In an unorthodox jump-off, Charlotte Babbitt claimed her first-ever grand prix win aboard Vivianne Blue PS in the $30,000 Traverse City National Grand Prix on Saturday during the third week of the summer’s Great Lakes Equestrian Festival (GLEF), presented by B&D Builders, at Flintfields Horse Park.
The opening course built by Andy Christiansen (ECU) proved a difficult one to master with no clear rounds being produced. Babbitt, a California native who now calls South Florida home, matched step with Wellington, FL’s, Molly Ashe Cawley to finish the first round on one time fault apiece. The pair advanced to a jump-off where Babbitt and her own 11-year-old Oldenburg mare by Vivant van de Heffinck took top call after Cawley’s mount Hyazinthe CR, a nine-year-old Holsteiner mare owned by Sky Group, refused at the wall obstacle.
“Either one of us would have deserved this win and Molly rode really well,” said 23-year-old Babbitt. “I’m so happy that my horse showed up for me today as she does every day. It’s the first time that I feel I gave her an error-free ride. It was nice to give her that; she deserves the world and I can’t believe she’s mine.”
Babbitt jumped her first grand prix a year ago after making a transition to show jumping. She competed up to the four-star level in eventing before accepting a freelance riding position with U.S. show jumping team Olympic gold medalist Will Simpson. “It wasn’t long and I was hooked,” she said. “This is one of the top finishes of my career for sure, and it’s my first big show jumping win which means a lot to me.”
The fastest four-fault round over the opening course, Avery Griffin and Oh My Star Van Strytem, a 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding by Iam Moerhoeve’s Star, round out the podium in third for owner PBC Equine Investments, LLC.
Together with Simpson, Babbitt found Vivianne Blue PS on a buying trip to Paul Schockemöhle’s yard in Germany in 2022. “She does no wrong in my eyes,” said Babbitt. “She has been the best horse to teach me show jumping. It’s pretty amazing to get from where we started to here.
“I really wanted to show in Wellington and Will called Nikki [Shahinian-Simpson] for me,” continued Babbitt, who now rides professionally for Shahinian-Simpson’s Riffle Hitch. “It is the best place for me and the horse. I did my first 1.30m with her and 2023 was our first consistent season doing the 1.40m.”
Tackling her next goal, Babbitt and Vivianne Blue PS will jump their first three-star together next week at Flintfields Horse Park.
Team Woodhill Wins World Wide Technology 1.10m Non-Pro Team Jumper Challenge
Capping the day in the Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel International Ring, the $10,000 World Wide Technology 1.10m Non-Pro Team Jumper Challenge welcomed amateur riders to join forces in a made-for-fun nations cup format event.
The winner was Team Woodhill, consisting of Izzy Cook of Benton, AR, riding Conditos; Kinsley Kropholler of Colleyville, TX, aboard HJ Bernie Mac; Rhyce Symonds of Fort Worth, TX, riding Camiro Blue PS; and Alexis Boedecker of Westlake, TX, in the irons of Exquise Peguignon.
The World Wide Technology 1.10m Non-Pro Team Jumper Challenge will take place every Saturday during the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival, presented by B&D Builders, culminating in the series final during GLEF VI.
Three-star competition during GLEF III returns to the Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel International Ring on Sunday and comes to a peak in the $120,000 CSI3* Grand Prix to cap GLEF III.
For complete results, click here.
