A decorated field of 21 athletes and their competitive mounts took to the Dixon Oval to vie for top honors in the single-round, faults converted speed competition. By the conclusion of the class, it was Great Britain’s Jessica Mendoza and Kent Farrington's former Dublin who emerged victorious.
Olaf Peterson, Jr. (GER) set at 14-fence track weaving throughout the arena, including two tricky combinations, a hair-pin turn, various rollback options and a long run to the final oxer. With rails converted into four seconds added to the final round time, any quick effort could win the class even with a rail down on course. The pathfinding pair, Great Britain’s Jessica Mendoza and her own Casanova 499, suffered two rails on course, crossing the timers with 81.16 seconds on the board. The first duo to navigate a clear effort was 16-year-old Zayna Rizvi (USA) and Chaplin W, owned by Peacock Ridge LLC, notching 69.62 seconds on the clock. Just two rounds later, the United States’ Mavis Spencer narrowly took over the leading spot after leaving all of the rails intact with Con Calle, owned by Georgy Maskrey-Segesman, in a time of 69.53 seconds.
A few rounds later, Mendoza re-entered the arena with her second mount of the class, Dublin, to claim the top spot on the leaderboard after shaving two-tenths of a second off of Spencer’s time, finishing in 69.33 seconds. The remaining riders, including Colombia’s Mark Bluman aboard Hanakine, owned by Daniel Bluman LLC, and Spencer aboard her second mount also owned by Maskrey-Segesman, Carissimo 25, attempted to unseat Mendoza and Dublin, but were unsuccessful in surpassing her speedy time. At the conclusion of the class, it was clear Mendoza’s effort was good enough to earn her second Devon blue of the week, topping the field of riders with Dublin, a 15-year-old Dutch gelding. Spencer and Con Calle ultimately finished in second place, with Rizvi and Chaplin W rounding out the top three.
Just a few days prior, Mendoza topped the $50,000 Jet Run Devon Welcome Stake CSI4* riding a different mount, Play. Her success throughout the week makes her first time at the Devon Horse Show all the more special. Mendoza and Dublin have had a long partnership, and she spoke highly of the gelding’s talent and quickness across the ground, noting the 1.45m speed classes are where she likes to aim him. She looks forward to competing in her final class of the week Saturday, the $74,000 Idle Dice Open Stake CSI4*, hoping to take one more blue ribbon back with her.
FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE
Jessica Mendoza – $37,000 Devon Speed Derby CSI4* winner
On Dublin:
“He’s been amazing since I’ve had him. He’s just a real winner at that height, he loves it. He has the speed. I always put him in the 1.45m speed classes and that’s kind of his jam.”
On the course:
“I rode [Casanova 499] first and I had two rails down so I didn’t go into the lead. I knew I had to be quick with Dublin. Unfortunately I didn’t actually get to see anyone go because I was swapping horses. I just knew I needed to go as fast as I could and I knew [Dublin] would keep the jumps up. He didn’t do so many leave-out strides, he’s just quick across the ground and across the jumps. Naturally on the turns he’s quick.”
On The Devon Horse Show:
“It’s been an amazing week. It’s my first time here and I don’t think I’ve ever had as good of a show that I’ve had here. Whatever I do tomorrow, it’s been amazing, but a ribbon would be amazing. I will do one horse in the [$74,000 Idle Dice Open Stake CSI4*] tomorrow.”
RESULTS
$37,000 Devon Speed Derby CSI4*
Place / Horse / Rider / Country / Owner | Time
1. Dublin / Jessica Mendoza / GBR | 69.33
2. Con Calle / Mavis Spencer / Georgy Maskrey-Segesman | 69.53
3. Chaplin W / Zayna Rizvi / USA / Peacock Ridge LLC | 69.62
4. Hanakine / Mark Bluman / COL / Daniel Bluman LLC | 70.33
5. Calafornia / Laura Chapot / USA / Mary Chapot | 70.49
6. Classic Penny / Sydney Shulman Desiderio / ISR / Jill Shulman | 71.69
7. Wonder If / Amanda Derbyshire / GBR / Gochman Sport Horse LLC | 73.05
8. Cassina 64 / Raleigh Hiler / USA / Kurt Hiler | 73.69
9. Lord Up / Audrey Schulze / USA / RIverbrook Sport Horses | 74.07
10. Express Blue GP Du Bois Madame / Caitlyn Connors / USA / Caitlyn Connors LLC | 75.24
11. Newton Van Het Krekelhof / Catherine Tyree / USA / Catherine Tyree LLC | 75.33
12. Obi Wan / Aaron Vale / USA / Alison Register & Thinkslikeahorse | 75.62
Olaf Peterson, Jr. (GER) set at 14-fence track weaving throughout the arena, including two tricky combinations, a hair-pin turn, various rollback options and a long run to the final oxer. With rails converted into four seconds added to the final round time, any quick effort could win the class even with a rail down on course. The pathfinding pair, Great Britain’s Jessica Mendoza and her own Casanova 499, suffered two rails on course, crossing the timers with 81.16 seconds on the board. The first duo to navigate a clear effort was 16-year-old Zayna Rizvi (USA) and Chaplin W, owned by Peacock Ridge LLC, notching 69.62 seconds on the clock. Just two rounds later, the United States’ Mavis Spencer narrowly took over the leading spot after leaving all of the rails intact with Con Calle, owned by Georgy Maskrey-Segesman, in a time of 69.53 seconds.
