St. Jacques and Pielet Remember the Basics to Clinch USEF Pony Medal Finals Top Spots

"Heels down, eyes up" was the mantra of Taylor St. Jacques as she headed into the Pony Medal Final on the last day of the U.S. Equestrian Federation Pony Finals, held Aug. 4-10. She concentrated on the basics and was rewarded with a victory, which she celebrated with her friend, second-placed Alexandra Pielet. The two were beside themselves with excitement as they celebrated each other's success. 

In the first round, St. Jacques, 15, took every inside track possible on the twisting course, nailed the simple lead change required between fences 5 and 6, an oxer to a vertical in a direct line, and was one of four competitors called back twice. 20 riders competed in the first call back, which included a hand gallop fence followed by a trot fence, then the top four came back for a challenging flat class involving no-stirrup work at each gait. 

"I try not to let [nerves] get to me and just kind of think, 'Im going in again for another trip, just to be judged again.' " said St. Jacques. "Because when I start overthinking, I really start overthinking and it goes bad. I'm really excited. This is my second year at Medal Finals and I wasn't expecting it to go as well as it did."

But St. Jacques was as prepared as she could have been, crediting coach Bill Schaub for all the no-stirrup work they practice. She started training with Schaub two and a half years ago, and his emphasis on a solid, basic foundation paid off in the big Medal class with 169 entries. 

"Pony Finals isn't something you can really practice for," said Schaub. "You've got to learn all your skills so when you're thrown out there, you can do whatever task they ask. We really emphasize keeping the basics strong and working on exercises, and then it all makes everything kind of fit together. I'm very proud of her; she's worked hard and learned a lot."

Schaub, of Sanford, Fla., had trained students to second place in the Pony Medal in the past, but not a win, so St. Jacques' top performance marked a milestone for him, too. "At my age, there aren't many firsts of anything!" he joked.

St. Jacques lives in Glen Allen, Va., over an hour from Schaub's summer base in Virginia, so she practices the most in the summer and typically rides seven horses a day. Lily Ezrow owns Happy Feet, or "Happy," whom she lent to popular catch-rider St. Jacques to contest the Pony Medal Finals. 

"I leased [the pony] for Lily. Lily doesn't get to show much, so [St. Jacques has] been showing a lot to help keep the points up," Schaub explained. "It's awfully kind [of Lily]."

I'm Ready, I'm Ready!

The first thing Pielet did after capturing the Pony Medal Final silver aboard her small pony, Secret Love, was run up to her good friend Ericka Koscinski, who took the third spot, and envelop her in a big hug. She then waited patiently for the crowd of fans surrounding St. Jacques to die down Best Quality for women. before congratulating the gold medalist in the same fashion. Soon, all three top finishers and longtime friends were huddled together, squealing with excitement over their accomplishments.

"My closest friends were in the top three with me!' said Pielet. "It's so cool. I'm so happy.'

Pielet, 13, of Highland Park, Ill., conquered a bout of nerves in the three rounds of the Pony Medal to end up standing next to her friends on the podium.

The first round tested the riders by requiring them to Welcome buy our replica watches click: online store. halt their ponies just steps before the in-gate after completing their jumping course, when their mounts were the most anxious to exit the ring. Pielet found that aspect of the round to be the toughest because 8-year-old Secret Love is still relatively green.

"My first course was really good,' said Pielet. "I was nervous because [Secret Love] kept wanting to go faster as he got closer to home. I was really nervous about that with the halt coming up at the end. The halt was good, though, and I was like, 'whew,' and he just breathed with me.

"He got all of his energy out of his system [in the first round], and then it was a lot quieter and smoother the second one, thankfully,' she continued.

Pielet had also gained a bit of confidence after her 2015 successful first trip, and had no problem steering the gelding around the technical and twisty second course.

"I was just so concerned about making [the second round], and going in I was still nervous because of all the people watching [in the stands], and I was the last to go out of everyone,' said Pielet. "But once I was in the ring, then I just relaxed and was like, 'I'm almost there!' '

In the third and final phase, four riders were tested at the walk, trot and canter before dropping their stirrups for the canter and posting trot. They were then asked to halt and back up four steps, a change from last year's format, where the riders had to complete a turn on the haunches.

"I wasn't really expecting the no stirrups, but I know that's something [judge] Stacia [Madden] does in training,' said Pielet. "I'm not that great at no stirrups; I'm a little bouncy and I kept slipping, but it was good.

