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RICHARD RINEHART SCORES A DOUBLE PLAY AT CIRCLE CITY 500 GRAND PRIX……..Lisa Mills reports for PhelpsSports.com
Indianapolis, IN – July 24, 2006 - An enthusiastic Indianapolis-area crowd of more than 3,000 welcomed Haylie Jayne, the first of 26 riders to tackle Canadian Course Designer Peter Holmes’ course, at the $50,000 Circle City 500 Grand Prix Saturday night. Aboard Cartier, the youngest member of the Jayne family was not off to an auspicious beginning, pulling a rail at the first of 12 fences, an oxer set at an angle facing the crowd.
The next two riders also disappointed the eager crowd. Erica Garcia and J.F. had rails at the out of combinations at fences 5 and 10. Alex Parrish and Kadorijke also fell victim to fence number one.
The fourth rider gave the crowd something to cheer about. Coming off a victory in the $20,000 Junior/Amateur Jumper Classic, Cara Cheska and King were clear and well within the time allowed of 87 seconds.
Next to go clear was the $20,000 Welcome Stake winning team of Steve Schaefer and Winchester, followed by Donald Cheska Client Chloe Wormser aboard Modra.
Indianapolis-based Richard Rinehart thrilled the hometown crowd with a very fast, clear first round on Mariah, the first of his two mounts for the evening, and soon was joined for the jump-off by Alex Granato aboard Mad Season and Charlie Jayne with Urbanus.
Rounding out the jump-off contenders were Chuck Waters, Tony Font, Erin McCabe and Rinehart with his second horse, Hobby De La Cense. Completing the list for the jump-off was the Circle City 500 Grand Prix defending champion, last year’s winner, Maggie Jayne.
The first team clear in round one was first in for the jump-off. Cheska and King continued their successful run at this horse show with a clear round and a time to beat of 46.362. She was followed by Welcome Stake Winner Schaefer, who had a refusal at jump number three and a rail at the final fence.
Next in the ring, Wormser and Modra had a clear jump-off, but their time to beat of 45.860 didn’t stand for long, quickly knocked off by Rinehart and Mariah’s jump off time of 42.844. When Charlie Jayne and Urbanus entered the ring you could hear a pin drop. He carefully negotiated the beginning of the course, then revving up the crowd, really poured on the speed at the end with a big gallop in nine strides from fence five to six and on to seven, finishing with a time of 47.998.
Following Jayne’s pattern, McCabe sailed through the last three jumps, edging out Wormser with a time of 44.183.
Rinehart and Mariah’s time still stood when Tony Font and YZ Partners’ Gardenio negotiated a slick inside turn between jumps seven to eight, but Font couldn’t catch the leader. Chuck Waters and 747 beautifully executed a clear jump off round, but Mariah’s time still stood.
Then Rinehart, dubbed Richard the Rinehart by the colorful announcer, entered the ring on the 11-year-old Selle Francais Stallion, Hobby De La Cense. Rinehart didn’t disappoint the expectant and exuberant crowd, besting his own time completing his jump- off in a blistering time of 41.753. “Several people opted for the inside options,” said Rinehart. “I felt it was faster to go around and keep a fluid, forward rhythm.”
Defending Champion Maggie Jayne was last to go. Jubulent’s stop at fence number two dashed any hopes Jayne may have had for a repeat performance of last year’s victory. But Jayne wasn’t too disappointed. “Jubulent is a young horse,” she explained. “It’s only our third Grand Prix and I want to be careful with him. He just slipped a bit in the corner on the way to the jump and I didn’t want to push him too hard.”
But what a night for Rinehart, winning the $50,000 Grand Prix with Owner Niki Martin’s “Hobby” and the second place spot aboard Mark Atkins’ Mariah. “It was wonderful,” said Rinehart “to have such an unbelievable night, especially with my family, neighbors, friends and customers all here to see it.”
Rinehart describes the Grand Prix winner as a “bionic pony” and says the stallion is very easy to work around and ride. “I can’t say enough good things about Hobby,” he said. “He may be the horse of a lifetime.”
“Hobby” will take a break from Grand Prix so he can be ready for the Hampton Classic, where owner Martin plans to show him in the Low Amateur Jumpers. Her most recent victory in the Amateur Jumpers was at the Nashville Music City show. “Last year, Richard and Hobby won the Grand Prix,” Martin explained. “This year, the horse show t-shirts and posters featured my horse! So winning my class this year with Hobby was very special.”
This is the second year for the Circle City 500 Horse Show. “We’ve had great corporate, civic and community support for the show,” said Circle City 500 Co-Chair Craig Dobbs. “Citigroup, Fifth Third Bank, NovaPak and MacAllister Machinery sponsored the overall show. Plus, the Indiana Sports Corporation provided invaluable support and guidance.” Dobbs continued, “We’re already planning enhancements for next year’s show, including having all stalls and rings in the air conditioning.”
For complete show results, log on to www.showplaceproductions.com
RESULTS
$50,000 CIRCLE CITY GRAND PRIX - CIRCLE CITY EQUESTRIAN 500
Pepsi Coliseum, Indiana State Fair Grounds, Indianapolis, Indiana
