Tag Archives: Alison Robitaille

Horseware Ireland Grand Prix CSI 3* Win Was in the Cards for Alison Robitaille and Ace

Alison Robitaille and Ace ©Sportfot.

Mill Spring, NC – July 20, 2019 – Alison Robitaille (USA) and Ace dominated the $134,00 Horseware Grand Prix CSI 3* at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC), stopping the jump-off timers at 40.376 seconds. Scott Keach (AUS) and Falcon de Hus Z, a 2009 Zangersheide gelding (Florian de la Vie*Bazooka x Adlantus AS) owned by Five Henry Stables, took second place on a clear jump-off performance of 40.805 seconds, while Hector Florentino (DOM) and Carnaval, a 2005 Oldenburg gelding (Chacco-Blue x Landadel) owned by Spruce Meadows Ltd., claimed third-place honors on a 40.947 second finish.

The course, designed by Ken Krome (USA), tested 30 entries in the class and had only six pairs return for the jump-off. Robitaille shared that she had anticipated more riders to make it into the jump-off when she originally walked the course: “I thought there might be more actually when I walked the course, but there seemed to be faults everywhere.”

Robitaille was proud to be one of the six to continue into the jump-off. “I thought it was a really fair course considering the field of riders and the courses that Kenny had. I thought he ended up with an ideal clear amount,” commented Robitaille.

The 2005 Dutch Warmblood gelding (Berlin x Irco Polo), owned by Bertram and Diana Firestone, has been paired with Robitaille for the past three years, allowing her to return to Grand Prix level competition. “I took a pretty big break from riding at the Grand Prix level – I was married and had two children. He [Ace] was the first horse I got to really get back into the upper level of the sport with,” Robitaille shared.

Since returning to the International Grand Prix level in 2017, Robitaille and Ace have represented the United States in the 2017 Nations Cup in Coapexpan, Mexico and also competed in the 2018 FEI World Cup Finals in Paris, where Robitaille made her fifth World Cup Final appearance and finished 14th overall. “I really missed it,” Robitaille admitted of the five year break she took from the international circuit.

For more information and results, please visit www.Tryon.com.

Alison Robitaille Rides to the Win in $50,000 Kentucky Summer Classic Grand Prix

Alison Robitaille and Cassinja.

Lexington, KY – August 1, 2015 – Alison Robitaille has traveled to the Olympics as a first alternate, competed at the World Equestrian Games and won team silver at the Pan American Games, but in recent years, as she busily brings along young horses and two young children of her own, she has been continually knocking on the door of a grand prix win. On Saturday night at the Kentucky Horse Park she knocked the door all the way down and rode away with an impressive victory in the $50,000 Kentucky Summer Classic Grand Prix, sponsored by GGT Footing.

“I’m really so excited. It’s been a long time since I’ve won a grand prix,” Robitaille said. “I’m so proud of my horse. I got her at the end of her 7-year-old year and sort of stepped her up into the grand prix. I’m just really proud of her.”

The mare that Robitaille speaks of his Cassinja, a 10-year-old Holsteiner mare owned by Robitaille’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Bertram Firestone. The pair of Robitaille and Cassinja was the ninth in the field of 41 to try their hand at the Florencio Hernandez-designed course set in Rolex Stadium, and they were the first to execute it without fault.

At the conclusion of the first round, six more combinations would join them on the clear list, advancing seven total on to the jump-off. As the first clear, Robitaille was also the first to return, and she laid it down again, finishing faultless with a time of 55.339 seconds.

“I was thinking going in, ‘it’s a long jump-off.’ So I wanted to put some pressure, but I wanted to really make sure that I was clean,” Robitaille said.

While Robitaille’s time seemed like it could be beatable, her strategy greatly paid off in the end.

Lucas Porter and Sleepy P Ranch’s Doma Sue returned next, finishing on five faults in a time of 58.633 seconds, which would end up being good enough for fourth as the next two to return did not fair quite as well.

