The competition was intense in the heat of the Southern California sun when Mandy Porter and David Murdoch's Eminent topped a field of 24 entries to win the $30,000 Markel Insurance Grand Prix, presented by Davidson Communities. The 'meter-forty' class hit the mark, offering an opportunity for a wide variety of rider experience, including 16-year-old junior, Sydney Hutchins, competing in her first Grand Prix, to experienced show jumpers, such as Lane Clarke, John Perez, Jenni McAllister and Nayel Nassar. FEI course designer Pierre Jolicoeur kept all this and more in mind when he set the track. "I set the course with a lot of invitations; it has a nice rhythm to it, normal distances, not too many funny-looking jumps. I wanted to create balance, pace... You want everybody to go around and learn something, and you want the best horse to win." The line from fence 4 to 5a-b-c, a tight vertical-vertical-oxer triple combination, was set to ride in six or seven strides. This test tempted riders to ride up for the six, but that choice made it difficult to jump through the combination without having a rail. Those who jumped clean shaped the line in seven strides. Getting deep to the second to last jump, a vertical set on a bend after the triple bar, also caused rails to fall. One quarter of the class entries rode without fault. Riding ninth in the order, veteran John Perez and Daniel Rihan's Chianti Classico were the first clear. There wasn't another clean ride until Jenni McAllister galloped in fifteenth on LEGIS Touch the Sun. Four of the remaining nine horses rode a fault-free track for a six horse jump-off. RESULTS Markel Insurance Grand Prix, presented by Davidson Communities Place - Entry - Name - Trainer - Faults/Time 1. 577 - Eminent - Mandy Porter - David Murdoch - 0/0/38.938 2. 520 - Chianti Classico - John Perez - Daniel Rihan - 0/0/39.488 3. 193 - LEGIS Venice - Jenni McAllister - LEGISequine.com - 0/0/40.979 4. 192 - LEGIS Touch the Sun - Jenni McAllister - LEGISequine.com - 0/0/42.546 5. 588 - Centuria 2 - Gabriella Salick - Gabriella Salick, LLC - 0/4/42.619 6. 587 - Zorlando - Sydney Hutchins - Sydney Hutchins - 0/4/42.694 7. 279 - Con Spirit - Nathalie Manning - Nathalie Manning - 4/79.402 8. 597 - Acita - Nayel Nassar - Nayel Nassar - 4/80.632 9. 451 - Ohara Saint Clair - Lauren Kay - Lauren Kay - 4/80.949 10. 267 - Semira de Saulieu - Lane Clarke - Brooklane Farms - 4/81.640 11. 263 - MH Wardance - Lane Clarke - MH Warbucks, LLC - 4/81.890 12. 295 - Cambridge 28 - Nicole Haunert - George Meyer - 4/82.969
The competition was intense in the heat of the Southern California sun when Mandy Porter and David Murdoch's Eminent topped a field of 24 entries to win the $30,000 Markel Insurance Grand Prix, presented by Davidson Communities. The 'meter-forty' class hit the mark, offering an opportunity for a wide variety of rider experience, including 16-year-old junior, Sydney Hutchins, competing in her first Grand Prix, to experienced show jumpers, such as Lane Clarke, John Perez, Jenni McAllister and Nayel Nassar. FEI course designer Pierre Jolicoeur kept all this and more in mind when he set the track. "I set the course with a lot of invitations; it has a nice rhythm to it, normal distances, not too many funny-looking jumps. I wanted to create balance, pace... You want everybody to go around and learn something, and you want the best horse to win." The line from fence 4 to 5a-b-c, a tight vertical-vertical-oxer triple combination, was set to ride in six or seven strides. This test tempted riders to ride up for the six, but that choice made it difficult to jump through the combination without having a rail. Those who jumped clean shaped the line in seven strides. Getting deep to the second to last jump, a vertical set on a bend after the triple bar, also caused rails to fall. One quarter of the class entries rode without fault. Riding ninth in the order, veteran John Perez and Daniel Rihan's Chianti Classico were the first clear. There wasn't another clean ride until Jenni McAllister galloped in fifteenth on LEGIS Touch the Sun. Four of the remaining nine horses rode a fault-free track for a six horse jump-off. RESULTS Markel Insurance Grand Prix, presented by Davidson Communities Place - Entry - Name - Trainer - Faults/Time 1. 577 - Eminent - Mandy Porter - David Murdoch - 0/0/38.938 2. 520 - Chianti Classico - John Perez - Daniel Rihan - 0/0/39.488 3. 193 - LEGIS Venice - Jenni McAllister - LEGISequine.com - 0/0/40.979 4. 192 - LEGIS Touch the Sun - Jenni McAllister - LEGISequine.com - 0/0/42.546 5. 588 - Centuria 2 - Gabriella Salick - Gabriella Salick, LLC - 0/4/42.619 6. 587 - Zorlando - Sydney Hutchins - Sydney Hutchins - 0/4/42.694 7. 279 - Con Spirit - Nathalie Manning - Nathalie Manning - 4/79.402 8. 597 - Acita - Nayel Nassar - Nayel Nassar - 4/80.632 9. 451 - Ohara Saint Clair - Lauren Kay - Lauren Kay - 4/80.949 10. 267 - Semira de Saulieu - Lane Clarke - Brooklane Farms - 4/81.640 11. 263 - MH Wardance - Lane Clarke - MH Warbucks, LLC - 4/81.890 12. 295 - Cambridge 28 - Nicole Haunert - George Meyer - 4/82.969