BURBANK, CA - Posting the only double clear round, twenty-three year old Jill Humphrey posted her first grand prix victory competing against some of the best horse and riders combinations in the west. Thirty-four horses contested Anthony D’Ambrosio’s World Cup Qualifier course on Saturday night during the Los Angeles International Jumping Festival (Sept. 20-24).
Over the past few years, grand prix courses in the west have not had the same level of difficulty as comparable classes in the east. However, all that is changing and Langer Equestrian Group President and CEO, Larry Langer, is a big supporter. “They want a good, strong international test put in front of the riders, as it should be in a World Cup Qualifier,” added international course designer Anthony D’Ambrosio.
Five horses and riders negotiated the first round with no faults – Richard Spooner and Cristallo, Rich Fellers and McGuiness, Cathleen Calvert and L.B. Hotess de Rosieres, and Joie Gatlin and Sun Cal’s King all joined Humphrey and Kaskaya. In the jump off, Humphrey was fourth to contest the course and Spooner, Fellers and Calvert had all accumulated faults. Riding conservatively in regard to time, Humphrey posted the night’s only clear round. Gatlin followed, and her horse pulled a rail going into the combination.
Humphrey has only been in the grand prix ranks for a year. In fact, last year’s LA International marked her first World Cup Qualifier where she finished 11th aboard Riva 49. A year later she found herself in the winner’s circle. “I was so happy to have a clear round in a World Cup Qualifier, but I didn’t think I’d win,” said Humphrey. “I only did my first World Cup Qualifier a year ago at this same show. I never imagined it would come out like this.”
Because of consistently high finishes in the first three qualifiers for the 2007 World Cup Finals in Las Vegas (NV), Humphrey is in second place just behind Richard Spooner. Of possibly going to the World Cup Finals, Humphrey said, “It is hard to imagine, but it is becoming more possible.”
The Los Angeles International is also host to three major equitation championships. Nick Haness was a dual winner of both the USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals West and the USEF Zones 8-9-10 Hunter Seat Medal Regionals. Natalie Rae Medlock was the winner in the USEF Zones 8-9-10 Adult Equitation Regionals.
Agate:
Place Horse/Rider Faults/Time Owner
1st Kaskaya/ Jill Humphrey 0 - 45.83 Leone Equestrian, Inc.
2nd L.B. Hotess de Rosieres/ 4 - 40.47 Fairbanks Family Farm
Cathleen Calvert
3rd Sun Cal’s King/ Joie Gatlin 4 - 41.70 Canyon Capital, Inc.
4th McGuiness/ Rich Fellers 8 - 40.70 Harry & Molly Chapman
5th Cristallo/ Richard Spooner 13 - 51.88 Show Jumping Syndications
Complete results from the Los Angeles International Jumping Festival are online at: www.langerequestrian.com. The next major Langer Equestrian Group shows are the National Preview (Nov. 8-12) and the Los Angeles National (Nov. 15-19), which features the final grand prix, a World Cup Qualifier, of the 2006 show season.
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