Liza Boyd Featured in The Plaid Horse

The Plaid Horse interviewed Finally Farm's Liza Towell Boyd for their special anniversary issue, which was published in May.

We hope you enjoy this glimpse into Liza's life, including her thoughts on a professional rider and trainer's career, horsemanship and family.

Posted on May 19, 2014 by Tricia Booker.

Grand Finale at Aiken Spring Finale

The Aiken Spring Finale, held April 23-27, was a celebration of spring, ribbons and birthdays. Trainer Liza Boyd celebrated her birthday during the show and received a combination birthday party/baby shower.

Elle Boyd oversees Liza's baby shower/birthday party.

"This was my last horse show before I go into nesting," said Liza, whose due date is six weeks from today. "When I left the show, everyone said, 'We'll see you in July!' I'm taking my six weeks off before the baby is born, which is the opposite. Only in the horse world! After I have the baby, I want to be back in the barn as soon as possible."

Liza won't actually be slowing down too much during her maternity leave. She'll still be giving lessons at home in Camden, South Carolina, but won't be on the road. Her father Jack Towell will hold down the fort and travel with the horses and students to the upcoming shows.

"It will be great, and I'll have the time to do more lessons with the people locally who want to come but don't have the opportunity when we're traveling to the shows," added Liza.

During the Aiken Spring Finale, the Finally Farm clients and friends enjoyed a baby shower/birthday party with Liza's 4-year-old daughter Elle as the hostess.

"Elle really wanted this party," said Liza smiling. "My mom helped, of course, and she said, 'I haven't worked this hard on your birthday since you were a child!' They brought cakes and cookies and baby shower gifts. And Elle received presents, too, so she thought it was all pretty neat."

In the show ring, Finally Farm riders and horses collected a bounty of tricolors and top prizes, including three championships and five reserves.

Highlights included the Hunter Style Award and the Sportsmanship Circuit Championship.

Grace Howard with the Aiken Spring Hunter Style Award

Grace Howard, 16, of Concord, North Carolina, earned the Hunter Style Award, presented to the professional, junior or amateur rider who displays the best hunter style.

Liza credited Grace's hard work and her foray into the equitation division for her added polish. "The equitation has been extremely helpful for Grace," said Liza. "She always had a good eye and nice feel, but the equitation has sharpened up her style. The equitation horse we got for her can do the derbies and jumps well, so she did the derbies and equitation classes on her over the past two weeks.

"Wahalla has done a really great job for Grace, and the experience has made her better on her hunter, Bethel's Peri, because of it. She's not stiff but more polished and neater," noted Liza. "She’s always been a very poised rider with a nice position, but everything has come together the past couple of months. This award was a nice little bonus."

Grace and Wahalla won the WIHS Hunter, Jumper and Overall phases, the E.J. Haun Medal and placed eighth in the USHJA National Hunter Derby among other ribbons. Grace was also Large Junior, 16-17, reserve champion with Bethel's Peri.

Erin McGuire had an especially rewarding week, winning the Sportsmanship Circuit Championship as well as making her grand prix debut with Kasarr and earning the Amateur-Owner Hunter Circuit Championship with Casallo.

Erin and Kasarr had one rail in the first round of the $25,000 Carolina Real Estate Co. Grand Prix and were just out of the ribbons.

"We were so proud of Erin and Kasarr," said Liza. "This little horse has really exceeded everyone's expectations. He wasn't bought to be a grand prix horse, and he did the 1.40m easily. It was exciting, and the whole barn came out to watch the underdog go in there and get better and better. It's been fun to see them grow and rise up the levels together."

Trainer Jack Towell with Emily Gaskin and High Rise

Another pair that has grown and developed is High Rise and Emily Gaskin, of Okatie, South Carolina. Their consistent performances at Aiken resulted in the Children's Hunter, 15-17, championship. High Rise is an 11-year-old pinto Oldenburg (Wradar--Phantom) bred by Cheryl Fincher. Emily and High Rise spent some time on the HITS Ocala Circuit in Florida, and Liza said that mileage over the winter helped them immensely.

