Revving up - Horsetrader.com

Revving up
the Harley
Aussie Brown outduels
Shahanian-Simpson as
Blenheim series heats up
special to the horsetrader
Flying Horse photo
S
Flying Horse photo
Harley Brown guided Cassiato to a double clear round, securing first place in 37.097.
Flying Horse photo
AN JUAN CAPISTRANO—Australia’s
Harley Brown continued to heat up along
with the Blenheim EquiSports hunter-jumper season, taking first and third places
in the $30,000 June Classic III Grand Prix
June 24 at the Rancho Mission Viejo Riding
Park. Seven nations represented the field of 20
horse-and-rider combinations at the show.
Nearing the end of the qualifying round,
Brown was the one to catch with both o his
jump-off qualifiers, Angelli and Cassiato. With
two riders to go, Nicole Shahinian-Simpson
ensued and qualified her mount, Picturized,
for the jump-off.
Course designer Jack Robson set a track that
challenged both young and seasoned horses
and asked riders surprising questions that
resulted in several refusals, numerous unlucky
rails, and an unfortunate spill where both
horse and rider walked away unscathed.
“Some unfortunate rails and time faults out
there today,” Robson shared of the 20 horseand-rider combinations attempting to master
his course. Of the 16 efforts, many of the
victims accrued faults at the oxer-oxer combination, the large triple bar to vertical combination and coming home to the vertical-oxer
combination.
Rusty Stewart, coming off his $30,000 June
Classic Grand Prix win the previous week on
his trusted mount, Bristol, had an unlucky
back rail at the first obstacle, but was able
to ride the rest of the course fl awlessly and
settle for fifth with four faults. The only other
round of the day without a dropped rail went
to 18-year-old Canadian rider Alexandria
Smith and her 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding,
Albatros. Smith, however, couldn’t beat the
time allowed of 84 seconds and accrued two
time faults to finish fourth.
Brown and Shahinian-Simpson returned
for the jump-off knowing it would take speed
and precision to get through Robson’s design
without fault. Returning to the track first
was Brown and Paige Harryman’s 13-year-old
Westphalian gelding, Angelli. Brown continued
his fault-free streak with a smart but quick
ride under the time allowed in 42.046. As
Brown prepped his second jump-off mount,
Shahinian-Simpson and her nine-year-old
Shahinian-Simpson tested Brown by
putting up a double clear round in 38.964,
but settled for second..
18-year-old Alexandria Smith kept all rails in the cups
but finished with two time faults, settling for fourth.
$30,000 June Classic III Grand Prix, presented by EquiFit, inc.
Place
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
June 24, 2012 • San Juan Capistrano, Calif.
Grand Prix Top Ten
Horse/Rider
Owner
Cassiato/Harley Brown
H.Brown
Picturized/N.Shahinian-Simp
Pacifica Riding Club
Angelli/Harley Brown
P.Harryman
Albatros/Alexandria Smith
A.Smith
Bristol/Rusty Stewart
Grey Fox Farm
Montejo/Francisco Pasqual
F.Pasqual
Electric 2/Everardo Hegewisch
E.Hegewisch
Welcome/Hillary Ridland
H.Ridland
Flexing/Damian Gardiner
Dutch K Ranch
Ramazzotti/Adrianne Dixon
A.Dixon
Hanoverian mare, Picturized, were able to cut
corners and angle fences to better the leading
time and go double-clear in 38.964.
Shahinian-Simpson tested Brown by putting
up a double-clear round in 38.964, for second.
Faults/Time
0/0/37.097
0/0/38.964
0/0/42.048
2 time faults
4/76.830
4/79.544
8/77.392
8/82.499
8/82.617
8/83.638
“He was great,” Brown said. “He just got back
from Europe last Thursday and I was happy
how he went today. Jack’s course was excellent.
I thought it was a really well-built course.”
MORE RESULTS: http://bit.ly/27A_Blen