Cathleen Driscoll (USA) continues to be impressed by the Plain Bay Sales-owned mare Magnolia. The 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare is confidently rising through the levels, and captured Friday’s $37,000 Honor Hill Farm CSI2* Welcome Stake during week two of the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival, presented by CaptiveOne Advisors.
“This was the biggest track we’ve jumped so far and she just handled it beautifully,” Driscoll said of Magnolia. “She’s a naturally very fast horse. I didn’t have to do the leave-outs that other people might do.”
Thirty-four entries took on the first round track, set by Portugal’s Bernardo Costa Cabral. Third to go in a field of five jump-off contenders, Driscoll used the mare’s footspeed to her advantage, keeping a similar striding throughout the short course as other contenders, but taking the speed up a notch, clocking in at 35.03 seconds.
Second place on a double-clear effort went to Shawn Casady (USA) and RMF Chacco Top, owned by Ashland Farms, in a time of 36.85 seconds. Just behind in third was Anna Wilks (CAN) and Ma Pomme De Tamerville for IN Showjumpers in 37.27 seconds.
“I’ve never had a young horse that can step up and immediately be competitive at this level,” Driscoll reflected after the mare’s second-ever FEI class. “She just blows us away every day. She was fast in the [Two Phase] yesterday, she was fast today, and she has confidence and cadence in the ring even when she’s unsure and learning this level.”
Coming off several second-place finishes, including the CSI3* Welcome Stake and National Grand Prix during GLEF I, Driscoll was determined to take home a win. “I was a bit of a bridesmaid last week so I was hungry for this win,” she continued. “It feels good to get it this week.”
Driscoll hopes to keep campaigning Magnolia at the CSI2* level for the next two weeks in Traverse City before heading to Europe. “We love Traverse City,” she said. “It’s a staple destination for us in the summer. It’s fantastic to come to the horse shows; they’re run very well, the weather is fantastic, and the town here is lovely.”
International athletes return for the $72,800 NetJets CSI2* Grand Prix Sunday afternoon as national athletes contend for $30,000 in the Traverse City National Grand Prix Saturday.
Final Results: $37,000 Honor Hill Farm CSI2* Welcome Stake
1. MAGNOLIA: 2012 KWPN mare by Mylord Carthago x Van Gogh
CATHLEEN DRISCOLL (USA), Plain Bay Sales: 0/0/35.03
2. RMF CHACCO TOP: 2009 HANN stallion by Chacco Blue x Graf Top
SHAWN CASADY (USA), Ashland Farms: 0/0/36.85
3. MA POMME DE TAMERVILLE: 2012 BWP mare by Deauville Van T&L x Contendro II
ANNA WILKS (CAN), IN Showjumpers: 0/0/37.27
4. CON CALLE: 2009 Holst gelding by Contendro II x Cassini II
MAVIS SPENCER (USA), Georgy Maskrey-Segesman: 0/0/38.68
5. ASTON DES ETISSES: 2010 SF gelding by Mylord Carthago x Quidam De Revel
MARGIE ENGLE (USA): Gladewinds Partners, LLC: 0/4/37.57
6. FRASIER: 2010 KWPN gelding by Carambole x Padinus
SAMANTHA SCHAEFER (USA), Bonne Vie LLC: 1/77.54
7. IDEAL: 2012 SWB gelding by Cardento x Cortez
TANNER KOROTKIN (USA), Castlewood Farm Inc. & Sandalwood Farms: 1/77.85
8. COMANDER 16: 2011 OS gelding by Coup De Coeur x Lupicor
RACHEL LINDSEY, Rachel Lindsey: 2/78.26
9. FABREGAS: 2010 KWPN gelding by Zambesi TN x Nairone
ALEXANDRA SMITH (USA), Ashland Farms: 2/78.39
10. CELINA BH: 2010 HOLST mare by Canstakko x Carthago Z
MIMI GOCHMAN (USA), Gochman Sport Horse LLC: 4/72.35
11. ELDORADO WP Z: 2012 ZANG gelding by Eldorado VD Zeshoek x Calvados
STELLA WASSERMAN, Stella Wasserman: 4/73.43
12. CESNA M: 2012 OS gelding by Check In x Sandro Boy
MARGIE ENGLE (USA), Virginia Bartholomay: 4/73.69
Jake Endicott Earns Championship in Albion College 15-17 Equitation
Across two over-fences rounds and a flat phase, California-based Jake Endicott captured the division championship in the Albion College 15-17 Equitation Friday evening of GLEF II.
Aboard Grace Russo’s Temple Lucky Kiss, an 11-year-old Anglo European gelding by Temple Claudius, Endicott laid down two solid rounds over the 3’3” coursewinning the second over-fences round, then sealed his victory with a blue-ribbon performance in the flat phase.
“This is my first week riding him,” Endicott said of Temple Lucky Kiss. “I’ve been showing him all week and he’s been really good. I’ve had other horses for the equitation classes so we’re just doing him in the age equitation this week.
“He’s really simple and is just point and shoot so he makes my job very easy,” the young rider continued. After two years of equitation, he is becoming a top contender in every equitation class and continuing to rise in the ranks as a young show jumper.
Still new to the national horse show scene, Endicott is making the most of his first trip to Traverse City, taking top ribbons in the High Junior/Amateur Jumpers and the equitation. “This is my first year [in Traverse City] and so far it’s probably my favorite show,” he said. “I love not even just the show but the whole surrounding area. It is just so nice here.”
Reserve championship honors in the Albion College 15-17 Equitation went to Julia Brown with G-Star, owned by Kathleen Schmeler.
