Split Rock Jumping Tour Championship Series Awards $300,000 to Four Champions!
Rebecca Conway and Jersey Girl Gallop to the Win in the $100,000 Dutta Corporation 1.35m Championship
During
Split Rock Jumping Tour
Rebecca Conway (USA) and Jersey Girl win the $100,000 Dutta Corporation 1.35m Championship. Photo by Winslow Photography
Myakka City, Fla. – Jan. 28, 2024 – The Lugano Diamonds Split Rock Jumping Tour’s (SRJT) Sarasota CSI2* at TerraNova Equestrian Center featured the $300,000 Split Rock Championship series with finals at 1.35m, 1.25m, 1.15m and 1.0m. After two days of championship rounds, top prizes were awarded to Rebecca Conway (USA), Rowan Willis (AUS), Alex Granato (USA) and Erin Bownds (USA), respectively.
The innovative series promoted several updates, including the addition of the new 1.0m division. The $25,000 Dutta Corporation 1.0m Championship and $75,000 Dutta Corporation 1.15m Championship required riders to jump clear on Saturday to move on to Sunday’s final round. For these two championships, Sunday’s round was a two-round format, while the $100,000 Dutta Corporation 1.25m Championship and $100,000 Dutta Corporation 1.35m Championship had a winning round format with the top 25% returning in reverse order.
Capping off the competition as the final championship, the $100,000 Dutta Corporation 1.35m Championship had 27 entries, with seven combinations returning for the second round. Several pairs had Issues with the sailboat plank vertical and the Split Rock oxer. Time was also a factor, and combinations needed to jump a clear round within the time allowed of 74.431 seconds.
Kelli Cruciotti Vanderveen (USA) and Far West De Hus in the $100,000 Dutta Corporation 1.35m Championship. Photo by EQ Media
Second in the order for round two, Kelli Cruciotti Vanderveen (USA) and her own Far West de Hus (Windows VH Costersveld x Blankonette III), a 9-year-old Selle Francais gelding, had the first clear, setting the pace as they crossed the timers in 49.254. Next in the ring, Michael Hutchinson (IRL) attempted to best Vanderveen’s time with Labaomi W (Carambole x Baomi), an 8-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare owned by JR Show Stables LLC, matching the clear effort but fell short with a time of 52.431. The next two combinations, Abigail McArdle with I&H Boogy Woogy and Alex Granato riding Cupcake, each delivered a winning time but fell victim to the vertical-oxer combination on the rail.
Michael Hutchinson (IRL) and Labaomi W in the $100,000 Dutta Corporation 1.35m Championship.
Photo by EQ Media
The final pair, Rebecca Conway and Hilington Farm’s 14-year-old Swedish Warmblood mare, Jersey Girl (Careful 28 x Turban Rose), picked up a strong gallop and gave a final push to the last fence. They blazed through the timers in 44.575 and took the win by more than four seconds. Vanderveen took second place, and Hutchinson rounded out the podium as the only other double-clear finisher.
“I love what Split Rock does, and I especially love this facility – I feel like the horses are happy [at TerraNova Equestrian Center],” Conway said. “I love Derek [Braun]’s idea and how he tries to promote the sport. The schedule he sets is great and has something for all of my clients.”
Rebecca Conway (USA) runs away with the Split Rock Fist Pump Challenge award. Photo by EQ Media
Rebecca Conway gallops to the win!
Rowan Willis and Ashton Dakotah lead the Victory Gallop in the $100,000 Dutta Corporation 1.25m Championship
Rowan Willis (AUS) and Ashton Dakota win the $100,000 Dutta Corporation 1.25m Championship.
Photo by Winslow Photography
One of the largest divisions of the day, the $100,000 Dutta Corporation 1.25m Championship had eight combinations go to the second round. Samuel Parot was the first to kick off the class and delivered a fast clear, which he held for the entirety of the first round. Brooke Kemper and Lando van de Oude Molenhoeve, second to go in round two, were the first to produce a double clear in 47.969.
Alex Granato took his shot for the podium with Indio (Namelus R x Orriena), a 11-year-old KWPN gelding owned by Reanna Stahl, shaving more than two seconds off of Kemper’s lead with a quick time of 45.612 seconds.
Francisco Goyoaga Mollet followed immediately after with Ashland Farms’ 16-year old KWPN mare, Dolores BH, producing another fast finish but fell just shy in 45.655 seconds.
Alex Granato (USA) and Indio take second in the $100,000 Dutta Corporation 1.25m Championship.
