Tag Archives: Pensacola Winter Circuit

Jumper Action Wraps Up Week III of the Pensacola Winter Circuit

Shannon Hicks and C’Havinia are greeted in the winner’s circle by sponsor Pensacola Sports [Mr. and Mrs. Ray Palmer and Mr. and Mrs. Jean Clark] and Pam Maldwin, Director of the Escambia County Equestrian Center [photo credit Bob Bell]

Jumper action closed out Week III of the Gulf Coast Pensacola Winter Classic Circuit with the $25,000 Pensacola Sports Grand Prix presented by Nutrena Saturday night as well as the Arenus Jr./Amateur Jumper Classics and Elite Equine Sport Horse Medicine & Lameness Child/Adult Jumper Classics on Sunday.

Saturday night welcomed Shannon Hicks of Lake St. Louis, Missouri riding Helen Gilbert’s C’Havinia to the winner’s circle after their double clear rounds in the Grand Prix finale that saw eleven horse and rider teams go for the blue.

Hicks and C’Havinia were the first to turn in a clear first round effort in a time of 76.965 seconds, well within the time allowed of 85 seconds. It looked as if there would be no jump off round until Christian Rogge of Spring, Texas and GK Performance Horses’ Kahlua turned in a clear first round effort in a time of 79.913 seconds.

The jump off round was set with a time allowed of 42 seconds and Hicks and C’Havinia were first up. As first to go, they had four faults with a time of 29.955 seconds, leaving the win open for Rogge and Kahlua. However, as last to go, they too had four jump faults and with their time of 39.051 seconds would finish in second place, leaving Hicks and C’Havinia the winners!

Hicks returned for third place with the fastest four fault first round in the irons of Helen Gilbert’s Al Pachini. They posted a first round time of 75.194 seconds.

Fourth place went to last week’s Sidelines’ Grand Prix winner, Mary Lisa Leffler of Brookeville, Maryland and Rolling Acres’ Bling Bling for their four fault first round in a time of 75.906 seconds.

Juan Lavieri and his own Don Pedro placed fifth with their four fault first round in a time of 72.629 seconds. Rogge returned for a sixth place ribbon in the irons of his own Mojo TSP after posting a four fault first round in a time of 79.577 seconds. Hicks picked up a seventh with Helen Gilbert’s Emir for their four fault first round in a time of 79.583 seconds and Sarah Dees of Chatom, Alabama placed eighth place with her own Rico S. Hailey Rogge of Lafayette, Louisiana and her own Zine Dine finished in ninth place overall.

The Arenus Jr./Amateur Owner Jumper Classic took place on Sunday and awarded Jennie Nolen of San Antonio, Texas and Daryl Nolen’s Quasi Modo II the blue ribbon for their double clear rounds. Rico S, owned and ridden by Sara Dees of Chatom, Alabama, took the second place ribbon and Ashley Foster of Brookeville, Maryland piloted Rolling Acres’ Carlsberg to a third place finish. Fourth was awarded to Heather Zuber of Zionsville, Indiana and her own Firebird and she also picked up a fifth place ribbon with her own Phoenix. Ashley Shaw of Ellisville, Missouri and her own Capua were awarded sixth place.

The $1,500 Elite Equine Sport Horse Medicine & Lameness Child/Adult Jumper Classic saw Austin Cumming of Madison, Georgia and Steven Turilli’s Raphael IV in the winner’s circle, besting a field of twelve horse and rider teams.

Second place was awarded to Abigail Holloway of Eatonville, Georgia and Sarah Milliren’s Zanardil and third place went to Hannah Showell of Ocean City, Maryland and HNS LLC’s Nashville. Caroline Michele Dugas of Vestavia, Alabama and Helene Jones’ Skyfall placed fourth and Nelson Long of Signal Mountain, Tennessee and his own Merlerault were awarded fifth place.

For more information, please visit horseshowsonline.com.

ClassicCompany.com
GulfCoastClassicCompany.com
Phone/Fax: (843) 768-5503
Post Office Box 1311, Johns Island, SC 29457

Double Header Derby Day at the Pensacola Winter Circuit

Tim Maddrix and Shutterbug.

It was a double header Derby Day at the Pensacola Winter Circuit.

Tim Maddrix of Leeds, Alabama rode three horses in the $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby and galloped away with the blue on Alina Dumitrescu’s Shutterbug and then secured the third place with Missy Nolen’s Special and fifth place with Sarah Digiorgio’s Quarterback Z at the Escambia County Equestrian Center.

“I was really excited to win the class with Shutterbug,” commented Maddrix.  “He’s been knocking on the door for the past year and coming in second and third in the International Derbies, but this was his first win,” he said.

Maddrix led the pack in the first round after earning a score of 174 with Shutterbug. Julie Curtin of Woodstock, Georgia and Helen Gilbert’s White Lightning sat in second position after the first round with a score of 168. Maddrix and his first ride in the class, Special, earned a Classic score of 164. Evan Coluccio of Middleburg, Virginia rode four horses in the prestigious event and after the first round, sat in fourth position going into the Handy round with a score of 160 with Ellen Addison’s El Tindo, fifth position with Mary Antonini’s Rocking the Boat with a score of 158, eleventh and twelfth with EMC International’s Burlesque and Love Game, respectively, with first round scores of 142 and 138.

Sitting in sixth position after the Classic round was Liddy Strickland’s Valentine, ridden by Sarah Milliren of Jenks, Oklahoma, with a score of 158.

