GULFPORT, MS – MAR. 14, 2010 – Lebanon, OH based Wilhelm Genn has done it again, winning both the $25,000 Nordic Lights Grand Prix and the $25,000 Budweiser Grand Prix during the fifth week of the 2010 Gulf Coast Winter Classics.
International great Dave Ballard took up the reins of course designing for the double prix week. For Thursday’s $25,000 Nordic Lights event, the co-creator of the 2008 Olympic layouts built a 15 effort test full of curves that had some riders struggling to keep the horses balanced. Add to this the deceptive appearance several obstacles presented and competitors faced quite the challenge to clear the course in less than 96 seconds. “Sometimes when you have a lower oxer and then a higher vertical the horses jump a little flat and then don’t get enough height for the vertical,” Genn offered as explanation for one troublesome spot. From the 25 starters Genn and the Laura Ryan-Barnaclo owned Chantal were third in the order and first to make a clear run, finishing in 88.191. Five spots later owner-rider Kari Frey of Fulshear, TX aboard Solinus guaranteed a jump off round with their clear time of 87.750. Not long after New Jersey’s Amanda Flint with her mount Tiffany E VDL joined the list to return with a faultless ride in 86.677. And then there was Happy Z, Genn’s fearless 12-year-old Dutch bred mare. “With Happy, I looked where I went with Chantal, I went really tight with him, and I didn’t think I could stay on the inside track so I decided to just keep her straight for 1 to 2 extra strides, balance her and then turn her real quickly to get a run back to the oxer,” Genn explained his strategy for that last vital line. The duo’s time was 90.263.
GULFPORT, MS – MAR. 8, 2010 – Lebanon, OH based Wilhelm Genn commented earlier in the season that a perfect event would have three big triumphs, one for each of his sons and one of his own. Week four of the Gulf Coast Winter Series found Genn’s fondest wish coming true.
In Thursday afternoon’s $5000 Lucky Sevens Open Jumper Welcome Stake it was Theo Genn riding the Thomas Bruinsma owned Paradox, a 10-year-old Zweibruecker German Warmblood gelding, who bested both the field of 23 competitors and the technical layout of course designer Allen Rheinheimer. “I feel like I got lucky. He’s [Paradox] still young and just moving into this level so there were several who could have beaten us. He’s still developing speed,” a very modest Theo said after a victory gallop.
Rheinheimer had an 82 second allowance in which riders were expected to weave their way successfully from one end of the vast grass field to the other while clearing 12 obstacles [15 jumping efforts] that included a double vertical combo and a triple combo of oxer into two verticals out. “It was a snaky ride, but pretty straight forward,” Theo said of their clean 79.284 first round. Eight more horses would join Paradox in the jump off, among them Theo’s dad Wilhelm with the up and coming mount Loredo, owned by Micaela Kennedy. The abbreviated 8 fence/46 second layout had a beat the clock theme as its design was one for a quick pace and quick thinking. While speed was not an issue for most, being delicate over the plank vertical was. In total, only 3 riders had a second clear run. “You had to be careful and fast. Paradox was great!” a happy Theo said of their winning clear time of 39.332.
GULFPORT, MS — FEB. 21, 2010 — Lebanon, OH based Wilhelm Genn had a stellar second week at the 2010 Gulf Coast Winter Classics with victories in both Thursday’s $5,000 Welcome Open Jumper Stake aboard Happy Z and Sunday’s $25,000 Gulf Coast Grand Prix with Laura Ryan-Barnaclo’s Chantal.
Deciding the path this week’s jumpers would take was one of the sport’s most revered course designers, Michel Vaillancourt, who began testing their limits on Thursday with a curvy 15 effort layout in the $5,000 Welcome Open Jumper Stake presented by The Farm House. With an 85 second allowance and nothing “obvious” set as tricky looking, several riders wondered if it was just too good to be true given Vaillancourt’s reputation for hidden challenges. “I thought that maybe it was a little easy, but then with Michel you never know, he’s such a good experienced course designer. He can make it look easy and still only have 10% clean,” said Genn.
From the field of 24 only 9 made it to the jump off round. “A couple of the verticals were airy and needed to be ridden careful versus scopey,” Genn discovered was Vaillancourt’s contest. He and partner Happy Z, the coming 12-year-old chestnut fireball mare he owns and trains, blazed past all jump-off contenders with a clear go in the 8 obstacle final round that tested riders with rollback turns and a speedy pace. Their finishing time was a fast 39.200 – well below the allotted 52 seconds. “It was a good jump off for my horses, because you had a little bit of a gallop, tight turns, and more gallop. Thankfully my horses are pretty handy now,” a smiling Genn said. Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=10335
Gulfport, MS — FEB 14, 2010 — Thermometers were up and down, weathermen forecasted gloom and doom with the supposed arrival of 3 inches or more of snow, and like all good businesses the managers of the Gulf Coast Winter Classics decided to err on the side of caution by cancelling Friday classes. The good news was that aside from some nasty rain it truly was a “Non Event” day as Bob Bell co-chairman hoped.
Saturday saw the return of warmer temperatures, some sunshine, and the traditional ringside pizza parties as week one of the 2010 Gulf Coast Winter Classics got back into full swing. The first Division Championships were awarded in the Hunter rings, beginning with the 1st Year Green Working title going to Any Wonder ridden by Kelly Mullen for owner Avery Griffin. In the combined 2nd Year and Regular Working sections it was Georgia resident Julie Curtin with her Bases Loaded taking the tri colors, while Twin Oaks Farm’s Promenade and Thomas Brennan were named Champions in the Conformation Hunters. For the Pre Green 3’ Division it was Laura Hightower’s entry Kid Chocolate, ridden by Jordan Siegel, getting the Championship honors, and in the Pre Green 3’3, owner Linda Bobrik’s Figaro B sang out a victory song with Holly Shepherd’s directing.
While most celebrate Valentine’s Day with heart shaped boxes of chocolates and sentimental cards expressing one’s undying love, Eirin Bruheim of Houston, TX received what every horse crazy girl in America would feel to be the perfect gift – two big hearted horses giving their all to win Eirin two big checks! Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=10269
Harrodsburg, KY — November 30, 2009 — While many events are making cut backs in prize money Bob Bell and Janet McCarroll, co-managers of the 2010 Gulf Coast Winter Series, were ecstatic to announce an increase to the High Junior and Amateur Owner Jumpers this season.
Over $100,000 will be awarded during the six-week 2010 winter series. “That is a lot!” a happy Bell commented. The high section will offer $2000 per class and on the weekends there will be a $15,000 High Jumper Classic – “this is for each and every week!” said Bell. Thanks to new sponsor Nordic Lights Farm the spotlight will shine brightly for this talented group of jumpers. “We’re so appreciative of the Bruheim family and Nordic Lights’ support and the ability to reward our exhibitors’ hard work to compete at this level of competition,” Janet McCarroll said.
The Low section of the Junior-Amateur Owners jumpers will see an increase in their purses as well. Each class will offer $1000 and there will be six $5000 Jumper Classics. And not to be forgotten the Children’s and Adult Jumper divisions will award $500 in each class and their weekly Classics will increase to $2500 with NO Nomination fee required. Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=9050
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