"I have to give Emily the major improvement award," said Liza. "We only see her at the shows, and whatever she's been doing at home and over the winter has helped her dramatically. It's been fun to watch her progress, and to put the finishing touches on them here. We had a lot of fun.

"She's a real team player, too," added Liza. "Even though she doesn't keep her horse with us in Camden, she's a real part of the barn at the shows. She's a huge help, and she'll lead horses to the ring and help set jumps. She soaks up everything. This was a really big win for them, and we're so happy for her!"

Elle Boyd showing off her equitation in the Leadline class

Elle Boyd split her time between party hostess and show ring rider, taking Catherine Sharp's I Candy for a spin in the Leadline class.

All in all, it was a great Aiken Spring Finale Horse Show. Special thanks, as usual, to our great Finally Farm photographers for the fun images!

Posted on April 28, 2014 by Tricia Booker.

Aiken Spring Classic Masters

Finally Farm riders and horses traveled to the Aiken Spring Classic Masters, held April 15-19, where they enjoyed this traditional South Carolina spring show as well as Easter Weekend festivities.

Elle Boyd enjoys spring flowers and her Easter Bunny.

A highlight of the show was the debut of Finally Farm and Janet Peterson’s newest derby horse, Trinity. Purchased from Holly Hill Farm, Trinity is a 7-year-old American-bred by the famous hunter stallion Popeye K and out of a Thoroughbred-Quarter Horse mare.

With Liza Boyd currently out of the saddle, Caitlin Venezia traveled to Aiken to show Trinity. They earned top ribbons in the Green Working Hunter section before Trinity made his International Derby debut in the $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby.

Liza first noticed Trinity last year during in the Pre-Green Hunters and admired his presence and scope. She tried him at Capital Challenge in October. “I really liked him, but the timing wasn’t quite right,” said Boyd. “Then, the last week of Florida, my parents watched him go and really liked him. Holly Hill trainer Patty Harnois noted that she thought he’d make a good derby horse for me.”

This time the timing couldn’t have been better, as Mrs. Peterson had sold her derby horse Quatrain over the winter to junior rider Laura Critz and was looking for a replacement.

“Plus, it’s six weeks to go before my baby is born, so I’ll be riding again soon,” said Liza with a smile. “Caitlin showed him at Aiken for me so I could watch. She also prepared him, and I was able to observe that as well. They won the Handy in the First Years, but in the Derby he had an unlucky rail. But it was his first International Derby, and I thought he went really well.”

In addition to his athletic ability, Liza was also attracted to the bay gelding’s character. “He seems to have the right brain for a derby horse, which is what you want,” she noted. “He looks scopey like Popeye K (his sire), and in my mind I had wanted a 7-year-old. At 5, they’re still so young and far away from the derby ring, and with a 10-year-old, before you know it he’s 12 or 13. This is the perfect age; he’s ready to go and do it all.”

Finally Farm-trained horses and riders collected a variety of ribbons in the Classic, Handy and Overall phases of the International Derby, with North C and Jaime Steinhaus placing sixth overall and Bethel’s Peri and Grace Howard jumping to eighth overall.

Quatrain continued his successes in the Junior Hunters, this time taking the Junior Hunter 3’3” reserve championship with Laura Critz and also the Performance Working Hunter 3’6” reserve championship with professional Daniel Geitner in the irons.

Casallo and Erin McGuire added to their ribbon collection in the Amateur-Owner Hunters, taking the tricolor, and Casallo also earned top ribbons in the Performance Working Hunter 3’6” section with Daniel Geitner.

In the jumpers, Brie Tiffany and her new jumper Milky Way continued to get to know one another with excellent results, receiving top ribbons in the 1.0m and Adult Amateur Jumper classes. “Brie was second in the Adult Amateurs, and it was really exciting,” said Liza. “She rode out on the grass field, up and down the hills, and did a great job.”

