Eric Navet and The Flying Ham Soar to Victory at Del Mar Welcome Prix

The speed course challenged the riders and their horses with a bending line from a lofty oxer on the rail to a vertical – oxer combination, where many riders had the vertical down. The second challenge that tested the riders was an oxer – vertical combination on the rail to a bending line, followed by an inside turn to a vertical; a turn that you had to keep tidy if you wanted a shot in the top three placings.

Eric Navet and Signe Ostby’s The Flying Ham won the Del Mar Welcome Prix at the Del Mar International Horse Show Photo by McCool Photography for West Palms Events

Nayel Nassar and Baraka were second to go in the class after Kristin Hardin and Firestone S. Nassar and Baraka had an incredibly swift round, clear in a time of 66.49 to take the lead early from Hardin, who had a clean round, but a slower time of 70.96. Vhani Khosla and her own Billy Mexico went about half way through the class, knowing they had to put up an impressive time to take the lead from Nassar. Their fast pace and tight turns awarded them the lead with a clean round in a time of 66.04!

Eric Navet went a few rounds after Khosla on Signe Ostby’s The Flying Ham. They certainly flew tonight, shutting out the competition with a clear round in an astounding time of 63.10, which would maintain the lead through the end of the exciting speed class, earning the blue ribbon.

Eric Navet and Signe Ostby’s The Flying Ham won the Del Mar Welcome Prix Shown with Danielle Ballard of West Palms Events Photo by McCool Photography for West Palms Events

PLACE	NUMBER	HORSE	OWNER	RIDER	FAULTS	TIME
1	461	The Flying Ham	Signe Ostby	Eric Navet	0	63.103
2	137	Billy Mexico	Vani Khosla	Vani Khosla	0	66.046
3	381	CIcomein vdl	Hkc Collection Llc	Tina Yates	0	66.38
4	398	Baraka	Nayel Nassar	Nayel Nassar	0	66.493
5	337	Caruso De La Pomme	Victoria West	Ray Texel	0	67.189
6	190	UDAM	Jill Blunt	Jill Blunt	0	67.471
7	486	Concorde	The Epic Group Llc	Chris Pratt	0	69.735
8	181	Firestone S	Nicolette Hirt	Kristin Hardin	0	70.961
9	366	Chestina Z	Bjorn Ikast	Bjorn Ikast	0	71.185
10	324	Vancouver 45	Cross Creek Farms, Inc	Michelle Parker	4	65.685
11	177	Danton	Highland Farms	Sarah Lambert	4	71.791
12	299	Alimit	Coxe Horses LLC	Hugh Mutch	4	72.797

Friday night, the evening began with the South Shore Farm USHJA Hunter Derby Presented by Fleeceworks. The class had 21 starters, with impressive derby riders including Jenny Karazissis, Peter Lombardo and many others. The course was designed by Paul Jewel of New Jersey and took the horses around a beautiful course. In the end, it was Jenny Karazissis and Hope Town Farms’ impressive Undeniable who ended up with the blue. Karazissis also took home second place on Lisa Hankin’s Puissance R, and Peter Lombardo rounded out the top three on Janie Andrew’s Tache Rouge.

Jenny Karazissis and Undeniable are victorious in the South Shore Farm USHJA National Hunter Derby Presented by Fleeceworks Shown with Nicole Kane (L) of South Shore Farm Photo by McCool Photography for West Palms Events

PLACE	NUMBER	HORSE	OWNER	RIDER
1	520	Undeniable	Hope Town Farms	Jenny Karazissis
2	522	Puissance R	Lisa Hankin	Jenny Karazissis
3	547	Tache Rouge	Janie Andrew	Peter Lombardo
4	291	Liberte	Sara Someck	Jenny Karazissis
5	374	Matador	Taylor Cusumano	Jamie Sailor
6	521	P.S. I Love You	Dulcie Lou Morris	Jenny Karazissis
7	544	Academy Award	Ashley Weiman	Peter Lombardo
8	119	Primo	Anna Byrnes	Amy Gau
9	156	Heartthrob	Andie Lou Hayden	Ariel Black
10	306	Don Pedro	Emma Eschenbach	Maja Lindemann
11	770	Notorious	Lillian Clarkson	Lillian Clarkson
12	290	Le Fleur	Colleen Someck	Jenny Karazissis

Later that evening in the Del Mar Arena, Deeg set up the LA Saddlery 1.45M course. The class had 32 starters and allowed 14 into the jump off, with only four of those jumping double clear. Michelle Parker and Cross Creek Farms’ Cupilor sped off with the win, with a double clear ride in a speedy time of 40.42 seconds! The always fast Kristin Hardin and Nicolette Hirt’s Firestone S were on Parker’s heels, but were not quick enough, finishing in second with a time of 42.35. Christian Heineking and NKH’s NKH Calango rounded out the top three in a clear time of 43.27.

Michelle Parker and Cupilor win the blue in the LA Saddlery 1.45M Shown with Jesse Silverstone (center) of LA Saddlery Photo by McCool Photography for West Palms Events

PLACE	NUMBER	HORSE	OWNER	RIDER	ROUND ONE FAULTS	JUMP OFF FAULTS	JUMP OFF TIME
1	320	Cupilor	Cross Creek Farms, Inc	Michelle Parker	0	0	40.42
2	181	Firestone S	Nicolette Hirt	Kristin Hardin	0	0	42.35
3	525	NKH Calango	Nkh LLC	Christian Heineking	0	0	43.27
4	218	Dora the Explorer	Wembley Farms Inc	Lauren Crooks	0	0	44.34
5	141	W Zermie 13	Woodacres Stables Llc	Zazou Hoffman	0	4	41.04
6	473	Dubai	Neil Jones Equestrian Inc	Mavis Spencer	0	4	41.17
7	226	Caretol	Moonlite Beach, LLC	Marc Grock	0	4	42.75
8	391	Lafino 4	Katie Harris	Katie Harris	0	4	44.39
9	435	Adoro	Ali Nilforushan	Francie Nilforushan	0	4	45.38
10	330	NJK No Regret	Njk Show Jumpers, Inc	Nicole Haunert	0	4	46.11
11	190	UDAM	Jill Blunt	Jill Blunt	0	8	41.82
12	336	Baldira	Katie Harris	Ray Texel	0	8	42.32