Chasin'

The other evening the Delaware Valley Point to Point Association wrapped up its competition schedule with a dinner party, an impromptu fiddle concert and end of the season awards under the stars, which you could see until the thunderstorm arrived.

Picnic on the lawn at the home of Don Cochran and Pat Branum

Paddy Neilson, (l) and Billy Meister (r), both multiple winners of the Maryland Hunt Cup, the penultimate Steeplechase race, watch a replay of this year's Hunt Cup. Videos of this years point to point series played all evening to the delight of participants and spectators alike.

John Brophy, overall winner of the Large Pony races, excels at fiddling AND horsemanship.

Awards presented were those for:

*Leading Rider – won by William Meister;

*Overall Horse – won by Sky Count, owned by Daniel Baker and ridden by William Meister;

*Small Pony – One Stinky Pony ridden by Katie Hindt;

and

*Large Pony – Prince Caspian ridden by John Brophy.

A special “mystery” guest was Rosie Napravnik, leading jockey at Delaware Park, ranked eighth in the nation who, with her fiance, took an evening to present awards to up and coming riders, some young enough to have been toddlers when she was competing locally

Awards Master Carl Meister (l) and Rosie Napravnik (r)

Rosie is a “graduate” of the Delaware Valley Point to Point Association pony races, having raced her pony “Brownie” up and down the mid-Atlantic region before aging out at 16.  She and her older sister, Jazz, now a trainer in Maryland,  dominated Pony Racing year end awards for years.  It was impressive that she would take the time to give a boost to the sport, come to a party where there would be some old friends but a large number of strangers, and be so at ease, so charming.

Winners in the season's Pony Races pose with Rosie and their awards

In talking with Lauren Giannini (Sidelines blogger at Lauren Gallops) I learned that this was not the first instance where Rosie is giving back.  On May 22, Rosie and Jazz competed (against each other, no less) in the Beat Up Cup, the alumni race of the North American Point to Point Association Championships (http://www.naptp.com/) .

Rosie on the left and Jazz on the right at the start of the "Oldtimer's" Race. Photo by Lauren Giannini.

All in good fun, Jazz beat out her sister with a second place finish over Rosie’s seventh.  But more to the point, she continues to participate in the steeplechase even as she vaults to the top in flat racing.

Rock On, Rosie!