The $10,000 Horseflight Open Welcome took place yesterday afternoon on the world class grass grand prix field and crowned Penny Brennan of Buhl, Alabama and her own Sun Tzu the winner in the class. Allen Rheinheimer of Zionsville, Indiana, Technical Coordinator for the 2015 World Cup Finals in Las Vegas, Nevada, designed the course. Sun Tzu was the first horse to turn in a clean first round with a time of 92.864 seconds, just under the time allowed of 93 seconds. With two more to ride, Brennan opted to return later for her second round. Leann Kelly of Valatie, New York and Honorway Farm, LLC's Leander, followed Brennan with a clean first round in a time of 89.725 seconds. Although their second round time of 41.031 seconds beat the time allowed of 48 seconds, they incurred eight jump faults. Chanel Du Calvaire, owned and ridden by Francois Lamontagne of Saint-Eustache, Quebec, Canada, followed with the next clean round in a time of 88.177 seconds and a second round in 46.387 seconds. With four jump faults, the pair would temporarily take the lead. Holly Shepherd of Grand Bay, Alabama and Loretta Patterson's Silverstone followed Lamontagne with a clear first round in a time of 92.487 seconds. The pair posted a clean second round in a time of 46.131 seconds, setting the new time to beat and temporarily taking the lead. Brennan returned to the field, this time with her own Japan. The pair posted a clean first round in a time of 82.180 seconds. But four jump faults and fourteen time faults in their second round in a time of 61.621 seconds would inevitably place them in seventh place overall. Lochinvar, owned and ridden by Matt Cyphert of Northlake, Texas, posted a clear first round in a time of 84.919 and advanced to the second round, going clear in a time of 41.797 seconds, taking the lead from Shepherd. Shepherd returned to the ring, this time in the irons of Loretta Patterson's Triompf and went clear in a time of 90.281 seconds. They followed with a clear second round in a time of 44.219 seconds, which would not be fast enough to take the lead from Cyphert. Brennan returned to the ring as the final ride in the irons of Sun Tzu. The pair went clean in a time of 41.031, taking the win and moving Cyphert and Lochnivar into second place. Final results saw Shepherd taking the third and fourth place ribbons with Loretta Patterson's Triompf and Silverstone, Lamontagne and Chanel Du Calvaire in fifth, Kelly and Leander in sixth and Brennan and Japan in seventh. The fastest of the four faulters, Scott Lenkart of Bartonville, Texas riding Allison Freeman's Baloubrie, in a time of 87.196 seconds, placed eighth, followed by Amanda Forte of Glenmoore, Pennsylvania and Cerulean Stables' HHS Louis in ninth place for their four fault first ride in a time of 89.572 seconds. Tenth place went to Brooke Kemper of Culpeper, Virginia and her own Classified, eleventh place awarded to Brennan and Cord II, owned by Meco Equestrian, LLC and Happy Boy Van De Doornakkers, owned and ridden by Jordan Gilchrist of Flower Mound, Texas, wrapped up the class in twelfth place.