"When they said halt, I was like, 'Oh we're going to do a turn on the haunches; I'm ready, I'm ready,' because I was expecting what they did last year, so I've been practicing that a lot,' she continued. "Then they said to back four steps, and I was like, 'OK, I can actually do that better!' '

Finders Keepers Takes Medium Pony Championship at USEF Pony Finals

Lexington, Ky.—Aug. 9, 2014  

As the last class and biggest class of the hunter divisions at the U.S. Equestrian Federation Pony Finals began on Saturday, the skies opened up and riders were straining to find their distances through the driving rain. But less-than-ideal weather couldn't stop popular catch-rider Taylor St. Jacques from putting in a smooth, 
consistent round atop Finders-Keepers to claim the top spot in the medium pony championships.

For 15-year-old St. Jacques, this win is a special one. This is the last year she's able to compete in the medium pony division, so she was determined to make it count, especially after just missing the championship title aboard Elegance last year.

"Last year I was reserve, so this year I kind of wanted to beat that. It meant a lot that I could come back and top last year's result, and I'm glad I could do it with �Keepers,' ' said St. Jacques.

St. Jacques, of Glen Allen, Va., got the ride on Keepers, owned by R.H.F. Enterprises, Inc., the last week of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (Fla.) this year when her trainer, Bill Schaub, suggested she take up the gelding's reins and try her hand competing him in the regular hunters.

"He's really fun to ride; you kind of just have to. leave his face alone and just tell him to keep going, and no matter what distance you give him, he always jumps well,' said St. Jacques. "

Press and Yowan Victorious in Junior Hunters at Kentucky Summer Classic

Lexington, KY - July 31, 2014 - Victoria Press and Satisfaction rode away with the Large Junior 15 & Under Hunter division championship last weekend during the Kentucky Summer Horse Show, and the pair is back on track to do it again this week during the Kentucky Summer Classic.

Press and Satisfaction, owned by Peakwood Pharm, Inc., started the opening day of this week's Junior Hunters at the Kentucky Horse Park with a win over fences and followed it up with a win in the under saddle class. 

Satisfaction has been extremely successful in the Conformation Hunters with Molly Sewell, and since teaming up with Press during the Winter Equestrian Festival, the 8-year-old Hanoverian gelding has been racking up the successes in the Large Junior Hunters as well.

"He's really, really sweet," said Press. "You have to be really soft with him. If you let him just canter down the lines and let him do it on his own that's when he's the best."

Press has been at the Kentucky Horse Park for the last three weeks, competing first in the North American Junior and Young Rider Championships, held July 15-20, and in the Kentucky Summer Horse Shows the last two weeks. 

"I love Kentucky," Press said. "These shows are great because they have such good competition for all of the divisions - the hunters, the jumpers and the equitation."

Joining Press in showing across the divisions and in winning in the Junior Hunters is Vivian Yowan. She took the top call in the first class of today's Small Junior Hunters aboard Shockwave, owned by Saddle Ridge LLC.

"He's been great. He's kind of a little more comfortable now being a hunter," Yowan said. "He comes out and knows what he's doing now."

Shockwave has enjoyed some time off following a successful Devon Horse Show and a strong finish in the USHJA International Hunter Derby there in May. He has returned to the show ring now with Yowan in preparation for the USHJA International"The courses today were a little bit tricky, but he was very good," Yowan said. "Every line is sort of right off the turn which is a little tricky, especially with him. He's a little bit stiffer. You really want to be soft with him, so it's harder with the tight turns to get the jump you want. He was great in the ring though. He's very sweet, and he just loves his job." 

Judges Love Sewell and EL Raymond in USHJA National Hunter Derby at Kentucky Summer

Lexington, KY - July 27, 2014 - As EL Raymond finished his first round course in today's $5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby at the Kentucky Summer Horse Show, Leslie Campbell could be spotted ringside doing a happy dance and cheering enthusiastically. With Molly Sewell in the irons, her horse had just turned in a beautiful round that would shoot him to the top of the leader board, where he would remain untouched through both rounds of the derby.

EL Raymond's first round score of 92 was closely contended by another mount ridden by Sewell, Joe Cool, owned by Emery Hanson. Sewell and Joe Cool earned a first round score of 91, putting Sewell in both the first and second place position to return for the handy round.  

Following Sewell's coming back for the handy round on two consecutively ranked horses was Steve Heinecke. He returned in the third place spot aboard Jane Olsen Fisher's Swag and in the fourth place position aboard Fisher's So Lucky. Rounding out the top five returners were Christopher Payne and previous Hallway Feeds Derby winner, Harlan, owned by Susan Moriconi.  

With Payne returning multiple mounts, Heinecke and So Lucky stepped up in the order as the first of the top five ranking riders to come back to compete over the Joseph Carnicom designed handy course. Their trip quickly bumped them to the lead with a score from the judges of 86 plus four high option bonus points for a second round total of 90 and a grand total of 179. 

