Wayne , Ill. – July 26, 2019 – Jumper competition continued on Friday, July 26, at the Lamplight Equestrian Center with the Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper divisions taking center stage in the picturesque Grand Prix Arena. In the competitive Junior/Amateur-Owner 1.40m Jumper class, it was Graceila Robert aboard Rose Hill Farm’s Fineman who claimed double-clear rounds and the quickest time for the blue ribbon.
Natalie Thornell and Cento De Revel, owned by Loveland Equine Investments, were the first horse-and-rider combination to navigate the course clear, finishing in 65.408 seconds. Moving straight on to their jump-off round, the pair kept up the pace, racing around the course to finish clear in just 42.409 seconds. Next up was Emma Seving aboard her own Brighton Bay, who left all the rails up in the first round as well and finished in 67.516 seconds. Looking to beat Thornell’s time, Seving did her best to ride quickly and carefully, completing the jump-off with a clear round but slightly slower time of 43.249 seconds.
Robert and Fineman, a 15-year-old gelding who is a relatively new mount for the junior rider, entered the arena next and expertly navigated the course, crossing the finish in the first round in 68.856 seconds. With her eyes on the prize, she moved on to her jump-off round, determined to surpass Thornell and maintain precision. Robert successfully completed her mission, tripping the timer in just 40.145 seconds, over two seconds faster than the previous leader. The remaining riders were unable to catch her speedy round, and Robert took home the blue ribbon while Thornell finished in second and Seving finished in third.
In the Junior/Amateur-Owner 1.30m Jumper class that followed, it was Natalie Jayne aboard her own Ausi who clinched the first place prize, going double-clear with a lightning-fast jump-off time of 38.252 seconds. Ashley Fleishhacker and Over Drive, owned by Ashland Show Stables LLC, finished hot on her heels, clear in the first round with a jump-off time of 39.955 seconds. Carson Ruff and his own Cuidento Z rounded out the top three with a jump-off completed in 40.651 seconds.
Jumper competition will resume at the Lamplight Equestrian Center Saturday, July 27, with the $50,000 Purina Grand Prix set to begin at 4 p.m.
FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE
Graceila Robert – Junior/Amateur-Owner 1.40m Jumpers winner
On Fineman:
“He’s a lease and I started leasing him around December for the Florida circuit. He was with Cloe Hymowitz and did some of the bigger stuff. I had been doing the low juniors with my horse that I own, but I was looking to move up. He ended up being a really good partner. He is 15 years old.”
On her rounds:
“He has actually been off for a few weeks because of an injury, so this was our first show back. We did the 1.20m yesterday and today we wanted to get him back to where he is used to jumping because we have young riders next week. I wanted to put in clean, consistent rounds and not push him too hard because we are just coming back. He has always been a very careful horse, he always likes to do his best, so it’s all about just getting the pace on him and keeping it the rest of the time.”
On Lamplight Equestrian Center:
“This is my first time here! It’s absolutely beautiful. I love the Grand Prix ring and love the way it rides. It’s flat and you don’t feel like you have to ride up a hill. Everyone here is super nice and the rings are on time so it’s been a very nice experience.”
RESULTS
Junior/Amateur-Owner 1.40m Jumpers
Place / Horse / Rider / Owner / R1 Faults / R1 Time / R2 Faults / R2 Time
1. Graceila Robert / Fineman / Rose Hill Farm / 0 / 68.856 / 0 / 40.145
2. Natalie Thornell / Cento De Revel / Loveland Equine Investments / 0 / 65.408 / 0 / 42.409
3. Emma Seving / Brighton Bay / Emma Seving / 0 / 67.242 / 0 / 43.249
4. Celia Bresch / Cademuir / Celia Bresch / 0 / 66.168 / 0 / 43.986
5. Ashley Bewick / Sarah Anlait / Ashley Bewick / 0 / 67.006 / 4 / 41.796
6. Faith Davis / Da Vinci / Faith Davis / 0 / 64.47 / 12 / 38.129
7. Natalie Thornell / Snow White / Loveland Equine Investments / 4 / 64.448
8. Isabella Bleu Baxter / Jahil / Isabella Bleu Baxter / 4 / 66.875
9. Ashley Shaw / Adico / Ashley Shaw / 4 / 67.017
Junior/Amateur-Owner 1.30m Jumpers
Place / Horse / Rider / Owner / R1 Faults / R1 Time / R2 Faults / R2 Time
1. Natalie Jayne / Ausi / Natalie Jayne / 0 / 0 / 38.252
2. Ashley Fleishhacker / Over Drive / Ashland Show Stables LLC / 0 / 0 / 39.955
3. Carson Ruff / Cuidento Z / Carson Ruff / 0 / 0 / 40.651
4. Natalie Jayne / Diamond D / Natalie Jayne / 0 / 65.984 / 0 / 40.833
5. Christian Currey / Califa / Agneta Currey / 0 / 67.423 / 0 / 41.078
6. Keira Foster / Ash Ville Rock / Keira Foster / 0 / 67.108 / 0 . 41.967
7. Jonathan Cohen / Lander / Jonathan Cohen / 0 / 0 / 43.289
8. Chara Short / USA D’Horset / Chara Short / 0 / 0 / 44.066
9. Brooke Saltzman / Don Perion / Brooke Saltzman / 0 / 67.557 / 4 / 39.805
10. Mikayla Foster / Carlow / Mikayla Foster / 0 / 4 / 43.066