Parker, Colo. – July 24, 2018 – The 2018 Summer in the Rockies (SIR) Series came to an end on Sunday, July 22, after seven weeks of the region’s most prestigious and competitive hunter/jumper competition. The series finale drew the highest level of equestrian athletes to the Colorado Horse Park (CHP) for largest-pursed class of the season. The $100,000 Adequan® Grand Prix saw a roster of 28 entries comprised of some of the sport’s most accomplished equestrians.
Charlie Jayne of Elgin, IL, took home the hefty first-place prize after rides aboard his 2007 gelding, Amice Z. The pair galloped through the jump-off timers in a speedy 41.38 seconds over three seconds faster than the class’ only other double-clear ride by Natasha Traurig. Splitting his time between CHP and Our Day Farm in Illinois, Jayne traveled back and forth from Illinois and Colorado during the final two weeks of SIR competition. Jayne spoke of his schedule, “I’ve been at home with my dad breaking some babies during the week and flying in for the Grand Prix on the weekend. It was nice to be able to maximize my time in both places.”
Acknowledging the importance of teamwork, Jayne felt his win was hugely in part to the effort from his younger sister, Haylie. “I am so fortunate that she has been able to flat Amice during the week for me. My sisters, Maggie and Haylie, are here, they work the training operation of Our Day Farm. Our stable has about forty horses here so between the two of them they’ve had a busy couple of weeks.”
Course designer, Jaime Morillo (ECU), set the course for the competitive apex. After the class he praised Jayne’s effort, “It was a wonderful ride. The first round was great and the second one couldn’t have been better.”
Jayne spoke of the track, “I just flew in last night so I haven’t really gotten a chance to ride any of his (Morillo’s) other courses yet, but I thought this was a very nice course. It was very fair. It was inviting in the beginning with a nice flow to it. As the course went on I think he did a nice job of cranking the screws, making it a little more technical and a little meaty at the end of the course.”
Jayne continued, “Into the jump off, Christian (Heineking) went first and it proved to be bit of a difficult jump-off, which I thought it would be. There were a couple of turns where you had to go past the fence and then come back to it. That’s always hard for horses because it’s not natural. I thought I’d try to go as fast as I could, but still leave the door open a little bit and if the people behind me wanted to beat me, they’d really have to push it. It worked out in my favor.”
Jayne purchased Amice Z in December of 2017 and the beginning of the 2018 show season saw the first of their Grand Prix entries together. “He’s a super horse. He rides around like a working hunter. He actually did the hunters for two years. He has quite a nice mouth. He kind of lopes around. He’s very adjustable and there’s no line that’s technical enough for him. If it’s a quiet six, I can take two pounds of leg pressure off and it’s just a nice six for him. He’s very rideable in that sense and we’ve just been building up our partnership. He actually has quite a bit of blood for a mellow horse. When he starts to pick up the canter it still looks ‘huntery’, but he starts to build and I think that’s what makes him a great horse. He has a great mind.”
Jayne first competed at CHP in 2007 and he spoke of the evolution of the venue and it’s hometown, “To see Parker, which is a great town, build what it has in the last eleven years, is fantastic. At CHP the footing is great and I appreciate the permanent stabling. The town of Parker has great food, which is important to me because I’m a foodie. Also, you have Denver close by which is great if you want to go to a baseball game. Red Rocks is great for a concert, too. There’s so much to do here. People are so active. I love it.”
A large spectator crowd gathered to watch the $100,000 Adequan® Grand Prix. Five entries returned for the jump-off and saw Natasha Traurig of Carlsbad, CA, finish her double-clear ride aboard Carolina Tardelli’s Collonella Z in 44.63 seconds for the second-place prize. Christian Heineking of Hudson Oaks, TX, piloted NKH LLC’s NKH Carrido through the timers in 42.191 seconds for third place. Heineking also finished in the money aboard NKH LLC’s NKH Caruso, turning in the fastest ride of the four-faulters, for sixth place.
Jumper Highlights
The $20,000 Adequan® Welcome Stake was held on Thursday, July 19. No stranger to the top of the podium, Olympic gold medalist Will Simpson clinched the win aboard Chacco P. Simpson, of Westlake Village, CA, rode the entry owned by Will Simpson Show Stables Inc. The pair had a three-second lead as they raced through the timers in 35.038 seconds.
