Thursday of Desert Circuit Week VI welcomed back FEI competition and course designer Bernardo Cabral (POR). FEI kicked-off with three classes in the Grand Prix Stadium as part of the new tiered structure at Desert Circuit, inviting different levels of competition with three tour options: Ruby Tour (1.35m - 1.40m), Sapphire Tour (1.40m - 1.45m), and Diamond Tour (1.45m - 1.55m).
Vani Khosla (USA) and her own Dragonfly de Longchamps finished victorious in the $10,000 Diamond Tour Welcome, sponsored by SmartPak, completing the speed course in a time of 67.09 seconds. Mariano Maggi (SWE) and Uma O’Neill’s Caville (Cartogran x Mr. Blue) finished in a close second with a time of 67.15 seconds, while Lindsay Archer (USA) was awarded third aboard Eta Beta di San Patrignano (Cornet Obolensky x Unknown), owned by Rhys Farms LLC, with a time of 69.91 seconds.
Bernardo Cabral’s (POR) CSI3* Speed course challenged twenty-three pairs, with six riders completing the class without any faults. “It was a tough course,” Khosla commented, “although it didn’t feel too big, the turns could definitely be tricky.”
Khosla purchased the 2009 Belgian Sport Horse mare at the Desert Circuit last year, “My first show with her was at here [at Thermal]; she’s amazing and I am really excited to have her,” Khosla shared. “We’re just learning about each other, so this is a pretty big win for us.”
The pair will return to the Grand Prix Stadium Friday for the $40,000 Diamond Tour Speed, sponsored by Vita Flex. “She’ll jump tomorrow in the Diamond Tour and then after we see how that goes I will decide if we do the Grand Prix on Sunday,” Khosla concluded.
Press Release
