A packed house on Friday night at the Murieta Equestrian Center was treated to a fantastic speed class, the $36,500 Murieta Inn, Spa & Restaurant 1.45m FEI Class. 34 entries took to the grand prix arena to race the clock around Olaf Petersen Jr.'s course consisting of 14 jumping efforts including two double combinations.
Faults were spread around the course as riders pushed the pedal to the metal, but many of the fantastic horses went clear and lightning fast as the crowd cheered them on. In the end, the "master of faster" Richard Spooner lived up to his name, piloting Arthos R (Namelus R x Mermus R) to the win.
"Arthos R has been a spectacular addition to the team," said Spooner of the 13-year-old bay KWPN gelding. "He's like riding an equitation horse. He's one of the easiest horses I've ever had the opportunity to ride. That's key in an indoor ring in a speed class like this to have a horse that's rideable because you can make those inside turns and you don't have any concern over the outcome. He was just really good tonight."
Coming in just half a second over Spooner's time was Karrie Rufer aboard Mai Tai (Ustinov x Lissabon), a bay 9-year-old-Westphalian gelding owned by Morning Star Sporthorses. And rounding out the podium in third place was Carly Anthony riding Clochard (Kashmir van Schuttershof x Cascadeur), a bay 10-year-old stallion owned by Stephex Stables.
