LAS VEGAS NATIONAL
CSI-W Grand Prix, made possible by Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. The Saturday class was the first of three World Cup qualifiers on the west coast this month. Several competitors have their sights set on the 2011 FEI World Cup Finals in Leipzig, Germany. Certainly a spectacular Saturday night in Vegas: twenty-three entries attempted the challenges of Jack Robson’s twisty indoor track. Quite a few of the thirteen efforts were lowered in height during the course of the night, but the triple combination at 8a-b-c up the diagonal and fence 10, the tall 1.60m wall, on a bending line
coming home caused the most errors. Joining us from the east coast, Kirsten Coe went first on Ilan Ferder’s “Kilkenny Randall Z.” She rode the track beautifully with the just the last jump hitting the ground for a score of four. When the eighth horse cantered in, “Cantano” with partner Susie Hutchison, the four-fault trend continued. Not only did Hutchison and the three who followed her, Michelle Spadone on “Melisimo,” Ashlee Bond aboard “Cadett 7” and Francie Steinwedell-Carvin on “Taunus,” have just one fence down, but four more for a total of nine couples missed the clean ride by one rail.
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Photos: Flying Horse Photography.
T
he 2010 Las Vegas National marked the end of a superb season of grand prix show jumping competition for Blenheim EquiSports. Vegas highlights included three evening events as well as a Competitors Party, VIP treatment at some of Sin City’s best clubs and a rockin’ Grand Prix after party. Competitors and spectators alike came for Thursday’s $30,000 FEI Welcome Jumper Classic, presented by Royal Champion, Friday’s $30,000 Las Vegas Speed Classic, presented by CardFlex and Saturday’s $50,000 Las Vegas
Photo: Flying Horse Photography.
Menezes, Spooner and Bond “Hit the Jackpot.” BY JACKIE FREUNDLICH-MCFARLAND.