® CSI 3* Grand Prix at the 2012 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival. The pair was the fastest by over two seconds over Katie Dinan (USA) and Grant Road Partner's Nougat Du Vallet, who finished second, and Great Britain's Ben Maher on Tripple-X III, who finished third.
Sponsored by Fidelity Investments, week seven will conclude with tomorrow's $32,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic. The 2012 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival has 12 weeks of competition that conclude on April 1, 2012, and they will be awarding more than $6 million in prize money through the circuit.
Sixty-six horse and rider combinations contested tonight's first round course, set by Olaf Petersen, Jr. of Germany. Seven advanced to the jump-off, which saw four clear rounds.
![Richard Spooner and Cristallo stretch over the final oxer in the jump-off to win (Sportfot)](/images/articles/2701/richard spooner cristallo fidelitygp sportfot lo.jpg)
Richard Spooner and Cristallo stretch over the final oxer in the jump-off to win (Sportfot)
Brianne Goutal (USA) and Remarkable Farms LP's Onira set the pace, first to go in the jump-off with a clear round in 41.41 seconds, which eventually finished in fourth place. Ben Maher (GBR) and Tripple-X III followedand upped the ante with their clear round in 39.50 seconds, which took third place. Dinan and Nougat Du Vallet completed another clear round, improving on the time in 38.93 seconds to finish second.
The lead changed hands for the final time as Richard Spooner and Cristallo entered the ring. The pair blazed through the track in 36.77 seconds to earn the top prize.
Commenting on his winning round, Spooner explained, "I saw Katie and Ben go first and they were super fast. I knew I had to go as fast as I possibly could, so that's what I did. I felt like I was a little bit slow to the second jump, so I took a big chance to the combination and it paid off. That's probably where I made up the extra time because I came in at a ridiculous angle to the combination. I had to slow down to the last jump though, because it was a little steady."
Jeffery Welles (USA) and Aries, owned by Noel Love Gross finished the short course with a rail at the last fence in 37.80 seconds to place fifth. Alexandra Thornton (GBR) and Dunwalke LLC's Caballero 84 finished with four faults in 41.75 seconds to place sixth. Catherine Pasmore (USA) and Pasmore Stables' Vandavid were last to go in the jump-off and had two rails in 38.51 seconds to place seventh.
Spooner and Cristallo have had a successful partnership in recent years, although the rider admits it was not so easy at the start. Cristallo was difficult to turn, and it was not until Spooner's wife, Kaylen, began riding the gelding under saddle that his rideability really improved. The pair has
![Richard Spooner (Sportfot)](/images/articles/2703/richard spooner sportfot lo.jpg)
Richard Spooner (Sportfot)
"My wife Kaylen has done a phenomenal job. I stopped riding him on the flat and really doing anything with him two and a half years ago," Spooner said. "My wife does everything, so I just get on him and show, which is quite strange for me because in general I do all of the work on my other horses. She has him where he's turning left and turning right. Now I can go fast with him. He has a very difficult mouth and she has done an amazing job in getting him to relax and do his job. It's like night and day, a different horse."
Second place finisher Katie Dinan was happy with her horse in the pairing's first night class at a 1.60m height. Dinan described her partnership with Nougat Du Vallet, stating, "I'm lucky because Nougat is perfect. He makes me look like I know what I'm doing. I think he's given me a lot of confidence."
"My horses are all really going well," she smiled. "I was so excited to win that grand prix a few weeks ago. Sometimes you have days where everything is aligned and everything works out. The next step is trying to be consistent. This was our first class under the lights together and this was our first real 1.60m class. I was a little nervous, but he schooled great. I just went in the ring and tried to do what we've been doing together. He was so good, and I'm really lucky to have him.
Finishing in third place, Ben Maher was also pleased with his mount Tripple-X III, who was showing in his first big class since arriving in Wellington this week. "I was happy with him," Maher said. "I assessed the jump-off and knew that Richard was clear and there was no chance I was going to beat him. I tried to go as fast as I could, but I didn't want to go too quick because I have the Nations Cup next week. I couldn't have beat Richard anyway, that's for sure. This is the first class for him and there's a long way to go until the end. I'm happy to be third behind these two fast riders."
The riders praised Petersen's course tonight, Spooner especially complimentary. "Frankly, I have to say that I loved the course. Before I ever got on, when I walk a course like that, I get a smile on my face," he stated. "I get a quicker step; I get this euphoric glow because I think we need to be challenged. I want to see difficult courses. When I saw the course, I was just excited because I knew it was going to be a challenge. I also know that Cristallo jumps better when it's bigger and more difficult, in general."
Maher also commended Petersen on a job well done. "I thought it was great. I'm lucky because I believe in my horse; he's an amazing horse. We've jumped a lot of big things. Zurich just four weeks ago was one of the biggest courses I've jumped for a long time. I have to say, I thought it was going to be slightly smaller tonight as a three star grand prix. That's not a three star grand prix in Europe," he stated. "I was slightly concerned when
![Richard Spooner and Cristallo in their presentation with ESP's Michael Stone, Brian A. Cohen, Vice President, Senior Account Executive, Fidelity Personal Investments, and ringmaster Cliff Haines (Sportfot)](/images/articles/2702/richard spooner cristallo fidelitygppres sportfot lo.jpg)
Richard Spooner and Cristallo in their presentation with ESP's Michael Stone, Brian A. Cohen, Vice President, Senior Account Executive, Fidelity Personal Investments, and ringmaster Cliff Haines (Sportfot)
"It's difficult because you've got amazing riders and horses," Maher continued. "When you look down the list with that caliber of horses with 70 in the class, it's a difficult job for a course builder to keep producing challenges for such good horse and rider combinations every week."
