COLORADO CIRCUIT OPENER & ROCKY MOUNTAIN CLASSIC
Ikast is Off to a Good Start to Win Coveted Rider Bonus
The threatening grey skies over Parker (CO) did nothing to hinder the performance of Bjorn Ikast and Braveheart during the first of three grand prix jumping events to be held during the Colorado Summer Circuit at the Colorado Horse Park. The pair topped a field of 33 to win the $25,000 High Prairie Grand Prix during the Colorado Circuit Opener (July 1-5). If Ikast and Braveheart were to win all three, the pair will earn a $100,000 Grand Prix Rider Bonus. The closest he has come to doing so was several years back when he earned a $25,000 bonus for winning two of the three events. Not a bad payday.
The highest placing amateur in the group was University of Denver student, Sarah Tredennick (Lindsay Kendall, trainer). Tredennick and her mare, Special Verdict, placed third in the class. “I am very proud of my horse and myself. We are, I believe, truly hitting a point of consistency and getting to know each other better and better every ride,” Tredennick said. “The course was nice and the perfect opener for the summer series. I cannot say the weather was the most accommodating part of the evening, but pending the invention of windshield wipers that descend from helmets, all will be better!”
In the $5,000 Speed Derby, Brazilian rider Eduardo Menezes was one-two with Cascaya Mercedes-Benz claiming the top position and Kaiser Mercedes-Benz taking the red ribbon.
After placing well in the Modified Open Hunters, the Modified Junior Hunters, and the Large Junior Hunters 16-17, Kelley Buringa rode to the win the $5,000 Working Hunter Derby aboard her L’Amoure. The recent graduate of Arvada West High School received an impressive 86 in the first round placing her in the second slot between professional riders Mickie Sage and Keiri Kaneps, but that didn’t deter Buringa. “I decided to go in and ride my second round like I had a zero score,” she said. “It was a tough competition. I knew it really could have gone either way. I am so proud of my horse. He is really fun to ride and just loves the single oxer.”
Buringa credits her trainer Steve Johnson with making this show season so successful. “Steve is like a big brother to me. I wanted my last junior year to be fun and he’s really helped me with that. It’s a great situation all around.” For a detailed story on the $5,000 Hunter Classic, go to: http://langershows.com/press_release_details.php?pr_id=152
Amateur Catherine Schoelzel (Jennifer Hutchings, trainer) aboard Chakira was champion in the younger division of the Amateur Owner Hunters with Gia Dennehy on Michael Dennehy’s Poke in reserve. In the Amateur Owner Hunters 36 and over, the champion for the second week in a row was Riff-Raff with Liza Dennehy in the irons while Jen Singer aboard Benchmark was reserve champion. According to Singer, it came down to the under saddle class. “Riff-Raff is such an awesome horse,” Singer said. “It’s great being in the same division with Liza.”
Pepito and Taylor Werthen topped the Childrens Jumpers. The pair, who train with Libby Barrow, won two classes and also fared well in several prestigious medal classes. On the Adult Amateur card, the division champion was Windy Ingbretson riding Iwinski. The self-trained Ingbretson has long been a fixture on the Colorado show jumping circuit and topped two of the four classes in the division. Reserve in the division was Kristina Matthews who rode The Cottonwoods Ltd.’s Cadillac. The Pony Jumpers were dominated by Pikatchu, an entry of Jacqueline and Marshall Shear ridden by Georgia Griffis. Trained by her mother Susan, Georgia earned two blues on her way to the division championship.
Pearce Wins Rocky Mountain Grand Prix
It was quite the class: tough competition, technically challenging; all the things that make a grand prix event fun for both riders and spectators alike. The Rocky Mountain Grand Prix did not disappoint (Rocky Mountain Classic, July 8-12).
John Pearce, aboard Forest View Farm’s Son of a Gun ended up the victor beating out Callao and Antonio Maurer and last week’s winners, Bjorn Ikast and Braveheart in a well-ridden jump-off. Known as an aggressive and accurate rider, the Canadian simply outran the field. Ikast, one of the profession’s most efficient riders, was fourth in the class while Pearce’s second entry Chianto, also owned by Forest View Farm, was third.
With Pearce’s win the $100,000 Rider Bonus is off the table, but the $25,000 Rider Bonus for the horse and rider combination who wins two of the three grand prix events featured during the Colorado Summer Series is still up for grabs.
The $5,000 Speed Derby was vanquished by Vanquish (Las Colinas, owner) ridden by Manuel Bancalari. The pair, who trains with Felipo Godhino, also topped the Low Junior/AO Classic. In the $7,500 Junior/AO Jumper Classic, it was Jamie Jensen and Karibik topping the class and although Maggie Hines and CR Carolato II finished seventh in the classic, they were champions in the Junior Jumpers. Hines, who trains with Matt Cyphert out of Texas, won three of the four classes on her way to the tri-color. The pair also has a significant lead in the race for series championship with 34 total points. For standings for the Series Champions, click here:
http://www.horseshowtime.com/showserieschampion.asp?Show=2506
Kensington and Lauren Rahe owned the Children’s Jumpers. Under the watchful eye of trainer Michael Dennehy, Rahe and her mount won every class in the section and further extended their series lead.
Over in the hunter rings, Better Days, ridden and owned by Colorado professional Kris Nixon, dominated the Regular Working hunters. They won nearly every class in the section to earn the championship, including the $500 Stake class. Nixon and Better Days currently hold the series lead in the Regular Working hunter division.
Lindsey Fishell, who trains with Joan Waterman, was triumphant in the Amateur Owner Hunter Classic aboard her Tabloid beating out 12 others to take the class. And while the pair ended up third in the A/O Hunter 18-35 section behind champion Lindsay Strafuss and JET Set (Michael Tokaruk, trainer) and reserve champion Weatherly Stroh and Unlimited (Kris Nixon, trainer), they did claim the top spot in the $400 Stake class.
Brooke Kennedy (Nicole Webb, trainer) was the big winner in the Junior Hunter 15 and Under. Aboard Abercrombie, Kennedy not only snared the top slot in the Junior Hunter Classic but three blues in her section to clinch the championship. Kelley Buringa and L’Amoure (Steve Johnson, trainer) were once again a force to be reckoned with in the older Junior section. The pair were Large Junior Hunter 16-17 champions edging out Mia Genereux and White Russian (Mary Armstrong, trainer) who finished in reserve.
The Colorado Summer Circuit attracts families who often show together and enjoy much that Colorado has to offer. Read about several pairs of mothers and daughters who share a passion for horses, riding, and competing. Weatherly Stroh writes about her experiences showing with her mother, Susie, along with other mothers and daughters, Suellen and Claire Walker, and Page and Sarah Tredennick. http://langershows.com/press_release_details.php?pr_id=153
Another fun perspective on showing in Colorado during the summer is a story about the Quagliano family of Edwards, Colorado. http://langershows.com/press_release_details.php?pr_id=148
The summer show jumping series at the Colorado Horse Park concludes this week with the Colorado Summer Classic. Featured classes include a $5,000 Gambler’s Choice, a $10,000 Junior/AO Jumper Classic, the $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby and the $50,000 Grand Prix of Denver. Will the $25,000 rider bonus be claimed? Check back to see! Complete results and schedules for upcoming shows are available at www.langershows.com
LEG Up News is supported by Norden Equine Worldwide, affiliated with Markel Insurance. Norden Equine Worldwide...Insurance that Goes the DistanceSM. http://www.nordenequine.com