With the show concluding on Saturday, Finally Farm trainers and clients were able to spend Easter Sunday with family and friends.

Special thanks to the Finally Farm photographers and friends for these wonderful photos!

Posted on April 23, 2014 by Tricia Booker.

I Candy Claims Pony Classic at Camden

I Candy and Catherine Sharp enjoy the spoils of their great show at the Camden Spring Classic.

When reflecting on the great successes of the Finally Farm riders during the Camden Spring Classic, April 2-6, in Camden, South Carolina, trainer Liza Boyd was especially proud of one of their smallest riders, Catherine Sharp.

Catherine guided I Candy to the Small Pony Hunter reserve championship and won the Pony Hunter Classic.

“She scored an 84 in the first round, which was so fun to see,” said Boyd. “We don’t have many children start with us as young as she did. She’s been with us for a year now, and it’s been so rewarding to see how her riding has improved and how educated she’s become in that time.

“She’s very dedicated in her lessons and also traveled to Florida to show with us,” added Boyd. “This pony is a little harder to ride than her others, so it’s been a huge transition in her riding. She’s like a little sponge, though, and soaks it all in.”

Boyd said lately she’s been helping Catherine to focus on her position. “If she’s in the right place in the saddle, she has better body control, and her consistency in finding [the takeoff spots to] the jumps is so much better.”

Boyd noted that many pony riders slide their leg way back behind the girth to kick their ponies forward. That motion in the saddle can throw the rider out of balance, and she can lose the proper position. Instead, Boyd advises riders to keep their leg underneath them and turn their toes out and squeeze right behind the girth instead of taking their leg off the pony.

“It’s those little things that can make a big difference between getting the distance correctly or getting a chip,” said Boyd. “Body control in the air is also important, so we worked on that as well in the ticketed warm-up classes. We worked on rollback turns and having Catherine step into the outside stirrup to prevent her pony from diving in during the turns. It’s all about position and track, and if you’re in a better position on the backside of the fence, it will help you find the next jump correctly.”

The equitation riders also benefitted from trainers Boyd and Jack Towell, who continued fine-tuning their positions and performances.

Sarah Isgett guided Vasco to the blue ribbon in the Pessoa/USEF Medal class, while Grace Howard rode Wahalla to third place. Addison Byrd and Friend Request rounded out the Finally Farm domination with fourth place.

Byrd also collected second places in the ASPCA Maclay and WIHS Overall, while Isgett took third and Howard fifth in the Maclay.

“All three girls are really progressing this season in the equitation,” said Boyd. “Two had never done the equitation before this year, and they’re really figuring it all out and riding very well.”

Isgett and Howard also tackled the $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby with their equitation horses to experience the added pressure under the lights as well as the more technical courses.

Howard and her Junior Hunter Bethel’s Peri rose to the derby challenge, claiming 10th in the Handy and Overall. They also earned the reserve championship in the junior section.

“The Derby was really good for him,” said Boyd of Bethel’s Peri. “He can be lazy, and on Saturday we had our first summer-like day, and he was really lethargic. Then, after jumping the derby that night, he was so much better on Sunday. He woke up with more spark and won both classes. Stepping up and having him do the derby in that atmosphere made him a better junior hunter the following day.”

The Finally Farm trainers also enjoyed helping some horses and riders who met them at the show, including Jamie Steinhaus with North C, who placed sixth in the $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby.

Emily Gaskin also traveled from Savannah, Georgia, to work with Finally Farm, and picked up top ribbons in the Children’s Hunter, 15-17, section with her flashy pinto and fourth in the NAL/WIHS Children’s Hunter Classic.

New horses also made their debuts with Finally Farm students. Sarah Orberson and Clark 57 and Brie Tiffany with Milky Way both competed in the Children’s/Adult Jumper section.

“They had a great show on their jumpers,” said Boyd. “Brie had never done jumpers, so it was great for her to go in there and get nice ribbons. Sarah’s young horse will be great amateur horse with some more mileage.”

