Setting an early pace in the jump-off proved to be unbeatable as Nayel Nassar and Lordan stepped up for the win in the $60,000 Grand Prix of California, presented by Equ Lifestyle. Clearly a week for the young and talented show jumpers, Lauren Crooks took the win in the Interactive Mortgage Horses 10&U Futurity. FEI Course Designer Oscar Soberon set the 1.50m track for the thirty grand prix competitors. "I tried to focus more on the verticals rather than the oxers, which I think is playing it on the safe side. The distances are pretty straight forward. I'm not asking a lot of long or short distances. A little bit steady and too long but nothing too extreme. I hope that gives everyone a chance to do well." When asked about building in this Del Mar location, Soberon went into detail about his plan. "I love this ring. I love the material. I tried to give a different look to all the fences. With the triple, I put brush under the in-and-out but nothing in between. I'm using a lot of rails for number 13 and number 12 is super airy with panels on top, really challenging them. I alternated between super filled and super airy. I always put a big wall, a liverpool, a skinny, planks on top and triple bars, so every part of the course should be a challenge." Marc Grock was first in and first clean on Moonlite Beach, LLC's Little Gancho. That feat could not be matched for another twenty rides, when Nassar went clean on Lordan. Three more fabulous horse and rider combinations also joined the jump-off: Rich Fellers on Harry and Mollie Chapman's Flexible, Richard Spooner on Cristallo and Will Simpson riding Monarch International's E Unanime de la Haie. Grock started the jump-off with a fault free yet conservative ride in 40.08. Wanting to put the pressure on the impressive riders that followed him, next to go, Nassar, left out strides in several places and made tidy turns, stopping the clock in 35.43. His strategy paid off, as attempts to be faster made by Fellers and Spooner each scored eight faults. Last to go, Simpson was smooth and without fault but not quite quick enough in 36.11 for second place by less than a second. Nassar thought the course suited the competition. "I thought he did a good job course wise, it was a solid 1.50m. He had a scopey triple and a couple careful verticals. There was enough in there to keep the riders motivated and to keep them on point." Nassar bought Lordan as a seven-year-old. Now twelve years old, and returning with gusto from a year off, together they have competed in a World Cup Final and the World Equestrian Games, won the HITS Million in Saugerties and recently won a CSI3*-W World Cup class in Thermal.
