With over 600 rounds of competition combined in the South Point Arena and Priefert Pavilion on Tuesday, the day began at 7:30 a.m. and continued well until the night. A hundred and fifty Las Vegas Hunters prepped in the Priefert, while a hundred FEI horses jogged. The hunters are ready to gallop into the arena for the start of the AON/USHJA National Championship hunter divisions. For the show jumpers the FEI 1.45m Blenheim Welcome Jumper Classic, presented by WC Equestrian, starts at 3:00 p.m. The 1.40m division welcomed over 40 horses on Tuesday evening. That group returns to the South Point Arena on Wednesday night for the $20,000 1.40m Open Jumper Classic, presented by Evergate Stables.
The AON/USHJA National Championships has grown exponentially in year two, offering ideal opportunities for riders to end their show season on a high note.
Mathis Schwentker & Quind, winners of the $10,000 1.40m Open Jumper Stake, presented by River Run Farm South. Photo by Andrew Ryback Photography
Mathis Schwentker and October Hill Farm Inc.’s Quind galloped and turned to victory in the $10,000 1.40m Open Jumper Stake, presented by River Run Farm South. The course challenged 41 pairs, but none were able to beat Schwentker’s clean and quick time of 55.129 seconds. Christian Heineking and Cento Blue, owned by Heineking Show Stables, were closest to catching Schwentker, in a time of 55.550 for second place. Quatar, owned by JT Equine, LLC, navigated by Jamie Taylor rounded off the top three with a time of 56.497 seconds.
Congratulations to Leslie K Wright was top dog in both sections of the 1.10m Jumper, sponsored by Tack of the Town and Ogilvy Equestrian. In the first section, aboard Danielle Vahdat’s Congotan, the pair finished with a time of 48.378 seconds. And in the second section, Wright navigated Kingston, owned by Harley Brown Equestrian, Inc, to a winning time of 48.420 seconds.
Leslie K Wright. Photo by Andrew Ryback
The 1.25m jumpers presented by Horseware Ireland were hotly contested yesterday, but it was Carol Wright and Antonio Maurer’s Valiant who brought home the blue ribbons. 
Carol Wright. Photo by Andrew Ryback Photography.
Go Jumping!