Boyd always enjoys the Camden Spring Classic, held just down the road from their Finally Farm.

“Everyone comes and sits on the hill and watches the derby at night. It’s actually the first show where I thought, ‘I’m ready to get back in the ring again,’ ” said Boyd, who is expecting her second child in June. “It’s a really fun spring show, and show manager Rick Cram does a good job and sets nice solid derby courses.”

Special thanks to the Finally Farm resident photographers for their great images this week!

Posted on April 10, 2014 by Tricia Booker.

Equitation Riders Shine at Atlanta

The Finally Farm team traveled to Conyers, Georgia, for the Atlanta Spring Classic I, held at the Georgia International Horse Park, March 19-23. And the riders and horses returned home with a variety of ribbons and awards, including three championships and two reserve championships.

"Everyone rode so well," said trainer Liza Boyd. "It was one of those shows where each person had one of their personal best performances throughout the week."

Trainer Liza Boyd and the Finally Farm equitation riders celebrate their USEF Medal performances.

The Finally Farm equitation riders made their presence known, taking first, second and fourth places in the Pessoa/USEF Medal class, out of a field of 27 riders. Sarah Isgett took the blue riding Vasco, with Grace Howard second and Addison Byrd fourth. Byrd also won the WIHS Hunter, Jumper and Overall phases (scoring an 86 in the jumper phase!) aboard Friend Request, and Howard was second in the WIHS Hunter Phase.

"They have all progressed so far this year," said Boyd. "All three attended the WEF circuit, where doing those technical courses paid off. The courses at Atlanta weren't easy, but they were all riding really sharp."

Boyd said all three riders are competing on relatively new horses that they're leasing for the season. "In fact, Grace just got her horse this week to try, and we quite like that horse," said Boyd of Wahalla. "She’s ridden three or four different horses this winter and found one that clicked. I'm really proud of them all. Two have only been hunter riders, and they've really learned the hand connection needed in the equitation, and it's great to see them progress. To have all three in the USEF Medal test was rewarding as a a trainer."

In the hunter sections, Finally Farm collected championships in the Amateur-Owner, 18-35 section (Erin McGuire and Casallo), the 3'3" Junior Hunter section (Laura Critz and Quatrain) and the Large Junior, 16-17, section (Grace Howard and Bethel's Peri).

"Erin didn't take Casallo to Florida and instead did the Aiken shows this winter," said Boyd. "She and Casallo have started out strongly this spring, and they had lovely performances on their way to the championship in the younger Amateurs."

Boyd was also proud of McGuire for stepping up her game in the jumpers. She and Kasarr moved up to the 1.40 meter height and won a class as well as placing third over that height in the combined Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic.

"She rode smart. She didn’t go as fast in jump-off and had a double-clear performance," said Boyd. "It's the biggest she’s jumped with Kasarr. She rode it very educated. We didn’t know if he could jump this height because he was bought as low horse, so he's really exceeded everyone’s expectations. We're really happy with him."

Laura Critz also had a breakthrough week during Atlanta, where she and Quatrain have further solidified the partnership that began over the winter. Their efforts were rewarded with the section championship and blue ribbon in the classic.

"She has really clicked with Quatrain," said Boyd. "It's the most consistent she's been so far with him. Before, she would win a class and then make a mistake in the next one. But here, every single class was consistent, and she truly deserved to be champion."

Grace Howard also picked up a well-deserved tricolor on Bethel’s Peri in Large Juniors, winning three of the five classes in the section.

"It was so nice to see everyone ride so well this week," said Boyd. "This is a great group, and they all watch each other and cheer each other on. Everyone was there watching from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and then they all went to dinner together. It’s so great to see them all enjoying it so much, from the riders to the families and even the dads! There's a lot of camaraderie."

Special thanks to the Finally Farm team for the fantastic photographs.

Posted on March 24, 2014 by Tricia Booker.

