Press release from Spruce Meadows Media Services
The 1.50m AKITA Drilling Cavalry Charge marked the second leg of the Alberta Power Speed Challenge. This series gives riders the opportunity to ride the same course in four different competitions over the 2019 Summer Series. The horse-and-rider combination with the best overall ranking over all four competitions wins the Alberta Power Speed Challenge.
The course was designed by FEI course designer Leopoldo Palacious (VEN) and made to fit in the International Ring and Meadows on the Green without any alteration to the track. This week thirty-nine horse-and-rider combinations tackled the track looking to move up the standings in the Alberta Power Speed Challenge.
With five horses left to go, Kent Farringon (USA) was sitting at the top of the leader board with a quick time of 77.33s with Austria 2 (Casall x Corrado I). Beezie Madden (USA) stepped into the ring looking to best her previous week's time of 79.29s that had landed her in fourth place. Madden's 9 year-old mare Jiva (Concorde x Nonstop) quickly settled into the course and the pair knocked two seconds off their time to land on 77.23s - taking them to first place.
"She's (Jiva) a very careful horse and sometimes a little shy when going fast over a lot of impressive fences out here. This (Alberta Power Speed Challenge) as been really good for her building her bravery and it showed today," Beezie Madden said about her horse Jiva in the AKITA Drillling Cavalry Charge.