Uma O'Neill of New Zealand rode Clockwise of Greenhill Z to the only clean round to win the $36,000 CaptiveOne FEI 1.45m Welcome Class without a jump-off at the Split Rock Jumping Tour's Columbus International CSI2*.
Two weeks of world-class competition at Brave Horse Show Park in Johnstown, Ohio will continue through Sunday, October 6 when the Tour will culminate with the prestigious $135,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Columbus CSI3*-W Presented by CaptiveOne, a qualifier for next April's 2020 Longines FEI World Cupâ„¢ Finals in Las Vegas, Nevada!
In the Welcome Class, O'Neill, 35th in the order, was the only entry of the 52 who started to master the 16-effort, first-round course designed by Anderson Lima of Brazil. Four entries completed the course with no jumping faults but with time faults for exceeding the time allowed. Victoria Ketchum and Isaac 22 finished with just one time fault to take second place. Christine McCrea on Jarcobond Van Den Oude Eik was the fastest of the three who had two time faults to earn third place.
"I didn't really expect it," said O'Neill about having the only clear round. "When I finished my round with Clockwise, I still had another horse to go and Mariano (Maggi), my trainer, had his horse going last so I was quite busy. I didn't think about the possibility that there might not be a jump-off, but of course it's really nice to win with the only clear."