Upper Marlboro, MD – October 10, 2010 – It was a good week for seventeen-year-old Hannah Goodson-Cutt of Los Angeles, CA. She and her horse Caretano swept the major awards in the junior hunters, and it was a vindication of their hard work. Their championship in the $9,000 Small Junior 16-17 Hunters, sponsored by Meridian Farm and Meridian Riding Club, helped them capture the Grand Junior 16-17 Hunter Championship, sponsored by The Clothes Horse, and the overall Grand Junior Hunter Championship, sponsored by Lochmoor Stables/Mindy and Greg Darst. Goodson-Cutt was named the Best Junior Rider on a horse. Bella Cramer and Mactier were the Grand Children’s Hunter Champions. This was the final day of a very successful 2010 Capital Challenge Horse Show.
Goodson-Cutt has owned Caretano, a 12-year-old Holsteiner gelding, for two years. She found him through grand prix rider Keri Potter, who was competing him at the grand prix and World Cup level. The decision was made to see if he could do the hunters. Goodson-Cutt knew from the first time she rode him that Caretano would be the one for her. “I did a trial week and was champion on him and knew I wanted him. He went really fast, but I knew we could slow him down. It took a long time,” she said smiling. “We were really good at home, and when we got to the big competitions indoors and the hunter derbies, he would get back into jumper mode. A year later, he’s so nice. We came in this year and he felt just like he does at home. I just walked in and picked up a canter and said, ‘Ok, we’re good.’”
The judges thought they were good too. Caretano won two over fences classes and placed third under saddle. The reserve champion in the division was Fern Gully, ridden by Taylor Ann Adams for Don Stewart and Meg O’Mara. They placed second, second, and third over fences and fourth under saddle.
For their Grand Junior Hunter Championship, Caretano and Goodson-Cutt were awarded The Spontaneous Perpetual Trophy, donated by the Listrani Family. Goodson-Cutt was named the Best Junior Rider, sponsored by Karen Healey and Karen Healey Stables.
Caretano and Hannah Goodson-Cutt
Goodson-Cutt feels that Caretano has adjusted to his new job now and enjoys it. “I think he likes being a hunter. I think after awhile it just got hard on him in the big World Cup classes. He’s a really smart horse, and he’s probably the best jumping horse I’ve ever ridden.”
Goodson-Cutt has trained with Kate Considine of Willow Brook Stables for seven years. “He’s super sweet and in love with my trainer,” she laughed. “She feeds him cookies every two seconds. He’ll love you if you give him a cookie.”
Although they were the USEF Horse of the Year in the older small junior hunters last year and finished as the reserve champions at the USEF West Coast Junior Hunter finals, Goodson-Cutt explained that she has been really focused on doing well at Capital Challenge and the other indoor horse shows this year.
“It feels really great to win here,” she remarked. “I came in this year really prepared with Caretano. It was almost like, ‘Ok, I did it,’ and a sigh of relief, and obviously excitement too. I’m looking forward to the rest of the shows coming up.”
Goodson-Cutt added, “I’d like to thank my mom, Marjorie Goodson. She comes to every horse show. I’d also like to thank my trainer, Kate Considine, and Carolyn Becker.”
Reprinted with permission from Jennifer Wood Media.