Sarah Duhon and Speechless Secure Performance 3'6" Hunters Championship at Lamplight Spring Spectacular I
Wayne, Ill. – June 8, 2023 – Professional hunters once again kicked off the week at HITS Chicago as riders returned for the first week of the Lamplight Spring Spectacular. The combined High Performance/Performance 3’6” Hunter divisions took center stage, where Sarah Duhon had a standout week aboard Speechless. The duo took home three blue ribbons over fences on their way to the division's championship title.
Sarah Duhon and Speechless
“I met Speechless a couple of summers ago in Traverse City, and Lorrie and his owner Eva and I immediately started joking and I deemed him my best friend at that horse show because he was a little bit green and a little bit nervous,” said Duhon after receiving her tricolor. “I said to him, ‘You don't have to worry buddy. I'm your best friend. I'll be there for you.’ And I feel like he really is my best friend!”
Duhon and Speechless had five stellar performances in the High Performance/Performance 3’6” Hunter division, garnering three first place ribbons as well as second place ribbon over fences, and earning a third place ribbon in the under saddle to capture the championship tricolor. The reserve championship went to Tina Judge-Boyle and Giviera, who took a blue, a red, and two yellows in the over fences classes, as well as a second in the under saddle.
Tina Judge-Boyle and Giviera
Speechless impressed the judges this week and Duhon was thrilled with each one of his rounds. “He gives me a hundred percent every time we go in the ring. He has a good mind, his jump is spectacular and his stride is huge and it's kind of fun to walk in the ring on a horse of a different color,” laughed Duhon. “He is just so soft and rideable – I can't say enough good things about this horse. It's also just so amazing to have the opportunity to work with Lorrie Canary and to be selected to do the riding for her is such an honor. ”
Sarah Duhon and Speechless
After competing during the HITS Chicago Spring Classic Series, Duhon is thrilled to be back and competing this week. “There's been such a tremendous upgrade with the aesthetic of the arena, even just from last month. The jumps are beautiful. There are vibrant plants and brush, and the ring just looks great and it's so nice to be able to compete here, especially on a horse like Speechless, where I can get every ounce of a good jump over these fences” she concluded. “It feels like family here. My husband and I have been working with the people who run this horse show since we were kids. I grew up riding with Tom Urban, and my husband is really good friends with the Urban family. You know you're horse showing with people you can talk to and have a conversation with, that personal touch makes a huge difference.”
Hunter action at Lamplight Equestrian Center will continue over the next three weeks of the Spring Spectacular Series as part of the full HITS Chicago Series, which runs through September at the world-class facility.