Simpson praised the track set by Morillo, “The course was brilliant and thoughtful. There were some good questions and it rode really nicely. It had a nice flow to it. All the questions were there.”
He continued, “Chacco P has had a very good circuit here. This is our third week. He has had two classes a week and he’s had one down each day. Just a little bit of a different thing each day and no major problems, but not exactly sharp. I was very impressed with the go here at the end. My strategy was two-fold, in the jump-off I wanted to get a nice placing. I like to win. I also didn’t want to blow his mind for Saturday, so it was halfway in between. With this horse, he’s so balanced, every time you look up in a turn you’ve got a green light to go for the inside track. It’s not risky so it was a nice jump-off for him with a lot of turns. I got to add a stride down the last line because I had plenty of time and that kind of set him up for Saturday.”
The class also saw double-clear rides from its second and third placings. Cleso Ariani of Wellington, FL, completed a 38.618 second jump-off aboard Ricardo Romero’s entry, Ukulman De La Nutria, for the reserve honors. Katharin Gualtieri of Morrison, CO, earned third place after galloping Sandwillow Farm’s entry, Castalano, through the timers in 38.727 seconds.
The $2,000 Holiday Inn/Trapper’s Chop House Low Children’s Jumper Classic awarded top honors to Cameron Trimino of Ladera Ranch, CA, who piloted Jenny Calandra’s Caruso for the win. Second place was awarded to Peyton Wyatt of Castle Rock, CO, and her own Cadmus for their efforts. Princess ITA, owned by Julie White, and Della White of Newport Beach, CA, rode away with third.
Coloradans filled the podium in the $2,000 Horseware Ireland Low Adult Jumper Classic. Joanne Janson of Denver clinched the win aboard her own Paquena. Littleton’s Kathy Kramer piloted her own entry, Calligraphy, for second place. Caroline Ravenel of Parker earned third place atop her Remonta Mexico ’86.
Peyton Wyatt again graced the leaderboard in the $2,000 Front Range Kubota Modified Child/Adult Jumper Classic for her trip on Cadmus. Amera Duran of Denver, CO, rode for the red ribbon aboard her own Asterix. Sarah Kaye represented Salt Lake City, UT, and earned a third-place finish aboard Cammi Gustaveson.
The $4,000 Voltaire Design Modified Junior/Amateur Jumper Classic awarded top honors to Elizabeth Porath for the second time of the SIR series. Porath of Charlotte, NC, and Amalaya Investments’ Waomi finished their jump-off in 36.091 seconds for the blue. Inez Be M Aspinwall of Englewood, CO, piloted her own Blue Catalyst through the timers in 39.151 seconds for the red ribbon. Tracye Laun of Walnut Creek, CA, took home the yellow for a first-round time of 69.308 seconds with her own Dorania P Van Achternes.
Lauren McCaulley of St. Charles, IL, completed an uncomplicated round in the $4,000 Osphos NAL/WIHS Children’s Jumper Classic aboard Kennedy McCaulley’s Tenacious D in 33.774 seconds for first place. Joshua Baird of St. Charles, IL, piloted his own Lollipop S through the timers in 35.492 seconds for second place. Owner/rider Payton Lukes of Parker, CO, galloped through the timers in 36.783 seconds with Quintano 25 for third.
The $4,000 Osphos® NAL WIHS Adult Jumper Classic saw the winning ride by Elizabeth Porath and her own Tequila Girl who finished their jump-off in 34.342 seconds. Dana Narayanappa of Cave Creek, AZ, joined the podium in second place for a 37.61 jump-off aboard her Easy Jumper Z. Evergreen, Colorado’s Amy Goodwin finished her jump-off with entry Caramello in 41.736 seconds for third.
The $5,000 Horseware Ireland NAL Low Junior/Amateur Classic saw twenty trips yet only one zero-fault round. The 73.502 second ride was completed by Elizabeth Lang of Lake Forest, IL, riding Alex Jayne’s Beja. Kennedy McCaulley of St. Charles, IL, finished a one-fault first course in 76.071 seconds for second place aboard her own Zara. Jonathan Cohen of Wellington, FL, piloted his own Lander to third place with a one-fault first course in 76.468 seconds.
