Wayne, IL – June 16, 2013 – Patrons in the VIP tables toasted fathers in honor of Father’s Day as they watched the $30,000 Barrington Saddlery Grand Prix at Showplace Productions’ Spring Spectacular II at Lamplight Equestrian Center. Dressed in their Sunday best, spectators in the VIP section were wined and dined with some participating in a Calcutta to raise money for their charity, Assistance in Healthcare.
The weather could not have been more perfect to walk the Anderson Lima designed course. Lima, from Brazil, is a designer known for a tight time allowed and did not disappoint, with many riders sliding in just a fraction of a second under the time allowed of 78 seconds. Thirty three horse and rider combinations took their shot at the 16 jump first round with a triple combination, oxer, vertical, oxer, one stride to two strides, that took its toll on the field.
First to attempt the track was Theo Genn, 23, and Paradox, who set the pace with the first clear round. A few rides later, Laura Linback, of Mundelein, IL, put in another clear round on HH Dauphin. The triple still proved difficult for many at the end of the track, but Ryan Genn and Cookie Monster went clean, followed by Steve Schaefer and Caribe, Hunter Holloway and Yolo, Caitie Hope and Total Touch, Nick Novak and Rendezvous 22, Athena with Kelsey Thatcher, Linback on her second mount Whittaker MVNZ, Theo Genn on his second mount, Winchester, and Kathy Dewar with her new mount PM Jackpot.
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| Hunter Holloway aboard 9 year old, Yolo, winners of the Spring Spectacular II $30,000 Barrington Saddlery Grand Prix with double clear rounds and the fastest time. Photo by Andrew Ryback. |
Eleven clean moved on to the second round after a slight course adjustment and some t-shirt throwing for the crowd! The jump off course left in the oxer vertical one stride combination that claimed so many in the first round, and again proved to be the test in the second round. Theo Genn and Paradox, owned by Thomas Bruinsma, set the pace with a fast time of 35.391 but 8 faults including a rail at the out of the combination.
Laura Linback just about matched Genn’s time with 35.749 and no faults, taking the lead.
Ryan Genn and Cookie Monster added another clear round but a slower pace of 39.22. Steve Schaefer, known for his hustle ability, blazed Caribe around with the fastest time so far of 34.810 but caught a rail at the combination.
Next, young Junior Hunter Champion, Hunter Holloway, showed the crowd how to do it with a clear round and the fastest time of 34.213, taking over the lead.
Young amateur rider, Caitlin Hope, of Barrington, IL, carefully piloted her mount, Total Touch, to another clear round but a slower time of 36.954.
Laura Linback took her second try at the jump off with Whittaker MVNZ, capturing a faster time than her first mount of 35.665 but like the others, caught a rail at the combination.
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| Nick Novak and Rendezvous 22 finished second in the $30,000 Barrington Saddlery Grand Prix at Spring Spectacular II. Photo by Andrew Ryback. |
Nick Novak, 25, cruised around Rendezvous 22, owned by Nancy Whitehead, to another clear round but not as fast as Holloway with 34.910.
Setting the fastest jump off time of the day was Kelsey Thatcher and Athena, with a quick go of 33.865, but incurred 8 faults with yet another rail at the combination.
Kathy Dewar and her new horse, PM Jackpot, turned in the sixth clear round and a time of 36.771 with last to go, Theo Genn and his second ride, Winchester, who ended up with four faults and 36.889.
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| Hunter Holloway, 15, added a win in the Grand Prix ring to her list of wins during the two weeks of Showplace Productions’ Spring Spectacular at Lamplight Equestrian Center. Holloway and Yolo, were the winners of the $30,000 Barrington Saddlery Grand Prix. Photo by Andrew Ryback. |
When the dust settled, it was the youngest rider in the pack taking the win on Yolo, a nine-year-old warmblood gelding Holloway got last summer, now owned by Hays Investments.
Holloway has been riding in grand prix’s since she was 12 years old, winning her first grand prix in Dallas in 2010 aboard Argentina. Argentina, at 15, was older than Holloway! Now 15 herself, Holloway is a winner in all the rings. Coming off a great two weeks at Spring Spectacular, Holloway was Champion and Reserve in the younger Small Junior Hunters, Champion in the younger Large Junior Hunters, both weeks, and won the Style Award for the Junior Hunters. Now adding the Grand Prix win only tops her Chicago trip.
“Yolo has a great personality,” said Holloway. “He takes good care of me, he’s sweet, and he’s perfect every time.”
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| Holloway and Yolo taking their victory lap. Photo by Andrew Ryback. |
Holloway and her family return home to Topeka, KS for a few weeks before heading to Colorado to show.
Pat Boyle and Showplace Productions’, in their usual fashion, ended the two week Spring Spectacular Series with a fabulous day for both spectators and exhibitors.
$30,000 Barrington Saddlery Grand Prix
| award | entry | horse | owner | rider | prize_money |
| 1 | 446 | Yolo | Hays Investment Corp. | Hunter Holloway | $9000.00 |
| 2 | 774 | Rendezvous 22 | Nancy Whitehead | Nick Novak | $6600.00 |
| 3 | 336 | HH Dauphin | Woodrun | Laura Linback | $3900.00 |
| 4 | 745 | P.M. Jackpot | Katherine Dewar | Katherine Dewar | $2400.00 |
| 5 | 160 | Total Touch | Kathleen Hope | Caitlin Hope | $1800.00 |
| 6 | 215 | Cookie Monster | Wilhelm Genn | Ryan Genn | $1500.00 |
| 7 | 627 | CARIBE | Steve Schaefer | Steve Schaefer | $1200.00 |
| 8 | 338 | Whittaker MVNZ | Woodrun | Laura Linback | $900.00 |
| 9 | 229 | Winchester | Bridlebourne Stables LLC | Theo Genn | $900.00 |
| 10 | 668 | Athena | Pony Lane Farm | Kelsey Thatcher | $600.00 |
| 11 | 225 | PARADOX | Thomas Bruinsma | Theo Genn | $600.00 |
| 12 | 616 | CENTURION B | Mary Goldman | Lisa Goldman | $600.00 |