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66th Block House Steeplechase

Meet your pony race riders Kathryn Karns Kathryn Karns is currently a sophomore at Clemson University majoring in marketing. At school she is involved in the Clemson Sports Car Club, but riding is still an important part of her life. Karns has been riding for almost 15 years, competing in most English disciplines with mounted games being her favorite. She has also been a member of the Greenville Foothills Pony Club for many years. She competed across the East Coast and in 2008 went to Australia as a member of the United States Pony Club International Mounted Games Team. This will be her first time riding in a pony race and she said she is excited to be able to have this

new experience.

Samantha Haase Samantha Haase is in eighth grade at Polk C o u n t y M i d d l e School. She is a member of River Valley Pony Club. She has been riding her Welsh/Arab pony, Murphy, for several years.

LeeAnn Harmon LeeAnn Harmon, 23, of Ellenboro, N.C. works as a vet tech at Foothills A n i m a l Clinic in

Forest City, N.C. She has ridden horses all of her life thanks to her parents Roger and Nancy. She grew up competing in the Blue Ridge Hunter Jumper Association and in USPC. In 2000 she started playing mounted games and became a member of MGA. “Mounted games have given me so many opportunities to represent the United States in competitions all over the world,” Harmon said. This was the second year Harmon has raced in the local race at the Steeplechase. Harmon said she has found it a fun new way to keep her up-and-coming games ponies in shape.

Will Zuschlag Will Zuschlag, a 14-yearold from Greenville, has been riding for three years. Zuschlag is an active member of

Frisday, April 20, 2012

the Greenville Foothills Pony Club and is homeschooled. He enjoys dressage, jumping and fox hunting.

Keileigh McMurray Horses have always been an important part of Keileigh McMurray’s life. The 14-year-old has grown up on Clover Hill Farm in Green Creek. She is an eighthgrade student at Polk County Middle School. “I thought I would have to wait till I was 18 before I could race in the Steeplechase, but I was so excited when I heard they were having a race for kids 13 and over,” McMurray said. “I was not about to miss a chance to race.” McMurray’s pony for the race is DazzlinDaze, a 10-year-old Arabian. McMurray said the pony is very smart and athletic.