Parker, CO – June 26, 2013 – A crowd of spectators gathered to watch spectacular show jumping at the much-anticipated $30,000 Nutrena Summer in the Rockies III Grand Prix in the Kathy and Brad Coors Family Grand Prix Arena at the Colorado Horse Park on a perfect Colorado Saturday afternoon.

John Pearce and Chianto claimed the $30,000 Summer in the Rockies Grand Prix, presented by Nutrena, on Saturday at the Colorado Horse Park. Photo by Mary Adelaide Brakenridge.

In the first round of the event, 19 horse and rider combinations battled it out over international course designer Alan Wade’s track, attempting to progress to the jump-off round. Ten would make the cut. The first to go clear within the 89-second time allowed was John Pearce from Bermuda Dunes, CA, and Johnny B Good, owned by Forest View Farm.

 

Three more clean rounds in a row followed from Bryn Sadler and Showcase 81 LLC’s 18.2 hand grey Holsteiner, Cincinnati. Then, Mark Mead of Longmont, CO, and Balthazar, a Belgian Warmblood owned by Marianne Marshall, had a speedy clean round and Kristen VanderVeen from St Charles, IL, and Bull Run’s Eternal went fault-free. Caroline Beecherl from Dallas, TX, followed suit riding her own S&L Zeppelin.

 

A few rounds later, Pearce returned on Chianto, who also advanced to the jump-off. The Danish Warmblood superstar with his own Facebook page is owned by Forest View Farm and has a list of wins as long as your arm. The next clear round came from Matt Cyphert from Lantana, TX, aboard Lochivar, winner of the 1.40m Open Jumpers on the opening day of Summer in the Rockies III.

 

Sadler returned on her second mount, Bon Giorno, and earned another chance at the short course, as did Armando Hassey and Taggert Enterprise’s Eminem and Bjorn Ikast and the fabulous Colorado, owned by Bovee Limited Liability.

 

VanderVeen and Bull Run’s Eternal were the first of the second-rounders to leave all the rails in their cups, stopping the timer at 44.665. The performance from VanderVeen, who has been a consistent winner at the Summer in the Rockies series, and the huge-strided Belgian Warmblood seemed improbable to beat.

 

Then Pearce came back for the jump-off round with his long-time partner, the 16-year-old Chianto. The pair effortlessly flew around the course, laying down a blazingly fast, clean round that timed out at 42.066, over two seconds ahead of VanderVeen and Bull Run’s Eternal.

 

Pearce and VanderVeen’s jump-off rounds would produce the only double clears of the group. Pearce had the fastest four-fault time with Johnny B Good to earn the third place prize, while Cyphert and Lochivar placed fourth.

 

JUMPER HIGHLIGHTS

 

Sunday $10,000 Show Jumping Hall Of Fame High Junior/Amateur Jumper Classic

International course designer Alan Wade created a course that tested horse and riders in the $10,000 Show Jumping Hall Of Fame High Junior/Amateur Jumper Classic. Out of 17 entries, only four completed the first course without a fault.

 

The first of the four to return was Hannah Holik and her impressive chestnut Belgian Warmblood gelding, Cupido de Laubry. The pair won this class during Summer in the Rockies II. They had a clear round with a time of 42.758 seconds.

 

Kelsey Van Ackeren and Vernon G were next in the order for the jump-off. This duo have an impressive list of wins, including two High Junior Amateur classes this week and one last week.  They negotiated the course without fault in 41.017 seconds.

 

Next, Amanda McConnell, who was second in the Welcome Stake and second in a 1.30m class, rode brilliantly and bested Van Ackeren’s time with a fast 40.365-second faultless round. One more pair, Sir Sean and Jordan Dean, attempted to outdo McConnell’s performance but incurred four faults. In the end, McConnell and Leon D’Or earned the victory gallop and Van Ackeren and Vernon G followed in second.

 

McConnell is trained by her father, lifelong horseman Jim McConnell. The family hails from Littleton, CO, where their Coventry Farms has been in business for 24 years. In 2008, McConnell’s family started The Right Step, a nonprofit therapeutic riding center.

