No Worries and Devin Ryan (Flashpoint photography)
Of the twenty one entries, the class saw ten of the horse and rider teams go clean in the first round. But it was first to go, No Worries and Ryan who would post the fastest second round time at 46.806 seconds, which would not be beat by any other team. Second to go was Triompf, owned by Loretta Patterson and ridden by Holly Shepherd of Grand Bay, Alabama and after posting a clean round in a time of 48.012 seconds, would finish in fifth place overall. Palim Palim and Wilhelm Genn of Lebanon, Ohio was the next clear round to give it a shot and their time of 52.756 would find them in sixth place overall. Devin Ryan in the irons on his own Calissandro would find him with a fast second round time of 46.995 seconds, but with eight jump faults would not see him finish in the top eight positions. Boysterous, owned and ridden by Danielle Grice of Northfield, Minnesota was the next clear round to tackle the second round and did so in a time of 47.354 seconds which would place her third overall. Nepal owned and ridden by Jay Land of Alpharetta, Georgia posted a second round time of 47.780 seconds but with eight faults, would finish in the seventh place position. Wilhelm Genn, riding Ann Anastasio's Quite Ruffy 840 posted a clean second round with a time of 47.295 seconds and while not quite fast enough to beat Ryan and No Worries time, would land the pair in second place overall. Winchester, owned by Bridlebourne Stables, LLC and ridden by Theo Genn of Lebanon, Ohio was the next clear round that challenged the leading ride, but with four faults and a second round time of 49.318 seconds, would see the duo finish in eighth. Frances Land of Alpharetta, Georgia and her own Vieanne were the next clear round to tackle the second course and finished with four faults and a time of 53.041 seconds which would push them out of the ribbons this time. And, last to go Devin Ryan, this time riding his own Roman Saluut, would post a second double clear round in a time of 47.484 seconds which would place the pair in fourth place overall.
"I am very fortunate to say that I am the only one who has shown No Worries," said Ryan. "I have known Barbara Rowland from years ago-I used to do Pony Club with her daughter and through a series of events, I ended up with the opportunity to get him started under saddle. That was when he was three and now he's 12. He is a New Jersey bred Selle Francais and a very talented horse. We've won many grand prix together over the years," he added.
Ryan commented on the course, "The whole new field here is so nice. It's a little bit longer grass, its really thick and just beautifully lush. Its like jumping on a carpet!" commented winner Devin Ryan, "My horses have been jumping great on it. I haven't been to Spruce, but folks I have spoken that says the footing here is even better," he added. "This is the sort of footing that you can jump on every day and your horses won't be foot sore," he said.
Ryan brought fifteen horses from New Jersey for all five weeks. "The grand prix field is level and flat and its a great venue to develop young horses. And, this show is so convenient to everything. The restaurants, the beach, everything is brand new and just beautiful. And the show office staff is the nicest in the country," he commented. "If its rainy, you can use the covered arena and there's so much room to ride. I really support the show-its my fifth year coming here!"
Iceberg, owned by Kim Segal and ridden by Jordan Siegel of Flower Mound, Texas led the pack of hunters and took the win yesterday in the $2,500 USHJA Hunter Derby. Second was Outspoken, owned by David Pellegrini and ridden by Emily Hertz of Eads, Tennessee. In third place was The Red Villain, owned by Katherine Smith and ridden by Brittany Sommer Desalvo of St. Gabriel, Louisiana, Amarindo, owned and ridden by Dudley Macfarlane of Darien, Connecticut received fourth while Outsider, ridden by Katie Cooper of Owings Mill, Maryland and owned by Caves Farm, LLC won the fifth place position. Sixth place was awarded to Playoff, owned by Lizabeth Fisher and ridden by Addison Howe of Cumming, Georgia and seventh place went to Caracas, owned and ridden by Mary Claire Ray of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Eighth position was awarded to Belvedere, owned and ridden by Ellen Herrington, also of Tuscaloosa, Alabama and ninth place went to Authentic, owned and ridden by Dudley MacFarlane. Timothy Maddrix of Monkton, Maryland rode Sarah Digiorgio's Cosmopolitan to a tenth place finish while Lillian Hahn of Tryon, North Carolina rode her own Paddington, to an eleventh position. Flamboyant, owned by Debbie Holland-Carriere and ridden by Danielle Grice of Northfield, Minnesota wrapped the class up with the twelfth place position.
Well known horsewoman, Dudley MacFarlane of Darien, Connecticut and Charlottesville, Virginia is new to the Gulf Coast Winter Classics. "The footing is magnificent and the grand prix field is amazing. And it's really nice to have the covered arena to hack under if there's a little rain. This is probably the best kept secret in the horse show world," she commented. "I'm renting a little cottage one block off the beach which is about a twenty minute drive from the horse show and ten minutes to Biloxi-it's really nice," she added.
Saturday's feature event, the $35,000 Adequan Grand Prix will take place on the beautiful grand prix field.