It was another day of international excellence at the Showpark Racing Festival FEI CSI2* when the New Zealand and the Brazilian anthems played for the winners of the Silver and Bronze Tour highlight events, as Guy Thomas and Casio Rivetti led the victory gallops. Anderson Lima (BRA) designed the tracks for the competitive classes, with thirty-six vying for the prize in the 1.45m Silver division and fifty-two riding for a top spot in the 1.35m Bronze division.
$35,500 1.45m Silver Tour Grand Prix
Thomas and his partner, Jonkheer Z, the seventeen-year-old Zangersheide stallion owned by Emily Livermoore, were third to go in the order and first to jump clear. The veteran pair made the course look easy, soaring over each of the fences and covering the ground across the expansive grass field with ease.
Guy Thomas and family with Melissa Brandes of Blenheim EquiSports. Photo by Captured Moments Photography
The next clear round was Thursday’s class winners Will Simpson and Chacco P, ensuring a jump-off. Six more riders representing five nations also finished fault free, including Nicole Haunert (USA), Pablo Vizcaino (MEX), Rowan Willis (AUS), John Pearce (CAN), Jamie Barge (USA), and the last to go, Cassio Rivetti (BRA). A handful of horse and rider combinations had a single time fault, narrowly missing their spot in the jump-off.
Thomas was the first to return, and he put the pressure on his fellow competitors. The combination of Jonkheer Z’s massive stride and tremendous scope, resulted in a clean round with a challenging time to beat of 39.20 seconds.
Simpson and Chacco P crossed the timers in a blazing time of 37.23s, but an unfortunate rail at the second-to-last fence kept them from repeating their trip to the winner’s circle. Rails fell for all of the other jump-off competitors except for John Pearce and Firestone S, who provided the only other double clean performance, just six tenths of a second behind Thomas’ time.
Thomas, a proud new dad of a baby girl, was elated with his equine partner today. “I knew that I had quite a few fast horses coming behind me in the jump-off. My strategy was just to trust in Jonny. He has a huge stride and I just stayed out of his way.”
$10,000 1.35m Bronze Tour Classic
With twelve clean in the Bronze Tour Classic, and ultimately nine of those double clean, speed was the name of the game in the jump-off. The only rider to stop the clock under 40 seconds was Cassio Rivetti. aboard his second mount. He piloted Queen, a ten-year-old KWPN gelding owned by Rocking Basilisk Farm, LLC, to an unbeatable 39.04s. Rivetti also clocked a double clean in 40.97 on Neil Jones Equestrian Inc.’s nine-year-old Dutch mare Fenna, to ultimately finish third, with Mexico’s Juan C. Martin del Campo riding his faithful Dutch partner Paddington to a fast second place, in 40.77 seconds.
Cassio Rivetti aboard Queen, joined by Rocking Basilisk Farm, LLC owner Jasmine Talley and her family with Melissa Brandes of Blenheim EquiSports. Photo by Captured Moments Photography
Martin del Campo was the only rider who made a very tight, challenging inside turn from the combination to the last fence of the jump off, which paid off for them until Rivetti returned on Queen. Choosing not to make the daring turn, the winning pair had a solid pace and a smooth track.
Although he hasn’t been partners with Queen for long, Rivetti recognizes the potential. “Queen is a very talented and fast horse. He’s a fairly new ride for me, but he and I have been a good match from the beginning.”
