Bjorn Ikast and Colorado win the $15,000 Welcome Stake
Course designer Danny Foster built a course that tested the horse and rider combinations, but delivered just the optimum number of clear trips for the jump-off round.
A tricky part of the course was a bending line oxer to a huge triple combination. This line tripped up the majority of the riders who did not progress to the jump off. It required precision and a really good distance into the first element of the triple.
"I thought it was a very demanding class," said Bjorn Ikast. "It is a $15,000 class so they had to be a little tough. Also, with the horses that were in here - John Pearce with three fantastic horses- good horses and good riders you had to build it difficult. Hats off to the course builder, Danny Foster. He always does a good job. I thought it was a little bit big but with the new footing it makes the horses jump a little better."
Twenty-three horse and rider teams took a stab at a clear round and only six accomplished the task. First back were Bryn Sadler and Showcase 81's Bon Giorno. The pair had a clean round and earned the momentary lead.
John Pearce returned for the short track on all three of his horses, Chianto, Son of a Gun and Johnny B Good all owned by Forest View Farms. His only clear round with Son of a Gun eventually landed the duo in second place.
Ikast returned with Colorado, owned by Bovee Limited Liability Partnership, to lay down a blazing fast, clean round that would earn the pair the victory gallop.
Then, Mark Mead and Balthazar had the fastest round of the group but had an unfortunate rail. The pair finished fifth.
"Colorado was great today," Ikast said. "He's normally not that fast. He was right on, we had good turns and we were focused on the distances. We were lucky. They call him the 'clean machine.' John Pearce gave him that name because he jumps a lot of clean rounds. Maybe not always the fastest one, but he's learning. He was three seconds off John Pearce. There are not many that can do that. So it was just his day today."
The win was especially sweet for Ikast, who was celebrating his birthday. Plus, one of his own mounts that he also rode in the class, Iz's Viva La Vida, turned 8 today.
"That was a really good present!" he said. "John is a good friend and Chianto could have gone faster. His plan was to go clean. I think he was being smart to save his 17-year-old horse for the Grand Prix. Hats off for a good horseman. That's what we have to do sometimes."
"In this sport there are very small margins for success," continued Ikast. "Mark Mead also had a very good round- he just rolled a pole off. He could have been right there also. When you get it you have to take it. When you win you have to open the champagne immediately because the next day is a new day."
Earlier in the day the $1,000 5/6 Year Old Championship was held in the Kathy and Brad Coors Family Arena. Tony Font from Texas and Von Casius, owned by Deanna Blackburn, earned the blue ribbon while Ikast and his Supernatural won the red ribbon.
Hannah Holik and Cupido de Laubry, owned by Morgan Hill Partners, took first place honors in the $500 High Junior Amateur jumpers. Jackie Smith and her own Diego were second.
On Friday, the Kathy and Brad Coors Family Arena at the Colorado Horse Park will kick off competition at 8 a.m. sharp with the $2500 1.30m Open Jumpers followed by the $2500 1.40m Open Jumpers and the High Junior/Amateur Jumpers.
589. $15,000 Open Welcome Stake
1/323/Colorado/Bovee Limited Liability Partnership/Bjorn Ikast
2/394/Son of A Gun/Forest View Farm/John Pearce
3/264/Bon Giorno/Showcase 81, LLC/Bryn Sadler
4/393/Chianto/Forest View Farm/John Pearce
5/844/Balthazar/Marianne Marshall/Mark Mead
6/395/Johnny B Good/Forest View Farm/John Pearce
7/146/Katie Riddle/Rancho Corazon, LLC/Chenoa Mc Elvain
8/485/Bull Run's Le Conte/Empire State Equine Sales, LLC/Kristen Vanderveen
9/470/Panache/Chris Falewitch/Janine Weatherby
10/254/Cwestoreto/Palmer Divide Ranch/Susan Griffis
11/169/S & L Zeppelin/Caroline Beecherl/Caroline Beecherl
12/338/Casco/Carli Kirsch/Carli Kirsch
577. $1,000 Young Jumper 5/6 Year Old Champ
1/228/Von Casius/Deana Blackburn/Tony Font
2/321/Supernatural/Bjorn Ikast/Bjorn Ikast
3/855/Hey Joe/Kelsey Van Ackeren/Matt Cyphert
4/480/J.E.S. Quito/Nicki Wilcox/Nicki Wilcox
5/278/Cassino/Armando Hassey/Armando Hassey
6/472/Derringer/Mary Carhart/Janine Weatherby
553. $500 High Jr/AO Jumper
1/298/Cupido de Laubry/Morgan Hill Partners/Hannah Holik
2/280/Diego/Jackie Smith/Jackie Smith
3/168/Zomar/Caroline Beecherl/Caroline Beecherl
4/182/Sir Sean/Jordan Dean/Jordan Dean
5/151/Carino G/Rancho Corazon, LLC/Guy Mc Elvain
6/854/Vernon G/Kelsey Van Ackeren/Kelsey Van Ackeren
7/200/Waterloo II/Jennifer Hodgson/Jennifer Hodgson
549. $500 Low Junior Jumper
1/486/Bull Run's Alli Lu Ya/Empire State Equine Sales, LLC/Chelsea Babcock
2/341/Quite Quick/Jennifer Flynn/Delaney Flynn/$110.00
3/491/Bull Run's Guardian/Empire State Equine Sales, LLC/Chelsea Babcock
4/442/Quito/Thinks Like A Horse/Isabel Johnson
5/300/Santiago/Czech Mate, LLC/Hannah Holik
6/187/Colleona/BTP Investments LLC/Brooke Pettet
7/273/Lambert Louis/Cora Leeuwenburg/Armando Hasse
8/853/MTM Balvino/Brandon Howard/Brandon Howard
561. $500 Low Amateur Owner Jumper
1/267/Picobello/Showcase 81, LLC/Bryn Sadler
2/265/Cancun Z/Showcase 81, LLC/Bryn Sadler
3/181/Ralmea Z/Blair Julia Wright/Blair Julia Wright
4/175/Nala/Jacqueline Ward/Jacqueline Ward
5/174/Quinta/Jacqueline Ward/Jacqueline Ward
6/163/Marso/Patricia Murphy/Erin Murphy
7/349/Air Apparent/Teton View Farm/Liz Schmid
8/431/Heartland/Jacqueline Mains/Jacqueline Mains