 

Sunday $5,000 North American League Low Junior Amateur Owner Jumper Classic

Thirty horse and rider teams competed in the $5,000 North American League Low Junior Amateur Owner Jumper Classic on Sunday. Bryn Sadler and Picobello went early and had a clear first round. The pair opted to do their jump-off immediately. They were so fast in the short course that the other horse and rider pairs were struggling to catch them without knocking down rails. None succeeded.

 

The next closest double clear round came from Kelli Cruciotti and Zidante, who earned the red ribbon. Cruciotti won the $15,0000 USHJA International Hunter Derby aboard Monterey. Sadler and Cancun Z finished in third place.

 

Friday $2,500 Four Bar

Bryn Sadler of Santa Fe, NM, had a stellar week. She won the Low Amateur Owner Jumper classes aboard Cancun Z, was fourth in the $15,000 Welcome Stake with Bon Giorno and tied for first in the $2,500 Four Bar with Cincinnati.

Bryn Sadler and Cincinnati tied for the win in the Four Bar. Photo by Flying Horse Photography.

The talented young rider was named Show Jumping Hall of Fame Rider of the Month for June of 2012. She pointed to her little video camera and said that this was her trainer.

 

On Friday in the $2,500 Four Bar class, Sadler and Cincinnati hung in there with one clean round after another as the crew raised the jumps to 1.70m. She tied for first place with Armando Hassey riding Camillo and Carli Kirsch aboard Casco.

 

Friday High Juniors/Amateur Owner Jumpers

Kelsey Van Ackeren was in the ribbons again with her incredible Vernon G, winning the High Junior Amateur Owner Jumpers. The pair hails from Austin, TX, and participated in the 2012 North American Young Rider Championships. In Austin, Van Ackeren trains with Nicki Mathen. At the shows, she trains with Matt Cyphert.

 

Thursday $15,000 Open Welcome Stake

In the $15,000 Open Welcome Stake, Kristen VanderVeen used Bull Run’s Le Conte’s huge stride to her advantage and eventually earned the victory gallop.

 

Irish course designer Alan Wade built an intuitive, flowing course that tested the more experienced horse and rider, while allowing the less experienced horses and riders to move up with confidence. Twenty-two horse and rider combinations tried their hand at Wade’s track, and 12 earned the opportunity to compete in the jump-off round.

 

The first horse and rider team to return for the short track was VanderVeen and Bull Run’s Le Conte. The round was smooth and effortless over the raised obstacles. The pair laid down a time of 34.623, which would stand as the fastest of the field and eventually earn them the win.

 

Bjorn Ikast and Royal Flush had the next fault-free round with a time of 41.142. Then Amanda McConnell and Leon D’Or sped around the short course cleanly in 36.113, putting them in second place. Bryn Sadler and Bon Giorno and Matt Cyphert and Lochivar both went double clear with times of 38.376 and 38.670 respectively. Then, Ikast returned on the Summer in the Rockies II $15,000 Open Welcome Stake winner, Colorado, owned by Bovee Limited Liability Partnership. The pair left all the rails in their cups in a time of 38.051, landing them in third place.

Kristen VanderVeen and Bull Run’s Le Conte. Photo by Carrie Wirth.

Thursday High and Low Junior Amateur Owner Jumpers

Kelsey Van Ackeren won the $500 High Junior Amateur Owner Jumpers aboard Vernon G, repeating the win from last week. Jennifer Hodgson and Waterloo II were second and Hannah Holik and Cupido de Laubry were third. Ackeren’s goal for the week was to be consistent in the High Amateur Jumpers, which she accomplished.

 

In the $500 Low Junior Jumpers, Chelsea Babcock and Bull Run’s Guardian, owned by Empire State Equine Sales LLC, proved their consistency and staying power. The pair won the $5,000 North American League Low Junior/Amateur Owner Jumpers during Summer in the Rockies II. Rising stars Isabel Johnson and Thinks Like a Horse’s Quito were second and Hannah Holik and Czech Mate, LLC’s Santiago were third.