Three's A Charm For Erin McGuire

Erin McGuire picked up her third $10,000 Mini Prix blue ribbon of the winter during the PSJ Aiken Challenge Series in Aiken, South Carolina.

Erin McGuire and Kasarr with their $10,000 Mini Prix blue ribbon.

Erin and her Dutch Warmblood Kasarr jumped double-clear over the 1.30m course and edged professional Daniel Geitner for the victory, during the final event of the series, held March 5-9.

Professional Jason Berry posted the first clear jump-off ride with Wanderer, which set the pace. Erin and trainer Liza Boyd watched intently as he tackled the course and then further formulated their plan.

"After we watched Jason fly around, I told Erin to go for it," said Liza with a smile. "She had to ride really smartly. During the course, her horse landed from one fence and started bucking. Erin realized she was losing time, so she chose to take a daring inside turn. You could go inside a tree or around it. It was a tricky turn because the next jump came up quickly, but she did it, and her horse jumped amazing."

Erin and Liza then waited and watched Daniel try and take over the lead. "Daniel's horse is bigger, so he was able to leave out strides in the first and second lines," said Liza. "But he lost some time because his horse is slower in the turns. In the end, he couldn't catch Erin. It goes to show that sometimes leaving out strides doesn't help you as much as taking neat inside turns.

"Daniel was a great sport and joked when he came out of the ring, 'I'm tired of risking my life for second place,' " added Liza with a laugh.

To read more about Erin's victory in the Aiken Standard, please click here.

Casallo returned ready to win after a break!

Erin's success also continued in the hunter ring, where she and Casallo picked up the Amateur-Owner Hunter Championship and second place in the Junior/Amateur-Owner Hunter Classic. Casallo was returning to the ring after a winter break of two months.

"This was the longest break he's ever had," said Liza. "Erin rode him every day to keep him fit, but he hasn't shown since the beginning of January. Here, he was very bright and crisp and jumped high. He looked really refreshed."

The riders and horses who recently returned home from the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival circuit in Florida made great strides in Aiken, taking top ribbons and showing newfound confidence.

Mary Mitchener and Waccamaw jumped up to claim the reserve championship in the 3'3" Junior Hunter section.

"She was so consistent this week and rode so well," said Liza. "When she first started the 3'3" section in January, her eyes were big. You might not think that 3" can make such a big difference when moving up from the Children's Hunters, but it's a combination of factors. In the Junior Hunters you jog and have a Handy Hunter course, so there's more pressure.

Mary Carton Mitchener and Waccamaw jumped to success in the 3'3" Junior Hunters.

"After going to Florida for three weeks and doing the World Championship Hunter Rider week there, coming back to Aiken seemed like a piece of cake," added Liza. "In the Handy, she did the one hard turn that was really tricky. She could have gone the easy route, but she didn't, and there was a huge difference between her riding in January and now."

Emma Wilson's Ajax also returned from Florida with more mileage, and that experience was evident as he earned the Pre-Green Hunter championship with Daniel Geitner aboard and also partnered with Emma as she made her debut in the 3' Children's Hunter section.

"Daniel noticed right away how much the horse had learned in Florida," said Liza. "It's amazing what a couple of weeks in a row will do in that environment for a young horse. Daniel gave him a great ride, and it was wonderful that Emma was able to move up. Every class got better and better, and by the end she was right where we hoped she'd be."

Bethel's Peri and Grace Howard won two classes on their way to the Junior Hunter reserve championship. "Grace did the equitation classes in Florida, so she was on her game during Aiken," said Liza. "He's a very seasoned horse, and she has a strong partnership with him, so it was great to see them come back so strong after a nice winter break."

Laura Critz and Quatrain showed great form in the 3'3" Junior Hunters.

Laura Critz and Quatrain continued picking up blue ribbons in the 3'3" Junior Hunters, and a strong third-placed finish in the Junior/Amateur Hunter Classic capped off their weekend. "After the classic, Erin said, 'Laura was third and only 1 point behind me. She's catching up!' " said Liza. "That was really cute!"