Both Scott Lenkart, on Fleur De Lis Farms’ Ziezo, and Blythe Marano, on Riverview Farm’s Quabelle, fell victims to refusals on course. Ziezo’s refusal would result in a finish effort of 10 faults in a time of 63.834 seconds for he and Lenkart; Marano and Quabelle would be eliminated from the jump-off after Quabelle stopped twice at the fourth fence of the short course.

Sharn Wordley and Barnetta, owned by the Sky Group, came next, finishing clear but on two time faults after electing to take a slightly longer route to the last fence, finishing on a time of 59.259 seconds.

Wilton Porter and Paloubet, owned by Sleepy P Ranch, followed Wordley, but the refusal bug would strike for a third time in the jump-off phase, resulting in Wilton electing to retire and finish tied for sixth with Marano.

From there the final chance to topple Robitaille’s time was in Juan Ortiz’s hands with Dulien Van De Smeets, owned by Synchronicity Group. It looked like Ortiz had it all the way to the end, but as he tripped the timers the scoreboard flashed 53.38 seconds – just tenths off of Robitaille’s winning time.

“By nature, she’s not the fastest horse,” Ortiz said of Dulien Van De Smeets. “She’s a very scopey, powerful horse. Her advantage is to jump big classes with clean rounds, which is where other horses struggle. Going against a horse like Alison’s, which is a little smaller and lighter on his feet, I had to make too many efforts, and there were not really a lot of places for me to eat strides.”

Ortiz just acquired the ride on Dulien Van De Smeets this summer after getting a call from McLain Ward.

“There was a chance to go to Pan Am Games. So, my friend McLain, one of my best friends in the world, calls me on the phone and says, ‘Juan, I have the horse for you to go to Pan Ams,'” Ortiz explained. “I called the person in charge of the group, and said, ‘McLain just called and said he has the horse for us to go to Pan Ams.’ They said, ‘well, Pan Ams are in two months, and you haven’t ridden the thing.’ I said, ‘well, I trust him.’ My partner believed in me, and McLain thought that it was the right horse for me, so I jogged the mare, jumped the first class, and in the first grand prix I jumped double clear. Since then, we’ve only jumped one grand prix that I haven’t jumped double clear. It’s been an unbelievable experience.”

While Dulien Van De Smeets is a new mount for Ortiz, the winning partnership of Robitaille and Cassinja is one that has been three years in the making, and Robitaille was thrilled with the mare’s quick jump-off performance on Saturday night.

“She’s always been very brave and basically rideable. It’s just been a little bit of a process learning how to go fast on her,” Robitaille explained. “In the beginning, when I went to go fast, she thought that she was in trouble. She would be more looking back at me and worried. Now, in the last year, she’s really picked up on it and is so much more with me. I feel like she gets it more in the jump-off now. It’s really fun. It’s a fun part of bringing young horses along – to feel it come together.”

Robitaille continued, “I have to say a huge thank you to my parents. They’ve been supporting me for such a long time. And I’m so lucky to have my whole team and Efrain Vega who takes care of Cassinja. The whole team is really fantastic.”

Robitaille’s team will head next to HITS Saugerties, after enjoying their past two weeks at the Kentucky Summer Horse Shows.

“I love coming to Kentucky. We’ve been coming probably for 20 years,” Robitaille said. “It’s wonderful to be here and to get to ride out in the fields. We love the footing here. The horses seem to get better after being here for a couple of weeks, rather than feeling like they’re sore and want to go home.”

Sunday marks the conclusion of the Kentucky Summer Classic, and the jumper competition continues in the Rolex Stadium with the NAL/WIHS Child and Adult Jumper Classics beginning at 8 a.m.

Blue for David Beisel and Lavish in $5,000 USHJA Hallway Feeds National Hunter Derby

Every now and then, Lavish wanders out of semi-retirement to play around in hunter derbies with rider David Beisel. On Saturday morning, Beisel taught a few lessons, loaded up the old pro and headed to the Kentucky Horse Park to compete in the $5,000 USHJA Hallway Feeds National Hunter Derby at the Kentucky Summer Classic on Saturday afternoon.

