Local 8th Grader Competes in National Equestrian Finals

COURT HOUSE – Kelly Suter, age 13, an 8th grader at the Richard M. Teitelman School competed in the Marshall & Sterling League National Equestrian Finals. She competed in a division known as the Marshall and Sterling Children’s Hunter division – horse, which is for children up to the age of 18. There were 56 other national competitors from all over the country in the class. Kelly garnered a sixth place ribbon by riding her horse Aramis. (Aramis was on loan to Kelly and is owned by Donna Sainson).
This class was judged on her mount’s performance in the ring. She also entered another class for competitors under the age of 18 called the Marshall & Sterling Children’s Medal class. This class fielded 81 national finalists. The class was an equitation class which was judged on the rider’s equitation performance. In this class Kelly took an 8th place ribbon out of the 81 national competitors. In both classes she rode the same horse, Aramis. Kelly has been riding competitively for seven years. She has trained under local and national equestrian instructors, recently Victor Burroughs.
The Marshall & Sterling League is one of many equestrian circuits throughout the country. It was started by the Marshall & Sterling Insurance Company.
The Marshall & Sterling League was first designed to encourage and enhance the competition level of children and adult riders by providing the opportunity to qualify in a prestigious national finals competition. For over two decades the Marshall & Sterling League has stayed at the forefront of the hunters/jumpers competition, having grown from 10 member shows and approximately 100 riders in 1991 to over 1300 horse shows and more than 2300 riders today.
The Marshall & Sterling League offers members the opportunity to compete throughout the year for points that will qualify them for the right to compete at the Marshall & Sterling League National Finals Horse Show. This year the show was held Sept. 14-18, 2011 at the world class HITS-on-the-Hudson in Saugerties, New York. The League held the national finals in fourteen different divisions. A national points system determined the qualifiers in each division. Kelly had to compete in horse shows throughout the year to garner points to qualify for the national finals. Equestrians from all over the country had to do the same.
Those who qualified for the National Finals are considered to be some of the best in the country and are eligible to compete in the finals. Riders must be members of the Marshall & Sterling League for their points to count toward qualifying to compete in the finals.
Kelly is the daughter of Matthew and Elizabeth Suter. She is also the granddaughter of Bob and Jane Elwell of Cape May.