Finally Farm horses and riders will be home this week for lots of lessons. Many riders will be on spring break, so Liza looks forward to "Camp Finally Farm" as riders spend time in Camden ramping up for the upcoming Atlanta Spring Classic Horse Show in Conyers, Georgia.

Please enjoy this slide show from Aiken. Special thanks to Erin McGuire for the great photos!

Posted on March 10, 2014 by Tricia Booker.

Burtons Have Banner Week at WEF 8

The mother-and-daughter team of Kim and Paige Burton brought blue ribbons home to the Finally Farm collection during the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival Week 8 in Wellington, Florida.

Kim Burton and Unlimited show off the spoils of their successes! (Lorna Conway Photo)

Kim topped the competitive Low Adult Amateur Hunter, Section B, division after winning both over fences classes on Sunday, March 2, aboard Unlimited. She also picked up two fifth-placed ribbons on Saturday.

"Kim was unbelievable," said trainer Jack Towell. "She was right on. I've never seen her be more accurate. She was tickled to death to win the championship."

Paige also had a banner weekend aboard Van Gogh, earning a blue ribbon over fences in the Adult Amateur, 18-35, Section B, (out of 26 competitors) and taking a fourth as well.

"Kim and Paige work really hard, and this is a well-deserved weekend for them," said trainer Liza Boyd. "Their horses live at their home in Huntersville, North Carolina, when they're not showing, and barn manager Lorna Conway does a great job."

Jack was especially pleased that Kim enjoyed success on her final week on the WEF circuit. She'll now return home to spend time with her husband NASCAR driver Jeff Burton. "Kim had been going back and forth to North Carolina to watch her son race. It was the last time she'll show for a while, so it was a great way to finish off her winter season," he noted.

Liza, Blake and daughter Elle also concluded their time in Florida with a special highlight: Elle's first trip to Disney World. The family spent four days in Orlando, Florida, with friends and clients Joanne, Steve and Olivia Loheac.

"We had a great time; Elle just loved it all. Her eyes were huge when she first saw Cinderella's Castle," said Liza.

Finally Farm's next outing will take place March 5-9 during Aiken Challenge Series V in Aiken, South Carolina.

Posted on March 3, 2014 by Tricia Booker.

Tracey London Stars During WEF 7

Tracey London's travel plans to Florida didn't work out as she'd hoped, so this season she only made it down to the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington for Week 7.

It turns out, she didn't need any warm-up weeks, as she guided her Goodman to championship honors in the B section of the Adult Amateur, 36-50, section and also earned top ribbons on her second mount, Smile.

"Tracey does it right," said trainer Liza Boyd. "She lives in Savannah (Georgia) and meets us at the shows. This week, she showed up well prepared to step in the ring and win in Palm Beach. She has three boys, so she has to balance showing and family. But she naturally has a great foundation from riding with Quiet Hill Farm as a junior.

"She also practices a lot at home and trains with Courtney Goldstein at Black Ankle, LLC in Savannah," added Liza. "Courtney's care of the horses is phenomenal, and they always come to me really prepared, which makes my job really easy. They're ready to go in the ring and be successful."

Tracey leases Goodman on a week-to-week basis from owner Kathryn Coster as the 8-year-old Hanoverian gelding is for sale. The pair won the under saddle and two over fences classes on their way to the tricolor ribbon.

"He's a really good amateur or junior hunter; he isn't fazed by a thing," said Liza. "I have to thank Andrew Lustig as well. With me being pregnant and unable to ride, Andrew stepped up and did a lot of flatwork with Smile the two weeks before Tracey arrived in Florida."

Liza also credited her brother Hardin Towell for his contributions: he guided Smile to the reserve championship in the WEF 3' Open Hunter section as a prelude to Tracey's rides over the weekend. "Tracey let me do Smile all of last year. He did the USHJA Pre-Green Incentive Program, which gave him a great foundation, and now he's ready for her," said Liza. "They're almost ready to step up to the Amateur-Owners, which is very exciting."

