Pick of the Best!
Rare Jump-Off in Chrysler Classic Derby
July 11, 2004
Spruce Meadows, Calgary, Alberta --- Eclipse Communications, exclusive to Alberta Equine ...On-Line – In the history of the Chrysler Classic Derby, there had only been seven clear rounds in fourteen years, two of them in last year’s class. This year, there were two clear rounds again – and a rare jump-off.
The brutal jump-off course included a sharp rollback turn from jump 1 to jump 4 and the tricky 15A/B (double Liverpool) combination leading to the treacherous Canada Planks final jump. First to go, Schuyler Riley and Opus Sept had a clear round in a careful 41.135 seconds. Rich Fellers and McGuinness made a gallant effort but retired after knocking the rail down at jump number 8.
“I wasn’t positive that we were clear (through the Devil’s Dyke) but I was thrilled. I love it (the class) it’s one of my favorites,” said the newly crowned Chrysler Derby champion, Schuyler Riley.
Referring to the changes made in the height of the jumps in the class this year in deference to the impending story weather, Riley said, “They made it a bit more fair (this year), maybe it wasn’t quite as deadly. But it was still really tough to jump clear all the way around.”
“It’s a challenge. It’s a whole new level of difficulty and totally different from what we usually prepare for (e.g. Grand Prix). When I was a little kid I started out three-day eventing but I quickly realized that the horses fell down instead of the jumps. So, this is sort of back to my roots but not quite as dangerous.”
“I knew my horse has been through there before and that he wouldn’t stop, so I rode ‘A’ (the first element of the triple combination) like a vertical. I gave him lots of time to jump ‘A’. Then I got a little excited at ‘B’ and I verbally encouraged him.”
In the jump-off, “I wanted to put on the pressure (for Rich Fellers). I knew my horse had a really huge stride and he turns right really well (important for the roll back between the first two jumps on the course).”
Rich Fellers felt the pressure. “I thought our performance at the National was a little luck. So I thought today would tell the true story if he was a real Derby horse or just a lucky beginner. Now I know he’s a real Derby horse so I may have to change my plans.”
McGuinness had one rail in the jump-off. “As riders we often feel, as we’re going over a jump, whether or not we’re going to clear it. When we left the ground for that jump I really felt like it was clear. He must have just touched it with a back toe on the way coming down. He felt a little tired which is unusual for him. He never runs out of energy. He was sick for the whole two weeks between the competitions and only got ridden two times before we shipped back up for this one. That’s not an excuse, but I think he lost a bit of his fitness and natural energy.”
“In the jump-off my goal was to be really fast through the first two jumps so I could take my time (for the set-up) to the next line. I felt like I was ahead of pace at the point where I had the rail (and retired). I wanted to be able to take my time to the last three jumps, particularly the double Liverpool (15 A/B).”
Although she placed 14th in this class, Ontario’s Jill Henselwood accumulated enough points throughout the North American Tournament to be named tournament Champion. Henselwood said “I had the North American Championship as a goal. We have to make the selection for the team (Nations Cup) for the Masters. Since I was third in the selection for the Olympics, I really had the goal that I wanted to make my results consistent (and be chosen for the Canadian Nations Cup team). I had pretty high goals. I was thrilled to be the North American Champion with all of the international riders included in the formula. That makes the difficulty level go up substantially. For Canada, I think I’m in an elite group. And, to have that with Special Ed who’s only been jumping Grand Prix for 9 months is fantastic.”
“Today was a very hard test. There wasn’t any part of it was a gift. The first element at the Dyke was lowered a little, which made it jumpable. At the National (Shell Cup Derby) it was practically impossible it was just so big!” Given that there was a jump-off in the class this year, the second year in a row, and with the event’s history of only seven clear rounds in 14 years up to this year, Henselwood speculated that “I would envision that it’s going to get ‘meaner’.”
When the class began, twelfth into the fray, Opus Sept ridden by Schuyler Riley of Wellington, Florida, treated spectators to an amazing clear round. Riley and her 13 year old Belgian gelding tackled the course with both speed and precision. They delivered what was only the eighth clear round ever accomplished in fifteen years.
12 competitors later, Rich Fellers of Wilsonville, Oregon, on McGuinness posted the ninth ever clear round to force a jump-off.
The Chrysler Classic is the final event in the Spruce Meadows North American Tournament. Every natural obstacle in the International Ring is incorporated into the 1,034m course – a true test of strength and endurance for both horse and rider. With the infamous Devil’s Dyke, the world’s highest competitive grass bank, double Liverpool, water jump and table-top plus the other man-made jumps, the course includes 16 obstacles comprising 22 jumping efforts.
Last year’s winner, Switzerland’s Markus Fuchs and his talented mare La Toya II, was not on hand to defend his title – leaving the field open for this year’s participants. The 2002 winner, Richard Spooner, had two mounts in this year’s event, Bradford and Hilton Flight. John Anderson, winner from 2001 and 1994, was back with Superman. Hap Hansen had two mounts in the class, Horalas and His Horse, in an attempt to regain the crown – not seen since 1993. Conspicuous by his absence was Canada’s lone Olympic hopeful in show jumping, Ian Millar.
The first several horses had many problems throughout the course, most notably, of course, at the Devil’s Dyke. Britain’s Ellen Whitaker and her Holsteiner stallion Alaska Locarno 62 had a promising start – clear through to jump 13A (Devil’s Dyke) including an excellent ride down the steep bank and over the skinny vertical at the bottom. Unfortunately, Locarno refused twice at 13A causing the pair to be eliminated. Megan Lamaze and Chardo suffered the same fate, as did Whitaker’s uncle, Michael on Handel II.
Richard Spooner (USA) and the feisty grey Thoroughbred gelding Bradford had a quick round, including virtually galloping down the bank. Early in the class, they took the lead with 12 faults accumulated at the Devil’s Dyke, where they knocked down the first and third elements, and the second element of jump 15 (second part of the double Liverpool).
Fellow American Norman Dello Joio, aboard Peace Train, took over the lead with only 8 faults. Peace Train knocked down the third element of the Devil’s Dyke and the second element of jump 15.
Last to go in the class, Richard Spooner and Hilton Flight, winners of the Shell Cup Derby in the National Tournament in June, delivered a clear round before a hushed grandstand but incurred 2 time faults to take 3rd place.
Submitted by:
Ceci Flanagan, APR
Eclipse Communications
Calgary, AB
eclipse1@telusplanet.net
Class Results:
Pl. # Horse Rider Flts. Time Prize $
------------------------------------------------------------
1 192 Opus Sept Schuyler Riley (USA) 0 41.135 $58,000
2 482 McGuinness Rich Fellers (USA) J/Oretired $35,000
3 455 Hilton Flight Richard Spooner (USA)21 59.692 $21,500
4 187 El Campeons Nicole (USA) 41 48.807 $17,500
So Long Shaninian-Simpson
5 512 Giffard Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA) 81 45.085 $12,700
De La Mare
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