Temecula, Calif. – May 24, 2018 – Back for day two, Nilforushan Equisport Events’ Temecula Valley National Horse Show II at Galway Downs featured its largest prize money class of the week so far in the form of the $30,000 Voltaire 1.40 – 1.45m Speed Classic. A herd of competitors took to the Audi Grand Prix Arena for a shot at the lion’s share of the pot, with Mandy Porter and WT Ca Pow! ultimately emerging victorious after racing to the speediest clean trip of the class. In the Grand Hunter Ring, Jenny Karazissis and Peter Lombardo rode Big Shot and Academy Award to division titles in the Green 3’6”/3’9” Hunters and the Performance 3’3’’ Hunters, respectively, as the week’s first division winners.
First in the ring, Lane Clarke in the irons aboard McLord’s T.K.O., owned by Mickey Hayden, set the pace with a clear ride in a swift 68.349 seconds, but were quickly overtaken two trips later by Michelle Parker and Cross Creek Farm, Inc.’s Cupilor with a breakneck time of 65.728 seconds. Fellow competitors knew they had a challenge ahead of them with the dynamic pair of Parker and Cupilor on top to kick off the class. Together the two have ridden to multiple grand prix victories already this year, one of them being the $40,000 Snapbac National Grand Prix held during the first week of the Temecula Valley National Horse Show in April.
Chasing the swift leaders, Kenneth Vinther and his own Colicchio looked to be on track to leapfrog Parker and the chestnut gelding for the top spot, but had to settle for the current reserve spot when the timers flashed a final time of 66.427, less than a second too slow. Halfway through the class, Parker and Cupilor’s time still stood as the time to beat, but Porter and WT Ca Pow!, owned by Wild Turkey Farm, LLC, sped over the 13-effort track in brisk fashion, tripping the timers in 65.234 seconds to steal the lead. The remaining half of the pack would try to chase them down, but none would be successful. Only Guy Thomas and Jonkheer Z would prove to be close contenders with a time of 64.871 seconds, but unfortunately clipped two rails to accrue 8 faults.
Over the entirety of the class, course designer Frédéric Cottier’s (FRA) track, full of sweeping turns, proved aptly challenging for the field of athletes, with 7 total pairs turning in fault-free rounds. Fence six, the liverpool oxer, manifested as the bogey fence of the afternoon, with its top rail falling numerous times midway through the course. Porter and WT Ca Pow! were ultimately awarded the top spot as the big winners of the afternoon, with Parker and Cupilor retaining second position, followed by Vinther and Colicchio in third place overall.
As hunter competition continued on the second day of the Temecula Valley National Horse Show II, Karazissis rode away to the Green 3’6”/3’9” Hunter championship title aboard Big Shot, a 7-year-old Holsteiner gelding owned by Dulcie Lou Morris. The pair was leading after winning the under saddle class, and placing first and second in the over fences classes on the opening day of riding Wednesday. The duo returned Thursday to dominate the remaining classes, clinching both the over fences class and the handy round to earn a near-perfect cumulative score in the division.
Navigating to the reserve championship in the Green 3’6”/3’9” Hunter division was Lombardo on Kristi Siam’s Skyline, a 7-year-old Oldenburg gelding. Lombardo and Skyline concluded the second portion of competition with a winning over fences round, in addition to placing second and third in the remaining over fences rounds.
In the Performance 3’3’’ Hunter division, Lombardo added to his list of accolades by earning the tricolor ribbon on Ann Turley-Adam’s Academy Award, an 11-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding. The horse-and-rider combination topped the leaderboard in two of the over fences classes, won the handy round and placed second in the under saddle class thanks to their consistently strong showings in the ring.
After winning a blue ribbon in the under saddle, two red ribbons in over fences classes and placing third in the handy, Leslie Steele claimed the Performance 3’3’’ Hunter division’s reserve championship title on Natalie Rae Medlock’s Carlo, a 9-year-old Warmblood gelding.
The Temecula Valley National Horse Show will return Friday, with the $10,000 Meyer Selles 1.40m Jumpers and NEE Hunter/Jumper Team Challenge attracting riders and spectators to the Audi Grand Prix Arena. The juniors will take their turn in the spotlight in the hunter ring, each vying for the early lead in their divisions.
FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE
Mandy Porter – $30,000 Voltaire 1.40 – 1.45m Speed Classic champion
On WT Ca Pow!:
“This horse is actually really special to me and all of us at our barn. He’s a 9-year-old. He had last year off because of an injury, so he’s just coming back and really coming back strong. I think the reason that he’s so special is that I rode his father and mother also, so the fact that Wild Turkey Farm bred him and he’s come to where he is, it’s really special and makes it that much more fun.”
On her horse’s development:
“I think this horse is continuing to grow. Every time he goes in the ring, he blossoms and tries to find the answers to the questions that he’s being asked. The first week of this show [in April] was the first grand prix that he had ever done, so he was really good. Every time he goes, he tries to improve and figure out what it is that he’s supposed to do.”
On the course:
“I really liked it. There were a couple options in there that I thought were slight risks but not crazy, and it was a good chance for a horse like this to try it out and not do anything that would be scary or jeopardizing to him. It’s furthering his education.”
On the Temecula Valley National Horse Show:
“Speaking with Ali [Nilforushan] about it while he was organizing the whole thing, I had a good feeling that if he was going to put this on, he was going to do a good job. To help support someone who is going to go to such great measures and take a big risk to try to do something so big for this sport, I believe in doing that and being supportive. It’s been better than I even imagined for the first time. It’s so impressive what they’ve done. It’s out of this world – it has a European flair and that’s really nice. It’s been really nice for our horses, our owners and our riders, and everyone has been really happy here. It’s top footing, the courses have been great and the people are unbelievably friendly. You feel very welcomed. It’s been a breath of fresh air.”
Jenny Karazissis – Green 3’6”/3’9” Hunter champion
About Big Shot:
“I have had the ride on him for two years. Last year we competed in the Green 3’3” Hunter division and I can’t say enough nice things about him. He is very special and I am so fortunate to have the ride on him. He enjoys his job, and you can tell. He goes in the ring with his ears up and is very brave and curious. He is immensely talented, super scopey, incredibly balanced and just beautiful – the whole package as far as I am concerned.”
Thoughts on her first time at Temecula Valley National Horse Show:
“This week is our first time here and I am so happy that I could come and support the new show. The grass field is fabulous, footing is great and it is beautiful. I am so happy to be here! I think the show organizers are doing a wonderful job. The prizes are wonderful and the presentation and the grass field — it is just lovely. It is so good for the horses to have a new place to show because we have been stuck in such a rut with only a handful of places to show year after year. I can tell my horse is very interested here and that is refreshing. I really want to thank Nilforushan Equisport Events for finding us a venue and putting it together. I am really looking forward to coming back!”
Peter Lombardo – Performance 3’3” Hunter champion
On winning the division championship with Academy Award:
“I’m feeling great and it is fun here! It’s an old partnership that I have had — I have been riding him for four years and we have some very big wins together: Green Conformation, Regular Conformation Horse of the Year and we won at indoors. He was reserve with his owner at the Devon Horse Show one year and I consider him an old friend.”
On what makes Academy Award special:
“He is very glamorous and elegant in looks and personality. He has been champion at Upperville Colt & Horse Show and this reminds me of showing him there.”
RESULTS
$30,000 Voltaire 1.40 – 1.45m Speed Classic
Place / Rider / Horse / Owner / Faults / Time
1. Mandy Porter / WT Ca Pow! / Wild Turkey Farm, LLC / 0 / 65.234
2. Michelle Parker / Cupilor / Cross Creek Farm, Inc. / 0 / 65.728
3. Kenneth Vinther / Colicchio / Kenneth Vinther / 0 / 66.427
4. Shawn Casady / Cicomein / HKC Collection, LLC / 0 / 67.094
5. Russell Morgan / Jeronimo Bisschop / Russell Morgan / 0 / 67.539
6. Lane Clarke / McLord’s T.K.O. / Mickey Hayden / 0 / 68.349
7. Shawn Casady / Campitello 5 / High Point Farm, LLC / 0 / 72.923
8. John Pearce / Firestone S / Nicole Teague / 4 / 68.007