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Rachel’s reward

Cornacchia records her first GP win on Valkyrie de Talma

Special to the Horsetrader - May 1st, 2018 - Show & Event News

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO — Rachel Cornacchia claimed the first-place prize and her first grand prix win April 14 in the $50,000 Blenheim Spring Classic 4 Grand Prix aboard Eventyre Farms Ltd.’s Valkyrie de Talma.

In front of a full audience of fellow equestrians and local fans, Cornacchia delivered two swift, faultless rounds that secured her the win by a half of a second against five others in the jump-off. Carly Anthony and Chacco picked up second place as the second-fastest double clear finisher.

The excitement took place over a course built by FEI Course Designer Oscar Soberon. The 16-effort track included a first fence by the in-gate, double combinations, a triple-bar fence, and numerous bending lines and rollbacks. Six of fourteen riders were able to navigate the course without accumulating faults. Cornacchia did so first, providing a second faultless round in a blazing fast time of 42.724 seconds that proved unbeatable.

“Considering that I was first to go in the jump-off, I just wanted to be double-clear,”Cornacchia said. “I started with a forward pace and tried to make tidy turns and slices when I could, and the result couldn’t have been better. The track was great, especially for my first big grand prix class. It was inviting and complicated, but not over-facing.”

Cornacchia’s first show with this mount was exactly one year ago and the pair have been very successful ever since.

“I’m looking forward to moving up with her into the 1.45m FEI classes this year,” she said. “She’s got a very funny personality, but she’s a very competitive and brave horse.”

The Romfh leading open rider award was then given to the second-place finisher of tonight’s Grand Prix, Carly Anthony. She rode her way to a total of 26 points throughout the Spring Classic Series to take the win.

Earlier in the afternoon, 35 horse-and-rider combinations attempted the 1.35m Jumper Classic, presented by Antares Sellier. Eleven riders provided fault-free rounds and qualified for the second, shortened round of competition, where Jenny Williams and Everclear provided an unbeatable time of 34.880 seconds for the win.

“He’s just so fast and so good – I just try to control him and I let him do all the rest,” Williams said of Everclear, whom she acquired a year ago. “In the jump-off, I did all the leave-outs and let him worry about the rest — and it worked out.”

Looking into the rest of the season, Williams is planning to move up with this mount to the bigger grand prix classes.

“He has the scope to do more than this, so I’m looking forward to moving up with him. I look like I’m working up there, but he does most of my job for me.”

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