Maddrix and Shutterbug held their lead after the Handy round, earning a score of 185.5 for a total of 359.5.   “I thought it was a nice Handy course,” said Maddrix.  “When I walked the course, the trot jump to the oxer didn’t look too tough,” he said.  “It turned out riding it was in fact challenging because if was tight and you really had to line it up to the oxer in order to make it work,” he added.  “I think that was the biggest question in the Handy round,” he added.  “I took the low options with all three of my rides in the Handy round so I could make the tighter inside turn with them,” he said.  Coluccio and Rocking the Boat pulled themselves up from their Classic round fifth place position to finish in second overall after earning a Handy score of 190 for a combined 348.

Maddrix and Special’s second round score of 184 and combined 348 secured the third place ribbon and Milliren and Valentine moved up to finish in fourth place after earning a Handy round score of 178 for a total combined score of 336. Maddrix and Quarterback Z moved up from their first round eighth place standing to finish in fifth with a Handy score of 175 for an overall score of 325.  “That was Quarterback Z’s second Handy round ever and he was really great.  We were all really happy with how he went,” he said.

White Lightning and Julie Curtain moved from their initial second place standing after the Classic round to finish in sixth place after earning a Handy score of 155 for an overall score of 323.

Fabrege, owned by Sara Stephens and ridden by Anna Marie Mayes of Memphis, Tennessee, held their seventh place position after the Handy round earning a combined score of 316.5.

Coluccio and Burlesque moved up from their initial eleventh place standing after the Classic Round to finish in eighth place after posting a second round score of 174 for a combined 316. His other mount, El Tindo, finished in ninth place after earning a second round score of 156 for a combined 316. Mary Lisa Leffler of Brookeville, Maryland in the irons of Cynthia Hallman’s Fig Street’s Duchess finished in tenth place with an overall score of 150. Eleventh place was awarded to Cachas Fumar, owned by Rachel Eubanks and ridden by Ashley Hotz of Eads, Tennessee, for their overall score of 359.5 and Coluccio finished the class in twelfth place with Love Game after earning a combined score of 292.

“I had a great day and I really want to thank Alina [Dumitrescu], Missy [Nolen] and Sarah [Digiorgio] for the opportunity to ride such great horses,” Maddrix said.  “And I think Allen [Rheinheimer] deserves a big thank you too.  I saw him out there on Monday and he and his team were working the hunter rings and redid the footing.  It made a huge difference and we are all really pleased with the improvements,” he added.

“The people here cannot believe what a difference there is in the footing.  The show would have been cancelled today if the ring had not been re-crowned.  The footing was amazing today for all the rain we had,” commented Office Manager Jonathan Rabon.

For more results, please visit horseshowsonline.com.

Cartagena BD Wins the $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby

Mary Lisa Leffler of Brookeville, Maryland is having a good Week II at the Pensacola Winter Circuit. After winning the $5,000 Horseflight Open Welcome with Bling Bling, she seamlessly moved to the Hunter Arena and rode away with the win in the $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby with Kirsten Pollin’s Cartagena BD after earning a combined score of 170.

Sarah Milliren piloted Courtenay Billings’ Don’t Tell to second place with score of 168 and returned to pick up the third place honors in the irons of Karen Bailey’s Troubadour with an overall score of 156.

Evan Coluccio rode Jacob Brupbacher’s Capilano to a fourth place after earning a combined score of 149. Charlotte Warren’s Why, ridden by Rebekah Warren, placed fifth with an overall score of 148. Cesium, owned and ridden by Baylee Turner, won sixth place for their overall score of 148 while Leffler returned for seventh place with Tara-Dawn Hazen’s Gold Digger after earning an overall 147.

Primera, owned by Helen Gilbert and ridden by Ashley Shaw, placed eighth and HC San Patrignanon, owned by HC Sport Horses and ridden by Lucy Heaton, finished in ninth place. Rebekah Warren’s Enticement, ridden by Julie Curtin, finished in tenth place and Larry Antonini’s Six Pack, ridden by Coluccio, took eleventh place.

ClassicCompany.com
GulfCoastClassicCompany.com
Phone/Fax: (843) 768-5503
Post Office Box 1311, Johns Island, SC 29457

The Pensacola and Gulf Coast Winter Classics

The Gulf Coast Classic Company is just days away from kicking off the sixth anniversary of the Pensacola Winter Circuit that starts on January 11th. If you haven’t done so already, it’s time to reserve your stalls and book your rooms. Reserve your stalls by December 30th with your Amex card, and you could earn 2x the points.

Pensacola offers something for everyone and is considered the best circuit to jump start your winter competition schedule. Week I features the $10,000 EMO Jumper Classic; Week II and III offers Grand Prix. USHJA National Hunter Derbies are offered Weeks II and III and an International Hunter Derby takes place Week II.

The Official Lodging Partner of the Pensacola Winter Circuit is the Red Roof Inn. Great rates and pet friendly. Located minutes from the show grounds, it’s the easiest lodging option and the best value.

Grand Prix take place on Saturday nights which makes it easy for riders who need to commute, and an easy option to fly out on Sundays.  The airport is only a ten minute drive from the show grounds. For those looking to enjoy the Pensacola coastal location, the pristine beaches are just a few short miles from the show and offer fabulous dining, water sports and breathtaking Gulf of Mexico sunsets.  Fun for the whole barn!

Three weeks of destination location horse shows are followed by the popular Gulf Coast Winter Classics in Gulfport that takes place February 8th through March 14th.

There’s a reason why the grass is greener on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. With more than a million dollars in cash and prizes awarded, the best grass Grand Prix field in the country, top Olympic and International Course Designers, new permanent stabling, covered arena, KCR footing, and parties every week, and all of this takes place within minutes of the white sandy beaches of the Gulf of Mexico.

Any questions? Email or call the office at 228-832-2745. We’re looking forward to seeing you soon.

ClassicCompany.com
GulfCoastClassicCompany.com
Phone/Fax: (843) 768-5503
Post Office Box 1311, Johns Island, SC 29457