On May 15, 2010, Garrod Farms hosted the first Selection Trial with all of the five teams attending that have declared for that single spot on the roster for the World Equestrian Games. While the competition for the top scores was serious stuff, the spectators were the winners -- true for the team competition and for the Individual High Performance Gold Level vaulters who are looking for Ranking Scores. Each is competing to be one of those named to the US WEG Team. There will be one team, three men and three women, plus individual alternates.

These five teams gave the audience a glimpse of what may be the most hotly contested vaulting performances fans have ever seen. The scoring is slightly different for WEG selection with the alternate seventh vaulter’s compulsories score retained instead of being dropped as it is for the regular USEF/AVA overall final numbers. So the results shown below will be slightly different than event placing scores shown elsewhere.

F.A.C.E. Team (Devon Maitozo, Rosalind Ross, Annalise VanVranken, Mary Garrett, Mari Inouye, Emily Hogye, Sarah D’Auriol) placed first with an outstanding tribute to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. In an intricate dance with their horse Palatine, each part of the routine meshed smoothly into the next with combinations of both two and three that developed into a seamless dance. The combination of tight compulsories and outstanding performances in the freestyle section demonstrate why a team from this club has been on the podium internationally since 2006. Their Freestyle score was an astonishing 8.347. Add that to a team Compulsories score of 7.462 and the final overall of 7.905 was enough for the win.

Coming in a mere 0.408 behind after the compulsories round, Woodside’s A Team advanced from third to second after the freestyle component with a musical tribute to the Lion King (8.133). Giovanni, the experienced equine member of the team lunged by Krista Mack, carried vaulters Samantha Smith, Yvonne Greenen, Katharine Wick, Gabe Aniello, Siddharta Kreaden, Tessa Divita, Alyssa Bonora, to a final score of 7.594. Woodside Coach Isabelle Parker was very happy with her young team.

The host team, Mt. Eden (Alexandra Thrasher, Elizabeth Ioannou, Kenny Geisler, Makayla Clyne, Tasha Thorne, Heide Rothweiler, Nicole Czyzewski) on Sunny Boy lunged by Emma Seely, was actually the first team up in the Freestyle portion of the competition. They presented a futuristic routine which set the bar. Strong lifts and positions held for the required number of strides were clear and entertaining with that added bonus of risk for a final score of 7.317 and third place.

On their new-to-vaulting horse, Stanford, lunged by Teresa Keville, the Epic team (Katie Gieschen, Karensa Douglas, Hannah Boyd, Julie Young, Florence Rubinger, Miranda Marcantuno, Ashley Ondaro) is composed of vaulters from both coasts of the U.S. Their efforts placed them fourth with 7.150.

Sundae Rush (Team Soaring at this competition) with Cassidy Palmer, Marisa Hamar, Katie Richie, Kimberly Palmer, Grace Robinson, Ruby Robinson, Leslie Hamar, Colton Palmer came in fifth on Sovira, scoring 7.078 overall.

There was less than 1.0 difference at this competition for all of the five teams. The energy of the level of vaulting, the beauty and strength of each routine made scoring a challenge for judges Sue Detol (FEI O), Andrienne Stang (FEI O), and Craig Coburn (FEI I).

The gold individuals didn’t give the judges any time to relax. Both the Men’s and the Women’s competition equally challenged the scoring effort. In the Men’s Division, Todd Griffiths, vaulting with the Mt. Eden club, arrived from Canada and took that top spot. With a dual citizenship, he has elected to compete for WEG as an American. Kenny Geisler (Mt. Eden), coming off his win at the National Championship competition at the Kentucky Horse Park last year, had to settle for second and Patrick Stevens, a relative newcomer to this level of vaulting, at least in comparison to the others at the top of the ranking list, grabbed the number three spot.

The top three women at this competition were less than half a point apart. Mary McCormick (Mt. Eden), and Alicen Divita (Woodside) at the end of the day had 0.258 separating their final overall scores. Both vaulters have confidence, attitude and strength in both their compulsories but most of all in the freestyle events. Megan Benjamin(Mt. Eden) brought polish and strength to the arena to capture the third spot.

Vaulting to American Woman in both Round I and II of her freestyle performances, McCormick defied gravity in a way that surely announces her intention to win. She has that determination. She says, “I went to CVI Ermelo [CVI2* Netherlands]... was supposed to go six days before the competition for training, but ... because of the volcano, I arrived the day before the competition started.” This had involved a return from Philadelphia to the SF bay area from the first flight to Ermelo because of all the flight cancellations and then a second try that routed her through Spain to avoid the ash from the Icelandic volcano. Without some serious practice time on Urfreund Rosengard, lunged by Lasse Christensen who also provided some serious encouragement, she went on to place third at Ermelo. Coming back home, she has applied those fluid moves, confident leaps and the ability to work in harmony with Sir Anthony Van Dyke, her favorite horse. This win at the Garrod’s Trials shows the importance of that partnership.

Alicen Divita took the Women’s Individual Gold USET/AVA Championship title for the second consecutive year in 2009 on Giovanni, a 12-year-old Mecklenburger lunged by Krista Mack. Again her partners at the competition here in Menlo Park insured a positive performance with unique moves and a daring attitude. She absolutely throws out her moves with an energy that the judges must like, given her high placings. Edging out Mary McCormick in the Round I Freestyle, it was looking good. The final result was close and she occupied the second spot on the podium for this competition, it’s clear that Divita has every intention of being in the top three contenders for the WEG roster. Internationally, she has received attention as well. An invitation to the 2010 January Masters Class at Liepzig, Germany resulted in a second place at that prestigeous event.

Coming back strongly, Cornell University graduate, Megan Benjamin was up to this year’s first exam in the US competition arena. With a program of strength and the experience that comes from the international stage in spite of the pressure of finals, graduation, senior week and preparing to move back home after four years in Ithaca, she had the third place spot by the end of the competition. With Mt. Eden horse, Lanson 16, and being on home turf helped make it all possible after a cold winter of working through international travel and competitions. California dreaming. She’s back!

History of Garrod Farms and Vaulting

In hosting this second of the 2010 Selection Trials Garrod Farm and Mt. Eden bring a long history of top level vaulting. While 1893 marked the beginning of the Garrod Farm saga, it’s been a long journey from prunes to horses, vineyards and vaulting. This historic site has been an area treasure for more than 100 years. Award winning estate wines and medal winning vaulters are the result of careful attention to the detail ... detail that has proven successful for years of hosting the largest club vaulting competitions in the country.