Budweiser American Invitational: Not a single clear round!

Stadium Jumping Wrap-up

It was a gorgeous night in Tampa for The Budweiser American Invitational. The stadium had a large and enthusiastic crowd and the class was both exciting and unusual. After 34 rounds not a single horse was clear; so the seven riders with 4-faults jumped off. The course was big and technical; the very wide double oxers in the triple combination were the nemesis of most. If you didn’t hit the first jump just right it was nearly impossible to get over the second element without the back rail coming down.

The other very tricky spots on the course were the double liver pool combination and the last line which was a combination to a final big oxer. By that point in this long and huge course many of the horses were showing fatigue. The time allowed was set tight for the first round so time faults were common across the board.

Rolette and Shane Sweetnam came ever so close to being in the final jump-off. The pair made it through all the combinations, with Rolette showing her Olympic form and having no trouble at all with the course. Her amazing scope was a major advantage through the combinations and she had plenty of energy at the end of the course. A single rail after the triple combination and a time fault left them with 5 faults in total. In the end this put the pair in the money and in the victory gallop with an 11th place finish.

The Invitational was a great prep for Rolette’s European trip where she will be showing in France, Rome and Switzerland during May and June. Best of luck to Shane and Rolette!

Julia Lourie on Vivaldi.  Nearly unbeatable at Tournament of Champions in Tampa.

Vivaldi and Julia Lourie had a clear round in the first High Jr./AO class at The Tournament of Champions.  Their aggressive jumpoff led to a single rail down landing her in 7^th and well in the money. 

The pair was nearly unbeatable in the High Jr/AO Classic on Saturday.  It was an extremely exciting class and a difficult course with only 5 returning for the jump-off.  Julia and Vivaldi led the class with a second round time of 33.4 seconds until Alex Parrish on Kadorijke took the lead with the only other double clear round of the Class.  Julia and Vivaldi ended up second in this $7500 Classic for a very exciting end to the Tampa Circuit.

The Low Jr. class on Thursday saw only 5 clear rounds.  Taboo and Kaitlin Campbell went first in the jump-off  and had one rail.  This held the lead in the class until the final entry – Joy Slater on Shindig, who  went slower but clear having the only double clear round of the class placing Taboo in 2^nd. 

The first round of the Low Jr./AO Classic was challenging and intense on Saturday afternoon.  Only 4 made it to the final jump-off.  Taboo went first setting the pace with a double clear round and a blazing speed.  Amber Henter on Royal Discovery was last to go and had the only other double clear round winning by less than 0.5 seconds.  Taboo, with her two seconds this week, tied for Champion with Slater’s Shindig.

Congratulations to Shane and Triviant on being Circuit Champion in Tampa in the 1.45M Jumpers.

Tournament of Champions: Shane continues as a consistent force

SCF Culper continues to be a star in the  young jumpers.  This weeks class had Todd Minikus and Primero the winner, SCF Culper 2^nd and Mario Deslauriers on Quatro 3^rd.

In the 1.35 Unadonja landed in the 5th spot…7 seconds faster than winner but with an unfortunate rail in the jumpoff.  And Amaretto D’Arco  returned to the show ring after a break at the end of WEF and was double clear in 1.40M. Triviant also continued his winning ways with a 3^rd place finsh in 1.45M

Little Emir was spectacular in the $5,000 1.40M class blazing around the course in 28.7 seconds.  His time held up until the end when Maclain with Gentleman clipped the time by .5 seconds.  Only 3 double clear rounds.

Little Emir stars at Tampa Equestrian Festival

 From Stadium Jumping Press Release Tampa Equestrian Festival:

Tampa, FL -April 2, 2009 - It was a partly cloudy day for the third day of competition of the Tournament of Champions, the third week of the Tampa Equestrian Festival. Today riders had the opportunity to compete in the Covered Arena at the Bob Thomas Equestrian Center, located on the Florida State Fairgrounds, in the 1.40m class. McLain Ward garnered the top prize with Gentlemen after his speedy jump-off round.

Ten riders advanced to the jump-off in today's 1.40m class, the first of which was Shane Sweetnam and Little Emir. The pair set a tough round to beat after going clear in a very fast time of 28.468, which held the lead for seven more jump-off rounds before earning the second place ribbon.  See full story  Tampa Equestrian Festival Meter 1.40

Little Emir Top Placing in $30,000 WEF Challenge Series

Fastest of the four faulters, Little Emir takes 5th in Round X of the WEF Challenge Series. Only four were clean with  Bezzie Madden on OnLight winning the class and Rodrigo Pessoa taking second on Let's Fly. For complete results click on the link below.  From Horses in the South.com

Round X of the $30,000 Braman Motorcars WEF Challenge Cup Series

Earlier in the season Little Emir took top placings in WEF Challenge Series VII and VIII and was 4th in the $25,000 Fidelity Investments 1.5 Meter Classic.

Taboo and Kaitlin Campbell

The Spy Coast team were money winners throughout the week.  SCF Culper and Tangelo Z were 1^st and 2^nd in both Young Jumper  5-6 Year Old classes with SCF Culper double clear each time out.  Shane took top prize on Taboo in the 1.30M out of 28; he was double clear and 2 seconds faster than Jimmy Torano.  Moving to the 1.35M, Shane and Una Donja took 2^nd right behind Mclain Ward on Gentleman and right ahead of Margie Engle on Hidden Creek’s Campella.

Moving up in Meters, Triviant placed 5^th in the 1.40M Class with double clear trips and 2^nd in the $5,000 1.45M class along with Rolette who took home the 7^th.

The Juniors were equally consistent.  Julia was in the money on all her mounts in multiple classes with Vivaldi, Saphir and Werly Chin De Muze  - in the High Jr./AO Classes and the Low Jr./AO Jumpers.

Taboo was clear in the Low Jr. A/O  $3500 Classic with Kaitlin.  Although very fast in the jump-off, a heartbreaker rail ultimately landed the pair in 6^th place.