Hayley Alfonso of St. Andrews, MB, posted the only clear round to win the $31,000 CSI2* Eunice Krausert Memorial Grand Prix held August 24 at the Rocky Mountain Classic II in Calgary, AB.
From a starting field of 26 entries, only Alfonso riding Lennox 157 produced a clear round over the tough track set by German course designer Anne Kathrin Guenther.
Three other riders managed clear rounds but fell victim to the clock, incurring one fault for exceeding the 86-second time allowed. Tracy Epp of Langley, BC, stopped the clock in 87.06 seconds riding Santee to place second while Beda Wachter of Innisfail, AB, took third place with a time of 87.93 seconds riding WH Carthago Sun III, his 10-year-old Canadian Warmblood stallion. Lisa Carlsen of Spruce Grove, AB, came through the timers in 88.84 seconds with Cuba Libre to place fourth. With the fastest four fault effort, Marshall Whyte of Cochrane, AB, rounded out the top five aboard Quinlan, the 11-year-old Hannoverian gelding he rode to victory one week earlier in the $31,000 CSI2* Laramide Oil and Gas Grand Prix.
Having competed in the grand prix events held during the Rocky Mountain Classic I one week earlier, Alfonso was surprised by the size of the course for the $31,000 CSI2* Eunice Krausert Memorial Grand Prix.
“It was definitely bigger than last week,” said Alfonso, who was riding Lennox 157, an 11-year-old grey Holsteiner gelding owned by Tyndall Wood Farms. “My horse jumped super; he always tries really hard. There were some hard parts in the course, and he handled them really well. I was relieved to be clean, and then I was hoping there wouldn’t be a jump-off.”
Alfonso got her wish, along with the winner’s share of $9,000 in prize money.
“I come out just for John’s shows,” explained Alfonso, 24, who had lived in Calgary for two years before moving back to Manitoba in the spring of 2010. “I love these shows, and this is my favourite venue. It is so fun, really casual, and everyone gets along great. It’s like a big group of friends. I love the new Goby’s Grill. I think it is super and really adds to the facility. The facility itself is already amazing, and has come so far.”
Alfonso’s win definitely made the 16-hour trip from Manitoba worth her while. The show jumping tournaments produced by Rocky Mountain Show Jumping at Anderson Ranch have proven successful for Alfonso and Lennox 157 in the past. In 2010, the pair won the $15,000 Cymric Brae Grand Prix in May as well as the $50,000 Oilpatch Grand Prix in August.
For Rocky Mountain Show Jumping tournament organizer John Anderson, the $31,000 CSI2* Eunice Krausert Memorial Grand Prix held special significance.
“The Krausert family has been great friends with our family for years,” explained Anderson. “It was great to see Eunice’s daughter, Dianne, pay tribute to her mother and recognize their family’s commitment to the sport by supporting this grand prix. Lindsay Wendt, who is Dianne’s daughter and Eunice’s granddaughter, is a regular competitor at our tournaments, and it was a great honour for Rocky Mountain to pay tribute to Eunice.”
The Rocky Mountain Classic II continues through to August 28. The $50,000 CSI2* Friends of Rocky Mountain Show Jumping Grand Prix will take place at 4 p.m. on Saturday, August 27.
Rocky Mountain Show Jumping is one of Canada’s premiere show jumping destinations. Its tournaments are held at Anderson Ranch in Calgary’s south end, a world-class facility featuring permanent stabling for 300 horses and a grass grand prix field complete with natural obstacles. For more information on Rocky Mountain Show Jumping, please visit http://www.rmshowjumping.com/.
$31,000 CSI2* Eunice Krausert Memorial Grand Prix
Rider Hometown Horse Faults
1. Hayley Alfonso St. Andrews, MB Lennox 157 0
2. Tracey Epp Langley, BC Santee 1
3. Beda Wachter Innisfail, AB WH Carthago Sun III 1
4. Lisa Carlsen Spruce Grove, AB Cuba Libre 1
5. Marshall Whyte Cochrane, AB Quinlan 4
6. Jacqueline Colborne Calgary, AB Peninsula Vision 4
7. (tie) Tamie Phillips Strathmore, AB Lucas 4
7. (tie) Jim Ifko Calgary, AB Peninsula Vertigo 4
9. Alexander Grayton Priddis, AB Wilanka 4
10. Dominique Shone Pitt Meadows, BC Ka Ching 4
11. Femke van den Bosch Red Deer, AB Senorita 4
12. Jennifer Whyte Cochrane, AB Peninsula Apollo 8
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