Thermal, Calif. – Feb. 2, 2022 – International competition kicked back into gear at Desert International Horse Park Thursday for Week III of Desert Circuit after Wednesday brought severe winds and delayed several highlight classes. National show jumping athletes prepared their mounts for the week’s biggest classes in the $5,000 Desert Flight Open 1.40m Classic followed by the $2,500 Whittier Trust Welcome Speed.
The feature class of the day, the $5,000 Pomponio Ranch 1.40m Two Phase CSI3*, brought forward 30 international entries over an Alan Wade-designed track. Emerging victorious at the close of the class was the United States’ Karrie Rufer riding Morning Star Sporthorses, LLC’s Mr. Europe.
The course for the class was divided into two phases, the first of which featured eight obstacles that athletes tried to navigate clear and within the time allowed 50 seconds. Riders who achieved a clear first phase immediately advanced into the speed phase, which began at fence nine and required athletes to kick into the next gear to capture the quickest clear-round time in order to secure the win.
The first double-clear effort was seen by Keri Potter (USA) aboard Bisou, setting the pace for those to follow with a time of 31.47 seconds. The lead immediately exchanged hands as the United States’ Elisa Broz piloted Tinkerbell to a double-clear finish in 28.25 seconds. Nine rounds later, Ireland’s Conor Swail and his notoriously quick mount Errol slipped into the leading position, shaving nearly one second off of Broz’s time to cross the timers in 27.77.
Immediately following, Rufer put her best foot forward with Mr. Europe, just narrowly taking over the top spot in a time of 27.23 seconds. Though the remaining 14 horse-and-athlete combinations would try, none could match Rufer’s impressive finish to ultimately lend her the win with the 13-year-old KWPN gelding. Swail and Errol finished out the class in second place, while Broz and Tinkerbell rounded out the top three.
Source: Press release
Photo: ©Tori Bilas