• January 30, 2012
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Kate Considine and Caretano took top honors at the first major hunter test of the 2012 HITS Desert Circuit season, winning the $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix on Sunday, Jan. 29.

A trainer at the Lakeview Terrace-based Willowbrook Stables, Considine topped the field of 39 starters, riding for Hannah Goodson-Cutt, now studying t at Georgetown University. “I am so thankful to have such a great horse owner,” Considine said. “Not only did I have the pleasure to train Hannah throughout her entire junior career, I now have this wonderful horse to ride. This is a once-in-a-lifetime horse. I am truly blessed.”

The class was the first of six desert circuit opportunities to qualify for the Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final scheduled to take place at HITS’ 2012 Championship Weekend, Sept. 7-9 at HITS on the Hudson in Saugerties, NY.

Course Designer John Manning of Shelburne, MA, set a unique track where exhibitors had to ride in two different rings. “In one ring the course was set like a traditional show hunter course. Then they had to jump into another ring where I set some more natural obstacles with long approaches,” he explained.

Considine and Caretano scored an 83.5 in the first round, which put them in fifth place heading into the round two, which featured the top 15. Their second-turn score of 87 brought their total of 170.5 to secure the blue.

Northern California’s Hope Glynn of Penngrove notched second and third, on Perfect Pleasure (owned by Dennis Sisco) and Bel Canto (Sabrina Hellman), respectively. Glynn had a top-20 finish in last year’s inaugural Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final and is well positioned to earn her ticket to ride in 2012.

Rounding out the top five in the class were Emanuel Schroeder of Mill Valley, California aboard Serendipity (Kaile Rudy, owner) and Nicole Kane of Newport Beach, California aboard Victoria Farms’ Vaunted.

“I was honored to compete in a class with such great riders. My plan right now is to bring the horse to Saugerties and show in the big class in September,” Considine said. With Goodson-Cutt, Caretano was  champion at Devon and all four big East Coast indoor shows in 2011.

The high performance hunter classes on the HITS Desert circuit culminate in the $25,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix Sunday, March 11.

French sellerie Devoucoux is the title sponsor across the HITS circuits of each qualifying Hunter Prix leading up to the Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final. The Desert Circuit takes place at the HITS facility in Thermal, CA.

Reprinted with permission from The Equestrian News.

• May 23, 2011
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There aren’t many junior hunter tricolors Hannah Goodson-Cutt has failed to capture, after winning championships at all four Indoor shows, as well as the West Coast Junior Hunter Finals with her horse Superman last year. So it was no surprise when she turned in her usual stellar performance during Hunter/Jumper Week at the Del Mar National Horse Show, May 3-8.

With a win in each large junior hunter, 15-17, class, Goodson-Cutt was the clear cut grand champion junior hunter winner, earning the Stash The Cash Perpetual Trophy with Superman, a 9-year-old Holsteiner gelding. She also took home the small junior hunter, 15-17, championship with Caretano.

“She got [Superman] a bit over a year ago, and he’s just blossomed into a wonderful horse,” said trainer Kate Considine.

“He’s pleasant in the morning; he’s a happy hack and lands on the leads. Also, my 6-year-old daughter walk-trots around on him, and if a horse could smile, he would. He’s just super happy to be part of the family, and I think that’s helped him mature into being the horse that he is.”

This show season will wrap up Goodson-Cutt’s junior career, and she plans to make the Devon Horse Show (Pa.) her final event before she heads off to college at Georgetown University (D.C.).

“It always feels good [to win],” she said. “I still get really frustrated if I don’t win, and it’s my last year, so you don’t want to go downhill as you get older. I actually had never won each class before, so that was pretty cool. Sometimes you can win all the jumping classes but not the flat, so I’m lucky to have a horse who’s a good mover.”

Goodson-Cutt has trained at Willow Brook Stables in Lake View Terrace, Calif., with Considine for the past eight years. They’re like family, and Considine said it will be difficult when Goodson-Cutt leaves for college.

In order to help her student win so consistently, Considine keeps an open line of communication with her about the partnership between the rider and horse and how to approach each day and each round fresh. Goodson-Cutt’s fiercely competitive attitude is also in her favor, according to Considine.

Still, she’s managed to keep a sense of humor when the occasional flub happens in the show ring. Goodson-Cutt laughed off a “full-on chip” to a hand gallop fence in the handy round with Caretano, as she described how she must have made a funny face over the jump.

“It happens,” she said with a shrug.

Reprinted with permission from The Chronicle of the Horse.

• November 4, 2010
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Cazenovia, NY – November 4, 2010 – Hunter divisions at the 127th National Horse Show concluded on Thursday afternoon with the presentation of championship awards followed by a special $50,000 National Horse Show Hunter Classic, held to honor Charlie Weaver. Hannah Goodson-Cutt rode Caretano to victory in the $50,000 Hunter Classic and was also named Best Child Rider on a Horse for her excellent success over the two days of hunter competition. Lisa Williams rode Sanmorino to the prestigious National Horse Show Grand Hunter Championship and Jennifer Alfano received the Leading Hunter Rider prize.

