Rancho Murieta, Calif. – Oct. 7, 2017 – Mandy Porter couldn’t help but hold back tears as she stood for the American national anthem after winning the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping qualifier at Sacramento with Milano.
Porter (USA), a Northern California native, and Abigail Weese’s 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding were the only double-clear performers on the evening. Jenni McAllister (USA) and Legis Touch the Sun were second, and Richard Spooner and new mount Chatinus (USA) finished third.
“Milano was so in-form tonight. I couldn’t have asked him to do anything better. As long as I stay out of his way, he’s unbelievable. He just rose to the occasion. I wasn’t sure if he was going to be nervous with the crowd, but in reality, he thrived on it. In the jump-off, he felt solid, not nervous. He basically was saying, ‘Don’t mess this up for me today!,” said Porter.
Only four riders were able to navigate Marina Azevedo’s (BRA) course without fault in the first round, and when returning for the shortened course, Porter was in the disadvantageous position of having to go first. Not only were she and her mount the only ones to keep all the jumps up, but their blazing time of 39.16 seconds was also good enough to win even if her competitors would have also jumped cleanly.
“Milano is quite fast, and in all honestly, my strategy was not to get too excited rolling back to the vertical [at fence seven],” Porter explained. “I have a tendency to get a little excited, and I wanted to give him the chance to see [the fence] and jump it and be balanced. After that, it was a galloping game.”
Porter’s finish moves her up to fourth-place in the standings for the west coast sub league of the North American League with 22 points. The League continues with another west coast stop in Del Mar (USA) on Saturday 21 October 2017.
RESULTS
$100,000 LONGINES FEI World Cup™ Jumping Sacramento
Place / Horse / Rider / Country / Owner / R1 Faults / Time / R2 Faults / Time
1. Milano / Mandy Porter / USA / Abigail Weese / 0 / 71.90 / 0 / 39.16
2. Legis Touch the Sun / Jenni McAllister / USA / Legisequine.Com / 0 / 75.30 / 4 / 40.98
3. Chatinus / Richard Spooner / USA / Gestüt Lewitz & Gugler Sport Horses . 0 / 71.97 / 4 / 42.47
4. Dolinn / Sayre Happy / USA / Evergate Stables Llc / 0 / 73.23 / 4 / 44.04
5. Utopia / John Perez / COL / John Perez/Daniel Rihan / 4 / 70.74
6. Corette / Keean White / CAN / Angelstone Farms, Javier Salvador S / 4 / 70.98
7. Luebbo / Jamie Barge / USA / Kylie Co. / 4 / 71.13
8. Serise du Bidou / Alison Robitaille / USA / Bertram & Diana Firestone / 4 / 71.55
9. Chacco / Mavis Spencer / USA / de vrindt / 4 / 75.20
10. Concetto Son / Laura Jane Tidball / CAN / Thunderbird Show Park Ltd. / 4 / 75.70
11. Carlton Cafe / Jill Prieto / USA / Freestyling Farms Llc / 8 / 71.06
12. Samson II / Zazou Hoffman / USA / Woodacres Stables Llc / 8 / 72.30
Eric Navet Speeds to Victory in the $36,500 Murieta Inn, Spa & Restaurant Speed Class
Eric Navet (FRA) and Basimodo led the field in the $36,500 Murieta Inn, Spa and Restaurant 1.45m Speed Class. Navet was tenth into the ring out in a field of twenty nine horse and rider combinations.
Navet set down the leading time of 54.57 seconds, a time that proved to be unbeatable. Mandy Porter(USA) on the 18-year-old Coral Reef Baloufino made a valiant effort to overtake Navet but ultimately placed second. Karie Rufer(USA) on the stunning grey Clapton placed third after holding the lead for six rounds on a time of 56.05 seconds.
Two final clear rounds came from Vani Khosia and Billy Mexico with at time 57.36 of for fourth and close behind Jennifer Gates and Alex on at time of 57.72 for fifth.
RESULTS
$36,500 Murieta Inn, Spa & Restaurant 1.45m
Place / Horse / Owner / Rider / Faults / Time
1. Basimodo / Signe Ostby / Eric Navet / 0 / 54.57
2. Coral Reef Baloufino / Coral Reef Ranch / Mandy Porter / 0 / 55.99
3. Clapton / Morning Star Sporthorses, LLC / Karrie Rufer / 0 / 56.05
4. Billy Mexico / Vani Khosla / Vani Khosla / 0 / 57.36
5. Alex / Evergate Stables LLC / Jennifer Gates / 0 / 57.72
6. Clochard / Neil Jones Equestrian Inc / Mavis Spencer / 4 / 55.49
7. HTH Crazy For Crown / Judy Hinson / Richard Fellers / 4 / 55.91
8. Arthos R / CNS Logistics Inc / Richard Spooner / 4 / 56.40
9. Coral Reef Follow Me Ii / Coral Reef Ranch / Mandy Porter / 4 / 56.50
10. Chakira / Sandhaven Farm LLC / Rachel Fields / 4 / 58.46
11. Kahlua / Hailey Rogge / Andrew Kocher / 4 / 58.61
12. Mai Tai 2 / Morning Star Sporthorses, LLC / Karrie Rufer / 4 / 61.14