 

Wednesday 1.30m and 1.40m Open Jumpers

McLain Ward has called Alan Wade his favorite course designer in the whole world. And at the Colorado Horse Park’s Summer in the Rockies III, the jumper competitors got their first taste of the Irish course designer’s work.

 

In the 1.40m Open Jumper class, Bjorn Ikast and his own enormous splashy chestnut Dutch Warmblood mare, Iz’s Viva La Vida, were the first to go and the first to lay down a clean round. The pair proceeded to a faultless jump-off round with a time of 32.267.

 

Next, Matt Cyphert from Northlake, TX, piloted Lochivar skillfully and cleanly around Alan Wade’s course. In their jump-off round, Lochivar and Cyphert edged out Ikast, completing the short course with a time of 31.991 without a fault to claim the top spot.

 

Guy McElvain and his own Coco Colette were third to deliver double clear rounds with a short track time of 34.862, placing them third. Then, Tony Font and Colotta also had a clear first round and edged out McElvain with a speedy time of 32.420 in their clean jump-off round. Cyphert maintained his position to win the class.

 

Seven entries had clear first rounds in the 1.30m Open Jumpers. The first was Tony Font and Sheishof’s Gloria, owned by Ashton Galo Paley. The pair finished the short course with a time of 36.711, setting the time to beat. Next, Amanda McConnell and James McConnell’s Leon D’Or had four faults in the jump-off round. Courtney Frederick and Equestrian Investments LLC’s Soulshine were next to try their skills around the short track, stopping the clock at 36.961, which placed them momentarily in second place.

 

Next to go were Armando Hassey and Lambert Louis, owned by Cora Leeuwemburg, who performed brilliantly and took over the lead with their clear round of 36.323. Then Chenoa McElvain and Wild Thing 2, owned by Guy McElvain, produced a double clear round with a jump-off timed at 36.600, fast enough to take over second place. Guy McElvain and Carino G, owned by Rancho Corazon LLC, followed but had a rail in the second round.

 

Last to go, Kristen VanderVeen and Bull Run’s Believer had a blazing fast and fault-free jump-off with an incredible time of 33.127, earning them the win.

 

HUNTER HIGHLIGHTS

 

$15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby and $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby

Kelli Cruciotti and Monterrey capped a strong week for Serenity Farm, the training operation of Cruciotti’s mother, Cindy, when they pulled out all the stops to seal the victory in the $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby on the final day of Summer in the Rockies III. Cruciotti made a risky move to kick off the handy round, taking a challenging inside route to the first fence, and reaped the rewards with high marks from the judges.

Kelli Cruciotti and Monterrey, winners of the $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby. Photo by Mary Adelaide Brakenridge.

Cruciotti bested a field of 18 top hunter competitors to claim the win, with Jessie Lang and Margot Snowdon’s C. Quito taking second and Erin Murphy and Patricia Murphy’s Showtime finishing third. Cruciotti began with an impressive effort in the first round, earning scores of 83 and 84, plus four bonus points for choosing all of the higher options on course, from the two judges’ panels. The combined score of 175 put her into second place after the first round.

 

Sitting just ahead of Cruciotti in first going into the handy round was Jennifer Hulkko on Lisa Martinez-Bates’ Brego, who received scores of 85 and 83 from the panels to total 176 with the high-option bonuses added in. Not far behind in third was Erin Murphy on Showtime, who chose the lower options but scored 84 and 86 for a total of 170.

 

As the top twelve competitors returned for the handy round one by one in reverse order of their standing, riders got increasingly daring and creative in an effort to lay down a big round and move up in the rankings. With each new high score posted, the pressure on the remaining riders increased.

 

The three riders before Cruciotti all scored handy bonuses of 6 or 8 points, reflecting their efforts to take the more difficult ground-saving tracks. But Cruciotti stepped it up another notch by taking bold inside routes such as the one to the first fence. Her willingness to take a risk and her seamless execution netted her perfect 10-point handy bonuses from both panels.

 

Both panels rewarded Cruciotti with a score of 88 in addition to the handy bonus and option bonus, which added up to a total score of 204 for the second round and 379 overall that would clinch the victory. The single rider to go after them, first-round leader Hulkko with Brego, ran into trouble at one fence in the handy and wound up in 10th.