A few rounds later, Mendoza re-entered the arena with her second mount of the class, Dublin, to claim the top spot on the leaderboard after shaving two-tenths of a second off of Spencer’s time, finishing in 69.33 seconds. The remaining riders, including Colombia’s Mark Bluman aboard Hanakine, owned by Daniel Bluman LLC, and Spencer aboard her second mount also owned by Maskrey-Segesman, Carissimo 25, attempted to unseat Mendoza and Dublin, but were unsuccessful in surpassing her speedy time. At the conclusion of the class, it was clear Mendoza’s effort was good enough to earn her second Devon blue of the week, topping the field of riders with Dublin, a 15-year-old Dutch gelding. Spencer and Con Calle ultimately finished in second place, with Rizvi and Chaplin W rounding out the top three.
Just a few days prior, Mendoza topped the $50,000 Jet Run Devon Welcome Stake CSI4* riding a different mount, Play. Her success throughout the week makes her first time at the Devon Horse Show all the more special. Mendoza and Dublin have had a long partnership, and she spoke highly of the gelding’s talent and quickness across the ground, noting the 1.45m speed classes are where she likes to aim him. She looks forward to competing in her final class of the week Saturday, the $74,000 Idle Dice Open Stake CSI4*, hoping to take one more blue ribbon back with her.
FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE
Jessica Mendoza – $37,000 Devon Speed Derby CSI4* winner
On Dublin:
“He’s been amazing since I’ve had him. He’s just a real winner at that height, he loves it. He has the speed. I always put him in the 1.45m speed classes and that’s kind of his jam.”
On the course:
“I rode [Casanova 499] first and I had two rails down so I didn’t go into the lead. I knew I had to be quick with Dublin. Unfortunately I didn’t actually get to see anyone go because I was swapping horses. I just knew I needed to go as fast as I could and I knew [Dublin] would keep the jumps up. He didn’t do so many leave-out strides, he’s just quick across the ground and across the jumps. Naturally on the turns he’s quick.”
On The Devon Horse Show:
“It’s been an amazing week. It’s my first time here and I don’t think I’ve ever had as good of a show that I’ve had here. Whatever I do tomorrow, it’s been amazing, but a ribbon would be amazing. I will do one horse in the [$74,000 Idle Dice Open Stake CSI4*] tomorrow.”
RESULTS
$37,000 Devon Speed Derby CSI4*
Place / Horse / Rider / Country / Owner | Time
1. Dublin / Jessica Mendoza / GBR | 69.33
2. Con Calle / Mavis Spencer / Georgy Maskrey-Segesman | 69.53
3. Chaplin W / Zayna Rizvi / USA / Peacock Ridge LLC | 69.62
4. Hanakine / Mark Bluman / COL / Daniel Bluman LLC | 70.33
5. Calafornia / Laura Chapot / USA / Mary Chapot | 70.49
6. Classic Penny / Sydney Shulman Desiderio / ISR / Jill Shulman | 71.69
7. Wonder If / Amanda Derbyshire / GBR / Gochman Sport Horse LLC | 73.05
8. Cassina 64 / Raleigh Hiler / USA / Kurt Hiler | 73.69
9. Lord Up / Audrey Schulze / USA / RIverbrook Sport Horses | 74.07
10. Express Blue GP Du Bois Madame / Caitlyn Connors / USA / Caitlyn Connors LLC | 75.24
11. Newton Van Het Krekelhof / Catherine Tyree / USA / Catherine Tyree LLC | 75.33
12. Obi Wan / Aaron Vale / USA / Alison Register & Thinkslikeahorse | 75.62