On a beautiful Friday in May, The Split Rock Jumping Tour hosted its inaugural evening event on The Rock Jumping Field, the $40,000 Hollow Creek Farm CSI3* Grand Prix. An international field of twenty-four horse and rider combinations representing Argentina, Venezuela, Canada, Australia, Guatemala, Russia, Germany, New Zealand, Chile, Ireland and the United States competed over Brazilian Guilherme Jorge's course. Eight returned for the jump-off. As far as the technical details, Jorge said, "There's a little bit of everything, but not too much. The combination 5a-b to 6 is a little forward and 7 to 8a-b is a little short. The oxers are set at 1.45m and the verticals are at 1.50m." Most of the riders with faults had just one down, though the jump-off featured the eight who rode the first round fault-free. First in the ring, Argentina's Ramiro Quintana rode the ten-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding Versus (Michael Smith, owner) double clear, stopping the clock in 36.39. Olympic veteran Pablo Barrios of Venezuela, aboard the eleven-year-old Dutch mare Zara Leandra (owned by ZL Group, Inc), had the time, but also had the last jump down for four faults in 32.69. The next two attempts, Canadian Brian Walker and American Meagan Nusz, each had the tall vertical going into the combination down, for four faults. In galloped the young and talented American Ali Wolff. Riding the ten-year-old Dutch mare Brianda (John Wolff, owner), the hotshots were clean and shaved .16 seconds off the leading time, with 36.23. A short but sweet moment at the top, as next in, Andres Rodriguez from Venezuela, shaved almost three seconds off of that time, clocking in at 33.51 aboard his twelve-year-old Belgian gelding Darlon Van Groenhove. The final two both made gallant efforts. American Margie Engle rode the eleven-year-old Oldenburg Royce (owned by Elm Rock Properties, LLC) clean in 34.67 for a second place finish. And David Beisel on the ten-year-old Dutch stallion Ammeretto could taste a top prize, but had a heartbreak rail at the last in a time of 33.56, ultimately sixth.
