Wilmington, Ohio – Exhibitors and show jumping enthusiasts alike flocked to the outdoor jumper arena Saturday evening at World Equestrian Center – Ohio for the $25,000 Grand Prix sponsored by Standlee. The sun set over 15 competitive horse-and-athlete combinations as they attempted Joey Rycroft’s (USA) challenging first-round track. Of the four riders to secure their place in the jump-off, it was Richard Rinehart (USA) and Ron Caraway’s Vincent (Van Gogh x Nirande) that earned their second consecutive Grand Prix win.
Demonstrating his customary top form in the class, Vincent surpassed the rest of the challengers with ease. Rinehart spoke highly of his winningest mount’s performance, “Hat’s off to Vincent. At the end of the day, it is the horse. You can ask them all but only a few of them can do that. He is really careful and is truly amazing. I am so thankful to have him.”
Rinehart, of Rinehart Farm in Westfield, Indiana, moved into high gear for the class, battling against the tight time allowed in the first round.
The duo galloped through the gate as the first to contest the jump-off and immediately set an unbeatable pace. The 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding never fails to impress the crowd with his large step and careful jumping style.
“I just wanted to pick up a nice gallop going in for the jump-off. I planned to turn back on the third fence and leave out a stride there. I wanted to slow down for the yellow in-and-out, but I didn’t really. That is where he is incredible. After that, I just wanted to come home smoothly,” Rinehart said.
In 39.533 seconds, Rinehart earned yet another $25,000 Grand Prix win.
Nicole Jayne (USA) of Wellington, Florida, was the second, and only other rider to post a double clear effort. Aboard Kaneb Equine Ventures LLC’s nine-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare, One And Only (Diktator Van De Boslandhoeve x Bellefleur), Jayne left the arena with a beaming smile as she secured second place in 41.72 seconds.
Thursday’s $7,500 Welcome Stake winner Patricio Rodriguez (ARG) rounded out the podium with Corvet Enigma (Corvet Embrujo x Remonta Protuaria). The 11-year-old Warmblood mare jumped a smooth round in the short course, with one unfortunate rail landing the duo in third place with a time of 44.502 seconds.
$25,000 Standlee Grand Prix Results:
1 Vincent, Richard Rinehat, Ron Caraway | 0 | 39.533
2 One And Only, Nicole Jayne, Kaneb Equine Ventures LLC | 0 | 41.72
3 Corvet Enigma, Patricio Rodriguez, Patricio Rodriguez LLC | 4 | 44.502
4 Pop-Up De Tamise, Adrian Jones, Adrian Jones | 8 | 42.812
5 Idool, Stephen Foran, Freedom Woods | 2 | 87.791
6 FSS Outlaw, Kady Abrahamson, Abrahamson Equestrian LLC | 3 | 88.213
7 Jackson VDL, Megan Bash, Cleveland Equestrian LLC | 4 | 83.75
8 Cameron 38, Adrian Jones, Jamie Stryker | 5 | 86.162
9 ZG Bella, Sofia Cady, Twist Studio LLC | 5 | 86.246
10 Zirocco, Simon McCarthy, Talise Baker-Matsuoka | 5 | 90.185
Izzy Beisel & Diaz Barbotiere Race to Win the $7,500 Futures Prix
Twenty-six aspiring horses and athletes met Saturday afternoon for the $7,500 Futures Prix. With a tight time allowed and a technical track, only three combinations jumped a double clear effort. In the end, it was Izzy Beisel (USA) who mastered the class, racing to the finish with her own Diaz Barbotiere (Messire Ardent x Quambera Barbotiere).
Beisel, of David Beisel Stables in Goshen, Ohio, kicked off the class with her first horse in the order and returned at the bottom of the order with her winning mount.
The talented young rider spoke on the transition between horses, “Now that I do a lot more horses, I try to always make sure that I take the time when I am warming up to adjust to each one. The first one that I rode is big and slow and was my junior hunter, so it is definitely a hard thing to go from that ride to Diaz. For me, the pre-show ritual is just getting comfortable with the horses!”
Making light work of the first-round track, Beisel moved onto the immediate jump-off phase utilizing the ten-year-old Selle Francais gelding’s natural foot speed. The duo galloped around the short course in 31.924 seconds for the win.
“I angled the first jump really well, which was the plan, but then he almost thought he was continuing to turn. We definitely were very tight back onto the four. I wanted to see if I could go inside to the last line, but I didn’t really like the turn. I just wanted to have a nice ride to the one stride and the last line, so we just zoomed right around, but with his natural foot speed it worked out well,” Beisel commented on the jump-off.
Drew Arnold of Carmel, Indiana, and his top mount Chaccomo 11 (Chacco-Blue x Sacenta) saved one of the best rides for last. Arnold guided Theresa Kraft’s 14-year-old Mecklenburg gelding to an accurate and confident double clear, posting a jump-off time of 32.774 seconds just shy of the leading time for second place.
Second place finishers in the Welcome Stake, Charlie Jayne (USA) and Millfield Kangaroo (Kannan x Millfield Cloe) returned in top form. Jayne, of Wellington, Florida, set the pace for the rest of the field early in the order, and piloted the seven-year-old Anglo-European gelding to a swift time of 33.698 seconds to ultimately round out the podium.
$7,500 Futures Prix Results:
1 Diaz Barbotiere, Izzy Beisel, Izzy Beisel | 0 | 31.924
2 Chaccomo 11, Drew Arnold, Theresa Kraft | 0 | 32.774
3 Millfield Kangaroo, Charlie Jayne, Charlie & Nicole LLC | 0 | 33.698
4 Colour Your Day, Stephan Foran, Freedom Woods | 0 | 34.895
5 Ismael, Ashley Stumm, Ashley Stumm | 4 | 34.292
6 K T Miel, Claire Austin, Michael Kirby | 4 | 34.505
7 Captain America 10, Luke Rinehart, Catherine Rinehart | 4 | 35.052
8 Frankenstein, Laura Hauser, Laura Hauser | 1 | 86.63
9 Christiaan, Lilly Yinger, Lindsay Yinger | 2 | 87.499
10 Fairy Tail, Harriet McCord, Harriet McCord | 4 | 80.24