Thermal, Calif. – Jan. 27. 2022 – FEI competition for the 2022 Desert International Horse Park (DIHP) show season got underway during Desert Circuit II Thursday afternoon as international athletes took to the Grand Prix Arena for the $5,000 Vita Flex 1.40m Two-Phase CSI3*.
A field of 34 entries, featuring top pairings representing eight different nations, contested the course set by Mexico’s Manuel Esparza. The athletes focused primarily on keeping rails intact during the first phase of competition, switching gears at the halfway mark on course to speed through phase two and try to claim top honors. Ultimately, it was Keri Potter and Quitana 11 who held their early lead to emerge at the top of the leaderboard at the conclusion of the class.
Setting the pace as the first duo to tackle the course, the United States’ Mavis Spencer and Con Calle laid down a solid double-clear effort, crossing through the timers at the conclusion of the speed phase in 35.31 seconds. The lead would exchange hands 10 rounds later as Keri Potter (USA) and Hannah Loly’s Quitana 11 raced their way through the speed phase after clearing the first portion of the course. The pair shaved three seconds off of the leading time to notch a new leading time of 31.95 seconds on the clock.
Though the remaining 23 horse-and-athlete combinations would put forth a valiant effort, none were able to match Potter’s impressive speed phase time, ultimately lending her the first place honors aboard the 16-year-old Holsteiner mare Quitana 11. Shawn Casady (USA) and RMF Chacco Top, owned by Rushy Marsh Farm, finished just behind the winning pair, riding to a clear speed phase time of 32.25 seconds. Rounding out the top three just one-tenth of a second behind Casady was Misti Cassar (USA) aboard Alberto Rivera Torres’ Viking de Laume with a time of 32.39 seconds.
Source: press release
Photo: Tori Bilas