Giavanna Rinaldi and G.P.S. Brilliant Disguise (Mancini Photos)
The week's jumper courses in the International Arena were designed by Ken Krome (USA). In Sunday's grand prix, 52 entries contested the course with ten qualifying for the jump-off. Four of the jump-off competitors jumped double clear rounds, and Giavanna Rinaldi and G.P.S. Brilliant Disguise were last to go, and won it in 39.56 seconds.
Cara Rather and Trelawny Farm LLC's Lyonell finished second in 39.83 seconds. Quentin Judge and Double H Farm's HH Calvano finished third in 43.45 seconds, and Susan Horn and Kingsfield Farm's Lillyfee placed fourth in 44.82 seconds.
The class was Rinaldi's second time ever competing in a grand prix. She was still riding ponies and competing in the children's divisions just last year and recently moved up to the juniors. Trained by the Jayne Family out of Our Day Farm, Rinaldi started out in the Low Junior Jumpers this winter and moved up to the high classes throughout the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival circuit.
"This is really amazing," Rinaldi smiled after her big win. "I was so happy. I whispered in his ear before we went in. I told him I would give him a million carrots if he won; carrots are his favorite. To win against so many good riders was just so exciting."
"This is my second grand prix," Rinaldi explained. "I did one over the summer at Lamplight in Illinois and we got fifth in that one, we just had one rail. I started riding when I was four and started out in ponies and slowly moved my way up to jumpers."
Rinaldi's horse, G.P.S. Brilliant Disguise, is a ten-year-old gelding that she bought one year ago. "We bought him as a Junior Jumper and then he was nicer than we thought, so now he does some grand prix classes," Rinaldi noted. "He is really funny. At the barn he is always begging for carrots. He is always making me laugh. When I ride him he gets really excited at the ring. At the barn he is nice and calm and when he goes to show he gets really excited. He just wants to go and he jumps up and down. It's really funny."
Speaking about her plan in the jump-off, Rinaldi detailed, "I did the eight strides originally in the last line of the first round, so I knew the eight was going to be nice and easy. Then the second jump, I knew that it was a vertical on a slice, so I made sure that I stood him up better for that. Then the oxer was really good. The rollback into the next oxer I wanted to stay out in the turn so I didn't have the back rail. Then the seven was nice and easy and the last jump was good."
Also on hand for Rinaldi's win on Sunday, Equiline representative Kelly Molinari was happy to see a first time win for the young rider and a great class to kick off the spring circuit.
"It is very exciting because we are just so impressed that these riders are out here working so hard every day to form the foundation of the sport," Molinari stated. "Competition is the foundation, so if we can support and help that to grow in any small way, it is our way to give back to the riders. Right down to the last ride, the last minute, it was very, very exciting. It is thrilling to see a junior like that take the lead over the pros, and it just gives you a lot of hope for the future."
Rinaldi was excited to take a few days off after her win to spend time with her family in Disney World until Tuesday. She then plans to compete in the next two weeks of spring competition and will show in the grand prix classes each week.
Final Results: $25,000 Equiline Spring 1 Grand Prix
1. G.P.S. BRILLIANT DISGUISE GIAVANNA RINALDI GIAVANNA RINALDI: 0/0/39.565
2. LYONELL CARA RAETHER TRELAWNY FARMS LLC: 0/0/39.831
3. HH CALVANO QUENTIN JUDGE DOUBLE H FARM: 0/0/43.450
4. LILLYFEE SUSAN HORN KINGSFIELD FARM LLC: 0/0/44.820
5. VDL WIZARD CALLAN SOLEM HORSESHOE TRAIL FARM FLORIDA LLC: 0/4/40.803
6. WIEMINKA B WESLEY NEWLANDS WESLANDS FARMS: 0/4/40.813
7. RIVER DANCE SEMILLY PAUL O'SHEA GOTHAM ENTERPRIZES LLC: 0/4/41.054
8. ADLANTEUR HENRIK GUNDERSEN HENRIK GUNDERSEN: 0/4/42.478
9. BARANUS IAN MILLAR THE BARANUS GROUP: 0/4/43.063
10. HOOLIE HOO IAN MILLAR C.F. FARMS: 0/8/49.357
11. UNTOUCHABLE ALMA BJORKLUND ALMA BJORKLUND: 1/85.059
12. WASHINGTON SQUARE GEORGINA BLOOMBERG GOTHAM ENTERPRIZES LLC: 1/85.172