Zone 3 and 4 Adult Amateur Jumper Team Competition Claimed By The Southern Bears

Twenty pairs navigated the course during Friday afternoon’s Adult Amateur Jumper Team Competition, with Zone 4 team, the Southern Bears, taking home first. Composed of Fleming Troup (Decatur, AL) on Canesso VA, Julie Snyder (Canton, GA) on Bellscross Sunny Cruise, and Kayla Benson (Collierville, TN) on Corville Z, the team finished with just 4 faults combined.

All three team members were determined to win, but Snyder, in particular, was ready to prove herself. “I came out with a vengeance!” she revealed. “Yesterday was not the greatest, so I had a little come-to-Jesus meeting with him, and I rode better today.”

Troup and her mount, Canesso VA, are a new pairing, having only two other shows under their belt before this weekend’s competition. She revealed that his tendency to spook and her new partnership influenced her game plan, saying, “He’s been great. He can be kind of spooky, but he went in and didn’t even look at anything today, which is a big deal for him!”

Benson, a newcomer to both Zone Championships and the venue, came out of the ring with a smile. She went into the competition a little wary, as her horse doesn’t handle heat well, but rode to a clear round to help earn gold for her team. This is her first time competing at TIEC, she revealed, and emphasized her excitement: “It’s been so much fun! I have never shown here. I was here in 2018 to watch WEG, but it was not built like this. This has been amazing! I’m in a bit of a culture shock. This is the biggest horse show I’ve been to before, so it’s been an amazing experience.”