Press release from Split Rock Jumping Tour

The Split Rock Jumping Tour’s (SRJT) Hunter Jumper series returned for its fifth year to the Kentucky Horse Park, kicking off three weeks of competition with the Split Rock Hunter Jumper Classic I CSI2*, June 3-8, and culminating on Sunday with the $100,000 1.45m Grand Prix CSI2*, presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute. After two rounds of international show jumping, it was Audrey Schulze (USA) who secured the fastest double-clear finish, riding Dalakann de Bremoy (Kannan x Carthino Z), owned by Riverbrook Sport Horses, LLC, to the 12-year-old mare’s first international win. 

The 16-effort first-round track designed by Anderson Lima (BRA) saw seven combinations finish without penalties to return for the second round’s abridged 8-effort course. Olivia Sweetnam (USA) gave the first clear round with her own and Monika Preston’s Capitola (Cardento 933 x Dutch Capitol Z), returning first for the jump-off with a quick finish, but a rub at the penultimate fence would leave the pair on four faults and the door open for the remaining contenders. The second pair into the jump-off round, Schulze and "Dolly" delivered the first double-clear in a swift time of 39.17 seconds that would ultimately prove uncatchable. 

Molly Ashe Cawley (USA) and Louisburg Farm’s Quimi del Maset (Quasimodo Z X Indret del Masset) delivered the next double-clear, but the new duo kept a more conservative pace, crossing the timers in 40.64 seconds to slide behind Schulze. Friday’s FEI Welcome winner, Kelli Cruciotti Vanderveen (USA), was next to add her name to the list of double-clear contenders aboard Serenity Farm’s Mochito vd Mishagen (Emerald x Lord Z), giving a strong effort, but their time of 39.22 seconds would place them just behind Schulze into second place, moving Cawley into third. As the last to go, Alexandra Ryden (USA) and Damzelle Ste Hermelle (Upercut Kervec x Paladin Des Ifs), owned by Precision Equine, LLC, also completed a clear jump-off round, but would settle for fourth place with a time of 42.82 seconds. 

“It’s so much fun [showing here]," commented Schulze. "I love Kentucky - it’s one of my favorite places to be in the summer and it feels amazing to win this class. This is Dolly’s first FEI win so I’m super excited for her...I’ve had her since she was 8 [years old]."