Members of Team Knollwood traveled to Illinois on Sunday to enjoy the first awards banquet of the season.  We gathered with our friends from the Illinois American Pleasure Horse Association and enjoyed brunch, awards, and a great raffle.

We are fortunate to have several local horse show organizations that support the academy division.  Because of all the shows offering competitive academy classes, two of our academy stars made grand entrances to the show horse world this season with both Hanna and Richie winning reserve national championships their first year out.

'A' Division

Equitation 13 and Under

  Champion, Hanna

 Last season's academy 10 and under walk trot champion has started her show horse career off with a bang.  Hanna finished reserve in all three junior pleasure equitation finals in her first season, and we're looking forward to watching her progress in her 12 year old year!

'B' Division

Laura and Heist

Champions, Country Pleasure 18 and over

Reserve Champions, Show Pleasure 18 and Over

Laura and Heist enjoyed a year of great progress, and great fun. Always in the ribbons, this pair enjoys the horse show experience wherever it takes them!

Academy Awards

Denise

Champion WTC Horsemanship 18 and Over

                 WTC Equitation 18 and Over

 Reserve Champion, WTC Pattern

After watching her daughter's lessons, Denise decided to take up riding herself.  Now that Jordan is in college, Denise is enjoying her chance to show, and is having a blast doing it!

Megan

Reserve Champion WTC Horsemanship 18 and Over

Busy, busy Megan somehow finds the time to ride when she's not working as a police officer. She grew up at Knollwood, and never had the chance to show academy as a kid, and she'd enjoying the fun of it now!

McKailey

Reserve Champion WTC Equitation 14-17

Leader of the Sunday helpers, McKailey had a great time this season, showing some new horses and making her mark in the tough 14-17 academy division.

Heather

Champion WTC Horsemanship 13 and Under

Champion WTC Equitation 13 and Under

Yes, she's only 13.  Heather is often questioned about her age after people notice her height, and the length of her legs on her horse.  She's enjoyed a wonderful 2017 show season, riding some of the more advanced lesson horses including Sadie pictured above.

Maddie

Reserve Champion WTC Horsemanship 13 and Under

Reserve Champion WTC Equitation 13 and Under

Maddie's made a mark in the WTC under division in only her first year showing out of walk and trot.  She even had the chance to show Sharky, loaned to us by our friends at Lance Hayes Stables, after we were short a horse at the Fall IASPHA show!

Lauren S

Champion WTC Pattern

Lauren loves all horses, and animals for that matter.  She always wanted to show Forest, and she did a great job with him at the Fall IASPHA show.  Next time you see her, be sure to ask about Mabel, the family goat!

Lauren B

Champion WT Horsemanship 11 and Over

Champion WT Pattern

Reserve Champion WT Equitation 11 and Over

Lauren enjoyed great success in her first full year of academy showing.  Another member of our 'long leg club,'  she's made great progress in a short time frame!

Sofia

Champion WT Equitation 11 and Over     

Reserve Champion WT Pattern

Sofia travels from Oshkosh to ride with Team Knollwood, and her dedication has paid off. She's worked had all season to be scrappy, and had a really successful late season as it showed!

Richie

Champion WT Horsemanship 9-10

Champion WT Equitation 9-10

It's hard to believe that Richie's first show was in August of 2016 when he won the Maiden championship at the ASAW Summer Showcase.  He was lucky enough to show 12 times this season, counting the Knollwood in-barn shows.  All his riding and showing has really paid off, as he's now the Reserve National Champion in the UPHA Challenge Cup National Final on his own horse, Miss Mheirry Mack!

Maiya 

Champion WT Horsemanship 8 and Under

Reserve Champion WT Equitation 8 and Under

A second generation Knollwood Kid, Maiya is as scrappy as they come.  She loves all horses, has a real soft spot for the one and only Klem pictured above, and enjoys riding every horse or pony she has the chance to try.

Juliet

Reserve Champion WT Horsemanship 8 and Under   

Seven year old Juliet is one of the younger riders in her division, but always rides like she owns the ring. She's looking forward to being one of the older kids in her classes next season!

In addition, Mary and Lauren B earned awards for Junior/Amateur judging during the season.

Richie and Hanna were also honored with 'Welcome To The Big Time' awards for their graduation to the show horse world.

The banquet was a great way to end the holiday weekend.  We're so proud of all of our hard working riders, and we can't wait to watch their adventures in 2018!