Cristallo also reacts in a good way to the exciting environment, showing under the bright lights in front of a big crowd of more than 4,000 spectators tonight. "It kind of picks him up in a way. He's 14, so the richer the environment, the more legitimate the environment, then I think the more legitimate his performance," Spooner noted.
Jumpers Show Their Competitive Edge Throughout the PBIEC
Jumper competition was fierce throughout many of the rings at the PBIEC on Saturday. In the opening class in the International Arena, Vesuvius and Meagan Nusz took home the top prize in the $15,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame High Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic. Owned by Amalaya Investments, Vesuvius and Nusz were the fastest in a nine horse jump-off out of 58 original entries. Chloe Reid and Quebon, owned by Chloe D
![Zoellen Speelman and Sonora B (Sportfot)](/images/articles/2700/zoellen speelman sonora b masters sportfot lo.jpg)
Zoellen Speelman and Sonora B (Sportfot)
The course designer this week in the Mogavero ring is Scott Starnes of California. There were 12 clear rounds over his course that began with 22 entries in the $1,500 Masters Jumper class. Zoellen Speelman of Maryland, rode Daphne Marinovich's Sonora B for the win.
Speelman and Sonora B, a 1999 Dark Bay KWPN gelding by Revel O, went early in the class and were the quickest of the clears with a time of 58.180 seconds, which was almost 20 seconds within the time allowed of 76 seconds. Second place, with a time of 59.022 seconds, went to Lindsay Harms of New Jersey, riding her mount Cordeleon. Donald Little of Massachusetts was third with a time of 59.656 seconds on his mount Mr. Nightime, a 1994 Grey Dutch Warmblood Gelding by Akrobaat.
The second class in the Mogavero ring today was the $1,500 Martha Jolicoeur Adult Amateur Jumper 36-49. Five entries out of 16 went clear. The winning ride went to Heidi Leahy of Illinois riding Troubador, a 2000 Chestnut KWPN Gelding by Lincoln, owned by The Bullneck Barn, LLC. Leahy went second in the class and her time of 62.384 seconds was not able to be beat.
Second place went to Gunfire 5, a 2003 Bay Warmblood Gelding by Graf Grannus x Watzmann, ridden and owned by Michael Crotty of Washington. He was only 3/10ths of a second slower then Leahy with a time of 62.681 seconds. Winning the yellow ribbon was Bridget Ennevor of Minnesota riding Bel Farms' Rafino, a 2003 Grey Dutch Warmblood Gelding, with a time of 64.434 seconds.
The seventh week of the 2012 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival concludes tomorrow with a full schedule of hunter and jumper competition. In the International Arena, the $25,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic will be held at 1 p.m. The Amateur-Owner 3'3" 36 & Over Hunters will also award championship ribbons.
For full results, please visit www.showgroundslive.com.
Final Results: $100,000 Fidelity Investments CSI 3* Grand Prix
1. CRISTALLO: 1998 Holsteiner gelding by Caretino x Cicero
RICHARD SPOONER (USA), Show Jumping Syndications International: 0/0/36.77
2. NOUGAT DU VALLET: 2001 Selle Francais gelding by Scherif D'elle
KATHERINE DINAN (USA), Grant Road Partners: 0/0/38.93
3. TRIPPLE-X III: 2002 AES stallion by Namelus R x Cantango
BEN MAHER (GBR), Ben Maher: 0/0/39.50
4. ONIRA: 1996 KWPN gelding by Nimmerdor x Ramiro
BRIANNE GOUTAL (USA), Remarkable Farms LP: 0/0/41.41
5. ARIES: 2001 Oldenburg gelding by Argentinas x Grannus
JEFFERY WELLES (USA), Noel Love Gross: 0/4/37.80
6. CABALLERO 84: 2002 Holsteiner gelding by Chambertin x Carpaccio
ALEXANDRA THORNTON (USA), Dunwalke LLC: 0/4/41.75
7. VANDAVID: 2002 KWPN stallion by Madison x Voltaire
CATHERINE PASMORE (USA), Pasmore Stables: 0/8/38.51
8. CAESAR 322: 2002 Zangersheide gelding by Canabis Z x Eros Platiere
ANDRE THIEME (GER), Andre Thieme: 1/86.04
9. DERLY CHIN DE MUZE: 2003 BWP mare by For Pleasure x Nebab de Reve
ERIC LAMAZE (CAN), Torrey Pines & Ashland Stables: 1/86.81
10. KING KOLIBRI: 2002 Hanoverian stallion by Kolibri x Achill-Libero H
LAUREN TISBO (USA), Tequestrian Farms LLC: 1/88.48
11. ATHENA: 2000 Belgian Warmblood mare by Toulon x Capital
CHARLIE JAYNE (USA), The London Group: 4/81.33
12. BLUE LOYD 12: 2000 Oldenburg gelding by Landor S x Hadj Ax
CIAN O'CONNOR (IRL), Ashkirk Ltd. & Cian O'Connor: 4/81.55