Allwyn Court’s Katherine Newman Finds Success on Catch-Rides at Winter Equestrian Festival
Equestrian News Release

Wellington, FL – February 13, 2007 – As the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) continued on with its third week of competition at the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club, Katherine Newman of Allwyn Court was busy commuting between the WEF showgrounds, the Littlewood Winter Finale and her family farm nearby. The 16-year-old has had her hands full with her own horses and those that she catch-rides for others.

In addition to her Low Junior Jumper, Costa Sur, she has been competing with Tracey Topping’s mount Espoire du Fief 111 in the jumper ring. Newman and Topping’s horse finished in seventh place last week in the Low Junior Jumpers after posting a double clear round in a class with 53 entries. "Tracey got hurt, so I’m just showing her horse to keep him fit and in the ring," revealed Newman. "He was especially fun to ride this week because he likes to go fast and can turn really tight."

Costa Sur has also been participating in the 1.35m classes on the Internationale Arena field with professional show jumper Todd Minikus. Newman trains with Minikus, in addition to working with her parents, Kathy and Gerry Newman. This past week, Minikus and Costa Sur captured second place out of 56 competitors in the 1.35m.

Newman has also been doing her fair share of catch-riding in the hunter rings. "I’ve been showing a few horses for Morgan and Nora Thomas in the Junior Hunters," she explained. She recently earned high placings with Chop Chop, owned by Norgan Inc., in the Small 16-17 Junior Hunters.

"This weekend I also showed Agincourt for Morgan and Nora in the Small 16-17 Juniors, and he was fourth in the first class and won the handy hunter," she added. "He used to do the equitations, so he’s used to the turns and trot jumps and was really easy to ride in the handy class."

"I also showed their horse Alaska in the Large Older Juniors, and he was second, sixth, and seventh," she said. "Alaska is a little greener, but he’s really fun to ride too. He has improved in just the two weeks that I’ve shown him." Newman also pinned high in the Large 16-17 Juniors aboard Almelo, a horse that is owned by Mimi Abel-Smith.

Katherine Newman and the horses at Allwyn Court will continue to show next week at the Winter Equestrian Festival’s Kilkenny Internationale.


Photo Credit: Todd Minikus on Costa Sur in the Internationale Arena. Photo © 2007 Kenneth Kraus/Phelpssports.com.