Caelinn Leahy and Kaner 88 win the $2,500 Low Junior Jumper Accumulator Class at the Spring Spectacular II.
Leahy began riding Kaner 88 one year ago and has gone on to grow her partnership with him. Leahy's love of hockey directly coincides with her love of horses, and Kaner 88 embodies both.
"We originally named him Kaner 88 because Patrick Kane is a little bit of a smaller player and a red head, and 'Kenny' loves to go fast and be a super star like Kaner. It is a lot of fun to represent the Blackhawks here, I am watching all the games, and I have my fingers crossed," Leahy said.
Riders were tested through a series of obstacles ranging in difficulty during the Accumulator Jumper classes on Friday. A sister class to the ever-popular Gambler's Choice, the Accumulator classes gave riders the opportunity to showcase their speed and agility through 10 obstacles for a culmination of points. The number of points depended on the fence, with the value ascending throughout the course from one to 10. For every fence cleared, the points were tabulated. At the very end of the track, the riders could choose between the 10-point oxer or the 20-point "joker." In the situation that the joker fell, 20 points would be deducted. Riders were also penalized for any overage in time, and the rider with the fastest time and most points would take away the win.
"The course was awesome," Leahy said of Hector Loyola's Accumulator track. "It was a lot of fun, and I really enjoyed that it was a very speed-like. The joker jump was a lot of fun. It was challenging, and it wasn't your average speed class, which is fun to bring more spice to the show."
Leahy and Kaner 88 stole the show during the $1,500 Low Junior Jumper Accumulator, sponsored by Believe It Farm. She was able to navigate all nine obstacles without dropping a rail, and she then opted for the joker to finish with a total of 65 points, the maximum possible. Her time of 51.603 seconds was too fast to catch, and even second place rider Kyle Perkovitch with Roc My World was nearly four seconds off her pace. Brooke Saltzman and Nicholas finished in third for their clear effort and 65-point total in 57.154 seconds.
"I think that we have really grown more as a partnership now," Leahy said of the mount. "I have learned more about him-all of his different gears and buttons-and I know how to apply his quirks to him now. We had a really successful winter circuit at the Winter Equestrian Festival, we actually finished third in the circuit standings, and he has just been great."
In the $2,500 High Junior/Amateur-Owner Accumulator, sponsored by Wisconsin Equine, Laurel McAllister and Cnut 4, rode to the win with 63 points in 73.735 seconds, having two faults deducted from their conservative effort. Nicole Loochtan and Willem captured the second place, while Leahy also rode to the third place finish with Esquilino Bay.
McAllister, a working student and assistant barn manager for Treesdale Farms, only began riding Cnut 4 about two months ago, and the Showplace Spring Spectacular II only marks their second competition. The grey gelding stands at just over 18 hands, making the jumps seem small in comparison to his scope and stride.
"He is just a really good guy," McAllister said. "On the ground, he is really mellow. He loves attention and loves food, but once he gets in the ring he picks it up. I think he likes to win."
McAllister continued, "He is so willing and so game. It is not a lot of effort for him to jump these. When I was out there it was comforting to know that he has jumped way bigger. I knew if I could jump clean and get as many points as possible, that we would clear the joker and win. This accumulator structure reminded me a lot of the Gambler's Choice, which is something I have always wanted to do. It was nice to see a set track that was still a lot of fun. I hope to see more of them in the future-it's fun taking a gamble at the end."
It was Molly Struve and Orchidee MiLody who took the top honors during the $1,500 Low Amateur Jumper Accumulator, sponsored by Believe It Farm. She secured the lead with a 65-point total in 62.228 seconds. Adeline Cordin-Blitat and Vince picked up the second place award with riding to a clear effort in 62.585 seconds. Chelsea Babcock and Da Vinci fell just shy of Cordin-Blitat and Vince to earn the third place ribbon with 65 points in 63.168 seconds.
Lisa Goldman and Rocs to Riches
During the $5,000 1.30m Open Jumpers Lisa Goldman and Rocs to Riches laid down a double clear effort in a speedy 34.480 seconds to take the win. She duplicated her efforts during the $2,500 1.40m Open Jumpers with recent mount Hindsight, a young horse that was competing in the 2'6" Novice Adult Hunters before Goldman kicked off his jumper career.
Elizabeth Adelson and Atchafalaya secured the second place finish behind Goldman in the 1.30m Open Jumpers, with Liz Atkins and Esconial taking the third place position.
The 1.40m Open Jumpers only saw one double clear effort, which was put forth by Goldman and Hindsight. Theo Genn and Castiel were second as the only four fault effort of the speed track, while Amelia McArdle and Seniorita de la Roque captured the third place with eight faults, incurred during the opening round of the class.
The Open Jumper division marked one of the last opportunities for exhibitors to show their horses in the Grand Prix Ring before the $50,000 Win Vision Grand Prix Saturday.
$1,500 WIHS Jumper Classics
Olivia Lawton and Cassandra Dreams won the $1,500 WIHS Children's Jumper Classic early Friday morning. They took the win with a blazing speed time of 28.902 seconds, opting for all of the inside turns, finishing almost two seconds ahead of fellow contenders.
Lawton said, "I just got Cassandra Dreams at the end of Florida, and she is so sweet. She is my first serious jumper. I have been preparing for the Low Junior Jumpers by becoming more comfortable competing in the Children's Jumpers. Today it felt a lot smoother and calmer, and I think that it showed."
The young talent took no chances during the speed phase of the track, slicing and dicing the seconds with foot speed and inside turns. The only door that she possibly left open was an inside turn that she did not make as quickly as she would have liked and had a slight bobble. Even with the minor setback, Lawton had a fantastic recovery and flew through the final three obstacles of the course to take the win.
"I really liked the course. I liked the speed a lot, but if you didn't make the inside turns right away, you weren't going to make it. I nearly fell off," Lawton laughed. "Cassandra Dreams was great out there today, she always is. She always jumps. She is super fast, and she is always game."
MacKenzie Snider and Varina picked up the second place ribbon, and Kesley Taylor and Zelda finished third.
During the $1,500 WIHS Adult Jumper Classic Kristin Smith and Ophelia, owned by Jill Donaldson of Indianapolis, IN, took the blue. Emily Colella and Washington won the second place, while Caitlyn Epperson and TKO Kingsride finished third.
Smith has described the 19-year-old Dutch Warmblood Ophelia as "fast and fun to ride." Smith began riding the horse nearly two years ago, and the win today marked Smith and Ophelia's second consecutive year snatching up the $1,500 WIHS Adult Classic victory.
The Spring Spectacular II will come to a conclusion on Sunday with its Children's, Adult, Junior and Amateur-Owner jumper classics. Before the second week of the series comes to a conclusion, riders will have the opportunity to compete for the lion's share of the earnings on Saturday afternoon during the $50,000 Win Vision Grand Prix.
For more information on the Showplace Spring Spectacular Series, please visit: www.showplaceproductions.com.