|
Cara
Raether And News Capture $50,000 EMO Grand Prix |
Culpeper, VA (April 26, 2004)—Cara Raether of North Palm Beach,
Florida, and News owned by her family's Trelawny Farm Inc., defeated
a field of twenty-six to win Sunday's $50,000 EMO Grand Prix at HITS
Culpeper. Raether, who trains with Katie and Henri Prudent of France,
divides her time between competing in Europe and the U.S. Callan Solem
of Colts Neck, New Jersey, and Mianta, co-owned by Quiet Winter Farm
and Redfield Farm, took second place in the competition. Kate Levy
of South Salem, New York, and her horse Funny De Liere finished in
third place.
Grand
Prix course designer, Jerry Dougherty of Geneva, Illinois, set a
challenging 13-obstacle course that included a double combination
at fence #7 and a triple combination at fence #11. Six horses managed
to go clear over the first round course, assuring the crowd of an
exciting jump-off on a sunny Sunday afternoon in Culpeper.
Rebecca
Irvine and Same Old Song were the first to attempt the shortened
seven-fence jump-off course. Irvine set the stage with a clear round
in a time of 55.87 seconds. Kate Levy and Funny De Liere were next
up. Leavy picked up the pace, also posting a clear round with a
fast 50.42 seconds on the clock. Three-time Olympic medallist, Joe
Fargis, took Caucalis around the course. The pair caught a rail
at the double, finishing with four faults in a time of 50.47 seconds.
Mary Lisa-Leffler and Graf Rossini S blazed through the course,
posting a very fast time of 49.27 seconds, but an unlucky rail at
the double dashed their chances. Callan Solem rode a perfect round
on Mianta and their time of 50.27 bested the two previous clear
rounds to put them on top. Cara Raether and News were last to enter
the ring. Raether had watched Solem's round and knew what she had
to beat. The crowd was assured of an exciting finish, as Raether
set out on a blistering pace to catch the leader. Horse and rider
pulled out all the stops to go clear in the winning time of 47.35
seconds, shaving almost three seconds off Solem's time.
Other
major award winners included:
Bayer
Legend Leading Hunter Rider - Mary-Lisa Leffler, Brookville, MD
Bayer Legend Leading Jumper Rider - Debbie Stephens, Glenmore, PA
www.HitsShows.com
.
|