Thermal, Calif. – Dec. 3, 2021 – FEI CSI5* show jumping competition kicked off on Friday during Week I of Desert Holiday at the Desert International Horse Park. The Grass Field became the center of the action as horses took to the brand new surface for the first time. Two classes were run back to back on the grass to close out CSI5* competition for the day before the show then transitioned back to the Grand Prix Arena for the $36,000 FEI Premier Equestrian 1.45m Speed CSI2*.
Topping the feature class of the day, the FEI $72,900 Horse Flight 1.50m CSI5*, presented by Great American Insurance Group, was Kristen VanderVeen (USA) and Bull Run’s Risen, adding another major accolade to the decorated show jumper’s name.
The first class of the day allowed riders to get their horses accustomed to the new setting in the $1,000 FEI Go Rentals 1.40m Two Phase CSI5*. A preview for the exciting lineup to come over the weekend, top international riders brought forth their superstar mounts to navigate the track set by Michel Vaillancourt and Peter Grant. Taking the first win of the day was Australia’s Katie Laurie with Cera Caruso, owned by Carissa McCall. The pair sped to a speed phase time of 36.57. Lindsay Archer (USA) and the Rhys Farms, LLC, entry Jarpur took home second place, while Canada’s Amy Millar and Christiano, owned by Future Adventures, rounded out the top three in the inaugural class on the grass field.
The course was adjusted and reset for the feature class of the day, the FEI $72,900 Horse Flight 1.50m CSI5*, Presented by Great American Insurance Group, set in a jump-off format. Forty entries took on the course, also designed by Michel Vaillancourt and Peter Grant, to take home the first big CSI5* win of the two-week circuit. Featuring 13 numbered obstacles, the winding course utilized the expanse of the 250’ by 500’ field, including a vertical-oxer-vertical triple combination, two liverpool fences, an oxer-vertical double combination, and sweeping rollback turns. Riders had to complete the course fault free within the time allowed of 82 seconds to qualify to come back for the jump-off.
With 10 qualified for the jump-off, including Olympians Amy Millar, Nayel Nassar, Margie Engle, and McLain Ward, the stakes were high for the short course. Nassar set the pace early as the first to jump double-clear in a time of 40.11 seconds, which wasn’t challenged until Ward stepped in the ring with his FEI World Cup Finals champion HH Azur, racing around the course in 38.39 seconds and taking over the lead. VanderVeen was the next to take on the short course with Bull Run’s Risen. VanderVeen let her large horse open up its stride and go all out from each fence to the next, taking the most direct path possible and shaving off nearly one full second from Ward’s time to take over first place in 37.46 seconds. Only Ballard would come close to challenging VanderVeen’s impeccable jump-off round, clocking in at 37.46 seconds, ultimately good enough for second place.
Source: Press release
Photo: Tori Bilas