 

Along with the International Hunter Derby, Summer in the Rockies III also featured a $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby and the $2,500 CHP Pony Hunter Derby. The National Hunter Derby proved very popular, drawing 36 entries to compete over a lower version of the International Derby course, and Amanda Hauser and Calido’s Son laid down two flowing, confident rounds to take the win.

 

Hauser made thoughtful decisions about which options would best suit her and Calido’s Son and allow them to show off their strengths in the handy. She decided against tight inside options in some places, choosing instead to maintain a good forward pace and pick up points elsewhere. She took the last fence at a sharp angle to end her handy round on a dramatic note.

Amanda Hauser and Calido’s Son took the blue in the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby. Photo by Mary Adelaide Brakenridge.

Hauser and Calido’s Son scored 92 in the first round and 90 in the second for a total of 182. Meghan Felts rode Haley Fleming’s Wesley to a close second place, earning an 89 and a 91 for a total of 180.

 

Carson Grisham rode not one but two ponies to the top of the ranks in the $2,500 CHP Pony Hunter Derby. She won the blue on the aptly named Woodland’s Blue Haze and finished second with Incognito.

 

Performance Working Hunters

Cindy Cruciotti and her Serenity Farm began the week in impressive fashion with big wins on Wednesday. Cruciotti swept the first, second and fourth place spots in the 3’6″ Performance Working Hunter over fences and handy classes, won that division’s hack, and picked up another win over fences in the 3’3″ Performance Working Hunter. Meanwhile, Cruciotti’s assistant Jessica Dalton collected first and second place finishes in the 3’3″ Performance Working Hunter division.

 

Cruciotti started by riding three of Nicole Lyvere’s horses in the 3’6″ Performance Working Hunter division. In the first over fences class, she rode Wink to the win, All In to second place, and Promo to fourth place. She and Wink triumphed again in the handy, where Promo and All In swapped places to finish second and fourth, respectively.

Cruciotti, whose Serenity Farm is just 15 minutes from the Colorado Horse Park, spends the summer competing there and then travels with her students to the major hunter/jumper circuits around the country.

 

Cruciotti started by riding three of Nicole Lyvere’s horses in the 3’6″ Performance Working Hunter division. In the first over fences class, she rode Wink to the win, All In to second place, and Promo to fourth place. She and Wink triumphed again in the handy, where Promo and All In swapped places to finish second and fourth, respectively. While Cruciotti opted not to compete those three horses on Thursday, their strong finishes allowed them to hold onto the top spots in the division: Wink and Promo were named champion and reserve.

 

After her success in the 3’6″ division, Cruciotti switched over to the 3’3″ Performance Working Hunter classes and scored a blue ribbon over fences with Abigail Graham’s Balaika du Ry, while Serenity Farm assistant Jessica Dalton rode Woodhaven Stables Inc.’s Three Rivers to second in that class and first in the handy.

 

Dalton’s success in the division with Three Rivers was made all the more impressive by the 5-year-old gelding’s relative lack of experience. He was imported from Europe over the winter for owner Jennifer Wallen’s Woodhaven Stables Inc., has been making rapid progress under Serenity Farm’s program, and is just setting out on his show career. Dalton, who joined the Serenity Farm team in the fall of 2012, looks forward to a bright future for Three Rivers.

 

Karen Stone on Page Tredennick’s Quite Cool and Paul Rohrbach on Kali Barnes’ Jazzo put in standout efforts in the division on Thursday. Stone won the first over fences class, edging out Rohrbach, who took second. They swapped spots in the second class, with Rohrbach finishing first and Stone second. Stone works out of the Tredennicks’ barn, Wood Run Farm, but has her own training operation, Stone Ranch.

 

Meghan Felts and Elizabeth Richter’s Concierge were the stars of the 3’3″ Performance Working Hunters on Thursday, picking up a win and a second place over fences to claim the championship over Dalton and Three Rivers, who did not compete Thursday and finished with the reserve. Concierge’s huge stride was particularly useful on a day when a long seven-stride diagonal line posed a challenge for many riders. Felts and Concierge cruised through the courses with little difficulty, and their smooth, steady rounds earned them top placings.

