As the first to go clear in the $134,000 Grand Prix de Penn National Saturday night at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show (PNHS), Beezie Madden set a scorching time to beat. Her sharp turns and speedy footwork aboard Abigail Wexner’s Coach posted a time of 34.93 seconds, and onlookers wondered how it might be matched. Then the following three riders outpaced Madden, but only barely. The top four finishing places were separated by a mere 0.87 seconds.
Immediately following Madden’s round, Molly Ashe Cawley and Louisburg Farm’s Adamo were quick in the turns and hunted down the final line to finish in 34.06 seconds. Cawley’s lead held as reigning champion Beat Mändli aboard Galan S and Amy Millar with Truman produced similar rounds, stopping the clock at 34.15 and 34.61 respectively.
“At the last part of the jump-off, I threw style right on out the window and went for the ‘Hail Mary’ pony-kicking,” said Cawley, who had watched Madden’s round and was determined to beat it. “It was a little terrifying from where I was sitting, I’m not going to lie, but he (Adamo) was right there with me. He was good.”
Cawley had briefly campaigned the now 14-year-old Royal Dutch Warmblood in 2017 and partnered with him again last April. “We’ve just been getting back in sync,” she said. “We’ve had some hills and valleys. He was amazing in Spruce Meadows in both five-star grand prix the last two weeks. Inside is maybe not his best venue; I think he prefers a big grass field. I was proud of him tonight. He really stepped up to the plate even when it wasn’t pretty. He kept fighting for it.”
An FEI CSI3* Grand Prix, the $134,000 Grand Prix de Penn National saw 21 horse-and-rider combinations challenge a 1.60m 15-effort course designed by Michel Vaillancourt. With faults occurring most often at the two combinations (fences #4ab and #10abc), only six riders returned for the 8-effort jump-off, including Sharn Wordley and Caitlyn Connors in addition to those already mentioned.
Mändli had not seen the previous riders jump-off. “Obviously Beezie is a very fast rider, and then I heard Molly was even faster so I thought I had to try everything to beat it. I planned five (strides) to the last (line), but it just wasn’t there.”
Millar and Truman started strong, but tripped on the landing side of the second obstacle. “I think that (trip) wasted a little bit of time,” Millar said. “If he hadn’t tripped there, I could have done one less to the next combination and that would have helped.”
Knowing what it would take to beat the leading time, Millar wasn’t sure she was going to attempt the two tightest inside turns. “I didn’t want to be a defeatist but…,” she laughed. “Then my horse was just jumping so well and he came out of the double right. We had a similar turn on Thursday night and it did not work out for me. When I did it on Thursday I said I’ve got to figure out how to do this, I’ve got to learn. So I was really happy that we figured it out and we got it right. I’m happy to be third, especially to these two.”
Cawley took home the winner’s share of $44,220 and the Harrisburg Kiwanis Club Challenge Trophy. She was also the Open Jumper Reserve Champion and tied for the Leading Lady Rider Jumper Award with Madden with 28 points earned throughout the show. They were jointly presented with the Wissie Brede Memorial Challenge Trophy.
For his exceptional care of Adamo, Ezekiel Barcena accepted the Caretaker Award and the Moira Jane Caffarey – George L. Hennessy Memorial Perpetual Trophy.
Reserve Champion in the Grand Prix, Mändli also walked away with the Open Jumper Championship and the William J. Cawley and Brian G. Cawley Perpetual Memorial Trophy after earning 19 total points aboard Galan S in the Open Jumper classes. With Galan S and his additional horses earning 33 total points overall, Mändli earned the Leading Rider Award for Open Jumper and the Hunterdon, Inc. Challenge Trophy.
$134,000 Grand Prix de Penn National
1 Molly Ashe Cawley and Adamo (USA) | 0/0/34.06 | $44,220
2 Beat Mändli and Galan S (SUI) | 0/0/34.15 | $26,800
3 Amy Millar and Truman (CAN) | 0/0/34.61 | $20,100
4 Beezie Madden and Coach (USA) | 0/0/34.93 | $13,400
5 Sharn Wordley and Barnetta (NZL) | 0/4 | $8,040
6 Caitlyn Connors and Bink-A (USA) | 0/8 | $6,030
7 Sydney Shulman and Villamoura (ISR) | 4/56.68 | $4,020
8 Erynn Ballard and Catoki’s Son Z (CAN) | 4/57.78 | $3,350
9 Katherine Dinan and Atika Des Hauts Vents (USA) | 4/57.93 | $2,680
10 Thaisa Erwin and Evita (AUS) | 4/60.79 | $2,680
11 Roberto Teran Tafur and Diabolo la Quadra (COL) | 4/61.09 | $1,340
12 Lexi Ray and Jewel 8 (CAN) | 8/56.41 | $1,340
Prior to the Grand Prix, the PNHS inducted the legendary showjumper Idle Dice into the Pennsylvania National Horse Show Hall of Fame. Rick and Didi Hornberger, longtime PNHS Trophy Committee members, were also honored as 2019 inductees during the prestigious Opening Ceremonies.
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