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Andrew Kocher and Land Rebel Win the $25,000 Nutrena Grand Prix

Andy Kocher and Land Rebel sail over the CWD oxer on their way to the win Saturday night.

Andrew Kocher of Lake St. Louis, Missouri has had a very successful run during Week II of the Gulf Coast Winter Classics in Pensacola. After scoring a trifecta win in Friday’s $5,000 HorseFlight Open Welcome class, he went on to win the $25,000 Nutrena Grand Prix with his own Land Rebel under the lights in the covered arena on Saturday night.

“The course looked easy enough when we walked it, but with the lights and the tight turns, the jumps just came right up on you and it turned out to be a very tough course,” commented Kocher, “and the time allowed was pretty snug too,” he added.

The first round time allowed was set at 83 seconds. It looked as if there was not going to be a jump off as horse and rider team after another finished their first rounds with jump faults and time faults.

It was not until the eighth to go, Mary Lisa Leffler of Brookville, Maryland and Rolling Acres’ Carlot went clean to the crowd’s delight in a time of 77.749 seconds. It looked as if she may win the class, until Kocher entered the ring with Land Rebel as the final rider in the first round. The pair went clean in a time of 79.312 seconds to the crowd’s delight. There would be a jump off!

Leffler and Carlot were first to go and turned in a fault-free performance in a time of 41.069 seconds, well within the 48 seconds time allowed. Kocher followed with Land Rebel and rode the jump off round lightning fast in a time of 38.841 seconds, locking in the win.

“Land Rebel is a horse I bought in the Czech Republic about six or seven weeks ago,” said Kocher. “He’s won some big classes already in his show career. I showed him in Wellington two weeks ago and he was eighth in the grand prix there,” he said. “He’s a good, solid, experienced horse and fast as hell. All you have to do is just kick him and run,” he laughed.

Kocher also took home the third place ribbon, in the irons of Eagle Valley Partners’ C’Havinia after turning in a first round in 84.167 seconds with two time faults. Fourth place was awarded to Hailey Henderson of Lafayette, Louisiana who rode her own Zine Dine in a first round time of 85 seconds with two time faults. Christian Rogge of Spring, Texas rode his own Lissa Tsp to the fifth place finish in a first round time of 85 seconds and two time faults. Kocher returned to claim the sixth place ribbon on Michael Rosenberg’s Crown Joker after the pair turned in a first round effort in 79.373 seconds with four jump faults. Kocher also took home the seventh and ninth place ribbons aboard Arion Legends, LLC’s Cantu 5 and BTS’ Entertainment Sales’ Ufarno, respectively. Leffler took home the eighth place finish in the irons of Rolling Acres’ Amon De Diamente.

What are Kocher’s future plans? “Well, I’m going to finish up the last week here in Pensacola and I will be at the last half of Gulfport. My goal for the winter is to win the $77,000 Grand Prix,” he said. “I have some new horsepower supplied to me by Julie Dodd, Shannon Hicks, Helen Gilbert and Karen Cobb,” he continued. “My old reliable Le Conte is out with an injury, but I have some new bullets that I think can get the job done,” he said. “I have a great group of owners with me and we’re having a great time,” he said.

For more information on this class, visit horseshowsonline.com.

Andy Kocher and Land Rebel sail over the HorseFlight oxer on their way to the win Friday.
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Andy Kocher and Land Rebel sail over the HorseFlight oxer on their way to the win Friday.

Kocher Grabs a Trifecta Win in the $5,000 HorseFlight Open Welcome

Kocher scored a trifecta in Friday’s $5,000 HorseFlight Open Welcome class at the Escambia County Equestrian Center in Pensacola winning the top three ribbons.

Kocher and Michael Rosenberg’s Crown Joker turned in double clear efforts in times of 69.026 and 35.273 seconds respectively, well within the 75 and 45 seconds time allowed. Kocher and his own Land Rebel also turned in double clear rounds and were just a bit more than a second shy of winning the class with a second round time of 36.917 seconds. White Lightning, also owned and ridden by Kocher, turned in double clear efforts and locked in the third place ribbon with a second round time of 37.211 seconds.

Mary Lisa Leffler of Brookville, Maryland took home the fourth place ribbon in the irons of Rolling Acres’ Amon De Diamante in double clear efforts in times of 69.953 and 39.982 seconds respectively.

Kocher returned for the fifth ribbon, this time in the irons of Arion Legends, LLC’s Cantu 5. The pair turned in double clear rounds with times of 72.186 and 41.025 seconds respectively. And again, Kocher returned for the sixth placing this time in the irons of Dillandra, owned by Eagle Valley Partners, LLC. The pair finished with times of 68.184 and 34.349 seconds respectively, with four jump faults in their second round. For more results on this class, please visit horseshowsonline.com.

“The Welcome was a nice, soft course that did a great job getting us ready for the grand prix,” commented Kocher.

The Classic Company is a USHJA’s Members Choice Award winner, recognized for producing top quality show jumping events in the United States. Together, they offer the best exhibitor-friendly, top quality hunter jumper events each winter. Please visit them on the web at www.ClassicCompany.com or call them at 843.768.5503.

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

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