Francisco Goyoaga Mollet (ESP) and Dolores BH in the $100,000 Dutta Corporation 1.25m Championship. Photos by EQ Media
Saturday’s $100,000 Lugano Diamonds Grand Prix CSI2* winner, Rowan Willis and his experienced 16-year-old warmblood stallion, Ashton Dakota (Lupicor x Corofino I), knocked over a second off the newest leading time, crossing the timers in a swift 44.395. Last to go, Samuel Parot and Singulon, were eager for the win and proved that the winning time could be topped, clocking in at 42.806, but a heartbreaking four faults kept Parot off the podium. Willis earned another win to conclude his week with Granato finishing second and Goyoaga Mollet rounding out the top three.
“I didn't think I was going to make the inside turn to the second to last fence, but everyone did it and they made it look easy, so I thought I had to give it a shot and luckily enough it paid off,” Willis said. “[The Championship Series] is in a great setting and facility. Everyone has had a really good week, and Derek [Braun] always puts on a nice show for the competitors – he looks after us, which is always nice. They make you feel welcome here and what a fantastic venue to jump for good money.”
Rowan Willis' jump-off round!
Alex Granato and Deco Do Rio Earn Top Podium Spot in the $75,000 Dutta Corporation 1.15m Championship
During
Split Rock Jumping Tour
Alex Granato (USA) and Deco Do Rio win the $75,000 Dutta Corporation 1.15m Championship.
Photo by EQ Media
The $75,000 Dutta Corporation 1.15m Championship and $25,000 Dutta Corporation 1.0m Championship finals were the first events on Sunday and crowned the first two 2024 Split Rock Championship Series winners. Beginning Saturday with qualifiers, both events’ winning combinations delivered three clear rounds across the weekend.
For the 1.15m Championship, 12 combinations jumped clear to earn a spot in the jump off. Rowan Willis and Yalambi’s Jingle Bell were the first to tackle the short course, laying down a nice double-clear in 34.729. Next in the order, Granato and Kisma Equestrian LLC’s 16-year-old gelding, Deco Do Rio (Coltaire Z x Rollon des Malais), blazed across the track, taking every possible inside turn and slicing the verticals to deliver a fault-free round in 32.118 to take the lead.
After another seven combinations, Jorge H. Gomez came close to besting Granato’s time with his own 14-year-old warmblood gelding, Kyrol (Chester x unknown) but fell short crossing the timers at 32.514 seconds. After another two combinations, Will Simpson, no stranger to the podium, gave his best shot to dethrone Granato aboard his own Chacco Blue Star (Chacco-Blue x Pia Mira), a 9-year-old Oldenburg gelding. Leaving it all on the line, Simpson came close, but his finish time of 32.363 seconds left him in second, with Gomez in third.
Will Simpson (USA) and Chacco Blue Star finished second in the $75,000 Dutta Corporation 1.15m Championship.
Jorge H. Gomez (COL) and Kyrol take third in the $75,000 Dutta Corporation 1.15m Championship. Photos by EQ Media
“Derek [Braun] has done a nice job with these shows bringing it along at all different levels,” Granato said. “It's rare to do this type of class for this much money, so I wanted to bring an experienced horse for each level, and I think this one was ready for it.
“I think the facility is beautiful – I love that it’s something a little different. It gets you out of Wellington or Ocala for a little change of pace, and they have built some beautiful barns, the arenas are amazing, and it's just a nice different feel for the horses in the middle of the [winter show] circuit.”
Alex Granato's winning round!
Erin Bownds (USA) and Irish win the $25,000 Dutta Corporation 1.0m Championship. Photo by Winslow Photography
The inaugural $25,000 Dutta Corporation 1.0m Championship crowned Erin Bownds as its first winner aboard Irish (Flamenco de Semilly x Plenty), a 14-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by Alexia Honegger. Mallory L Giza with Typhoon Z (Tornedo FCS x Sanchez), a 6-year-old Zangersheide gelding owned by John Giza, had a double-clear round to earn second. Priana Malhotra on VDL It’s Andiamo (Andiamo Z x Estarina), her own 11-year-old KWPN gelding, placed third place after their double-clear round.
Edited press release. Videos by EQ Media with clips from Equestrian Digital.
TerraNova Winter Series
The TerraNova Equestrian Center team thanks the riders, trainers, officials, judges, the SRJT team, course designers, ring and facility crews and spectators for joining us at TerraNova for the Split Rock Sarasota CSI2* and Championship Series!
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