The $50,000 NHS Hunter Classic was held in a two round format with the top twelve horses and riders competing over a second round handy course to determine top standings. With a two round total of 177 points, junior rider Hannah Goodson-Cutt and Caretano came out in first place, just half a point ahead of second place finishers Molly Ashe-Cawley and Back in the Game with a score of 176.5. Maggie Boylan and Poetic finished in third place, Hasbrouck Donovan and Quality Time earned the fourth place prize, and Jennifer Alfano rode Jersey Boy to fifth place.

After also earning a junior hunter championship and Best Child Rider award this afternoon, Goodson-Cutt was very excited to get her first big open classic win. “This is the first overall classic that I have won and it feels pretty amazing because I am not just competing against juniors,” she stated. “You are competing against a whole slew of riders that have been around for a really long time so you really have to show yourself and ride very well. It is definitely the most exciting award that I have gotten this entire indoor season.”

Caretano has now earned the Small Junior Hunter 16-17 division championship at all four of this year’s indoor finals. “He is the best jumper I have ever ridden in my entire life. I don’t think there is a horse out there that rides as good as Caretano,” Goodson-Cutt smiled. “This was just a great way to end all four weeks of indoors and it was really nice to be in a class that was held for Charlie Weaver. He was such a great horseman, so I feel very honored.”

Reprinted with permission from Phelps Media Group.

• October 4, 2010
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A star in the hunter ring was Hannah Goodson-Cutt, who came all the way from Southern California to take Champion honors in the Adequan Hunter aboard her own Caretano. Under the watchful eye of trainer Kate Considine, Goodson-Cutt was also Champion in the Small Junior Hunter riding her own Caretano, and in the Large Junior Hunter 16-17 was Champion aboard Superman and Reserve Champion riding Leroy Brown.

Reprinted with permission from HITS Shows.

• August 18, 2010
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Hannah Goodson-Cutt raked in the ribbons for Willow Brook Stables during the West Coast USEF National Junior Hunter Championships.

In the older Large section, the couple of Superman and Hannah Goodson-Cutt were super indeed, winning both the handy and under saddle phases. The well-matched pair were the only team to win both of their Tuesday classes and as a result carried over the highest first day total to Wednesday morning’s competition.

With a fifth place finish in the classic plus the two blue ribbons from Tuesday, the tri-color in the older Large section was awarded to a stellar Superman and Goodson-Cutt.

Topping the classic round for the older Small section was again Goodson-Cutt, this time on her other mount, Caretano. The duo effortlessly maneuvered the track to earn some of the highest scores of the day – 88, 90 and 88 – therefore clinching first prize as well as securing Reserve Champion in the section.

Once the scores and percentages from the two days were calculated, the title of overall Grand Champion was awarded to Superman and his aviatrix, Goodson-Cutt with a total of 251.

Hannah and her own Superman were named 2010 Overall Grand Champion Hunter and received the Magic Word Perpetual Trophy for being the Overall Champion Large Junior Hunter in the 16 through 17 age group.

Congratulations to the best in the west, Superman and Hannah Goodson-Cutt, as well as to all riders, horses, trainers and parents for a successful 2010 season.

Read the full story here.

Reprinted with permission from Equestrisol.

• July 20, 2010
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Kate Considine, who owns hunter/jumper show barn Willow Brook Stables and travels throughout the country from her home base of Lake View Terrace, Calif., makes it a point to find comparable feed and hay wherever she takes her stable in order to minimize stress on her horses.

“Normally, feed stores carry the same products,” she said. “If you give them a heads up, they can get what you need.”

For example, when traveling on the East Coast, Considine often finds the hay to be much richer than what is available in California. Because of this, she seeks out a dry timothy hay, which is more similar to what her horses eat at home.

She also emphasized the importance of doing research prior to leaving for the show and starting the search for similar products early.

“The key is getting in touch with the resources in the area you’re going to and doing your homework early. If you wait until you get there you’re too late,” she said.

View the full article here.

Reprinted with permission from The Chronicle of the Horse. 

• July 14, 2010
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The gold standard for equine transportation has been truck and trailer for some time now, but many trainers elect a different option when moving their stables across the country—or even the world.

Flying isn’t always a viable choice, but when it is, trainers say their horses not only arrive more quickly, but also fresher and in better condition…

Kate Considine, owner of hunter/jumper show barn Willow Brook Stables, Lakeview Terrace, Calif., agrees that the time saved by flying is worth it.

“It’s a bit more money—$1,000 to $1,500 more—but it’s 12 hours door-to-door to fly them,” said Considine. “One of my horses was ridden and had a lesson on Friday, got on the plane Saturday morning, and was here with me on Saturday afternoon.”

View the full article here.

Reprinted with permission from The Chronicle of the Horse.