That score would end up holding up for the second place position, only being overtaken by Payne and Harlan and Sewell and EL Raymond. Payne and Harlan turned in the best performance of the second round with a judges' score of 88.50, coupled with four high option bonus points for a 92.50 total. Combined with their first round score of 87 they would finish on 179.50, just edging out Heinecke for the second place honor.

Sewell and EL Raymond were the last to return to clinch the victory.

"He's pretty much perfect. I will tell you what though - he knows when it means something," Sewell said of 'Raymond.' "He really rises to the occasion. I've done him in a couple derbies, and he loves the handy rounds. It gets his attention, and he tries five times harder than he normally does, which is already giving 100 percent."

The 17-year-old Warmblood, who's name, EL Raymond, actually stands 'Everybody Loves Raymond,' has lived up to that name ten-fold throughout his longstanding career. 

"He's just kind of a go-to-guy. You always can count on him, and it's a pleasure to ride him," Sewell said. "I ride a lot of young horses, and they aren't always consistent. It's kind of a joke in the barn, I always ask Leslie every time that she comes back from riding him how he was. She's always like, 'really, you have to ask me? He was perfect.' He always is perfect. Everybody loves Raymond. I think that he has the biggest fan club at every horse show."

A large part of that fan club base can be attributed to the fact that Raymond was leased out to a number of riders before finding his forever home with Leslie Campbell and Over The Hill Farm three years ago.

"He's been in a lot of different barns. He was a lease horse for a long time," Sewell said. "Any time we go to a horse show, people come up to him and hug him and kiss him and say 'we love this horse!"

In addition to loving Raymond, Campbell and Sewell also love being in Kentucky at competing at the Kentucky Horse Park. Following his success today, EL Raymond will most likely return for more of the Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby Series. The seven-part series, presented by Hallway Feeds, offers series end cash prizes totaling $15,000 to the leading riders throughout the year. 

Making A Name: Molly Sewell

As Seen In:
The Chronicle of the Horse
February 26, 2010

Making A Name

Molly Sewell has experienced the transition from junior rider to adult rider, and she's in the process of honing her professional career. Taking the green conformation hunter circuit championship with Lee Cesery's Marquis was an important step for her.

"It means so much to me. I've been riding professionally for about eight years now, but I'm starting to get some really nice rides. It means so much to me that owners like Lee Cesery have the faith in me to show their nice horses. It's a real confidence boost," she said.

Sewell rode Marquis to two tricolors during the five weeks of Jacksonville, while Chad Watridge handled the reins for a championship another week.

"He's very nice—a great jumper and a sweet horse. He's not a big horse, because Lee's a smaller lady, but hes' really scopey and very pleasant to ride," Sewell said. "I'm just lucky to have the ride. We weren't aiming for the circuit championship, but he's so nice that he just kept winning. We actually didn't even show the fifth week. it was a little bit of a surprise."

Marquis, a 7-year-old Selle Francais, also shows in the low amateur-owner division with Cesery. Sewell started showing him when Cesery bought him last summer, and in December they moved up from the 3'3" pre-greens to the first year green conformation division.

Sewell grew up in the Orlando, Fla., area and showed as a junior with Peggy Stevens.

"I always knew Bill, but I didn't ride with him as a junior," she said. She started riding with him when she turned 18 and won the Ariat Adult Medal that fall. "I turned professional that December, and I've been with Bill for the last eight years. We have a ton of ponies, but just now we're starting to get some junior hunters and amateur horses. Shawn Casady is showing some junior horses, and we have some equitation horses. Bill is trying to get into the horses more and not just be the pony guru anymore."

Free Rein With Bill Schaub

Published in The Chronicle of the Horse

Bill Schaub doesn’t consider himself a pony guy, but it’s an easy assumption to make about a man whose business card famously lists the measurements for small, medium and large ponies. While Schaub has trained top hunters in every division, he’s always had a special way with the smallest competitors at the horse show, both equine and human. His ponies and their riders have won most every award around, and he’s regularly seen center ring during the presentations at USEF Pony Finals, Devon (Pa.), the fall indoor shows and on the stage during the U.S. Equestrian Federation Horse of the Year awards.

With so many accolades with grown ponies, it was no surprise when Schaub started finding success in the pony breeding ring. He picked up second with Shenandoah Bonfire (Shenandoah Samoa—Shenandoah Ember) for Elizabeth Jones at Devon (Pa.) in the 3-year-old stallions and geldings class. And he’s recently started breeding his own future champions, recruiting Capital Challenge (Md.) grand pony champion Arabesque and Pony Finals grand champion High Fashion as his foundation mares.

