DEL MAR – Rich Fellers and the 16-year-old Irish Sport Horse Flexible have ridden headlines the last month with their respective championships at the FEI/Rolex World Cup Final and two grand prixes at the Del Mar National Horse Show. On May 12, it was Flexible’s daughter, Colgan Cruise, who earned the win and the limelight, as the sire took a well-deserved day off at the Blenheim Ranch and Coast $60,000 Grand Prix of California at Showpark.
After riding to a one-two finish in the Ranch and Coast’s $10,000 1.40M Jumper Classic, presented by CardFlex, Fellers took Colgan Cruise, owned by Fellers and Harry and Mollie Chapman, to the only clear round on designer Anthony D’Ambrosio’s course on the grass field. The talk of the track was an early vertical-oxer double combination that kept many from reaching the jump-off.
“It was big,” said Fellers. “Anytime you put something that big early in the course, it typically causes problems.”
In the final rounds of the class, Lise Gregory and Alec Lawler’s Crown Princess had one of the best rides through the complex 3ab combination. However, with an unfortunate rail later in the course, the pair finished third. Zamiro and Susie Artes were the fastest four-faulters and were second.
Earlier in the day, it became an overall team effort when Rich Fellers rode away with both first and second in the $10,000 1.40M Jumper Classic, on Dynamo, also owned by Harry Chapman and Fellers, and on McGuiness.
Friday evening’s featured class was the $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, won by John French and Small Affair. French and Celtic were the reserve champions.
The competition continues in Del Mar for the Showpark with the June Jamboree, May 31-June 3.
MORE RESULTS:: See website: http://bit.ly/25B_Blen
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