 

Felts, who turned pro this year and just began a new position working for trainer Matt Cyphert, is wasting no time establishing herself as a young trainer to watch. Cyphert specializes in the jumpers, and Felts has come on board to assist with the hunters. Felts said she was looking for a change of pace and a new situation after making the shift into the professional ranks. She brought a couple of her previous clients along with her, and she has also stepped in to help with Cyphert’s hunter clients. Madeleine Stover, Richter’s daughter and the regular rider of Concierge, trains with Cyphert and paired with Concierge for the 3’3″ Amateur Owner Hunter reserve championship at Summer in the Rockies II.

 

Second Year Green/High Performance Hunters

Mark Mead and Amoro De Legante got off to a promising start on Wednesday in the Second Year Green/High Performance Hunters, collecting wins over fences and in the handy as well as a second place in the hack. On Thursday, they put in two steady, flowing trips over fences to walk away with the championship. They took second in the first class and improved to win the blue in the second.

Mark Mead and Amoro De Legante. Photo by Mary Adelaide Brakenridge.

Amoro De Legante is owned by Laura Fereday, who shows him in the Junior Hunters. He was successful with both Mead and Fereday in the saddle at week two of Summer in the Rockies, collecting two reserve championships in the Working Hunter and Junior Hunter divisions.

 

Junior Hunters

Junior Hunter competition began on Friday and set up perfectly for an exciting showdown on Saturday, as three different competitors each won a class to put themselves within reach of the championship. Marnina Seller and Levitation won over fences, Emily Ryan and Parrot Bay scored in the handy, and Amanda Hauser and Calido’s Son took first place under saddle after finishing second to Seller and Ryan in the earlier classes.

 

Hauser and Calido’s Son came out strong on Saturday to roll to wins in both remaining classes as well as the $1,000 Junior Hunter Classic. They took home the championship, while Ryan and Parrot Bay continued to put in consistent performances to secure the reserve.

 

Hauser, who trains with Heidi Hildebrand, also competes in the Modified Junior Jumpers. She and Hildebrand shared the ride on Calido’s Son to claim a recent championship in the Performance Working Hunter 3’3″ division at Summer in the Rockies II.

 

Hauser’s preparation in the Junior Hunters paid off on Sunday with her big win in the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby, while Ryan stepped up from the Junior Hunters to compete in the $15,000 USHJA International Derby, where she finished an impressive sixth in her international derby debut.

 

Amateur Owner Hunters

Nicole Lyvere rode her own Wink to the championship in the 3’6″ Amateur Owner Hunters, the second championship for the horse at Summer in the Rockies III after he paired with Cindy Cruciotti for the top spot in the 3’6″ Performance Working Hunters. Susan Winston and Quite Nice claimed the reserve. Lyvere just recently moved Wink up to the 3’6″ division and said both she and the horse are benefitting from the new challenge.

 

In the 3’3″ Amateur Owner 18-35 division, Hillary Schoelzel rode Catherine Schoelzel’s Simone to the championship over Caitlin Burns and On The Money. The 36 & Over division went to Elizabeth Hund and Timbuktu, with Page Tredennick and the promising young horse Apricot Lane taking the reserve. Burns and On The Money also won the $1,000 Amateur Owner Hunter Classic on Saturday.

 

Colorado Horse Park’s hunter/jumper series has reached the halfway mark, with three weeks of competition completed and three yet to come. After a weeklong break, Summer in the Rockies IV kicks off the second half of the summer season on July 3-7.

