Earlier in the day, the sport’s up-and-coming athletes took to the ring in the $15,000 Under 25 Grand Prix in the Rolex Stadium. Eighteen horse-and-rider combinations tackled Bywater’s course, which asked pairs to complete 14 efforts under the time allowed of 71 seconds. The course proved challenging for many pairs, especially in the triple combination (vertical-oxer-vertical) where many fell victim to rails and refusals. However, it was Brian Moggre and MTM Los Angeles who tackled the course expertly to ultimately walk away with the blue ribbon.
Brian Moggre and MTM Los Angeles. Photo by Phelps Sports
Operating under a two-phase format, five combinations advanced to the jump-off phase where they challenged each other to produce the fastest fault-free round. First to go in the jump-off was Virginia Bonnie and Kimberley Prince’s Corneel. The pair set the bar for the remaining rounds by leaving all of the rails up and coming in under a time of 31.60 seconds. The following competitors, Jacqueline Steffans, KC Van Aarem, and Summer Hill, produced rounds that challenged Bonnie’s time, but ultimately ended with jumping faults.
“I went towards the end of the class in the first round,” Moggre reflected. “Watching the other horses I had mixed feelings about the track. It was a good track, but it was difficult. It was nice to watch and take time to compare it to my horse. I knew that through the triple combination that if I just held his hand a little bit then he could do it and he was great. He is a 7-year-old but he acted like a seasoned horse so that’s really reassuring for his future.”
Entering the ring next was Moggre and Major Wager LLC’s MTM Los Angeles. As the last to go in the jump-off Moggre had to not only go clear, but also beat Bonnie’s swift time. With seven efforts to tackle, Moggre utilized the 7-year-old Westphalian gelding’s large stride to stop the clock at 29.954 seconds, sealing their win.
Brian Moggre and MTM Los Angeles. Photo by Phelps Sports
When asked about his mount, MTM Los Angeles, Moggre shared: “I have had him for one year. He is seven now, and such a special horse. He is going to be such a star. Up next, he will have a little bit of break and then take him to Spruce Meadows. We’ll see how he likes the environment there and plan around that. We’ll be there for about five weeks. He is a great horse, he never lets me down.”
Up next, Moggre will campaign the promising young horse at Spruce Meadows in Calgary, Canada. Moggre is ending his two weeks at the Kentucky Spring Horse Show series on a high note, after winning both the $36,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic CSI3* and the $36,000 Welcome Speed CSI3*.
Ultimately finishing in second was Bonnie, while Steffans and Double C Stables’ Freaky Liefhebber claimed third with four faults and a time of 30.989 seconds in the jump-off.