Tag Archives: Frank Owens

Owens Wins Week V $25,000 Welcome Prix at the Gulf Coast Winter Classic

Frank Owens and DS Holdings, LLC’s Capricello 2 win the $25,000 Open Welcome Prix. Flashpoint Photography.

San Antonio Texas’ Frank Owens won the $25,000 Open Jumper Welcome Prix yesterday, besting a group of 26 riders who traveled from around the country to take part in week V of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Winter Classic.

The course was designed by Steve Stephens of Palmetto, Florida.  Stephens is known around the world as one of the most accomplished course designers in the industry. As a USEF R licensed hunter course designer, 4* FEI course designer, R jumper course designer, and judge, Stephens has pretty much done it all, including show jumping course designer for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

“My goal was to get more clear in the jump off than you have seen for the whole season,” said Stevens. “I wanted to get seven clean in this class and I accomplished that.” Stephens continued, “I am really pleased with what I am seeing. These jumps are big and the horses are going really well.  It’s a national standard. If they can handle this, then they can handle the plus side of this where we’ll be on Sunday and I’m going to look for five clear.  It makes it more interesting for everyone.”

Stephens continued, “I think everyone thinks that I’m coming into town and I’m going to kill them, but I’m not!” he admitted.  “But I think they’re rising to the occasion; I think that’s what’s going on,” he said.

Owens rode DS Holdings, LLC’s Capricello 2 in the first to go spot and delivered a clean first round effort in a time of 97.651 seconds, within the 99 seconds time allowed.

Andrew Kocher of Lake St. Louis, Missouri and his own Le Conte turned in the second clear round in a time of 98.939 seconds and insured there would be a jump off.

Wilhelm Genn of Lebanon, Ohio and his own Happy Z were next to go and made a jump off trio with their time of 95.979 seconds.  Scott Lenkart of Lantana, Texas and his own Impulsive were next to go and their clean round of 89.052 seconds would advance them to the jump off too.

After a seeming string of clear first rounds, there followed a series of fault filled rounds and it was not until Ryan Genn of Lebanon, Ohio in the irons of his father Wilhelm’s Cookie Monster who would turn in a clear round in a time of 94.315 seconds.  Daniel Grice of Northfield, Minnesota and Loretta Patterson’s Rapid Rewards would be the next clear round turned in, but with a time of 101.089 seconds, would incur three time faults and not advance to the jump off, finishing in eighth place overall.

Wilhelm Genn returned to the ring, this time in the irons of Eduardo Leon’s Bugatti and turned in a first round clear effort in a time of 98.914 seconds.  Penny Brennan of Ocala, Florida would be the final clean first round in the irons of her own Sun Tzu in a time of 96.552 seconds.

Stevens set the time to beat for the jump off at 48 seconds and Owens was the first to tackle the course with Capricella 2. The pair went clean and set the time to beat at 40.869 seconds.  With six to follow, the win was still up for grabs.

Kocher and La Conte took to the field next, but after a rail down in the combination, would finish fifth overall with a time of 39.424 seconds.

Wilhelm Genn and Happy Z, the most winning grand prix horse in the country, took to the field next, but after dropping a rail at the combination, their time of 37.702 seconds would see them finish in third overall.

Lenkart and Impulsive were next to challenge Owens, but with a rail down at the combination and the last fence, would finish them in 36.410 seconds and seventh overall.  Cookie Monster and Genn were next to go but the pair dropped a rail on the first fence.  Their jump off round in a time of 39.603 seconds would see them finish in sixth place overall.

Genn returned on his second mount for the jump off, Eduardo Leon’s Bugatti, and turned in a clean jump off effort.  However, their time of 41.840 seconds would place them in second place overall.  Brennan sat in the enviable last to go spot with her own Sun Tzu but had a rail in the combination and their time of 38.444 seconds placed them in fourth place overall.

“I think he did a really good job for it being a welcome class.  He is very good at what he does and although we had seven clean, I think he did the right thing,” commented Owens.

“I had a couple of rough weeks so I took last week off and just reset and just went in and tried to make it look nice,” commented Owens.

Owens will be riding Capricello 2 on Sunday in the $77,700 Governor’s Cup Grand Prix, presented by Beau Rivage.

