Colleen Acosta pilots Diamond over the Dominos fence on their way to the win in yesterday’s $25,000 Dominos Grand Prix.
The final Sunday of the Gulf Coast Winter Classic Circuit saw twenty-four horse and rider teams take on the $25,000 Dominos Grand Prix. Gulf Coast Classic Company management decided to move the grand prix to Jumper 1 considering the amount of rain that fell during the week. “Since we held the Horseflight Welcome yesterday in Jumper 1 and the new KCR footing worked out beautifully, we thought it would be in the best interest of everyone and the horses to hold the prix in the same arena,” commented Bob Bell, President of the Gulf Coast and Classic Companies. “The KCR footing holds really well and we have received nothing but compliments from trainers, riders and the course designers on the quality of the footing regardless of the weather,” he added.
The course was designed by Allen Rheinheimer, Technical Coordinator for the World Cup scheduled in Las Vegas, Nevada next month, and he set the time to beat at 80 seconds.
Only five horse and rider teams qualified for the jump off.
Alexis Bowen of Plano, Texas and her own Oley were the first to turn in a clean first round in a time of 79.220 seconds. As first to go in the jump off, the pair had a rail at the third fence which gave them four faults in a time of 44.953 seconds, well within the 48 seconds time allowed.
Colleen Acosta of Roanoke, Texas and Anastasia Stewart’s Diamond followed Bowen in the jump off and were the first to turn in a clean jump off round in a time of 42.888 seconds. The pair took the lead and set the new time to beat.
Penny Brennan of Ocala, Florida and her own Sun Tzu were next to go. Brennan is known for taking the courses fast and she did not disappoint. The pair turned in the fastest jump off round in a time of 39.406 seconds, but with eight jump faults, would miss the opportunity for the win.
Tiffany Cambria of Middleburg, Virginia was next to go in the irons of Amanda Hood’s Vavoom and turned in a four fault jump off round in a time of 44.201 seconds.
While it seemed as if Acosta would win the class, Andy Kocher of Lake St. Louis, Missouri was slated in the enviable last to go position. Kocher won the last two grand prix at the Gulf Coast Winter Classic and looked to make it a hat trick to close out the circuit.
Kocher and Eagle Valley Partners, LLC’s C’Havinia tackled the jump off course but a rail at the third fence in a time of 42.480 seconds would see the win go to Acosta and Anastia Stewart’s Diamond!
Final results saw Acosta and Diamond with the win and Alexis Bowen and her own Oley in second. Kocher and C’Havinia took third place while Tiffany Cambria and Amanda Hood’s Vavoom finished in fourth. Fifth place went to Penny Brennan and Sun Tzu and Kocher returned for sixth in the irons of Aleece Jarman’s Cantori. The pair turned in a first clear first round effort in a time of 81.455 seconds with two time faults. Seventh place went to Holly Shepherd of Grand Bay, Alabama and Loretta Patterson’s Triompf; Shepherd and Triompf turned in four fault first round in a time of 77.598 seconds. Eighth was awarded to Kocher and BTS Entertainment and Sales’ Ufarno after their four fault first round in a time of 78.809 seconds. Ninth went to Hailey Henderson of Lafayette, Louisiana and her own Zine Dine after turning in a first round, eight fault effort in a time of 74.324 seconds.
Tenth and eleventh were awarded to Shepherd and Loretta Patterson’s Copycat and Brooke Kemper of Culpeper, Virginia and her own Classified, respectively. Kocher wrapped the class up with twelfth place on Eagle Valley Partners, LLC’s Zosja.
The Gulf Coast Classic Company is a USHJA’s Members Choice Award winner, recognized for producing top quality show jumping events in the United States. For more information on Gulf Coast Classic Company and its exhibitor-friendly, top quality hunter jumper events, please visit them at www.gulfcoastclassiccompany.com.
All sponsorship, marketing and press inquiries should be directed to Lisa Engel, Sponsorship, Marketing and Public Relations Director, at lisa@classiccompany.com.
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See you at the ring,
Bob Bell
The Classic Company, Ltd.
www.ClassicCompany.com
Phone/FAX: (843) 768-5503
Post Office Box 1311 Johns Island SC 29457