Despite their casual arrival, Beisel and Lavish came prepared to win, turning in an impressive first round over the Bobby Murphy-designed course to earn a score of 85, including the four extra points for taking all of the high options. With their spot high in the top 12 secured, Beisel watched the handy round from the sidelines, developing his strategy all the while.

David Beisel and Lavish maneuver a slick turn in the handy round to take the win.
David Beisel and Lavish maneuver a slick turn in the handy round to take the win.

“The name of the class is handy,” Beisel said. “I kept watching the other riders, and even as they turned inside from the Hallway Feeds jump back to the oxer, it seemed to take forever. I started seeing different ways to cut it down and make it a little handier. I checked with the owners, and I said, ‘I’ve got something different in mind. I think it’s super, super handy, and if I can pull it off, I can get some extra points.'”

And pull it off he did. Beisel executed a tight rollback to the aforementioned oxer – only one of two riders to attempt to cut down the turn and take the oxer at a sharp angle.

“For me, it was pretty risky,” Beisel said of his turn. “The oxer in the middle was really hard to jump; you had to catch it on a big angle, which made it quite a wide jump with the brush in front. It didn’t leave much room for air afterward.”

Beisel’s decision paid off, and the judges rewarded the duo with the highest handy round score of 92 for a combined total of 177 points, which would hold out to earn Beisel and Lavish the blue ribbon.

“He did it beautifully,” Beisel said of Lavish. “He loves his job.”

Hot on Beisel’s heels were last week’s derby winners, Molly Sewell and EL Raymond. In the classic round, the duo outscored the field by earning an 88, including the four extra points for taking the high options.

“EL Raymond went absolutely beautifully in the first round,” Sewell said. “The course was nice and flowing; he jumped beautifully, no rubs; he was perfect.”

The pair was last to go in the handy and missed seeing Beisel’s slick rollback while schooling in the warm-up ring.

“That move did not even cross my mind,” Sewell laughed. “Everyone was like, ‘oh my God,’ and I’m about to walk into the ring like, ‘what did [David] do?’ Bill [Schaub] said, ‘don’t change your plan. Do not change your plan.'”

A minor rub at the first fence would prove to be the round’s only blemish for a score of 86, including the four high-option points. A total score of 174 would secure second place for EL Raymond and Sewell.

Owner Leslie Campbell looked on proudly from the sidelines, saying, “EL Raymond is everything that’s great about this sport. He’s taught so many juniors, and now he has the best ride of his life, Molly, his forever rider now.”

Rounding out the top five were third-place finishers Virginia Ingram and Comanche, whose scores of 84 and 87 combined to a total of 171. In fourth place were Renee Lenkart and Cayman with a 169.5, while last week’s second-place finishers, Lilly French and Candor, took home fifth with a score of 165.75.

The hunter divisions at the Kentucky Summer Classic will wrap up Sunday with the presentation of the Visse Wedell-sponsored grand championship, which will be awarded to the amateur or junior rider who scored the most points.

To learn more about the Kentucky Summer Horse Shows, please visit www.kentuckyhorseshows.com.

Kentucky Horse Shows 2015 Horse Show Series Fast Facts

Events:
Kentucky Summer Horse Shows, USEF National Pony Finals, Bluegrass Festival Horse Show and KHJA Horse Show, and the 2015 USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals and the Pre Green Incentive Championship.

What:
The Kentucky Horse Show LLC’s 2015 series includes five weeks of top competition throughout the summer. These premier hunter/jumper competitions host the Hagyard Challenge Series with seven grand prix competitions that culminate with a Leading Rider Award, as well as the Hallway Feeds National Derby Series.

Where:
Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, KY, site of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™, home to the United States Equestrian Federation.