What’s for Dinner?

Back Bay is the Official VIP restaurant this week and patrons will be treated to the excellent cuisine that makes Back Bay Seafood Restaurant a favorite dining place among horse show exhibitors.

Back Bay Seafood Restaurant serves the “real local flavor” of the Gulf Coast with a diverse menu that is plentiful and affordable! From the best hand formed fresh ground sirloin burger to live Maine Lobster, Back Bay offers the discriminating diner a vast array of local seafood, steak, salads, pasta, and specialties. Even the lunch menu will amaze diners with the diversity and price: Shrimp & Grits, Seafood Bread, Asian Pot Stickers, and Shrimp Martinis are just a few favorites. In addition, grilled and healthy options are very popular and easily tailored to the any taste! Stop by Back Bay today and enjoy an excellent, yet affordable dining experience overlooking the water!

Back Bay Seafood Restaurant is located at 1458 Magnolia Street in Gulfport and is open for lunch and dinner. While reservations are not required, you may want to play it safe during horse show season and call (228) 248-0505. Be sure to tell them you’re from the horse show!

Grand prix tables are only $325 a week and tomorrow features some of the best food on the Gulf – ringside!  Make sure to see Jonathan in the show office to secure your table today!

Free Live Web Streaming of All Welcome and Grand Prix Classes!

The Mississippi Gulf Coast Classic is proud to offer everyone the opportunity to watch show jumping action LIVE! Click on this link and catch the action LIVE and FOR FREE!

Gulf Coast Sunshine Classic V
Sunday March 9 at 2:00 pm $77,700 Governor’s Cup Grand Prix

Gulf Coast Finale VI
Sunday March 16 at 2:00 pm $25,000 Grand Prix

Make sure to follow the IDK Media Group on Twitter at twitter@idkmediagroup.

The Gulf Coast Classic Company and 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.

Stay up to date:  Like us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter!

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

Frank Owens Wins $25,000 Bohicket Marina Grand Prix at Charleston Summer Classic

Frank Owens pilots MTM Twenties Girl over an oxer in the $25,000 Bohicket Marina Grand Prix. Flashpoint Photography.

The $25,000 Bohicket Marina Grand Prix welcomed 17 horse and rider teams last night over a course designed by Allen Rheinheimer that proved to be quite challenging.  Rheinheimer put the riders and horses to the test and it resulted in a victory for MTM Twenties Girl, owned by DS Holdings, LLC and ridden by Frank Owens of San Antonio, Texas.

“It rode a lot harder than it looked on paper,” said course designer Allen Rheinheimer. “The horses here were jumping great, so I designed a course to challenge them a bit more as the grand finale to the Charleston Summer Classic and the return of the grand prix competition here,” he added.

First to go in the line-up was Christopher Schroeder of Andersonville, Tennessee, in the irons of GK Performance Horses, LLC’s Una Bella.  Although the pair was well within the time allowed of 83 seconds, with a total of eight jump faults and a time of 81.610 seconds, Una Bella and Schroeder would finish in eighth place.

Skymiles, owned by Loretta Patterson and ridden by Holly Shepherd of Grand Bay, Alabama, was next to go but eliminated at fence seven.  Frank Owens entered the ring on his first mount, Capricello 2, owned by DS Holdings, LLC, but a combined total of eight jump and time faults and a time of 86.995 seconds would place them in eleventh place overall.  Quan, owned by Allison Ventura and ridden by Miguel Ventura of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, was the next to tackle the course and looked to go clean, but four jump faults at the final fence and a time of 81.770 seconds would place them in fourth overall.

Danielle Grice of Northfield, Minnesota in the irons of Rapid Rewards, owned by Loretta Patterson, followed Ventura and accumulated a combined total of fifteen jump and time faults in a time of 85.654 seconds which would land them in twelfth place overall.  Christopher Schroeder and Enrique Van Het Vennehof, owned by GK Performance Horses, LLC, were next to go but opted to retire early after fence five.

Arbor Hill Farm’s Chase Boggio of Canton, Georgia rode his own Hennessey and with only four faults and a time of 82.058 seconds, found themselves in fifth place overall.  Holly Shepherd and Triompf, owned by Loretta Patterson, were next to tackle the challenging course and although the pair went clean, their time of 87.564 seconds would result in five time faults and a sixth place finish.

