Kasey Ament & Soren Z Soar to Victory in $35k Holiday Inn Grand Prix at Colorado Horse Park

The second week of the competitive Summer in the Rockies Series (SIR) concluded on Sunday, June 17, welcoming victories for many competitors throughout the week. The Colorado Horse Park (CHP) hosted almost 500 horses for the five-day competition, numbers to be easily exceeded in the remaining five weeks of competition.

In an exciting finish, Kasey Ament rode across the fast track and was named the winner of the $35,000 Holiday Inn Grand Prix presented by Trapper’s Chop House on June 16 aboard Soren Z. International course designer Oscar Soberon of Mexico City, Mexico, designed the courses for the week’s highlight jumper classes.

Kasey Ament and Soren Z riding to first in the $35,000 Holiday Inn Grand Prix, presented by Trapper’s Chop House. Photo by White Fence Equine Photography

Ament and Soren Z, owned by Lornnah Investments, qualified for the victory with a jump-off time of 38.556 seconds. “The course suited him very well. He’s so scopey, but then in a minute, he can shorten and fit in a short distance,” Ament, of Agoura Hills, CA, said of the 2008 stallion. “I had the advantage with the inside turn. I’m not always the fastest rider, but if I count strides between, it makes me stay more forward.”
The pair’s partnership began in Europe in 2013. Ament commented, “He is the most well-behaved horse. He is so brave and he’s so good, and really reliable. It has all come together for him. I feel like this is his year,” Ament said of the horse.

Kasey Ament and Soren Z in their $35,000 Holiday Inn Grand Prix presented by Trapper’s Chop House awards presentation ceremony with CHP Director of Operations, Marion Maybank; Assistant Trainer, Katrina Karazissis; Martin Ament, Cuba Scott, Juan Jimenez, and Esteban Hernandez. Photo by White Fence Equine Photography

Ament traveled to Colorado with four of her horses for the first two weeks of SIR. She and her team, now back in CA, will enjoy a restful and well-deserved intermission from the series, but are set to return for the series’ end. “There’s a lot of prize money being offered. If we’re doing this well at the beginning, I want a piece of it,” Ament said of her adjusted show schedule.

Gianni Gabrielli galloped Enrico Blue Z to second place in the $35,000 Holiday Inn Grand Prix presented by Trapper’s Chop House. Photo by White Fence Equine Photography

Finishing second, in the $35,000 Holiday Inn Grand Prix presented by Trapper’s Chop House, was Gianni Gabrielli of Wellington, FL. Owner and rider Gabrielli galloped Enrico Blue Z through the timers in 38.834 seconds during the jump-off. Petschenig Show Jumping’s Craggamore 3 and Peter Petschenig of Pilot Point, TX, were awarded third place with a jump-off time of 39.681 seconds.

Peter Petschenig and Craggamore 3 were awarded third place in the $35,000 Holiday Inn Grand Prix presented by Trapper’s Chop House. Photo by White Fence Equine Photography