Horses and riders in 12 divisions from Starter to CCI4*-S tackled the show jumping phase of competition at The Event at TerraNova, in Myakka, Florida, over a track designed by Nick Granat in the world-class setting of the main arena. Prize money was awarded in all divisions.
The day started with a non-denominational worship service in the rider lounge. Pastor Rick Mihm led the service, offering riders a chance for quiet reflection and concluding with participants giving thanks for their blessings. Patrons and riders enjoyed gourmet fare and cocktails as part of the VIP experience in a tent pavilion overlooking the main arena.
Leslie Law and Lady Chatterley, a Canadian-bred Holsteiner mare, won the CCI4*-S; he was also 3rd aboard Typically Fernhill and won the open prelim with Shirsheen Ice, while Canadian Lesley Grant-Law was third in the division with Fernhill Finalist and won the Open Intermediate riding Castle Howard Romeo. (Al Green Photo)
In the CCI4*-S, sponsored by B&D Builders, overnight leader Jennie Jarnstrom-Dennis (SWE) and Hanoverian mare Flower Girl (Futurist x Lucy/Romino) had four rails down in show jumping. Leslie Law (GBR) of Ocala and Lady Chatterley took the win. Law was ranked second on Lady Chatterley after dressage. A Canadian-bred Holsteiner mare that Law owns in partnership with Jackie and Steve Brown, Lady Chatterley (Connor 48 x Jucy/Mytens XX) jumped exactly on the optimum time of 81.29 seconds.
Second after dressage, Law and Typically Fernhill (Dondoctro Ryal K x Castlefield Sarah), owned by Craig McCallum, scored 27.2 but dropped into fifth place with 19.6 time faults added after cross-country. Today, the gelding leaped right back up the leaderboard with a double-clear show jumping round, finishing third overall.
Sara Kozumplik-Murphy and her syndicated Selle Francais gelding Rubens D’ysieux (Balougran x Orenda d/Ysieux / Mr. Blue) owned by Edy and Sean Rameike and The Unicorn Group, jumped clear and within the time to finish second overall.
Law said, “I thought it was a great track, it was proper show jumping. Typically Fernhill is a really good jumper and a lot of fun to ride; if you have a rail it’s your fault, really, and he jumped his skin out. Then the mare came in and she was feeling really good in her body, really loose in her back, and she came in and jumped really well. She took a hard look at the “musical” fence…so I just closed my leg and she jumped super, really.”
Law also won the Open Preliminary, sponsored by Overlook Farm, with Irish Sport Horse gelding Shirsheen Ice (Beowulf x Copper/Regal Sting xx) and his wife, Lesley Grant-Law, placed third in the same division riding Irish Sport Horse Fernhill Finalist (Candillo Z x Twinkel van Alsingen/Touch of Fairway xx). Grant-Law (CAN) also won the Open Intermediate, sponsored by Wordley Martin Premium Equestrian Surfaces, riding Castle Howard Romeo (Womanizer x Creagh Diamond Cavalier/Cavalier Royale).
“I bought him (Shirsheen Ice) in Ireland a couple years ago and I think he’s going to be a great horse. He’s a funny lad, he has so much guts and fire and loves his cross-country. He’s 7 years old and I’ll probably move him on to a three-long after a few Intermediates. I love him to bits, he makes me laugh every day. Lesley also rode well and had a great day today, which will help the journey home!”
With less than a point separating the top three in the CCI3*-S, sponsored by Sunz Insurance, no one could afford a rail. All three jumped around clear and in the time, with Kozumplik-Murphy taking top honors with Devil Munchkin, a KWPN gelding (Casiro 3 x Rhona/No Ski) who she owns with longtime friend and supporter Edy Rameika (40.6). Jon Holling and Pioneer Archibald finished second with 41.2 and Elisa Wallace and Riot Gear, an Oldenburg gelding (Confetti x Lucy/Fuerst Gotthard), owned by Steve and Vicky Sukup placed third (41.4).
Kozumplik-Murphy said, “Both of my horses were fantastic today. I mean, I really can’t fault them. Rubens is a super careful jumper and I can’t remember the last time Kermit had a pole down.” She said that her husband, Irish Grand Prix show jumper Joseph Murphy, coaches her in this phase. “I couldn’t ask for better eyes on the ground; he’s also great at matching people with horses. He’s a super show jumping coach, he’s changed my show jumping riding exponentially. It’s not even recognizable. I used to get quite nervous going into show jumping, it’s so nerve wracking! Though I have to say, it helps when you’re riding horses that jump like these two.”
The show jumping courses were designed by Nick Granat, a Level 2 FEI jumping course designer who was an assistant designer of the eventing course at the 2018 Tryon World Equestrian Games with Alan Wade. This is his first solo FEI three-day event. “I just really wanted to have a course with a nice smooth line for them. I didn’t want it to be too trappy or tricky and I didn’t want to over-tax the horses since they jumped a lot of fences yesterday. It was relatively straightforward. This is a very delicate set of show jumps – we really look for light rails.
Ocala-based Tik Maynard (CAN) won the CCI2*-S, sponsored by Blalock Walters, riding Galileo, a KWPN gelding (San Remo x Aronia /Rousseau) owned by Richard Maynard on a score of 21.3, the best dressage score of the weekend. He also placed second on the Irish Sport Horse gelding SKM Lux Sonata (Lux Z x Garrendruig Sally), owned by Henry Phipps (IRL) on 28.6. His wife Sinead (USA) won the CCI1*-S, sponsored by Akerman, aboard the 2010 Irish Sport Horse mare Oldcourt Grafen Dance (Birkhof’s Grafenstolz x Wyndham Gentle Annie/Touchdown).
Complete results here.
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