Quentin Judge (USA) clinched his second win of the Traverse City Spring Series, presented by Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel, just four days into the 2024 competition season by earning a victory in the $30,000 Traverse City National Grand Prix with new mount, HH Chaccothargo. Judge returned to the winner’s circle after earning the blue in the Traverse City Record-Eagle CSI3* Speed on Thursday with HH Medarco PS.
Entering the competition arena for only the third time as a partnership, Judge and the 10-year-old Oldenburg stallion (Chacco Blue x Conthargos) were the only pair to jump-off in under forty seconds, finishing on a double-clear time of 39.302 seconds. Of the six total horses to jump the Peter Grant (CAN) designed short track, it was Alexandria Beneson (USA) and her own Kara J D’Alve Z who took home the red ribbon (48.320 seconds). Judge bookended the podium on his second jump-off mount, HH Jamil Field, finishing in 41.599 seconds with one rail down.
HH Chaccothargo made quick work of stepping up the ranks during his debut at Flintfields Horse Park. “He jumped the 1.35m the first day and won it, he jumped the 1.40m the second day and won and now he won today,” said Judge of the mount he obtained from Germany’s Paul Schockemöhle. “He stepped up in each class every day. He’s an awesome horse and I’m just getting to know him. This is the biggest we’ve ever jumped together.
The first clear in the opening round and the pacesetters in the jump-off, Judge and HH Chaccothargo had to leave little room to be caught while still developing as a duo in the show ring. “This was only our second jump-off together,” said Judge. “He’s very careful and he really tries. I was really deep to the second jump and I had to wait so I could put my leg on at the base and he jumped out of his skin; he was really clever.
“Before today I knew he was a good horse, but this showed that he’s going to be a great horse.”
Judge will continue to develop his partnership with HH Chaccothargo over the next few weeks during the Traverse City Spring Series, aiming to step into the international level during the final two-star week later this June.
Judge will return to the Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel International Ring on Sunday for the $120,000 Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel CSI3* Grand Prix, bringing out Double H Farm mounts, HH Griffin Van De Heffinck and HH Medarco PS with hopes of a hat trick for the week.
For the full National Grand Prix results, please click here.
Violet Tatum and Carlson Successfully Navigate New Career in Junior Hunter 3’6” Division
The culmination of Junior Hunter competition during the first week of the Traverse City Horse Shows Spring Series, presented by Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel, saw what was nearly a clean sweep for Violet Tatum of Pacific Palisades, CA, and newly-minted rising hunter star, Carlson. Under the tutelage of Archie Cox, the junior rider piloted Cox’s eight-year-old Hanoverian gelding by Colman to a champion finish in the junior hunter ranks at the 3’6” height.
The pair capped off two days of top finishes as the victors of the division’s classic round with combined double scores of 84 for a 168-point total. Throughout the totality of the division’s classes, the pair earned three additional firsts and a fourth to emerge the clear winner, but perhaps even more impressive is the speed with which Carlson appears to have adapted to his new career. The mount was originally destined to become a three-day event horse, but his fate changed when Cox, a California-based trainer spending his spring in Traverse City, spotted him.
“He did one eventing show and one .80m class at Thermal, and that is where I found him,” explained Cox. “It’s very odd to come across such a good hunter in that way, but I saw him and immediately saw the potential.”
Cox wasted no time seizing that potential and Carlson began his hunter career in February of the current year. Tatum was immediately asked to acquire the ride in the junior divisions and has been a steady partner for him since.
“He is very smart and learned how to do the job incredibly fast,” detailed Tatum. “He’s very brave and has a lot of scope, so everything else just comes together. I think he might be doing Junior Hunter Finals and potentially the WCHR Hunter Spectacular, so we are very excited to see how this summer goes for him.”
Hunter competition comes to a peak on Sunday with the featured USHJA National Hunter Derby and presentation of the Platinum Performance Hunter of the Week. Sunday’s derby also marks the first opportunity for riders to gain points towards the $5,000 Leading Amateur and Junior Hunter Rider Bonuses, which will be presented by Makoto Farms and Walkenbach Equestrian at the conclusion of GLEF IV.
For full results, click here.
