Serenity Farm's Sophia Bruny Takes Top Honors in NHS 3'3" Medal

For Immediate Release
Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
Photo: Sportfot
Equestrian Sport Productions
Winter Equestrian Festival Week 10

"Sophia Bruny and Ella Thomas Take Top Honors in NHS 3’3” Medal"

Forty-four entries split into sections A and B for the Hamel Foundation/NHS 3’3” Medal in the Equine Tack and Nutritionals Ring 6 on Friday.

Out of the large, competitive field, Ella Thomas, of Leawood, KS, and Apollo won the A section and Sophia Bruny, of Bradbury, CA, and Shakiro won the B section.

“This was our last medal of the circuit, so I just wanted to ride with consistency like I have been,” said Thomas. “He was really good last week in the USHJA [Medal] so I just wanted to ride the exact same way, keeping it consistent with lots of leg and forward positivity!”

Like Thomas, Bruny also took previous experience with her mount into account.

“I did the Washington Jumper phase first, and the course was relatively similar,” said Bruny. “I wanted to make sure I had a good canter. They had some tricky bending lines in there, so to make sure I measured those correctly and allowed him enough space, I took what I learned earlier and applied it. He has a very big stride, but he was awesome!”

The top 12 in each section were ultimately brought back to test on the flat to decide the final placings.

“I felt really good and confident,” said Thomas said returning to test on the 14-year-old warmblood owned by Lola Head. “He’s been so good on the flat, and we’ve placed in almost every flat this circuit, so I was confident and just wanted to make sure my chin was high and I looked energetic on a day like today where it’s so hot.”

Bruny also had confidence going into the flat on her own nine-year-old warmblood.

“He’s 18.2 hands, so he’s huge, but the most comfortable horse you could ever ride,” said Bruny. “He’s smooth as glass, has a super nice mouth, goes in a rubber snaffle, and is really nice off the leg, but a bit quirky though. You have to be careful to make sure you know what buttons to press. He’s very sensitive, but he’s just the coolest horse ever.”

While Thomas has only been riding Apollo for a few weeks, she looks forward to continuing to show him.

“We got him at the beginning of the circuit on lease and then just fell in love with him,” Thomas said. “He already qualified for finals for this class, so we decided to keep him for another couple weeks and go to finals with him. He’s such a delight. He’s kind of a been there, done that type; he was an awesome find.”

Bruny has had Shakiro a bit longer and has enjoyed watching him develop.

“He’s very smart and maturing very nicely,” said Bruny. “He turns nine in June, so he’s kind of a late baby and still kind of young, but I’ve had him for almost a year now and he’s just amazing. He’s the best.”

Section A concluded with Katelyn Vandenberg with Dallas owned by Mark Olivero and Alexis Orr with Bon Amour owned by Eve Westfall in second and third, respectively.

Section B saw Jordyn Scelsa with Amour owned by GHF Hamptons, LLC and Chacco Blue Moon owned and ridden by Pavlina in second and third, respectively.