CCI* Show-Jumping at the Kentucky Horse Park

Robin Walker officially became a US rider last Monday, just in the nick of time to travel down to Kentucky from Michigan and become the USEF National One Star Champion by dint of winning the CCI* here at the Kentucky Horse Park. Florenz has been on terrific form all year, winning the CCI* at the Florida Horse Park in the spring, and has been almost unbeatable throughout the summer, but only a clear show-jumping moved him up to the winner’s podium when the overnight leader, Canadian Penny Rowland had a rail down in the final phase and dropped below him to second by .3 of a penalty.

I spoke to Robin after the competition and he told me that after a break, Florenz will do a preliminary event to get going again, and then she’ll move up and he’lll see what she’s made of. Robin said how thrilled he was with how much she’s matured over the summer, how she’d helped him out on the cross country yesterday, whereas he wouldn’t always have been able to rely on her, and how excited he is to take her further. I also spoke to Penny Rowland at some length, and will have more on that in a later post, about her quirky mare, Northwinds Breeze who came in second, but to give you an idea, her ex owner, who gave her to Penny because she was such a handful, let slip that they call her “Beastly” as a pet name!

Penny Rowland and Northwinds Breeze, 2nd

The Victory Lap

Clear rounds were few and far between; the time was generous, and the poles were certainly heavy, and a lot of the horses were great jumpers. Too many riders rode the turns really badly, or not at all, and perhaps nerves were a factor this afternoon. 

Elinor Macphail and Goodnight Moon, 20th

Please click the link below for more photos.