Richie Moloney rode Merqusio to victory in the $100,000 1.45m FEI Grand Prix to culminate the Split Rock Jumping Tour’s (SRJT) new event, the Aiken International CSI2*. The event, the first CSI ever held at Bruce’s Field at the Aiken Horse Park, proved to be a smashing success.
“We really couldn’t be happier with how everything went here this week,” said Derek Braun, Split Rock Jumping Tour founder and CEO. “Aiken is a premier horse community and the Horse Park is one of the finest horse show facilities anywhere. They deserve to host world-class show jumping and we are thrilled to have brought it here with this new stop on our national tour!”
Out of a starting field of 43 horses, Moloney was one of four to reach the tiebreaking jump-off by riding without penalty over the13-jump, first-round course designed by 2016 Olympic course designer Guilherme Jorge. Four entries then turned in another clean round over the seven-jump, jump-off course with Moloney claiming the win with the fastest time of 37.260 seconds. Placing second was Abigail McArdle with zero faults and a time of 37.930 on Victorio 5 with third going to Doug Payne who finished with zero faults in 39.280 seconds on Quintessence. Top Canadian was Sean Jobin aboard Darius, who grabbed 5th spot.
“Two of my horses jumped very well today,” said Moloney. “Merqusio jumped really well, he always does, keeping it nice and smooth. This (the $100,000 1.45m FEI Grand Prix) was the aim all week with both horses.”
Following the Grand Prix, Holly Shepherd was named winner of the Restylane® Leading Rider Award. Continuing a Split Rock Jumping Tour tradition, $1,000 was awarded to Aaron Vale as winner of the Horseflight Fist Pump Award:
Horseflight Fist Pump Winner Aaron Vale. (Winslow Photography LLC)
Complete results here.
All classes can be watched live, free of charge, on the SRJT app and website here.
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