Cara Cheska of Waukesha, WI, and her 11-year-old mare My Fair Lady bested a field of 18 to take home the blue ribbon and winner’s check in the $40,000 Country Heir II Grand Prix sponsored by Skara Glen Stables. Three went clear in the first round, which turned out to be more difficult than originally expected.
Course designer Pierre Joliceur set a track of 16 efforts that included three double combinations, a liverpool and the open water. Besides Cheska, Angela Moore riding Claus for Stealaway Farm and Tony Font on YZ Partner’s Gardenio were the only other two to go clean.
Henry Pfeiffer on Sergeant and Tracey Fenney aboard S&L Willie both jumped around without a rail but incurred time penalties as they stopped the clock just a half-second too slow. “I was hoping for a few more to go clear…I was really crushed when Henry and Tracey each had the one time fault,” remarked Joliceur after the class.
In the jump off it was Fence 13 that proved to be the deal breaker as both Claus and Gardenio had the top pole down. Claus finished in 43.955 seconds and Gardenio stopped the clock in 45.322 seconds, placing them second and third respectively. As My Fair Lady was the last to go in the jump off, all Cheska had to do was leave the jumps standing…and that they did in a time of 46.698.
Earlier that day Amanda Dinsmore of Cincinnati, OH, and Limerick won the $10,000 Children’s/Adult Jumper Prix over Alexis Bodo of Lebanon, TN, aboard Cleopatra. Fifty-four entries participated over the first round course where four horse-and-rider combinations jumped around clean and without faults.
Other Johnson Ring highlights included Henry Pfeiffer of Temperence, MI, winning both the $10,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame High Junior/Amateur Owner Jumper Classic and the $7,500 Low Junior/Amateur Owner Jumper Classic on Saturday. Henry rode Sergeant and Jordy to the wins for owners Fox Meadow Farm. Later that evening, it was Tobasco and owner Alexandra Thornton’s turn to be in the winner’s circle as they won the $10,000 Children’s and Adult Hunter Classic in front of a packed house. Tobasco earned scores of 90 and 94 in the two-round classic from judges Joe Darby and Meg Schulman. Immediately after the victory gallop the crowd enjoyed an exhibitor’s party that included a catered buffet, live music and the annual Donkey Races. David Jennings won the Best Donkey Jockey award while Alison Leclerc took home the trophy for crossing the line first in the winner’s race.
Country Heir Horse Shows I and II ( rated “AA-Hunters”) are held annually in June at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY, and offer over $280,000 in total prize money.
For additional results and information please visit www.countryheir.com.
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