As Week 7 marked Finally Farm's final week in Wellington, Liza was pleased with the ribbons hanging on the tack room banner but happiest with the experience her horses and riders had gained competing against some of the best in the country.

"Brie Tiffany and Divine also picked up more top ribbons in the 3'3" Amateur-Owner, 18-35, section this week, including a blue in the under saddle," said Liza. "She's really stepped up her game, and with MTM Cash she was very competitive in the Adult Amateurs."

Liza also credited Sarah Isgett for her progress over the four weeks aboard Vasco, noting that her performances in the equitation and medal classes had improved and were rewarded with ribbons, including a seventh in the THIS Medal during Week 7.

Catherine Sharp finished up her circuit with excellent performances in the Small Pony Hunter section aboard I Candy. "She was consistently in the ribbons, and was sixth in her final handy class down here," said Liza. "She worked really hard, and it showed. She had lessons every Tuesday without stirrups, and by the end of circuit she looked like a much more educated rider. I'm very proud of her."

Finally Farm riders and horses head home this week and, after a week off, they'll travel to Aiken, South Carolina, for the Aiken Challenge Series V, March 5-9.

Posted on February 24, 2014 by Tricia Booker.

WEF Week 6 in Photos

The Finally Farm team enjoyed a wonderful Week 6 on the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival circuit in Wellington, Florida. The horses were fabulous, the friends fun and the weather was much better than most anywhere else in the country. How could we not have a great time?

Please enjoy this week's collection of candid photos from the Finally Farm photographers.

Posted on February 17, 2014 by Tricia Booker.

Hardin Towell and Man In Black Win $50,000 Ariat Grand Prix

Hardin Towell and Jennifer Gates' Man In Black finished the day wearing blue after the $50,000 Ariat Grand Prix CSI2*, held February 2, in Wellington, Florida.

This was Hardin's biggest grand prix victory to date after he and Man In Black had been knocking at the door for the past six months.

Jennifer Wood Media, Inc., published an excellent press release on the class. Here's an excerpt:

Week four of the 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) concluded with the exciting $50,000 Ariat® Grand Prix CSI 2* on Sunday afternoon held on the grass derby field at The Stadium at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC). An exciting eight-horse jump-off finished with a win for Hardin Towell (USA) and Man in Black, with Andres Rodriguez (VEN) and Caballito in second and Lauren Hough (USA) aboard Ohlala finishing third.

Leopoldo Palacios of Venezuela was the course designer for week four's finale event. There were 45 competitors on the beautiful grass derby field with eight clear trips in round one to advance to the tie-breaking jump-off. In the second round, four entries cleared the short course without fault.

Lauren Hough set the pace with her clear round in the jump-off aboard The Ohlala Group's Ohlala in 43.24 seconds to eventually finish third. Andres Rodriguez and Arao Enterprises LLC's Caballito upped the ante with their time of 42.94 seconds to end up in second place. Roosje Brouwer (NED) and Stal Heijligers and A. Vogels' SRI Aladdin also completed a clear round over the short course in a slower time of 49.56 seconds to earn fourth place honors. Last to go in the second round, Hardin Towell and Jennifer Gates' Man in Black got the winning edge, completing the course in 42.47 seconds.

Man in Black is a 12-year-old KWPN gelding by Gentleman x Calvados that Towell has been riding for one year. Gates showed the gelding in the Junior Jumpers last year and then handed him over to compete at the higher level with Towell. Sunday's win was the biggest of Towell's career - his second grand prix victory, and his first major win at the FTI WEF. The rider is 26 years old and from Camden, South Carolina.

"With him in the past year, probably starting last year in Thunderbird, I was really close in a lot of classes and I would go too fast," Towell said of his partnership with Man in Black. "On Thursday I was quite close to winning and I knew I should slow down, and I just kept running down the last line. I'm just glad I beat Andres, because in L.A. in November I was winning the World Cup class and was really fast, and everybody was like 'Congratulations you won!' and I said, 'No, Andres still has to go,' and he beat me by about one-tenth of a second. I think today was really close again, so I'm glad I could repay him the favor!"

