Lexington, Ky. – Nov. 2, 2019 – The thrilling action of the 2019 National Horse Show continued Saturday afternoon with juniors and amateurs taking center ring for the Hollow Brook Wealth Management $25,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame Amateur-Owner/Junior Jumper Grand Prix CSI4*. Thirty horse-and-riders combinations made up the competitive field, all of which qualified for the elite class by accumulating points earlier in the week. Topping the historic class was Taylor St. Jacques and Upsilon De La Liniere, who rode away with the Jean Maccoll Hart Perpetual Memorial Trophy, donated by Deborah C. Hart and Gwynn H. Hubbell, as well as the lion’s share of the prize money.
Designed by Ken Krome (USA), the first round track challenged competitors over twelve obstacles, including a triple combination and water feature. Only the second rider to try her hand at the course, Natalie Dean (USA) and Marigold Sporthorses, LLC’s Maestro Vica V/D Ark became the pathfinders to the course, setting the pace at 59.36 seconds. Seven others, including Kirsten Ostling, Teddy Vlock, Tanner Korotkin, Charlise Casas, St. Jacques, Kathryn Hall and Alexandra Pielet, followed suit after Dean’s clear ride.
Eight athletes moved on to go head-to-head for the jump-off, with Dean and Maestro Vica V/D Ark first to enter under the Longines arches to test the shortened footpath. Throughout the eight fence course, riders were engaged with tight rollbacks and a final gallop to the last fence, leaving no room for error as they moved swiftly under the lights of the Alltech Arena. Dean put no faults on the scoreboard, challenging the remaining of her competitors to go clear and beat her time of 37.760 seconds. Her lead was short lived, however, as Ostling delivered a clear trip and time of 36.309 seconds. In a game of leapfrog, Vlock then entered the arena to outpace both, only to have Korotkin place himself ahead of the pack immediately after. In the end, seven of the returning competitors rode to double clear with the final combination, St. Jacques and her own Upsilon De La Liniere, besting the field with a time of 34.026 seconds.
St. Jacques and the 11-year-old Selle Francais gelding have had a successful year together. The 20-year-old athlete purchased Upsilon De La Liniere to bring her to FEI level, prioritizing their relationship throughout the summer with the help of Molly Ashe Cawley. With hardwork and time, St. Jacques and Upsilon De La Liniere were able to achieve their greatest accomplishment yet, a clear ride in a 3* grand prix at the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival.
Taking second in the class was Korotkin and Sandalwood Farms’ Armagedon. The 14-year-old KWPN gelding put in a double-clear performance and time of 34.943 seconds to place themselves behind St. Jacques by not even a second. Rounding out the top three was Charlise Casas and Always Faithful Equine LLC’s 11-year-old Holsteiner gelding Diamond M, who also finished double clear and on a time of 35.360 seconds.
In the overall East Coast series, Paige Matthies was rewarded for her efforts throughout the year. The 18-year-old rider accumulated the most points throughout Show Jumping Hall of Fame Amateur-Owner/Junior Jumper competition at various shows to top the overall scorecard, earning her the distinction of the East Coast Conference series champion.
Jumper competition at the 136th National Horse Show will continue Saturday evening with the final jumper class of the show, the $225,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Lexington CSI4*-W, taking place at 7:00 p.m. The 2019 National Horse Show will return to the Alltech Arena on Sunday morning for the ASPCA Maclay National Championship, presented by Chansonette Farm.
FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE
Taylor St Jacques – Hollow Brook Wealth Management $25,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame Amateur-Owner/Junior Jumper Grand Prix winner
Taylor St. Jacques and Upsilon De La Liniere
On her plan for the jump-off:
“Typically I do not go very fast one this horse, this was the first day! Thursday was amazing that I had the fastest time, yesterday I had the fastest time, and then today I was just trying to turn as tight as I possibly could. Molly and I were talking during the course walk and she told me to be like her at Harrisburg; throw style out the window, turn and kick as hard as I could down to the last jump. After watching Tanner and the tail end of his round I thought there was no way that I was going to beat him, but I turned and pony kicked the whole way down. To my surprise and I bet everyone else, I did, in fact, beat him.”