Josh Dolan of Bluffton, South Carolina and his own SLF Annie Lenox were next in the line-up but eliminated after fence nine.  Christopher Schroeder and GK Performance Horses, LLC’s Diamant De Ravel were next to go and after accumulating eight jump faults in a time of 81.917 seconds, would finish in tenth place overall.

Frank Owens was next up and this time aboard MTM Twenties Girl, owned by DS Holdings.  The pair sailed through the course and with a clean round in a time of 82.769 seconds would eventually win the class.

Amanda Wise of New Fairfield, Connecticut, in the irons of Reiner Niewisch Equestrian’s Collin, looked to make it a jump-off, but with four faults and three time faults in 85.137 seconds, finished in seventh overall.

Grice returned to the grand prix course, this time riding her own Boysterous.  The two were eliminated after fence eight. Sibling rivalry kicked it up a notch when Whitney Owens of San Antonio, Texas and DS Holdings, LLC’s S&L Shoe Guru were next to go and gave her brother Frank a run for the money in the time of 80.880 seconds, but with four time faults finished in third overall.

Schroeder and his fourth mount GK Performance Horses, LLC’s Catungee looked to make it a jump-off when they went clean, but their time of 83.784 seconds penalized the pair with one time fault which placed them in second overall.

Last to go, Shepherd and Loretta Patterson’s Silverstone took to the course.  The pair earned eight jump faults in a time of 81.847 seconds which would place them in ninth place overall.

Frank Owens commented, “It was much more technical than the week before; the course was longer and the time was pretty tight; it wasn’t too big, there were nice rampy oxers and other fences, but the three combinations and the vertical combination at the end made it kind of hard when your horses are tired,” he said. “But, you know, it did work for me,” he added.

Owens continued, “I got this horse from Mike [McCormick] and Tracy [Fenney] about a year ago and I started doing the prix on her last summer.  She’s a 9-year-old Dutch mare and belongs to Diana Stumberg, who is arguably one of the best sponsors I could have,” he said. “Although she [MTM Twenties Girl] has been pretty consistent and we have won a few mini-prix, this is my first grand prix win with her.  So, not only is it nice to go home with a win, but it makes it even nicer that it was her first win,” he said.

“I think we’ll be back in Charleston next year – every one of our amateur ladies said they want to come back with their families next year. It couldn’t be more beautiful here.  We went to all of the parties at Red’s, Tiffany’s and we had such a nice time.  The Classic Company and their sponsors threw such great dinners, breakfasts and parties; they really make you feel like they want you to be here,” he added.

The Classic Company produces twenty weeks of world class show jumping competitions in the Southeast United States and is proud to partner with Equestrian Connect as its Official Service Partner.  For those entering Classic competitions and looking to save the cost of postage, paper and personal time, make sure to go to Equestrian Connect, Classic Company’s Official Service Provider, to submit your entries today!

Equestrian Connect is Classic Company’s Official Service Provider and allows exhibitors to store their data one time, on the web, and then use that data to automatically fill out hunter/jumper entry forms across the country.  The service offers a free 45 day trial period for new members.  At the conclusion of the trial period, Equestrian Connect offers an annual subscription, or a “pay as you go” service. The service allows exhibitors to save both time and money.  This is the one-minute online entry service that will help you get your entries in on time and you to the show!

Anyone who has shown with the Classic Company knows what sets them apart from the rest:  Classic Shows are FUN!  Complimentary exhibitor parties, luncheons, Saturday pizzas and the friendliest show management team anywhere work hard to make your showing experience the best.  Classic Company never charges an add or scratch fee for those last minute changes and there is no office fee added for credit card payments.

So, whether you are a seasoned veteran or novice looking for a positive show experience, look to the Classic Company shows and join them in Atlanta this summer.  The 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 Classic Company and its exhibitor-friendly, top quality hunter jumper events, please visit them at 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 classicsponsorship@gmail.com.  All program advertising should be directed to Nate Poliquin, Program Sales Representative at classicshowads@yahoo.com.

Stay up to date:  Like us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter!

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