Lexington, Ky – July 30, 2017 – David Beisel and Ammeretto led a ten horse jump-off to race home with the first place finish in the $50,000 Rood and Riddle Grand Prix. In front of a packed crowd in the Rolex Stadium, Beisel capped off a week of top finishes at Kentucky Summer Horse Show by also winning the Leading Rider Award presented by Envisian Products, LLC. Amaretto narrowly beat Australia’s Scott Keach on Fedor, with Biesel piloting the mount to a quick time of 39.230 seconds. Taking third place honors was Nicole Shahinian-Simpson on her mare Akuna Mattata.
Ammeretto, who is owned by Equine Holdings, LLC, has been with Beisel since he was a 3-year old. The now 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood stallion has had a very competitive summer with top place grand prix finishes at the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival as well as the Tryon International Equestrian Center before coming to Kentucky. Beisel credits having the stallion his entire career for their unique ability to make quick adjustments while on course. It was one of those quick adjustments on the long gallop to the Rood & Riddle oxer that helped Beisel over take Australian Olympic athlete, Keach who had taken the lead in the jump-off round from Shahinian-Simpson with a time of 41.296 seconds.
With a line up of 29 top equestrians, the $50,000 Rood & Riddle Grand Prix was the perfect event to entertain the crowds who had amassed at the Kentucky Horse Park to enjoy ‘Hats Off Day.’ This annual event is held to pay homage to the equestrian industry which holds a very special place in the Bluegrass state. During the day long event, families were able to enter the Horse Park free of charge and enjoy family friendly events throughout the park.
Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital veterinarians and staff were on hand to watch all the show jumping action and present Beisel with his commemorative glass trophy. Rood & Riddle are proud sponsors of the annual grand prix as it represents their deep commitment to the Kentucky Equine community and their mission to help equine athletes stay in top competitive condition.
Showing starts bright and early tomorrow at the Kentucky Horse Park with the Bluegrass Classic Grand Prix which will be followed by the always competitive U25 Grand Prix. The Stonelea Ring will play host to the crowd favorite USHJA Hunter Derby as well as Amateur-Owner Hunters to wrap up competition the Kentucky Summer Horse Show. When all of the rings have been closed, competitors are invited to attend the Buck Off Challenge, Hosted by the EQUUS Foundation in the VIP tent. This unique event will help to raise money for satellite organization of the EQUUS Foundation including Central Kentucky Riding for Hope and the Makers Mark Secretariat Foundation.
FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE
David Beisel – $50,000 Rood and Riddle Grand Prix winner
On the course walk:
It was fun walking the course tonight because I was walking with one of my students, Natalie Thornell, and it was her first big Saturday night grand prix. I wasn’t nervous at all because I was trying to help her not be nervous. I thought it was a nice course, certainly challenging enough — Oscar did a great job building the course tonight. I thought it suited both of my horses because it was a galloping course.
About his family and team of support:
“I love having my wife, my daughter and my son here. All three of them showed today! They’ve been going to horse shows since they were little things and started riding when they were babies. It is fun because they get even more excited than I do when I win. Sometimes we make bets — we have a miniature horse at home off a bet that I would win a grand prix and sure enough I won it and I had to buy a miniature horse. I am very blessed. I’m glad I decided to come back for this week. It’s been a lot of fun.”
Jump-off:
“Cantering in the ring for the jump-off I looked at the inside turn that David Bedoya did and I thought I was going to do it originally, but once I looked at it, my gut told me to just gallop around and jump the oxer. For a little guy, he has a big stride. I definitely galloped at the first jump and I tried to come at it with a bit of a curve in it, but he’s so smart he looked at the next jump and straightened right out. I had to slow down a bit there, so I think it made it nice and fast to the wall. He was really sharp to the combination. He didn’t slow down there or to the last jump.”
Scott Keach – $50,000 Rood and Riddle Grand Prix, 2nd place
On his two horses in the jump-off:
“I’m very happy with my horses. Fedor is an experienced horse and jumped really well. We’ve had him for four years and we got him from Belgium as an 8-year-old jumping 1.30m. I’ve produced him into a grand prix horse. I love his scope for really big jumps and he has such a good mind. Now he is a horse that is jumping clean a lot and he is a very reliable horse. The second one, Chicco W, is green, but really coming along. Today was the best he jumped, so for the future, I’m really excited about it.”
On his jump-off strategy:
“For Fedor, my strategy was to go pretty quick because he is experienced and I wanted to have a crack at it without going flat out. For Chicco, I just wanted to give him a good ride to build his confidence and hopefully go clean. At the wall I should have done one less stride — he’s green and I didn’t really trust him there.”
About the courses in Kentucky:
“The courses have been good all week. I love being here in the summer because the ring is great and the footing is good, which allows the horses to really jump. For me, I try to jump the best I can here.”
