Under a cloudless blue sky and against the backdrop of Lexington, Kentucky’s changing fall colors, the stage was perfectly set for Sunday’s culminating event of the Bourbon International CSI3* Split Rock Jumping Tour. The Tour has seen some leading horse and rider combinations compete for prize money throughout the week, and with $130,000 up for grabs in the October 9th Grand Prix presented by Split Rock Farm, the starting list of 33 riders were prepared to bring their very best. It would be Colombian rider Ilan Bluman who bested the field and came away with his second CSI3* win of the weekend aboard the same horse. Bluman also won Friday evening’s $40,000 Amalaya Investments CSI3* Grand Prix. For Bluman and mount Ladriano Z (Lawito x Baloubet du Rouet), this week’s Split Rock Jumping Tour has been something like a fairytale. Coming into the competition with no prior FEI ranking class wins, the pair is returning home with two. “I am really, really excited,” Bluman said in his post-win press conference. He struggled to find the words to express his excitement. “This is only my second FEI ranking class win so I couldn’t be happier. The horse was amazing. I am just so happy!” The track designed by Oscar Soberon, was large and technical with a tight time allowed. It bested the majority of the class, with only seven riders progressing to the jump off round. The first of those seven to go clear was Daniel Bluman aboard Bacara D’Archonfosse (Asca Z x Queen D’Archonfosse). The pair completed the shortened course in a time of 47.43 seconds, and their lead held through the next several rounds. Ali Wolff and her talented Casall were clear and fast until the final fence, which they tipped after taking a too-risky approach to the finish line. Wolff would finish in 4th place. Ireland’s Richie Moloney slid into the 3rd spot on a 4 fault score, with what would otherwise have been the winning time of 38.97 seconds aboard Slieveanorra (Voltare x Creevagh Quaich). Ilan Bluman followed, and with the crowd holding its breath, he cleared all the fences in a fast time of 40.43 seconds to take the decisive lead. “I had the same plan today as I had two days ago, which paid off for me,” he said. “I wanted to go clear. The riders before me each had a couple of rails so I went in knowing I needed to go clear and fast in order to win.” Ladriano Z, an 8-year-old Zangersheide gelding that is owned by Blue Star Investments, is a big-bodied, big moving gelding that moves deceptively slow across the ground. However, Ilan found a shorter track between every fence, forcing a 2nd place for his cousin by finishing more than six seconds faster. “Daniel went immediately before me and he was clear, so I wanted to go just a little bit faster than him,” he added with a laugh and a nod in his cousin’s direction. Despite being edged out of the win, Daniel was thrilled for his cousin. “The day was excellent. This is such a great show and to top it off this way was really great. Ilan and I always work together as a team so for him to take two wins this week and for my young mare to finish second behind him… we couldn’t have asked for a better day.” See the full results list of the $130,000 Grand Prix CSI3*, presented by Split Rock Farm, at this link.
