Bea di Grazia and her own Lad’s Night Out led the Adequan USEA Gold Cup Series Advanced division at Twin Rivers from start to finish. After a terrific performance throughout the weekend, the duo secured their victory by adding no jumping faults to their dressage score and only two time penalties.
With James Alliston and his longtime partner Parker putting in a clear round prior to Lad’s Night Out entering the ring, the pressure was on, but Bea di Grazia’s level of experience showed through as she seemed to casually walk into the ring with her striking grey gelding and take in the scenery, completing the course with ease. Di Grazia joked following her round that luck must have been on her side as one scary rail danced in the cups but stayed up when all was said and done.
Bea’s husband and cross country course designer Derek di Grazia looked on and applauded his wife on her tremendous weekend and Gold Cup win aboard the horse he purchased for her as a gift not long ago. When asked what will be next for this talented pair, Bea simply said, “What could be better than this? We had so much fun this weekend and Hector did everything I asked of him. I am excited to see where the future takes the two of us.”
For her win in the Adequan USEA Gold Cup Division, Bea took home an Adequan USEA Gold Cup Trophy, $500 in prize money, 7-dose box of Adequan, $200 Point Two Gift Certificate, and $500 worth of Nunn Finer Products.
In a stadium course that saw rails falling in all division throughout the day, and standings changing radically along with them, somehow not one placing changed for advanced competitors. Despite multiple rails falling, it appeared they were spread out enough to keep the final placings unchanged, and give James Alliston a second and third place finish with horses Parker and Tivoli to round out the division’s top three.
Alliston, who also won the Intermediate division this weekend at Twin Rivers, on India McEvoy’s Jumbo’s Jake, plans to compete next at The Event at Woodside’s CIC3* on all three of his upper level mounts. Following that, he will look to defend his title this November at the Galway Downs CCI3* and could have the talented duo of Lad’s Night Out and Bea di Grazia looking to stand in his way.
For his second place finish in the Adequan USEA Gold Cup division, Alliston took home a 7-dose box of Adequan and a $100 Point Two Gift Certificate.
A complete list of this weekend’s results at Twin River Horse Trials can be found here.
About The Adequan USEA Gold Cup Series
Now in its ninth year, the Adequan USEA Gold Cup Series is an exciting format of competition and entertainment for U.S. Eventing, encompassing seven of the top eventing competitions from around the U.S. where the best of the best vie for prize money, trophies, and the title of Gold Cup Champion.
Winners of each of the seven Gold Cup events across the country take home a trailer-load of prizes for their achievements. Winners receive an Adequan USEA Gold Cup Trophy, $500 in prize money, 7-dose box of Adequan, $200 Point Two Gift Certificate, and $500 worth of Nunn Finer Products. Second place finishers also take home a 7-dose box of Adequan and a $100 Point Two Gift Certificate.
The overall Adequan USEA Gold Cup winner will receive a hefty check for $20,000, an official Gold Cup Champion Jacket, and a huge trophy at the USEA Annual Meeting & Convention. The Reserve Champion receives $1,500 worth of Nunn Finer Products and a Gold Cup Reserve Champion Jacket.
The Adequan USEA Gold Cup Series is made possible through the support of its sponsors: Title: Adequan; Legacy: Nunn Finer; Nutrena; Broadstone Equine Insurance Agency; SmartPak; Point Two.
© 2012 United States Eventing Association, Inc.