Oscar Soberón – $50,000 Rood and Riddle Grand Prix course designer
On his course design in the Rolex Stadium:
“I wanted every jump to be a challenge and each jump is a different test. I really like to use different types of obstacles, not just verticals and oxers like most courses — I included a triple bar, a plank jump and a wall. This is my third time at designing at the Kentucky Horse Park and I love it here. It’s one of the best facilities and management in the United States. The jumps and footing are great, plus the great jump crew. There is nothing more you can ask for as a course designer. It’s an honor to build here.”
RESULTS
$50,000 Rood & Riddle Grand Prix
1. Ammeretto / David Beisel / Equine Holdings LLC / 84.716 / 39.23
2. Fedor / Scott Keach / Southern Cross Equestrian / 83.158 / 41.296
3. Akuna Mattata / Nicole Shahinian-Simpson / Silver Raven Farms / 81.913 / 41.582
4. Zerro Leone / Martien Van Der Hoeven / Augusta Pines Farm / 83.095 / 41.834
5. Quattro / Daniel Bedoya / Daniel Bedoya / 84.191 / 42.534
6. Chicco W / Scott Keach / Edith Rameika / 81.91 / 4 / 45.065
7. Warinde B / Lauren Hester / Hester Equestrian LLC / 81.563 / 5 / 52.776
8. Zara Leandra / Pablo Barrios / Pablo Barrios / 81.005 / 8 / 38.146
9. Wamira / Sydney Shulman / 83.281 / 8 / 41.308
10. Caiman De Sequoias / Sharn Wordley / 85.442 / 8 / 41.611
11. Queen Jane / T.J. O’Mara / 1 / 87.008
12. Cobolt / Lacey Gilbertson / 2 / 88.846
Didi Mackenzie Wins the Grand Amateur-Owner Hunter Championship Aboard MTM Inside Scoop
After winning three over fences classes, placing second in the handy and coming in third in the undersaddle during the Amateur-Owner Hunter division, Didi Mackenzie and MTM Inside Scoop claimed the Grand Amateur-Owner Hunter Championship. Mackenzie of Flower Mound, Texas, and her 11-year-old gelding commanded both days of hunter competition and she was thrilled to receive the Grand Amateur-Owner Hunter Championship title, sponsored by Visse Wedell with Kirkpatrick & Companies.
The breezy and cool temperature on Saturday morning at the Kentucky Horse Park was the perfect weather to add spark to Mackenzie’s Inside Scoop, and her second horse, MTM Do Right, who won the division’s reserve championship. MTM Do Right placed second in one over fences class, placed third in two over fences classes and placed third in the handy.
Mackenzie purchased both geldings when they were pre-greens from Mike McCormick and Tracy Fenney. She works with McCormick and Fenney when she is home in Texas, but spends her winter competing at HITS Thermal before heading to Kentucky where she spends the summer.
The hunter highlight of the Kentucky Summer Horse Show, the $5,000 World Equestrian Center/Kentucky Horse Shows USHJA National Hunter Derby, takes place on Sunday, July 30, in the Stonelea Ring.
FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE
Didi Mackenzie – Grand Amateur-Owner Hunter Champion
About Inside Scoop:
“I have not shown since June when we last showed in Kentucky and the horses have had time off and turned out. I felt really good about my rounds — the courses were really nice. The horses felt great this week and they have wonderful personalities. Inside Scoop is such a sweetheart. He doesn’t get lunged and he is a horse of a lifetime. He tries to always do the right thing. His jumping style is quite nice, jumps round and he’s an attractive horse and a nice mover.”
About the team behind her:
“I can’t say enough about everyone who helps me. Between the horses, to Colleen [McQuay], Manuel Tamayo Pacheco, the man who works for me, and especially my husband Kenny, who is my main stay. Manuel is unbelievable. He is the reason the horse’s go as well as they do. I absolutely could not do this without all of them. They are a very important part for me.”
On the Kentucky Summer Horse Show:
“This is by far my favorite place to show. My horses and I love it here! It’s such horse country. Between the farms and seeing the mares and foals grazing out in the fields, it’s beautiful. The horse park is unbelievable and they do so much to make it a world class facility. Hugh [Kincannon] has done so much for the show. It takes a lot to run a show and facility like this.”
Visse Wedell – Grand Amateur-Owner Hunter Championship sponsor
On Sponsoring Grand Champion Awards:
“I sponsor the Grand Hunter Champions because I feel it is important to support the hunters and I want to give something extra special to the people that exceed in their divisions whether it is the professionals or the amateurs or pony riders. I love to give a trophy because we all like to go home with something special other than a cooler or a backpack.”
On Partnering with Kentucky Horse Shows, LLC:
“I love the Kentucky Horse Shows. I live here for a large portion of the year, I have a farm down the street and I sell real estate here and I feel very connected to the community. The sponsorship is my way and Kirkpatrick and Companies way of demonstrating our support of the horse show.”