Junior rider Hay jumps into first place 11/10/2009 11:11 PM By BEN BAUGH Staff writer
Some things are worth the wait. It may have taken Eliza Hay a while to find the right horse, but the junior rider who trains with Irene Reed (Full Circle Farm at Rosebank Plantation, Wadmalaw Island) and her horse Papillon placed first Sunday morning to capture the Progressive Show Jumping Junior Medal Finals at Highfields Event Center.
The 17-year-old has one year left to show as a junior rider and is a junior in high school.
Reed has been training Hay for the past four years and has seen her grow and develop as a rider, moving from the pony to equitation classes. Sunday morning's PSJ Junior Medal Finals were the culmination of hard work, but her placing was extremely rewarding for both trainer and rider.
Papillon, a horse that was leased through the summer from Aaron Vale, was purchased for Hay as a birthday present.
"Papillon is a Hanoverian from Germany who previously was a jumper," said Reed. "This is his first year doing any equitation work."
Hay's drive and dedication are her strongest attributes, said Reed, and the rider's commitment to her sport paid off with her performance Sunday morning in winning the PSJ Junior Medal Finals. Hay is a wonderful role model for Reed's younger students, she said. Hay serves as a mentor to Reed's younger students, and continues to grow in confidence.
"I think she's learned a lot about overcoming fears," said Reed. "I've watched her grow from a very insecure rider to a positive rider. She's a wonderful role model for my younger students. She always helps the younger students before addressing her own needs."
Hay has trained Papillon, taking a jumper that had never done any equitation work, and made him into a very good equitation horse, said Reed.
"I see a huge future for these two," said Reed. "She's going to spend two weeks training with Kaite Monahan (Prudent) in Wellington, Fla., and than she's going to train in Ocala, Fla. with Aaron Vale, and do HITS Ocala. I think she's always going to be involved with horses."
It's meant the world to Reed to have a student like Hay, and she says it's been inspiring as the rider has been enjoyable to teach, and that Hay has helped Reed build her business.
"I can't thank her enough and her family," said Reed. "She has a very supportive family. She doesn't come from a wealthy family, she comes from a hard-working family. They always put her riding in perspective. She has good grades, she studies hard and when she gets done here, she'll go back to the hotel and do homework. When she goes to the Palmetto Finals, the morning before the Palmetto Finals, she has to take her SAT test in Camden. Her parents keep her priorities straight."
Hay was nervous but also excited prior to the start of the PSJ Junior Medal Finals.
"When you get in the ring, you get very calm," said Hay.
Papillon and Hay have formed a strong partnership, and it was a challenge finding the right horse.
"We were looking for the right horse, and than we found him, and he was perfect," said Hay. "We clicked right away. We work really well together. His temperament is really calm, and I get really nervous, so we balance each other."
Angela Pollex and Knock My Soxs Off won the PSJ Pony Medal Finals on Saturday.
Contact Ben Baugh at bbaugh@aikenstandard.com.
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