THERMAL, Calif. – January 22, 2021 – Thirty-two pairings took the field Thursday evening under the lights at Desert International Horse Park’s Grand Prix Stadium, but it was Mavis Spencer (USA) and Belladonna 42 (Clearway x Vita 24) who shined the brightest. The pair crossed the jump-off timers at 37.003 seconds to take the top spot in the $25,000 FarmVet Grand Prix. Kyle King (USA) and Christine Maclean’s Etalon (Otangelo x Concorde) completed the jump-off with a time of 37.396 seconds to receive second place. King with his second mount Coffee To Go (Cinquecento 7 x De Coloday), owned by Spruce Meadows Ltd, completed the top three with their efforts of 37.750 seconds.
“I only started riding her just recently,” stated Spencer. “My first time showing her was yesterday in the 1.20m. She is a weapon, an absolute machine. She is a mare and she just wants it so badly. She goes in and gives you a hundred and ten percent. As a rider you dream of having a horse like her; one that goes in and bar you messing it up, they are going to go clear and do what she has done two nights in a row now. It is a very exciting new horse I get to ride.”
Photo by ESI Photography.
The twelve year old Holsteiner mare has been owned by Georgy Maskrey-Segesman for roughly two years now. Spencer has only ridden the mare a handful of times and this is their very first show together.
“I think, for me, last year was a bit of an odd year. With the pandemic and everything and then I broke my leg back in October. So I am three months off of that. It is great to be back at a horse show” expressed Spencer. “I have to thank Georgy for the incredible group of horses that I have which makes life a lot easier. I think coming home with the win yesterday gave me a lot of confidence going into tonight. Even though it is a new horse for me, she has an incredible resume already and is just a weapon for these classes so I knew I could go in and have a shot at it.”
Run concurrently with the Grand Prix, riders under the age of 25 competed in the $1,000 U25 Classic sponsored by AIG. Emerging victorious was Tali De Long and her own mount, twelve-year-old gelding Vaillant De Belle Vue (Calin Du Plessis x Foxane De Lodronne).
“We call him Chipmunk because my entire goal in life is to make him as fat as a chipmunk. I absolutely love him. I have had him just over a year and I have been moving up to the grand prix on him. He is just such an amazing horse. It was just the best scenario. It was my first class for the circuit on him and I was super happy with the outcome and he just tried his best for me.”
Riders will return to the Grand Prix Stadium on Saturday for the $40,000 Sun Air Jets Grand Prix. For the most updated schedule and times, please visit Showgroundslive.
Final Results: $25,000 FarmVet Grand Prix
Rider, Horse – R1 F & T | R2 F & T
- Mavis Spencer and Belladonna 42 – 0 & 82.481 | 0 & 37.003
- Kyle King and Etalon – 0 & 79.395 | 0 & 37.396
- Kyle King and Coffee To Go – 0 & 82.912 | 0 & 37.750
- Darrin Dlin and Buddy Bounce – 0 & 80.675 | 0 & 39.024
- Emily Esau Williams and Dandy – 0 & 82.347 | 0 & 40.769
- Jaclyn Duff and Camilla M 4 – 0 & 83.810 | 0 & 41.492
- Susan Artes and California Sunshine – 0 & 83.313 | 4 & 43.017
- Mavis Spencer and Con Calle – 0 & 80.550 | 10 & 58.464
- Lisa Carlsen and Livestream 2 – 1 & 85.686
- Tali De Jong and Vaillant De Belle Vue – 3 & 87.442
- William Simpson and Chacco P – 4 & 77.911
- Kristin Hardin and Dexter R – 4 & 83.067