SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO — Veteran Grand Prix rider Susie Hutchison of Temecula is continuing a win streak on Cantano, with a recent victory at Blenheim EquiSports’ $30,000 Copa de Amistad (Friendship Cup) Grand Prix held June 21 at Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park.

Cantano, a 9-year-old bay Holsteiner stallion owned by Jim and Pat Iverson of El Dorado 29, started competing in the Grand Prix level in spring 2008–and amazingly won four out of five Grand Prix events it entered with Hutchison aboard. In 2009, Hutchison and Cantano also won the $35,000 Blenheim Spring Classic II Grand Prix on April 5.

“I think we’re ready to take the next step up to the World Cup Qualifiers starting in August and September,” Hutchison said of Cantano. “He is like a kid who graduated from high school and is ready for college.”

Hutchison said Cantano conquered the $30,000 Copa de Amistad Grand Prix with ease, so it’s time to increase the difficulty. “I wouldn’t want to keep him at the same level for too long. It’s like intelligent children–boring them with the same homework that is easier than what they’re capable of doing. Then, they start messing around or doing things you don’t want them to do–you need to keep their interest.”

Seven rider-horse pairs out of 23 entries jumped clean first rounds to return for the jump-off course designed by Peter Holmes. Hutchison achieved double-clean rounds in 40.98 seconds. Carie Potter of Del Mar aboard Rockford I was the only other rider to go clean in the jump-off with a time of 41.12 seconds for second place.

In the $30,000 Copa de Amistad Grand Prix, Hutchison also rode Playboy, an 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood owned by Ellen Spalding. “It’s always fun to have two, then you really have a better judgement of how the lines are going to ride.”

Hutchison said Playboy was out for a while and this was his first Grand Prix back. “He only had four faults, and I was quite please with him,” Hutchison said of Playboy’s first-round performance. “As long as the horses are healthy and I’m healthy, we’re looking forward to bigger and better things like the World Cup Qualifiers. We’re ready to give it our best shot.”

Janet Hischer wins $30,000 Blenheim June Classic II Grand Prix

Janet Hischer aboard Kenitra, owned by Twisted Tree Farm Inc. of Scottsdale, Ariz., galloped to victory in the $30,000 June Classic II Grand Prix, presented by EquiFit, Inc. on June 14. The Grand Prix held at the Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park was one of four Grand Prix events held during the month-long Blenheim June horse show series in San Juan Capistrano.

With long galloping distances, no water jump and the last line set towards home, Jack Robson designed what appeared to be a very inviting course for the $30,000 June Classic II Grand Prix. Time faults, refusals and rails however, proved to be a problem for half of the class who attempted to navigate through each of the three elements in the triple combination. Of the 17 horses who entered the ring, only two went clean including Janet Hischer and Jill Humphrey of Sacramento.

Hischer riding Kenitra were the first pair to gallop around the shortened course for the jump-off, where they laid down their second clean round of the day in a time of 42.12 seconds. Jill Humphrey riding Kaskaya attempted a tricky approach to fence three, resulting in a rail. She then retired, handing the win to Hischer.

The three horse-and-rider combinations who ran into trouble with the clock, leaving them fractions away from the jump-off, were awarded 3rd through 5th places: Alicia Jonsson Foster and her mount Don Francisco were just over the time allowed with 90.23, Humphrey finished 4th with Kaskaya, and Missy Froley aboard Bay Rose’s Oberon 48 took home 5th as the last of the one-faulters with a time of 90.78.

Joie Gatlin and her young mount Twindoline took down a rail at fence seven but proved to be the best of the four-fault rides finishing 6th. Harley Brown and Cassiatio, owned by Oak Park Group LLC, clipped the fourth jump on course for 7th. Taking home another portion of the prize money was Gatlin aboard her dependable SunCal’s King for 8th, and Erin Duffy rode Kir Royal to a 9th place finish, rounding out the four-fault trips.

Susie Hutchison wins $30,000 Blenheim June Classic I Grand Prix

The course for the $30,000 Blenheim June Classic I Grand Prix, designed by Linda Allen, was a challenging 16-obstacle track for many of the exhibitors June 7. Out of the 23 horses which galloped onto the grass field, only three left all the rails up. But it was Susie Hutchison of Temecula who took the championship aboard Muscadet de la Saveniere, owned by Veronica Tracy.

Fourth in, Guy Thomas and Peterbilt, owned by Peterbilt LLC, were the first pair to go clean followed by Susie Hutchison riding Muscadet de la Saveniere riding eighth. Not until the 17th in the order did spectators see another fault-free ride; this time from New Zealander Anna Trent aboard Muskateer NZPH, owned by Warwick Hansen.

Trouble spots were seen throughout the course, including the second fence, an oxer on a bend, which lost its top rail a number of times; as did the next fence, a skinny vertical. The second element of the triple combination also caught a few toes for four faults. Another course culprit was the water jump, set as a vertical, which proved spooky and resulted in a few run outs.

Thomas was the first to take a shot at the jump-off course finishing with a rail and a time of 38.97. Hutchison and Muscadet de la Saveniere laid down their second clean trip with a hard-to-beat time of 38.33. Last to go, Trent tried to answer Hutchison’s call, but she then dropped two rails, solidifying the win for Hutchison.

Six horses were one rail away from a clean round, including Thomas on his second mount, Carino, fastest of the four-faulters for a 4th place finish. Gaby Salick and her young, talented mount Centuria Z had only one rail down for 5th.

Joie Gatlin aboard SunCal’s King barely clipped the skinny to take home 6th. Lane Clarke and the crafty Kiss the Sky finished 7th.

Hutchison on her second mount, Cantano, had a heartbreak rail at the second-to-last jump. Harley Brown on Cassiato rounded out the four-fault rides for 9th.

For complete show results, visit: www.showpark.com/results.asp