Ellie Aronson and It’s Easy Time Land the ASPCA/NHSAA Maclay Region 3 Championship

Wellington, FL – Sept. 26, 2021 – It was a busy weekend of equitation competition during the ESP Florida State Fall, which hosted the Region 3 ASPCA/NHSAA Maclay Championship as the highlight event at Equestrian Village. The class saw young riders from across the southeast region compete for the chance to compete at the finals later this year. Thanks to consistent performances over the fences and on the flat, plus a test, Ellie Aronson of Atlanta, GA, and Eva Fisherman’s It’s Easy Time emerged as the victors. “My horse was perfect! Even though this is just our second show together, I felt like everything just came together really well,” Aronson shared. She continued to elaborate on the rounds, saying, “In the first round, I just tried to stay on a nice canter. He holds himself in a really nice frame naturally, so in the flat phase I was able to just focus on myself and hold my position. Then in the test I just wanted to go out there and have fun with it.” Forty-three riders contested the first round course, set by Andy Christiansen (ECU), in the covered ring at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. Following the first round of competition, 32 riders were invited back for the flat phase, which was broken up into three groups, and ultimately just four riders were asked to return for the final test. After three technical rounds of competition, Aronson and It’s Easy Time were crowned the champions. Earning second place was Hailey Royce of Wellington, FL, and Elios, owned by Michael Dietrich. Third-place honors were awarded to Schuyler Dayner of Odessa, FL, and her own Gambino. Earlier in the weekend, Hailey Royce of Wellington, FL, made a name for herself thanks to multiple victories in a variety of equitation classes. Starting on Thursday, Royce piloted Michael Dietrich’s Elios to first place in the WIHS Hunter Phase, and the pair also won the Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search 1* class. Royce and Elios added to their success on Friday with top call in the ASPCA Maclay class. In the WIHS Jumper Phase, Mckenzie Clayton of Roxboro, NC, and Kristen Bond’s Bea Ready jumped right to the top of the scorecard with a score of 83. Combined with the duo’s third-place score of 77 in the WIHS Hunter Phase, their total tally of 160 points put Clayton and Bea Ready at the top of the overall leaderboard, securing first place in the WIHS Overall standings. The Dover Saddlery/USEF Hunter Seat Medal saw a large field of 21 horse-and-rider combinations compete for the top prize on Friday. Aboard Diador Van Der Heide, owned by Jordan Hill, Xavier Gomez of Wellington, FL, ultimately claimed first place following a standout performance over the 3’6” fences. The Hamel Foundation/NHS 3'3" Medal, which will host its championship in October at the National Horse Show, was won on Saturday by Clayton Farrell of Venice, FL, on Donald Stewart’s Sochi. On Friday, the USHJA 3'3" Jumping Seat Medal saw Mya Borysiak of Marietta, GA, navigate her own Lexx to victory in the class.