Dozens of Riders, 20 Events Make Island Horse Show a Success
By Sean Ely

Island's Gray Skye expresses excitement at the horse show to owner Trish Martin (left), as Lucas Karhoff and his mother, Jennifer, pose with one of the Island's 4-H horses. Ms. Martin placed in six events at the 37th Annual Mackinac Island Horse Show while Lucas took home a ribbon in the Western Equitation 9-12 division.

Not only was it the 37th anniversary of Mackinac Island 's first Horse Show, but it was the 37th anniversary of Rondi Wuerfel and her judging career in the horse ring.

At Great Turtle Park Sunday, Sunday, August 12, 20 events featured dozens of riders, competing for more than 70 ribbons.

Ms. Wuerfel made sure to treat every rider as if they were in a nationally ranked competitor, so that everyone could get the feel for what professional judges are looking for.

They learned to never enter the ring unless the judge signals them in and tells them he or she is ready.

Ms. Wuerfel came to the Island for a spring clinic, but has spent most of her time traveling to 32 states across the United States and nine countries across the world since she was a judge at age 17.

At right: Adrienne Rilenge shows off her bright blue first-place ribbon from the Trail 9-12 division, which she won on the pony Blaze.

She says that she was the

"There are excellent riders and quality breeds of horses," she said. "You can tell that the horses are well fed and taken care of. They are good in the heat."

Lin Sheppard, the Mackinac Horsemen's Association secretary, who has taken part in more than 10 Mackinac Horse Shows, took a year off from riding in the competition because of a sore back, but pitched in to help run the show and to take photographs. youngest teenager to ever be licensed, because right after she got her's, the minimum age was changed to 18. In 2000, she was inducted into the hall of fame in San Antonio, Texas, after winning the National Millennium Judge of the Year Award that year.

She loves covering youth shows the most, because it makes her feel both young and needed.

"I want to make them feel comfortable in the places where I had trouble as a child," she said.

At left: Maryanke Alexander makes her way through two pillars and heads to the pole-weaving section of the Adult Trails course with her horse, Regina. Mrs. Alexander won third and fourth place with different horses and took home first place in the Adult English Equitation division, first in the Adult Showmanship and Grooming division, and second in the Hope Goodwin Memorial Hunter/Hack event.

She said she was impressed with the talent and the variety of horse breeds on Mackinac Island.

Horse Show Winners

Grooming and Showmanship - 9-12: 1 Hailey Bean; 2 Hailey Armstrong; 3 Colton Fisher; 4 Diana Dupre; 5 Adrienne Rilenge; 6 Mackenzie Bean. Grooming and Showmanship, 13-18: 1 James Dunnigan; 2 Claire Dunnigan; 3 Lily Porter; 4 Sarah Spitzer; 5 Morgan Brodeur-Bunker. Grooming and Showmanship Adult: 1 Maryanke Alexander; 2 Trish Martin; 3 Candi Dunnigan.

Leadline Class - 7 & Under: 1 Sean Burt, 2 Amelia Fox, 3 Leigh Fox.

Costume Class - 1 Adrienne Rilenge, 2 Sarah Spitzer, 3 Colton Fisher and Sean Burt, 4 Rachel Spitzer.

Bareback Equitation - 9-12: 1 Jessica Beanue.

Bareback Equitation - 13-18: 1 Claire Dunnigan, 2 James Dunnigan, 3 Lily Porter, 4 Morgan Brodeur- Bunker.

Bareback Equitation - Adult: 1 Candi Dunnigan.

Walk/Trot Equitation - 1 Rachel Spitzer, 2 Amelia Roe, 3 Adrienne Rilenge, 4 Hailey Bean, 5 Sarah Spitzer, English Equitation, 9- 12: 1 Diana Dupre, 2 Jessica Beaune, 3 Anna McDonnel.

English Equitation - 13-18: 1 Morgan Brodeur- Bunker, 2 Kate Dupre, 3 James Dunnigan, 4 Claire Dunnigan, 5 Lily Porter.

English Equitation - Adult: 1 Maryanke Alexander, 2 Candi Dunnigan, 3 Trish Martin.

Western Equitation - 9-12: 1 Mackenzie Bean, 2 Colton Fisher, 3 Anna McDonnel, 4 Lucas Karhoff, Western Equitation, Adult: 1 Ann Silverman.

Trail - 9-12: 1 Adrienne Rilenge, 2Amelia Roe, 3 Mackenzie Bean, 4 Colton Fisher, 5 Rachel Spitzer, 6 Hailey Bean, Trail, 13-18: 1 Claire Dunnigan, 2 Sarah Spitzer, 3 Morgan Brodeur-Bunker, 4 Lily Porter, 5 James Dunnigan, Trail, Adult: 1 Candi Dunnigan, 2 Trish Martin, 3 Maryanke Alexander, 4 Maryanke Alexander, Mary Milton Challenge: 1 Claire Dunnigan, 2 Candi Dunnigan, 3 Trish Martin, 4 Morgan Brodeur-Bunker, 5 Lily Porter, 6 James Dunnigan.

Goodwin Hunter/Hack - 1 Candi Dunnigan, 2 Maryanke Alexander, 3 Trish Martin.

"Rusty" Memorial Cup - Trish Martin.

2007 Championship Awards - 9-12 Western: Colton Fisher. 9-12 English: Adrienne Rilenge. 13-18 English: Claire Dunnigan. Adult Western: Ann Silverman, Adult English: Candi Dunnigan.