Molly Talla of San Juan Capistrano, CA, took home the big prize for her 39.462 second jump-off in the $5,000 Medium Junior/Amateur Jumper Classic aboard her Gallantino. Pony Lane Farm’s Disney was in the hands of Kelsey Thatcher of Bluffdale, UT, during a 38.508 second jump-off for second place. Third place was awarded to Krista Borgers of Santa Barbara, CA, for her 56.972 second jump-off with Brookelane Farms’ Romeo Du Paradis.
Annabella Sanchez of Glencoe, IL, topped the leaderboard in the $10,000 Griffis Residential SJHOF High Junior/Amateur Owner Jumper Classic after the class’ only double-clear effort, jumping-off in 35.356 seconds aboard her own Incitatus. Tali Dejong of Golden, CO, had prizewinning rides on both of her mounts, earning second and third place. Her entries D Adermie and Amadeus finished their jump-offs in 37.319 and 37.111 seconds, respectively.
Hunter Highlights
The $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby was held on Friday, July 20. First and second rounds were ridden by all eleven entries and Kaitlin Campbell of San Marcos, CA, and Carol Irwin’s Bella Vita were awarded first place, overall. Grace Tuton of Scottsdale, AZ, earned second place for her rounds aboard Lautento, owned by Nicodemus Farms.
Liza Kelly of Parker, CO, was awarded champion honors in the $100 Stirrup Hunter Classic with The Cottonwoods’ entry Sir Topham Hat. Reserve champion was awarded to Jennifer Edgell of Parker, CO, for her ride aboard her own Sorrento.
The $1,000 Marshall & Sterling NAL/WIHS Children’s Hunter Classic congratulated owner/rider Olivia Contillo of Parker, CO, for her champion ride aboard The Beat Goes On. Eliza Razdan of Tulsa, OK, rode to reserve aboard her own Snowfall.
The $1,000 Marshall & Sterling NAL/WIHS Adult Hunter Classic saw a clean sweep of the podium by Amy Brubaker of Salt Lake City, UT. Brubaker rode Balmoral’s Insight to champion and Hanna Meyer’s Ceremony to reserve.
Lauren Brekkas of Aurora, CO, piloted Hays Lanter’s Happiness Is for champion honors in the $1,000 Pony Hunter Classic. Party Time carried owner Jordan Gibbs of Colorado Springs, CO, to the honor of reserve.
Nicole Ellison of Castle Rock, CO, rode her entry Baltimore 63 for top honors in the $100 Pre-Children’s Hunter Classic. Jennifer Antonacci of Flower Mound, TX, collected the reserve title with her own Deniro.
The $100 Pre-Adult Hunter Classic awarded champion honors to My Fair Lady and owner/rider Elizabeth Huxster of Denver, CO. Chancellor was guided by owner Alexa Stumpe of Colorado Springs, CO, for reserve champion.
The $100 Platinum Performance Modified Adult Hunter Classic saw the winning effort by Christen Tuxworth of Colorado Springs, CO, and her mount, Santiano. Kelsey Connaghan of Denver, CO, rode her own Sanskrit to reserve.
Michael Kennedy’s Memphis Belle and Katherine Harkwell of Saint Louis, MO, earned the blue ribbon in the $100 Platinum Performance Modified Children’s Hunter Classic. Jewel Bridwell of Lindsay, OK, earned the red ribbon on Amy White’s Vermillion’s Hero.
It was a cool finish for Tarah Wolf of Glenwood Springs, CO, and Snowbird, who finished champions of the $1,000 Green Hunter 3’3″ Classic. Laura Hightower’s Shy Boy came out of his shell when piloted by Jordan Gilchrist of Flower Mound, TX, for reserve champion.
The $1,000 CWD Junior Hunter 3’3″/3’6″ Classic saw the winning effort by champion Allison Sinclair of Winnetka, IL, and Whitney Sinclair’s Q-Pid. Kennedy McCaulley rode her own Frosted Blue for the honor of reserve.
After seven successful weeks of competition the SIR show series came to an end on Sunday, July 22. CHP would like to thank competitors, spectators, sponsors and vendors for a wonderful summer series. CHP will go on to host the USHJA Emerging Athletes Clinic, Dressage in the Rockies, Western Dressage in the Rockies and the American Eventing Championships in August. “A” rated hunter/jumper competition is set to return to CHP in September as the venue will host the three-week competitive series, Autumn in the Rockies.