Traverse City, MI - Overcast skies couldn’t dull the excitement at Horse Shows by the Bay this afternoon, as the $30,000 Open Jumper Grand Prix of Traverse City ignited the Grand Prix ring. Brian Shook and Courage 68 took home the top prize in a suspenseful jump-off that kept fans on the edge of their seats, as Shook, who rode last in the second round, was the only competitor to clear the course twice. This event was the first of four $30,000 Open Jumper Grands Prix that will take place at Flintfields Horse Park this summer.

Horse Shows by the Bay’s first 2011 Grand Prix got off to a dramatic start, as the first horse and rider tried to leave a stride out at the first element of the triple combination. It wasn’t until the seventh rider, Robin Walker aboard Ilian-de-Taute, took the course that a clear round was achieved. Despite the much-appreciated lack of rain today, the rails seemed especially slippery on designer Chris Brandt’s intimidating course. Nearly all of the riders who entered today’s competition accidentally introduced a few rails to the Grand Prix ring’s new footing. Nevertheless, the challenge was met with delight by fans, whose “oohs” and “aahs” could be heard as each horse and rider bravely confronted the course.

Erynn Ballard and the appropriately-named Fun 2 Fly were the second to go clear in the first round. They also had the fastest first round time, breezing through in under 70 seconds, the only pair to do so without incurring faults. Foreshadowing his jump-off success, Brian Shook was the third and final rider to clear the course in the intial round. He and Courage 68 teamed-up to avoid the knockdowns and refusals that thwarted other participants. Of those whose rounds had only one fault, David Jennings and Nandy Fontaine turned in a great first round time of 69.534 seconds, finishing fourth overall. Denise Wilson also did well aboard Casey Jones, finishing with just four faults and a fifth place standing.
By the end of the first round, only Walker, Ballard, and Shook were still in contention for the top prize. Walker went first on Ilian-de-Taute, then Ballard gave it her best shot upon Fun 2 Fly. Both knocked just a single rail, making for a highly suspenseful jump-off. Tense silence surrounded Shook’s second round, as he carefully guided Courage 68 over every obstacle, some as high as 1.45 meters. The crowd elated when Shook and his mount passed the final timer, applauding a victory lap well-earned by both horse and rider.

“The first round, he was a bit of a bully,” observed Shook, “but when he’s like that I know he’s going to try to jump clean. I lose a little rideability with that, but he tries so hard that he makes up for it. I’ve been with Courage 68 for five years now, so we both know each other so well that even if we do get into a bit of trouble out there on the course, one of us can usually catch it.” Shook added, “he’s a bit tempermental. He’s very particular regarding who takes care of him, so with him we try to keep everything consistent. Having worked with him for five years, now I’m practically the only one who rides him, so we’ve been able to form a really great partnership. And I like that he’s a little quirky.”

“There’s always nerves,” Shook said of the pressure of a Grand Prix jump-off. “I think if you don’t have nerves you don’t have the desire to do well. The one thing about my horse is that he definitely knows when he’s clean and when he’s coming back. He was so smooth and we were so in-tune in the jump-off today that all of his fussiness just went away. He definitely knows what his job is in the jump-off, so he tries a little harder and becomes a little bit more focused. I don’t think he even noticed the crowd today; he’s just zoned-in on what his job is. He’s quite a competitor.”
Shook will be here at Horse Shows by the Bay during all four weeks of competition, and looks forward to viewing the progress of the other horses he has in the circuit. “I love Traverse City,” he noted. “We actually bought a house here last summer, so the whole family comes up, and it’s a bit of a vacation as well as work. It’s kind of a big family event for us. I’ve never been to a show where they’ve worked harder on doing the best they can for the exhibitors. They’ve invested so much in the footing and tried so hard, and it’s so appreciated on so many different levels".

For a complete list of results please visit www.horseshowing.com.