Ali Ramsay (CAN) has a new secret weapon, and it might not be a secret anymore. The Canadian National Champion rode to the win in Friday morning’s $38,700 TALUS 1.45m CSI2* Speed aboard Ramsay Equestrian, Inc.’s Conrado 12, unveiling a star she’s known to be there all along.
The pieces clicked into place for Ramsay to top the 31-horse class and take home her first major win of Desert Circuit 2023. “My fiance actually bought him as a 5-year-old and he sent him down with me in California at the beginning of his 8-year-old year to get sold, and after a month of riding the horse I loved it so much I realized I couldn’t let this one go,” Ramsay said of her beginnings with the now 10-year-old Zangersheide gelding (Cardento x Diarado). “After this last year I feel like we’ve really started to develop our partnership and the last two days it really clicked. We changed our bridle; we have a hackamore bit combination and all of a sudden it feels easy.”
Having competed at the CSI2* and CSI3* levels since summer of 2021, Friday marks Conrado 12’s first FEI win. Ramsay’s trust in the horse allowed them to take their speed up a notch and the horse’s natural careful demeanor kept all rails intact for the quickest clear round over Alan Wade’s challenging track.
“Today I felt like I could give him a good shot,” Ramsay said. “He’s the type of horse that if I run in the Speed [class] the first day it doesn’t affect my grand prix. He’s not one that needs to be put back together, so I felt like I could run as fast as I could and hopefully keep all the jumps up and be faster than everyone else.”
Ramsay had the benefit of seeing the trouble spots that ultimately led to only five clear rounds. Using the horse’s scope and natural footspeed, her time of 69.30 seconds could not be caught. Fellow Canadian Vanessa Mannix claimed second with Valentino D’Elte, while Chandler Meadows (USA) and Italy HDH took third.
Through Ramsay’s partnership with Conrado 12, the primary focus with training has been, “Adjustability of the stride. He’s a Cardento [baby] and they all have a bit of a funny mouth; they get a bit headstrong. As much as I try to go to the gym, I’m not super strong in the arms. We do a lot of poles just controlling his stride length and getting the adjustability, and being able to gallop up a line and balance a bit. It feels like that’s really clicked.”
Ramsay’s fiance, Jerome David is the one to thank for the partnership between Ramsay and Conrado 12. “He’s an accountant by morning and a really good horse scout,” she said. “He watches too many videos. He just got a remote job so he could come down here for circuit and has two of his own horses he’s showing. He’s got a really good eye for it so I’m lucky to have that in my corner.”
Final Results: $38,700 TALUS 1.45m CSI2* Speed
1. CONRADO 12: 2013 ZANG gelding by Cardento x Diarado
ALI RAMSAY (CAN), Ramsay Equestrian LLC: 0/69.30
2. VALENTINO D’ELTE: 2009 SF gelding by Castronom Z De Hus x Windsor
VANESSA MANNIX (CAN), Vanessa Mannix: 0/71.16
3. ITALY HDH: 2013 KWPN gelding by Cream On Top x Numero Uno
CHANDLER MEADOWS (USA), Chandler Meadows: 0/72.87
4. CITOKI: 2006 HOLST gelding by Catoki x Chambertin
SKYLAR WIREMAN (USA), Shayne Wireman: 0/73.90
5. ARMENTOS: 2011 OLDBG gelding by Armitage 2 x Levantos
KAITLIN CAMPBELL (USA), SWS Training & Sales: 0/75.07
6. CHASE: 2007 HOLST gelding by Colman x Coriander
ZOE BROWN (USA), Harley Brown Equestrian, Inc.: 1/79.93
7. CERA CARUSO: 2008 AWHA gelding by Casall x Capone
KATIE LAURIE (AUS), Carissa McCall: 4/66.83
8. CASALLANTUM: 2012 HOLST gelding by Casall x Quantum
SAVANNAH JENKINS (USA), Lavender Creek: 4/69.19
9. ODYSSEUS: 2011 AHHA gelding by Osilvis x Riverman
KYLE KING (USA), Patricia Vasey: 4/69.47
10. CRUZ: 2009 BWP gelding by Volstrups Casillas x Lorentin
KATE HOVLAND (USA), Kate Hovland: 4/70.86
11. CASIANO: 2014 Anglo European gelding by Casino Berlin x Iroko
CHANDLER MEADOWS (USA), Chandler Meadows: 4/71.65
12. MANTUA LS LA SILLA: 2012 SLS mare by Manzanillo LS x Risueno
KAITLIN CAMPBELL (USA), SWS Training & Sales: 4/71.85