Fall Festival II, the $25,000 "R Bruce Duchossois" American Standard Grand Prix Presented by Friends of RBD and Jack Wetzel, was held Saturday evening. Daniel Geitner earned a one-two finish over the Michel Vaillancourt designed course, riding November Hill's Vesta De Lavardin to the win and Oak Ledge Farm's Fazous to the second place honors! 

The top three in the competitive field of 27 starters was rounded out by Kris Killam and Empire Show Stables' Boreale De Talma. The pair were the winners of the $5,000 The Carolinas Equestrian Magazine Welcome Jumper Classic held earlier in the week in which Grant Seger rode Grey Fox Crossing's Dr. J to the second place finish and Laura Gaither Ulrich piloted her entry Garda to the third place honors.

Daniel Geitner and November Hill's Vesta De Lavardin

Click here for full results of the $25,000 "R Bruce Duchossois" American Standard Grand Prix Presented by Friends of RBD and Jack Wetzel

Aiken Fall Festival
Aiken Fall Festival

Kris Killam and Empire Show Stables' Boreale De Talma

Click here for full results of the $5,000 The Carolinas Equestrian Magazine Welcome Jumper Classic


In the $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby held on Friday evening, Timothy Maddrix emerged victorious aboard Katherine Dewar's Winterfell. Liza Boyd rode to the second and third places finishes with Gigi Manigault's Bastille and Grace Ann Nolan's Kumano respectively. A Low Country Boil was also held alongside the Derby under the VIP Tent. Many thanks to DFG StablesCedarhill Farm, and Four Seasons Farm for hosting our hospitality.

Aiken Fall Festival

Aiken Fall Festival

Timothy Maddrix and Katherine Dewar's Winterfell

Click here for full results of the $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby


This year the Aiken Fall Festival II was host to the USHJA Zone 4 Children's and Adult Hunter Championships presented by SmartPak, with the exciting Team & Individual Championships held Saturday and Sunday mornings. A Farewell Sunday Brunch hosted by Highfields Equestrian was also held for all trainers and exhibitors under the VIP tent to wrap up the two fabulous weeks of competition. Congratulations to all of the Zone competitors! See some of the winners below.

Aiken Fall Festival

Adult Amateur Hunter Individual Results
GOLD: Chrissie Catto & Intuition
SILVER: Tricia Barr & Big Girls Don't Cry
BRONZE: Brittany Wyatt & Just A Dream

Aiken Fall Festival

Children's Hunter Individual Results
GOLD: Wyette Felton & Empress
SILVER: Mary Caroline Nolan & Timoteo
BRONZE: McCall Massey & Vintage Z

Aiken Fall Festival

Children's/Adult Hunter Team Results
GOLD: Orange Team
Stuart Rumsey & Urian
Lucile Milliken Sammataro & Pisani
Saylors Pursell & Chanel
Mary Caroline Nolan & Timoteo

SILVER: Pink Team
Theresa Sanders & Banderas
Chrissie Catto & Intuition
Wyette Felton & Empress

BRONZE: Lime Team
Sarah Clay & Camelot
Susan Davidson & Calliope
Brittany Wyatt & Just a Dream
Emily Giovino & Good Egg

Read more about the Individual Championships here

Read more about the Team Championships here


Congratulations to the Grand Champions of the 2019 Aiken Fall Festival

Grand Hunter

Joyce Kutcher's Charismo & Penny Lombardo

Amateur Owner Hunter 3'6"

Play That Song & Anna Wells-Sharpe

Amateur Owner Hunter 3'3"

Southland Stables, LLC's En Tune & Christina Fox

Junior Hunter 3'6"

Quoted & Salter Hydinger

Junior Hunter 3'3"

Betsee Parker's Cold Harbor & Maddie Tosh

Adult Amateur Hunter

Valentine & Stephanie Zimmerman

Children's Hunter

Zeus & Sophia Strahan

Small Pony Hunter

Betsee Parker's Bit of Love & Maddie Tosh

Medium Pony Hunter

Rachel Rosenblum's Sugarbrook Pink-N-Blue & Elle Boyd

Large Pony Hunter

Patricia Heuckeroth's Silver Wrapper & Celia Cram

 

Not Pictured

Junior/Amateur Jumper

Fox View Farm's FVF Sailor Man & Christina Webb

 

Children's/Adult Jumper

Vindicator & Lanie Nash

View more photos from the Aiken Fall Festival here

Thank you to A&S Photography for so many fabulous photos!