 

Summer in the Rockies III Hunter Champions

 

Performance Working Hunter 3’3″

Champion: 819/Concierge/Elizabeth Richter/Meghan Felts

Reserve: 947/Three Rivers/Woodhaven Stables Inc/Jessica Dalton

 

Performance Working Hunter 3’6″

Champion: 1402/Wink/Nicole Lyvere/Cindy Cruciotti

Reserve: 954/Promo/Nicole Lyvere/Cindy Cruciotti

 

Second Year Green/High Performance Hunter

Champion: 1359/Amoro De Legante/Laura Fereday/Mark Mead

Reserve: 875/Metternich/Karen King/Laureen McKenzie

 

Junior Hunter

Champion: 853/Calido’s Son/Amanda Hauser/Amanda Hauser

Reserve: 924/Parrot Bay/Emily Ryan/Emily Ryan

 

Amateur Owner Hunter 3’6″

Champion: 1402/Wink/Nicole Lyvere/Nicole Lyvere

Reserve: 998/Quite Nice/Susan Winston/Susan Winston

 

Amateur Owner Hunter 3’3″ 18-35

Champion: 934/Simone/Catherine Schoelzel/Hillary Schoelzel

Reserve: 992/On The Money/Caitlin Burns/Caitlin Burns

 

Amateur Owner Hunter 3’3″ 36 & Over

Champion: 936/Timbuktu/Elizabeth Hund/Elizabeth Hund

Reserve: 769/Apricot Lane/Page Tredennick/Page Tredennick

 

The Colorado Horse Park Summer in the Rockies Fast Facts

What: Summer in the Rockies AA-Rated Hunter Jumper Show Series

 

Event Dates:

Summer in the Rockies I June 5-9, 2013

Summer in the Rockies II June 12-16, 2013

Summer in the Rockies III June 19-23, 2013

Summer in the Rockies IV July 3-7, 2013

Summer in the Rockies V July 10-14, 2013

Summer in the Rockies VI July 17-21, 2013

 

Prize List:

Click here for an online version of the prize list. For a hard copy of the prize list, please e-mail prizelist@cohorsepark.comwith your name, address and phone number and specify which prize list you would like (spring/fall or summer).

 

Entries:

Mail to The Colorado Horse Park, 7522 South Pinery Drive, Parker, CO 80134 or fax to (303) 841-7879. Opening date for Stall Reservations: April 1, 2013. Closing date May 20, 2013.

 

Contact Information:

Pat Boyle, Show Manager                          (847) 274-6834Brian Curry, Show Manager                        (303) 918-2908

Show Office                                                 (303) 841-7461

Show Office Fax                                          (303) 841-1419

Colorado Horse Park Main Office                (303) 841-5550

Colorado Horse Park Main Office Fax         (303) 841-7879

 

Tentative Schedule:
Wed – Sun: Show starts daily at 8 a.m. unless otherwise noted

 

Directions:

Address:7375 E Bayou Gulch Rd, Parker, CO 80134

From North: I-25S exit Ridgegate Parkway – go east under the freeway.  Ridgegate Parkway to S. Chambers Road, approx 3 miles (Traffic light) – turn right/south onto Chambers Road. At end of Chambers Road turn left/east onto Hess Road.  Hess Road to Parker Road/Hwy 83 – turn right/south onto Hwy 83 approx 4 miles to Bayou Gulch Road. (Traffic light). Follow signs to Colorado Horse Park.

From South: I-25N, exit Founder’s Parkway.  Founder’s Parkway to Highway 86, approx 4 miles (traffic light). Turn east/left onto Hwy. 86 to Franktown/Hwy 83. At Franktown go north on 83 approx. 7 mi. to Bayou Gulch Rd. (Traffic light), turn right/east onto Bayou Gulch Rd. Follow signs to Colorado Horse Park.

 

About the Colorado Horse Park

Celebrating its 20th Anniversary, the Colorado Horse Park was founded by visionary Helen Krieble who acknowledged the need for a high-volume horse show and horse boarding facility to serve Colorado.  The Colorado Horse Park welcomes more than 75,000 visitors per year and hosts over 40 competitions annually.  CHP features a derby arena designed by Olympic-designer Linda Allen and a cross-country course designed by Olympic Gold Medalist David O’Connor and eventing super-star James Atkinson. There are 300 permanent stalls with capacity for more than 1,000 stalls.

The picturesque property, located only minutes from the town of Parker, hosts international equestrian events in multiple disciplines. Visitors enjoy the beautiful Colorado Rocky Mountain surroundings and access to miles of trails and open space.  The Colorado Horse Park is committed to supporting equestrian education and amateur athletics, preserving open space, fundraising for local charities and supporting the community.