On Upsilon De La Liniere:
“I purchased him coming on a year ago, right before WEF last year. We kind of spent WEF trying to get to know one another. We were kind of thrown to the wolves and we did a couple of night classes. He was my horse to get me into the FEI classes and the Grand Prix’s. We were struggling at the beginning, trying to figure one another out. I made a couple of changes trainer wise and then at the beginning of this summer, I started riding with Molly Ashe and we made him our priority, and to figure out our partnership and figure him out and make us successful. As the summer went on, each show and week and day got better and better and at the end of the summer, we jumped a 3* Grand Prix clear which was a huge accomplishment. This was the one show that I wanted to do this fall and we thought he would be our best shot to do this class and be successful. Every time he comes out he gets better and better and I am really excited about the future with him because he is a really special horse.”
Tanner Korotkin – Hollow Brook Wealth Management $25,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame Amateur-Owner/Junior Jumper Grand Prix second place
On his plan for the first round and jump-off:
“For my first track, I was focused on being calm cool and collected and making sure that he jumped every jump his best and that each jump was like a single jump. I was very confident going into today. Going into the jump-off, I was planning on being as tight as possible and I thought I got that done. I actually thought that I had won until I walked out and looked to see Taylor had beat me.”
Charlise Casas – Hollow Brook Wealth Management $25,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame Amateur-Owner/Junior Jumper Grand Prix third place
On her partnership with Daimond M:
“I got my horse at the end of WEF last year. It took me about a year to figure him out, he is quite different from any other horse that I have ridden. He is super hot and sensitive and always in between my hands and legs. He is a little hard to turn so with today’s track I was working to stay grounded through the turns. I was really happy with him and how he performed today. ”
Paige Matthies – Show Jumping Hall of Fame Amateur-Owner/Junior Jumper East Coast Conference Champion
On being champion:
“My summer was spent pretty much doing these classes. I would show two weeks on and two weeks off for most of the whole year so having this way to track my progress and that my horses were performing consistently was very gratifying and for 2020 my plans are to continue to do this division as an amateur and move into some bigger grand prixs. ”
Marty Bauman – Executive Director of the Show Jumping Hall of Fame
On the series:
“Congratulations to all of you. This particular final has always been based at the National Horse Show, dating back to Madison Square Garden. To have top riders, like the three of you, qualify is quite an accomplishment and we wish you the best of luck in next year’s series. ”
RESULTS
Hollow Brook Wealth Management $25,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame Amateur-Owner/Junior Jumper Grand Prix
Place / Horse / Rider / Country / Owner / R1 Faults / Time / R2 Faults / Time
1. Upsilon De La Liniere / Taylor St Jacques / USA / Taylor St Jacques / 0 / 61.41 / 0 / 34.026
2. Armagedon / Tanner Korotkin / USA / Sandalwood Farms / 0 / 61.25 / 0 / 34.943
3. Diamond M / Charlise Casas / USA / Always Faithful Equine LLC / 0 / 62.77 / 0 / 34.943
4. Cristobar / Teddy Vlock / ISR / Vlock Show Stables / 0 / 59.49 / 0 / 36.086
5. HH Zipper / Kirsten Ostling / USA / Kirsten Ostling / 0 / 63.060 / 0 / 36.309
6. Maestro Vica V/D Ark / Natalie Dean / USA / Marigold Sporthorses, LLC / 0 / 59.36 / 0 / 37.76
7. All In 9 / Kathryn Hall / USA / Kathryn Hall / 0 / 63.830 / 0 / 38.205
8. Helen Ve / Alexandra Pielet / USA / Co-Pielet, LLC / 0 / 60.54 / 15 / 52.55
