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Sunday, April 13, 2008

Winners of the Markel/Wellington Classic Dressage 2008 Winter Amateur Championships and Their Trainers Receive Awards this Weekend
By Lynndee Kemmet for DressageDaily.com

Janne Rumbough and Junior Score High to Win Amateur Award

Janne Rumbough earned her amateur award with Junior and the pair had a fabulous average of more than 70 percent – 71.66 percent at First Level. But then, Junior certainly has the right genes for the show ring.

His sire is Rumbough’s famous PRE stallion Gaucho III, her now-retired Grand Prix horse. Rumbough, who trains with Junior with Jan Brons, said she was really hoping to win the amateur award. As the trainer of the First level winner, Brons won the ThinLineInc Trainers' award shared with Markel in the Wellington Classic Amateur Championships.

"I’m so excited because I really wanted it and his scores were super. I love Mary (Phelps) and Gaucho was insured by Markel and so I thought, ‘I really want to do this.’ So, I’m very excited about winning this,” Rumbough said. Rumbough has trained numerous horses but has kept her amateur status.

“I want to support the amateur status. So many people say to amateurs, ‘Oh, you’re just an amateur.’ But there are so many good amateurs out there who, like me, have to make their money elsewhere to support their horses.”

Of her partner in the amateur award, Rumbough said she was thrilled with Junior, whose real name is Majestoso. “He’s a little bit of a jester. He’s a very happy horse and he loves to scoot off and buck, but now he’s settling down. He’s getting an extraordinary canter and trot. He’s only six but he’s over 17 hands. That’s from Gaucho. He throws big babies.”

Next - Jane Springer and Talent Spend Winter With Robert Dover