When:

NORTH AMERICAN JUNIOR & YOUNG RIDER CHAMPIONSHIPS – July 14-19, 2015

KENTUCKY SUMMER HORSE SHOW – July 22-26, 2015
$25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic
$25,000 Under 25 Grand Prix
$50,000 Rood & Riddle Kentucky Grand Prix
$5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby

KENTUCKY SUMMER CLASSIC – July 28 – August 2, 2015
$25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic
$50,000 Kentucky Summer Grand Prix sponsored by GGT Footings
$5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby

2015 USEF PONY FINALS – August 4-9, 2015

BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL HORSE SHOW – August 11-16, 2015
USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship
USHJA Pre-Green Incentive Championship
$25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic
$40,000 Bluegrass Festival Grand Prix sponsored by Audi of Lexington
$5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby
WCHR Member Event

KHJA HORSE SHOW – August 19-23, 2015
$10,000 Hagyard Welcome Stake
$30,000 KHJA Grand Prix
$5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby

Sponsors:
A special thanks to the generous sponsors of the Kentucky Summer Series: Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, Hallway Feeds, Hollow Creek Farm, GGT Footing, Rood and Riddle, Audi of Lexington, Sleepy P Ranch, CWD, Farm Vet, Dietrich Insurance, Take2 Thoroughbred Program, and the Official Hotel The Clarion

Hours:
8am – 5pm daily

Parking:
Horse Show Exhibitors may purchase a weekly parking pass at the main Horse Park entrance for $15.00. Dogs are permitted at the Kentucky Horse Park on a leash.

Directions:
The Kentucky Horse Park is located 8 miles northeast of Lexington, Kentucky at Exit 120 on Interstate 75.

Information:
Before Show – (859) 233-0492, Email: hakshows@earthlink.net
During Show – Telephone: (859) 281-7979, Fax: (859) 231-6097
Stabling – Pat Duncan (503) 510-8797
Stable office – Before Show: (503) 510-8797, During Show: (859) 255-0605
Prize List Advertising – Email Cindy Bozan at cindy@kentuckyhorseshows.com or call (859) 608-3709
Vendors – Email Cindy Bozan at cindy@kentuckyhorseshows.com or call (859) 608-3709
Shownet – www.shownet.biz

Website: www.kentuckyhorseshows.com

Shopping:
Vendors offering equestrian equipment, apparel, jewelry, and home furnishings are located adjacent to the Stonelea Ring.

Hotels:
CLARION HOTEL (http://www.clarionhotellex.com) (Formerly Holiday Inn North) – 859-233-0512 – Approximately 4 miles (OFFICIAL HOTEL)
Discover the place where elegant comfort in an ideal location meets excellent service and affordability. At the Clarion Hotel Lexington, you’ll find well-appointed accommodations with options of double/doubles, double queens, king rooms or suites, exceptional amenities such as our free hot breakfast buffet, and Southern hospitality at its finest. The best hotel for Keeneland – Located in the heart of Kentucky’s Bluegrass Region – home of the Kentucky Horse Park, the Lexington Convention Center, University of Kentucky, and the Kentucky Bourbon Trail – our Lexington hotel is on Newtown Pike at Exit 115 on I-75, close to all the big attractions, and is the perfect place to stay whether you’re here to get down to business or have some fun. Best of all, bring your furry friends for any trip because the Clarion Hotel in Lexington is also pet-friendly.

CAMPGROUND RESERVATIONS:
Reservations may not be made through the Horse Show office. To reserve a campsite at the Kentucky Horse Park for any of the horse shows, please call the Campground store at (800) 370-6416 or 859-259-4157 or email Ryan McGaughey at Ryan.mcgaughey@ky.gov. Be specific as to the show name and the dates you wish to stay. Check-in time is 2:00 p.m. and checkout is 12:00 noon. You must make arrangements with the Campground store if you plan to arrive earlier than 2:00 p.m. or stay later than 12:00 noon. Vehicles that are not removed from a campsite by check-out time will be towed.

Management:
Kentucky Horse Shows, LLC
P. O. Box 11428
Lexington, KY 40575-1428
859-233-0492 (phone)
859-233-0495 (fax)
email: hakshows@earthlink.net
website: www.kentuckyhorseshows.com

Media Contact:
Phelps Media Group, Inc.
12230 Forest Hill Blvd.
Suite 214
Wellington, FL 33414
561-753-3389 (phone)
561-753-3386 (fax)
pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com
www.phelpsmediagroup.com