Andrew Ramsay and Cocq A Doodle. Winslow Photography LLC.
Columbus, Ohio – October 8, 2017 – The Split Rock Jumping Tour’s Columbus International CSI 3*, held at the Brave Horse Show Park in Johnstown, Ohio, concluded with the $130,000 Split Rock Farm CSI 3* 1.55 Meter Grand Prix, which was won by Andrew Ramsay, USA, and Cocq A Doodle, owned by the Doodle Group.
Of the original field of 39 starters, nine returned to contest Olaf Petersen’s shortened course. Ramsay and Cocq A Doodle, a 10-year-old KWPN mare by Tolan R, entered the ring in the eighth slot, having the advantage of seeing all but one test the course.
Ramsay geared up the little mare and 40.57 seconds later they crossed through the timers, two full seconds ahead of the field. The time would hold up to win the class.
“It was a wonderful show,” said Ramsay. “I brought one horse and she jumped fantastic all week. I have had Cocq A Doodle about two years in my stable and she is just a fantastic mare, really a winner. She just really wants to go and this jump-off suited her well. She can really gallop, collect, and turn and it all worked today.”
Ramsay made a rollback turn to a vertical in the jump-off that had the crowd gasping, but as Ramsay explained, “The left turns are a little more difficult for us, so I didn’t want to cut it too short. I got a little deep in the turn but I knew she had her eye on it, I knew she was there. She is so game. She just wants to please. Once you get her going she just looks for the fences. I really look forward to having more time with her.”
Second place went to Andrew Bourns, who rides for Ireland, with his CHS Inception, a 9-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding by Clover Flush. The pair turned in two impeccable rounds, but their time of 42.76 second could not withstand the speedy round Ramsay turned in.
Ali Wolff, who hails from Columbus, Ohio, was the first rider to qualify for the jump-off with Casall, a 12-year-old Holsteiner gelding, owned by Blacklick Bend Farm, and they were the first pair to enter the ring to contest the jump-off. The pair turned in a clear round with a time of 43.15 seconds, giving Wolff a third place finish.
Abigail McArdle with Chuck Berry 8. Winslow Photography LLC.
Plain Bay Sales’ Chuck Berry 8 and rider Abigail McArdle took the blue ribbon in the $10,000 U25 Grand Prix with a faultless performance over two rounds and a final jump-off time of 37.623 seconds. Of the 22 original starters in the class, only three were able to produce clean rounds to advance to the jump-off, where only two riders, McArdle and Eugenio Garza on Diadora, owned by El Milagro, crossed the finish with no penalties. Garza’s time was two seconds slower around the course, 40.194 seconds, giving McArdle the win.
“He is a horse that we got at the end of Florida,” said McArdle. “He has just been getting better and better every show. I moved him up to the grand prix ring and right now I think he is one of the best U25 horses in the country.”
Ericka Caslin and Elvadour. Winslow Photography LLC.
Ericka Caslin rode Elvadour, owned by Donald Cheska, to victory in the $5,000 1.10 Meter Child/Adult Jumper Final with faultless rounds and a jump-off time of 33.94 seconds. With her win in the Final, Caslin is the High Point Rider in the 1.10 Division.
“This is a new ride for me,” said Caslin. “He is a sale horse and I just took over the reins at this horse show. So this ride was just about letting the horse do his thing. He is a really smart horse and he loves to jump. He has been doing the 1.40 meter so this was pretty simple for him. It was just getting him to the right spot, keeping him going, and just going from there.”
Francesca Bolfo with Celly Negra. Winslow Photography LLC.
Francesca Bolfo took the top two placings in the $7,500 High 1.40 Meter Junior/Amateur Owner Final. Bolfo won the class with Celly Negra, the only horse and rider combination to post double clear rounds, in a time of 35.766. She was second with Jadalco, who had four faults in the jump-off in 39.76 seconds.
Bolfo climbed atop the winner’s podium six times during the two weeks of the Columbus International, and claimed the award for High Point Rider in the 1.40 Meter Junior/Amateur Owner Division.
“It has been an incredible two weeks, except for a little rain,” said Bolfo. “The horses have been jumping fantastic. I think they like the venue more than I do.”
$130,000 Split Rock Farm CSI 3* 1.55 Meter Grand Prix
Rank/Horse/Rider/Prize/Round 1/F | T/Jump Off/F | T
1st COCQ A DOODLE/ANDREW RAMSAY/$32,500/0 | 78.76/0 | 40.57
2nd CHS INCEPTION/ANDREW BOURNS/$26,000/0 | 82.55/0 | 42.76
3rd CASALL/ALI WOLFF/$19,500/0 | 79.12/0 | 43.15
4th FEDOR/SCOTT KEACH/$13,000/0 | 81.09/0 | 44.12
5th HADJA VAN ORSHOF/KELLI CRUCIOTTI/$9,100/0 | 82.31/0 | 44.39
6th CASPER/SHARN WORDLEY/$7,150/0 | 80.28/4 | 42.81
7th FALCO VON SPIEVELD/NICOLE WALKER/$5,200/0 | 80.23/4 | 46.06
8th CREEDANCE/KENT FARRINGTON/$3,900/0 | 78.91/8 | 46.55
9th ZELDA/SARAH SEGAL/$3,900/0 | 79.61/12 | 43.76
10th ROYCE/MARGIE GOLDSTEIN-ENGLE/$3,250/4 | 78.02
11th CARLCHEN W/ALEX GRANATO/$3,250/4 | 78.89
12th U/EMANUEL ANDRADE/$3,250/4 | 78.99