Jackie Smith and Diego won the Mini Prix at Spring Warm Up Week II at the Colorado Horse Park. (iHorse Photo Media)
Six horse and riders left all the rails in place in the first round and advanced to the short course. Hassey and Eminem were first in the order and had a faultless, speedy round.
"I was third to go in the jump off," said Smith. "Armando went clean and was very fast and very efficient in his turns. He is usually a better jump-off rider than I am. So I looked where all his tracks were and I just made sure that all of mine were inside of all of his."
Smith and the Westphalian gelding spent the winter season in Florida and, with well-deserved time off, were tuned and ready for Pat Boyle's courses. The pair also seized the win of the Welcome Stake on the opening day of Spring Warm Up Week II.
"We came back from Florida in the beginning of April and we pretty much had the horses rest, a little bit because we wanted to and a little bit because of the weather," Hassey said. "We hadn't really jumped since Florida so we were really happy."
"I'm a trainer at the Colorado Horse Park and my house is very close by," continued Hassey. "It is just like showing at my home. We're very happy and looking forward to the season and doing the grand prixs. The new footing is great."In the Olson Family Hunter Ring, the highly-anticipated USHJA Hunter Derby was held on Saturday of Spring Warm Up Week II.
It was Ashley Keeler and Simply Said, a new mount owned by Emma Willsky, who earned the judges' nod and the blue ribbon. In their first round the pair scored an 84.
"I was actually in second at that point," said Keeler. "The handy round was pretty straightforward. The course designer (Pat Boyle) did a nice job since this was our first horse show outside in Colorado. He tried to make it as user-friendly as possible. There were a lot of good turns and places to make inside turns. I was riding a horse I'd never really ridden before. I just decided to go big and go home and he was absolutely fantastic and it worked in my favor."
Keeler and Simply Said earned a handy round score of 85. The pair also won the Reserve Championship of the 3'6" Performance Working Hunters.
"I don't really know this horse," Keeler said. "We won the three of four classes over fences classes in the division. I decided not to do the under saddle class because I didn't think he needed it. It would have made the difference between champion and reserve but I decided to save it for the Derby and I'm glad I did."
Promo, owned and ridden by Nicole Lyvere and trained by Cindy Cruciotti, won the championship of the division.
Simply Said, a 17.1 dappled gray Holsteiner gelding, is one of many that were trained by Keiri Kaneps, a much-loved trainer at Colorado Horse Park who passed away unexpectedly in August 2012. When Kaneps' husband, Vic, decided to disband their Studio Farms, Colorado Horse Park contacted Keeler.
"The Horse Park called me and asked me if I had any interest to come in and help any of the customers that wanted to stay," shared Keeler. "I was lucky enough that 17 stayed here with me. I hope every day that I make her proud. I hope that I do her business justice because it was a gift to me. I miss her. Trying to take over for Keiri Kaneps is like trying to take over for God. I'm going to do the best that I can."
558. $7,500 Mini Prix
1 574 Diego Jackie Smith Jackie Smith
2 573 Eminem Taggert Enterprises LLCArmando Hassey
3 601 Can Do Toby Cromwell Harriet Bunker
4 572 Lambert Louis Cora Leeuwenburg Armando Hassey
5 621 Leon D'Or James Mc Connell Amanda Mc Connell
6 512 Quickie Natascha Gates Natascha Gates
7 603 Soulshine Equestrian Investments, L.L.C. Courtney Frederick
8 591 Witchita Kimberly Little Mickie Sage
721. $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby
1 504 Simply Said Emma Willsky Ashley Keeler
2 592 Harlu Laurie Brants Mickie Sage
3 529 All In Nicole Lyvere Nicole Lyvere
4 531 Promo Nicole Lyvere Nicole Lyvere
5 539 Three Rivers Woodhaven Stables IncJessica Dalton
6 608 Lark's Virtuoso Heather Chenault Philip Dreissigacker
7 566 Olivia Nellie & Heidi Schmutz Ashley Keeler
8 541 Holy Smoke NTM Enterprises Nancy Moore
Champions and Reserve Champions
Division # 13 $500 Performance Working 3'3"
Champion 543 In Like Fynn / Paul Rohrbach /NTM Enerprises
Reserve 541 Holy Smoke / Karin Barreau /NTM Enerprises
Division # 14 $500 Performance Working 3'6"
Champion 531 Promo / Nicole Lyvere /Nicole Lyvere
Reserve 504 Simply Said / Ashley Keeler /Emma Willsky
Division # 25 Modified Children's/Adult Hunter
Champion 545 Cold Smoke / Nancy Moore / NTM Enterprises
Reserve 524 Riveting / Sarah Engel / Sarah Engel
Division # 27 $500 Children's Hunter
Champion 628 Socrates / Allison Zimmerman/ Allison Zimmerman
Reserve 523 Brunello / Megan Engel / Megan Engel
Division # 30 $500 Junior/AO Hunter
Champion 528 Wink / Nicole Lyvere / Nicole Lyvere
Reserve 529 All In / Nicole Lyvere/ Nicole Lyvere
Division # 61 1.0 Meter Jumpers
Champion 509 Holly PCH / Natascha Gates / Nancy Gooding
Reserve 513 Theodore K / Jessica Dalton/ Hannah Hlopak
Reserve 517 Papillon / Brianna Davis/ Mary Dunahay
Division # 62 1.10 Meter Jumpers
Champion 624 Witness / Carol Tucker/ Carol Tucker
Reserve 402 Acquittal / Charlie Dennehy / Cindy Leonis
Reserve 596 Prive / Mickie Sage / Jodi Hoffman
Division # 64 1.20 Meter Jumpers
Champion 511 Saterland / Natascha Gates / Nancy Gooding
Reserve 546 Cassiopeia / Paul Rohrbach / NTM Enterprises
Reserve 571 Jetsetter 3E / Armando Hassey / Cora Leeuwenburg
Division # 65 1.25 Meter Jumper
Champion 611 Orange Crush / Paul Rohrbach / Beth Bowlen
Champion 536 Bonaire / Kelli Clevenger/ Serenity Farm
Division # 74 Children's/Adult Jumper
Champion 582 Celtic Trinity / Jennifer Bolton / Jennifer Bolton
Reserve 590 Dondero / Austin Aibel / Simone Coxe
Reserve 516 O So Easy / Mary Dunahay / Mary Dunahay
Division # 74 Low Junior/Amateur Jumper
Champion 525 Colleona / Brooke Pettet / BTP Investments LLC
Reserve 538 Romanov / Carol Tucker / Redfield Farm
Division # 76 High Junior/Amateur Owner Jumper
Champion 579 Carpe Diem / Isabel Johnson / Isabel Johnson
Champion 580 Quito / Isabel Johnson / Thinks Like A Horse
Reserve 586 Leroy V / Jacqueline Toomey / Jacqueline Toomey
Division # 79 Modified Jumper
Champion
503 Double Dutch / Debra McCallin / Debra McCallin