The son of a frustrated cowboy, Schaub got his start in the horse world by begging and borrowing mounts and by teaching lessons as a teenager, staying just a step ahead of his charges. He forayed into the show world as a working student, and his career took off after he trained the legendary junior hunter Lyric for Courtney Kennedy and Ashley Kennedy Whitner in the late 1980s.

Now Schaub’s lengthy client list includes top horses and ponies from his home base in Sanford, Fla., and across the country. Schaub attributed his students’ top performances to a dedicated staff at his Over The Hill Farm, spearheaded by barn manager Melissa Vander Vennet and assistant trainer Molly Sewell Schott, but also to a positive attitude that sets the tone for his entire business.

“I quit drinking a year ago, and it’s been the most amazing change in my business,” he said. “We never have emotional decisions any more, and my karma has totally changed. I’m not short with the staff, I’m never grumpy in the morning, the ponies are happy, the clients are happy, the kids are happy, and all of a sudden great things keep happening.”

Name: Bill Schaub                                                       

Home Base: Sanford, Fla.                                                                      

Age: 51

Describe your first horse.

She was a 16-hand, buckskin Appaloosa with a big blanket. She was an ex-barrel racer, and I used to ride her down the side of the road and take her swimming. We taught her to jump.

What’s the No. 1 quality you look for in a young pony you’re going to show or consign?

Attitude. Obviously, if it’s going to show on the line it has to be pretty, but it needs to have a good attitude first and foremost.

What’s your favorite quality in a pony stallion?

Whether it’s horses or ponies, I look for an athlete.

What physical characteristics do you like to see in young ponies?

I like to see ponies with a little more bone. Some of these things that are winning on the line are so frail looking; they do well on the line then can’t stand up to a performance career.

What’s the hardest kind of pony to sell?

A bad lead-changer is tough, and so is a badly-sized pony, but a stopper is the worst. I won’t sell one.

What advice would you give to someone buying his or her first show pony?

First, be sure to take your trainer, and your trainer should be someone you trust. I always say a commission is the best money someone can spend. Shopping alone is a terrible way to cut your expenses—skip a few horse shows instead.

Then, be sure to do your homework. Check up on the pony’s history, and braiders and grooms are often the ones who can tell you how long it has to longe [or] what the behavior is like. Then see if you can get a trial. That’s another good reason to bring a trainer—it will be more likely for the seller to agree to a trial if the pony is going to be with a reputable professional.

What’s the most important lesson you learned the hard way?

Don’t cheat.

What’s your biggest pet peeve in the pony industry?

People who go around and try ponies but aren’t ready or financially capable of buying one. A lot of the etiquette has been lost in this business, and it’s really a shame.

What changes would you like to see in the pony breeding world?

I believe that the ponies who win on the line should be capable of winning in the performance ring, so I’m really disturbed by the fact that we see some ponies showing on the line who are no longer ponies. I believe that ponies competing on the line should have to measure a pony height.

What quality do you admire most in a pony?

Heart. There’s nothing worse than a beautiful pony that jumps great but doesn’t want to do good. It’s like a talented kid who doesn’t want to ride. I’d rather teach an untalented kid who wants it.

And in a human?

Good character.

What item in your wardrobe best personifies you?

Probably my Robert Graham shirts.

What’s the last thing you tell a student before he or she goes in the ring?

Good luck. Or have fun. But usually good luck.

If you could take a turn riding any horse whom would you choose?

Rumba.

Which of your lifetime accomplishments are you most proud of?

My daughter Nicole—I feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to have her. She’s the biggest blessing in my life. She’s taught me so much.

What electronic device could you not live without?

My cell phone.

What’s the most ridiculous part of the horse show world?

People think it’s the be all and end all. People get so upset over it when it’s such a small part of the whole thing. If people were more focused on the process they’d realize that’s where the fun part is. Parents who watch the lessons and graze the horses and stay involved enjoy all of it.

Looking back on your career, what advice are you glad you never took?

Some people told me not to buy Lyric. I was a young professional, and that scared me. People were concerned about her ability, concerned that she would be too hard for Ashley coming right off ponies.

In retrospect, what’s the best decision you’ve ever made?

Buying a farm 26 years ago.

Do you have any non-equestrian hobbies?

Not really! I love to go on vacation with my daughter. Because I’m on the road a lot we don’t get to spend a lot of time together.

What’s one fact about you that most people would be surprised to know?

I’m basically a loner by nature. No one would ever expect that.

Where do you hope to be in 10 years?

I hope I’m right where I am today. My biggest goal is to win an equitation final with one of the kids. And I’d like to have grandchildren.