Devon, PA – July 7, 2011 – Bright, sunny skies kicked off the day at the Brandywine Valley Summer Series, presented by Taylor Harris Insurance Services, but as the jumpers took to the Dixon Oval at the Devon Show Grounds scattered thunderstorms moved into the area. The riders prevailed through the wet weather, with Patricia Griffith and Wieminka B taking the top spot in the 1.40m Open Jumpers, while Jennifer Brennan and Ducky scored the winning title in the $1,500 NAL/WIHS Child/Adult Jumper Classic.
The $1,500 NAL/WIHS Child/Adult Jumper Classic was the last class of the day in the Dixon Oval, where riders showed over a technical course by Kenny Krome. The first round featured a triple bar, three double combinations, and a liverpool. Eight from the original starting order advanced to the short course, where riders had to start over the triple bar and make a bending line to a single vertical. They then made a sharp right turn to a single oxer and turned to a single vertical, before making their way through a vertical-oxer double combination, a related vertical, and a final wide oxer.
Jennifer Brennan and Ducky, owned by Shannon Dell, were the fastest of the fast, completing a double clear effort in just 31.890 seconds to take home the winning ribbon. “Today I just wanted to be fast and clean,” she explained after the victory gallop. “There weren’t any sneaky inside turns, I just had to keep him straight and point him at the jumps. Ducky is awesome, very easy to ride. He knows his job and he’s as competitive as you are. If you want to win, he wants to win more!”
The second place prize went to Olivia Fry Weeks and H. J. El Divino, who stopped the clock just one second short of the leading time in 32.803 seconds. The first to tackle the track was Isabelle Caccamise and Qrocus Landais, who broke the beam at 35.135 seconds for third. Rounding out the top four was yesterday’s winner, Patrick McGinnia and JET Show Stables’ Conn, who tripped the timers in 35.387 seconds with all the rails intact.
Earlier in the day, riders showed over a similar course during the 1.40m Open Jumpers and the 1.20m Open Jumpers. Patricia Griffith was the leader in the 1.40m Open Jumpers, completing a double clear effort with Wieminka B and clocking in at 33.975 seconds. The second place prize went to Christina Serio and Derbydown’s Navarre, who were the first to leave all the fences standing in a time of 36.016. The final clear round in the jump-off went to Janice Syphers aboard GK Calluci, owned by Kindle Hill, who broke the beam at 36.500 seconds for third.
“Wieminka B was awesome,” smiled Griffith. “I have been doing a couple of bigger classes with her, so she thought that I was getting ready to do another Grand Prix, and she jumped spectacular. In the jump-off, I made a point to practice going fast because I have been doing more classes and not a lot of jump-offs. I thought she was great and I was happy with it. We are ready for the Mini Prix!”
The 1.20m Open Jumpers competed next in the Dixon Oval, and it was Saly Glassman and Correlli, owned by Wynne Lejeune, that jumped to the top of the leaderboard. The last duo proved to be the best, as Glassman piloted Correlli to a double clear effort in 33.095 seconds, despite a trip before the double combination in the jump-off. Their excellent effort earned the first place prize and winning title.
“Correlli is very fast across the top of the jumps,” explained Glassman. “She can be very fast and add, but if it was up to her she might leave them all out. Instead of just doing six across the middle, I stayed with the seven. I also planned a tiny bit of an add to the last jump, just so she would have time to see the jump because it was kind of blind around that right turn. She is very game and once she hears the second buzzer we are gone.”
Taking home the second place award in the 1.20m Open Jumpers was Christina Serio and First Lady, owned by Derbydown, who broke the beam in a clear 35.739 seconds. Griffith had the only other fault-free jump-off aboard Occra, owned by Audrey Keller, and the duo tripped the timers at 40.083 seconds for the third place honors.
At the end of the day, Glassman added, “I love the Brandywine Valley Summer Series. I think that Louise [Serio] has done an amazing job. The management is very thoughtful of the exhibitors because Louise is an experienced exhibitor. She is someone who I have admired for many years; it is great to see all of the years of her understanding the highest standard brought into action.”
The Brandywine Valley Summer Series will continue tomorrow with the $10,000 Canine Partners for Life Mini Prix, which will get underway at 6:30 p.m. in the Dixon Oval of the Devon Show Grounds. This exciting new horse show will continue with top level hunter/jumper action through Sunday, July 10, 2011, with a local day of competition on July 11, 2011.
For more information about the Brandywine Valley Summer Series, please visit http://brandywinevalleysummerseries.com.
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