"It feels very good (to win), and especially since I just started showing him," Towell noted. "He's a little bit strong. I have had a lot of trouble the last six months finding the right bit. I have changed a lot of bits and probably made a lot of mistakes using the wrong bits, but I think we have kind of figured it out. He's a really sweet horse. He is very brave, very scopey, and this is a great venue out in this grass field. He is always good at places like that. He is so brave that he is a little bit impressed out here sometimes, so today he jumped unbelievably. I could not ask for any more; he was fantastic."

Hardin-Towell-and-Man-in-Black-Pres-with-Mayor-Bob-Margolis-and-Michael-Stone.jpg

Commenting on his winning round in the jump-off, Towell detailed, "I thought in the jump-off I was a little bit smarter. I thought about running and being crazy, and then I remembered, 'You know what, let's just try to be clean,' and I thought I was close enough. I landed and I actually saw a leave out to the last jump, which maybe six months ago or Thursday I would have done and knocked it down, but I decided to try to cut it close and win by just a little bit."

Towell got to compete at some different venues around North America this past year and explained that the experience has helped him grow as a rider.

"It helps a lot," he stated. "I went to different places and competed against different people. My whole life I have kind of stayed in the Southeast. I have never had that opportunity, so I met a lot of new people, and it was nice showing at Spruce Meadows and everywhere we went. I have had a great last year; it has been very lucky. Jennifer has been great the whole year and I want to thank Chris, my barn manager, and my mom and dad, and my sister. We just have a very good team."

To read about Hardin's victory in the Palm Beach Post, please click here.

Photos Courtesy of Sportfot

Finally Farm's ribbon count wasn't just limited to the Grand Prix ring this week. Brie Tiffany also collected top honors in her respective section, earning the Adult Amateur, 18-35, Hunter Championship in Section B aboard her MTM Cash.

"Brie rode him in the Pre-Greens this week, and he started out a little overwhelmed on Wednesday," said trainer Liza Boyd. "But she persevered and got him through, and by the weekend he just marched around the Grand Hunter Ring and won in the adults. They ended up champions, and I couldn't be more proud of her. It was the most amazing turnaround."

Brie purchased MTM Cash from Tracey Fenney last fall during the Capital Challenge and is still getting to know the now 7-year-old. "We are very excited and impressed by him and so happy for Brie," she added.

Liza also cheered on her friend and fellow professional Erynn Ballard as she guided some of the Finally Farm mounts in the open sections. Erynn showed Quatrain for the first time and picked up ribbons in the Performance Hunters.

"It was fun to watch him go with another professional," said Liza, who is pregnant and currently out of the saddle. "When I told her she was riding Quatrain, she said, 'Oh, that's a lot of pressure!' She did a great job, and it was fun to see how far he's come along and to just sit back and enjoy it. Quatrain and [owner] Laura Critz also earned excellent ribbons over the weekend in the Junior Hunters."

Hardin also picked up the ride this week on Emma Wilson's Ajax and earned top calls in the competitive Pre-Green Hunter section. "It was also fun to watch Hardin ride a hunter," said Liza with a laugh. "He was second and fifth the one day he showed [the second day was canceled due to torrential rain], and that was exciting to see this nice young horse that we imported last year step right in and get good prizes. Hardin hadn't ridden a hunter in a long time, but it all came back to him easily. I teased him and said, 'It was nice to see you bend over and give that horse a nice release!' "

In the Equitation, Addison Byrd jumped to an impressive eighth-place in the USEF Medal. "This is her first year in the big equitation, and she's doing wonderfully," said Liza. "It was a hard course, with a lot of tough questions, but she walked right in and nailed it."

Finally Farm's success went from tall to small this week, as Catherine Sharp continued her success in the Small Pony Hunters, taking ribbons on Church Mouse and I Candy, respectively.