Hunter/jumper competitors at Galway Downs celebrated the Fourth of July weekend with the conclusion of the second week of Nilforushan Equisport Events’ Temecula Valley National Summer Series, presented by Interactive Mortgage, which ran from June 30 – July 4. The competition was explosive all week as riders vied for their chance at the champion title in multiple jumper divisions, with names such as Mandy Porter, Sophie Simpson and Misti Cassar coming out on top, among others. Friday afternoon, July 3, served as the jumper highlight when Mavis Spencer made her long-awaited return to the Grand Prix ring following a two-year hiatus, but that didn’t hold her back as she and Con Calle claimed the lion’s share of the prize money after laying down a speedy jump-off round to claim victory in the $25,000 Jet Pets Grand Prix.
Eager to close out the week with a win, 54 pairs contested the 1.40m track set by course designer John Manning in the $25,000 Jet Pets Grand Prix. Only 12 combinations were able to deliver a clear first round and advance to the jump-off, which ultimately saw nine pairs turn in a second penalty-free ride. Despite a lengthy absence from the show ring, Spencer, aboard Georgy Maskrey-Segesman’s entry Con Calle, proved to be a force to be reckoned with when they delivered a picture-perfect jump-off round to stop the timers at 38.56 seconds, which would hold out for the win. Coming in just shortly behind the winning duo were Jamie Taylor and Quatar, owned by JT Equine LLC, who delivered a clear round in a time of 39.29 seconds. Rounding out the podium was Simon Schroeder riding his own High Tops, who closed out the class in 39.69 seconds.
Mavis Spencer on Con Calle. Photo by Captured Moment Photography.
Wednesday’s $10,000 Equ Lifestyle Boutique 1.40m Welcome Speed class featured 50 trips around the ring, but it would be Porter and Wild Turkey Farm, LLC’s entry WT Ca-Pow! who would deliver the quickest trip across the track to snag the win on a time of 66.80 seconds. It was a good day for Ashlee Bond, who earned both second and third place honors in the speed class. Bond, aboard Little Valley Farms’ Semilly F, was just fractions of a second off the winning time as she stopped the clock in 66.84 seconds to take the runner-up spot, and also rounded out the podium with Little Valley Farms’ Imagine in third position with a time of 67.09 seconds.
Mandy Porter on WT Ca-Pow! Photo by Captured Moment Photography.
A handful of other horse-and-rider combinations claimed champion titles throughout the week, including Sophie Simpson and A Picasso De Vie, owned by Will Simpson Stables Inc., who for the second week in a row topped the field in the $5,000 Spyglass Hill 1.35m Speed Challenge. Second place honors went to Bretton Chad and Coral Reef Ranch LLC’s Coral Reef Baloufino, while owner-rider Mattias Ekeroth and Stamm claimed third.
Sophie Simpson on A Picasso De Vie. Photo by Captured Moment Photography.
Misti Cassar and Elizabeth Kilham’s The Points Guy were victorious Friday, July 3 in the $5,000 Two Hearts Equine Boutique 1.20m Jumper Classic. Wendy Thompson rode her own Simpatica 33 to the second-place finish, with owner-rider Alison Raich aboard Sting Can De Withoeve wrapped up the top three.
Misti Cassar on The Points Guy. Photo by Captured Moment Photography.
It was not just the professional classes that were teeming with top talent, however. Zoe Brown and Harley Brown Equestrian, Inc’s Valiant were victorious in Saturday’s $5,000 Voltaire Design Junior/Amateur-Owner/Amateur Jumper High 1.45m Classic. Serena Anand and her own Brandee secured the second place title, and Violet Lindemann Barnett and Boheme de La Roque, owned by Sloan Lindemann Barnett, brought home the third-place honors.
Zoe Brown on Valiant. Photo by Captured Moment Photography.
The best of 29 entries in the $2,500 EquiFit Junior/Amateur-Owner/Amateur Jumper Medium 1.35m Classic, of which only eight moved forward to the jump-off, was Nicholas Choi and his entry Grand Desert, followed by owner-rider Ava Spinale and Chesterfield in second, with Mackenzie Carreras and her own Contessa K wrapping up the field in third.
Nicholas Choi on Grand Desert. Photo by Captured Moment Photography.
With 30 entries to beat, Lauren Breach put the pedal to the metal with Birchwood Farm’s Carnac 219 to secure the win in the $1,500 Ogilvy Equestrian Junior/Amateur-Owner/Amateur Jumper Low 1.25m Classic. Caroline Burke and Iron Horse Equestrian’s Una Acorada nabbed second place, while Kimberly Cuichard and her own Clivia rounded out the podium in third.
Lauren Breach and Carnac 219. Photo by Captured Moment Photography.
Saturday’s competition concluded the debut Temecula Valley National Summer Series, run by Nilforushan Equisport Events at Galway Downs.
Full Class Results – $25,000 Jet Pets Grand Prix:
Place / Horse / Rider / Country / R1 Faults | R1 Time / R2 Faults | R2 Time
1. Con Calle / Mavis Spencer / USA / 0 | 86.068 / 0 | 38.56
2. Quatar / Jamie Taylor / USA / 0 | 86.303 / 0 | 39.29
3. High Tops / Simon Schroeder / GER / 0 | 85.606 / 0 | 39.69
4. S & L Sage / Angel Karolyi / VEN / 0 | 80.971 / 0 | 39.89
5. Grandeur / Bretton Chad / CAN / 0 | 84.822 / 0 | 40.13
6. Jet Blue / Carly Anthony / USA / 0 | 80.179 / 0 | 41.5
7. The Pugilist / Bretton Chad / CAN / 0 | 85.5 / 0 | 43.43
8. Scarface / Alexis Sokolov / USA / 0 | 82.559 / 0 | 43.95
9. Apex / Emma Catherine Reichow / USA / 0 | 85.643 / 0 | 46.65
10. Doraindo / Kaitlin Campbell / USA / 0 | 86.058 / 4 | 39.6
11. Laurence Z / Susan Artes / USA / 0 | 84.251 / 4 | 45.39
12. WT Ca-Pow! / Mandy Porter / USA / 0 | 81.407 / 24 | 66.42