Parker, CO—July 22—Karen Cudmore had her good luck charm in the stands during the $60,000 American Grandprix Association (AGA) Grand Prix of Denver presented by Dillard’s and Ariat. It seems whenever friend and judge Dale Pederson is at a show, Cudmore brings home the winning paycheck. The grand prix at the Colorado Horse Park was no exception. Not only did Cudmore finish in first place with Ocelot, she took the yellow ribbon with Southern Pride.
Six horses advanced to the jump-off over Jack Robson’s first round course of airy fences. The shortened jump-off required technical skill and favored precise riding. “I knew it wasn’t an easy jump-off,” Cudmore said. “It was a careful jump-off [and] I risked a few things.” Her winning horse is a homebred by Ocean II. The 11-year-old Holsteiner was sold three years ago, but Cudmore got him back as a 10-year-old. The pair finished second in last week’s $40,000 AGA Rocky Mountain Grand Prix Presented by Murdoch’s.
Finishing in second place was Janet Hischer, of Scottsdale, AZ, on Rose Bergdale’s Carpe Diem. The nine-year-old Hanoverian was doing the 3’6” jumpers when Hischer began moving him up the levels. “I had no idea he could jump a grand prix course,” she recalled. Taking her horse’s greenness into account, Hischer’s jump-off strategy was to go for double-clean, but she did do an inside turn and was pleased with her horse’s rideability on the other rollback turns. “His barn name is Buddy; and he’s my little buddy,” Hischer said.
The third and final leg of the Colorado Horse Park Triple Crown is held in a ring that had capacity spectators on three sides. Riders praised the atmosphere and excitement of the event. “The crowd is awesome,” Cudmore explained. “You can really feel their enthusiasm.”
Armando Hassey’s quest for the $25,000 bonus for winning two grand prix during the Colorado Horse Park Triple Crown came to an end during the first round when he and La Roche pulled a rail at the eleventh obstacle. They finished in ninth place.
Results
$60,000 AGA Grand Prix of Denver presented by Dillard’s and Ariat
1. Ocelot and Karen Cudmore
2. Carpe Diem and Janet Hischer
3. Southern Pride and Karen Cudmore
4. Pleasant and Peter Pletcher
5. Monaco and Christian Rogge
6. Nomograaf and Allison Kroff
7. Mr. Flanagan and Sharn Wordley
8. Omar Sharriff and Allison Kroff
The jumpers weren’t the only ones having fun the last week of the four-week Colorado Summer Circuit. The grand finale for the hunters is the $15,000 Working Hunter Classic, which was won for the third time by Peter Pletcher. This year, Pletcher rode Mary Katherine Atkin’s Godiva to the win. The attractive bay did double duty for the circuit in both the first year green hunters and the juniors.
Pletcher also finished second in the class with Ashley and Michael Dennehy’s Burberry. Rounding out third place was Keiri Kaneps on her own Brescia. Brescia also won the $5,000 Hunter Classic during the second week of the circuit.
Results
$15,000 Working Hunter Classic
1. Godiva and Peter Pletcher
2. Burberry and Peter Pletcher
3. Brescia and Keiri Kaneps
4. Limoges and Audrey Carlson
5. Just Kidding and Lindsay Sceats
6. Primrose and Becky Gochman
About the Colorado Horse Park: The Colorado Horse Park is a 501 (c) 3 not-for-profit organization. The purpose of the Colorado Horse Park is to showcase the history and heritage of the West using the horse as the primary teaching tool through hands-on educational programming, museum exhibitions, competitions, boarding and training, recreation, entertainment and therapy for all ages.~~~