ATLANTA, GA—It was a memorable Memorial Day Weekend for the riders of Flashpoint Media. Sergio Campos, of Florida’s Longwood Equestrian Center, continued to rule in the final week of the Atlanta Spring Challenge, ending May 27 at the International Horse Park in Conyers. And joining in the Georgia reign was Flashpoint’s Jack Hardin Towell, Jr. of the Camden, S.C.-based Finally Farm, who scored the first Grand Prix Victory of his career on Saturday in the $25,000 Central Equine Grand Prix.
Campos kicked off the winning week by capturing the Open Jumper Welcome Classic with Mill Creek Sancho, the 7-year-old bay gelding owned by the Ontario-based Mill Creek Stables. He also piloted his own mare Shakira do Jacare to a well-earned 3rd place ribbon in the class.
Sancho is perhaps one of the most promising young horses in Campos’ barn and is currently being prepped for Grand Prix competition this summer. Last week the gelding was 2nd in the Welcome Stake and also the victor of YJC 7/8-Year-Old Division.
Following the Welcome, Campos went on to display the talent of his other young jumpers. He captured second place in the YJC 7/8-Year-Old Division, this time in the irons on another Mill Creek horse, Mill Creek Sandhya (The now 8-year-old mare may be remembered as Champion 6-Year-Old at the Nationals last December). Meanwhile, Campos went 1-2-3 in the YJC 6-Year-Old Division, winning with the Paulo Miranda-owned Nut du Foret for the 2nd week in a row, and earning 2nd on the Rae Kennedy-owned Onno Z and 3rd on a third Mill Creek horse, Mill Creek Downtown. Meanwhile, Longwood Equestrian client Dianna Rodolpho won the Amateur Owner Jumper Classic aboard her horse Monkey Du Parc. “This was her first high-amateur classic and we were all so excited for her,” said Campos.
Speaking of young jumpers, Saturday’s $25,000 Central Equine Grand Prix was won by none other than Jack Hardin Towell, Jr., 19, aboard his 10-year-old chestnut gelding Iago Du Quesnoy. This marks the first Grand prix victory of Towell’s career. “I’m just so thrilled,” said Towell. “We’ve been in the ribbons often, but he was just perfect today.” Iago has been out of competition since last September due to the fact that he lost his left eye following an infection. The gelding missed the Florida circuit and only recently returned. “Oddly, he’s been better since the surgery,” said Towell, who began showing Iago about two years ago. “He exhibits no real signs of being blind in one eye.”
Towell and his mount was one of seven to go clear in the first round of the Michele Vallaincourt-designed course, which proved to be a true technical challenge for the competitors. But in the speedy jump-off they handily captured the top spot over riders such as Sergio Campos, who took 4th place aboard Shakira do Jacare and Daniel Geitner, who was 5th with the Kyle Register-owned Trading Places (for more on Geitner, see below). “I’m really indebted to Daniel for all the help and direction he has given me with this horse and others,” added Towell, who trains with his father, Jack Towell. “A big thanks also to Andrea King for her guidance in the schooling ring and her confidence in me.” Towell took 7th place in the class aboard King’s Sea Cloud 2.
OTHER ATLANTA SPRING CHALLENGE RESULTS
Daniel Geitner of the Aiken, S.C.-based DFG STABLES
Champion
-Open Jumper Level 6 with the M/M Rex Marquette-owned Palermo
-Green Working Hunter First Year with the Catherine Stumberg-owned Ringo
-Baby Green Hunter with Mary Guynn-owned Harrison
Reserve Champion
-Pre Green Hunter 3-foot with the Rebecca Cameron-owned London
-Pre Green Hunter 3-foot-3 with the Deborah Spector Victor-owned Black Olive
DFG clients Juan and Jennifer Gamboa also scored division championships in Atlanta this week. Gitane du Rol captured the NAL/WIHS Adult Jumper Classic with Juan Gamboa in the irons and How Now was Champion in the Adult Amateur Hunter 35+ Division with rider Jennifer Gamboa. And Rebecca Cameron captured Champion honors in the Adult Hunters 18-35 with Sambrano, owned by Stacey Weems.
Meanwhile, the riders of HUNTERS LANE FARM have been busy showing in Devon this past week, where professional Hunter classes begin today following the exciting Junior Weekend. Showing at Devon continues though June 3rd.
Flashpoint Media Services, based in Harrodsburg, KY, is a comprehensive public relations firm specializing in the equestrian sports. For additional information about any Flashpoint clients or for exclusive photographs, contact Robbi Meisel, 859-734 3713, [email protected] or Cynthia Grisolia, 347-423 7322, [email protected].
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Photo credit: Sergio Campos and Mill Creek Sancho ©Shawn McMillen Photography; Hardin Towell and Iago du Quesnoy ©Flashpoint Photography
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