Press release from Split Rock Jumping Tour

Saturday afternoon saw another FEI podium bookended by Amanda Derbyshire (GBR) at the Lugano Diamonds Split Rock Jumping Tour's (SRJT) CSI2* week in Aiken. She once again captured first and third places, this time in the $100,000 Lugano Diamonds 1.45m Grand Prix CSI2*, switching the finish spots of her two rides to earn the victory on Cornwall BH, co-owned with Gochman Sport Horse LLC and tie for third place aboard Zadora, co-owned with David Blake. She would share the third position with fellow Brit Grace Debney, riding Jesprit H.S (Eldorado vd Zeshoek x Carosso VDL), owned by Temple Equestrian LLC, while Andres Julio Soto Peña (DOM) edged into the middle position in second place with his own and Alisa Butska’s Optimus Blue (Chacco Blue x Baloubet De Rouet).

Anderson Lima’s (BRA) 16-effort first-round track would challenge riders across various spots, with just six combinations advancing to the jump-off to include Derbyshire with two, Simon McCarthy (IRL), Beat Mandli (SUI), Debney and Soto Peña.

As the clear round pathfinder in round one, McCarthy led the way for round two, setting off with a blazing pace aboard Gotcha, owned by Rock Ridge Farms. The pair clocked an impressive time of 37.92 seconds, but their race to the finish line would cost them a rail at the final fence to finish on four faults. Thursday’s Welcome winners, Derbyshire and Zadora, followed to set the clear-round time-to-beat of 40.51 seconds. Mandli and Grant Road Partners LLC's Kay Grey would deliver a slightly quicker finish time of 40.35 seconds, but also fell victim to the final fence to move into third. Debney was on the pace as she found a nice slice across the vertical in the center of the ring, setting her up well to the final oxer-oxer bending line where she would gallop down in one less stride than Derbyshire. However in a rare turn of events, the clock would perfectly match the 40.51-second finish of Derbyshire and Zadora to move Debney tied with the pair for the lead. 

Derbyshire then returned with her longtime partner, Cornwall BH, shaving over a second and a half off of her previous leading time to stop the clock at 38.80. Last to go, Soto Peña gave a good effort, but his time of 39.73 would slide him just between Derbyshire’s two rides for second place moving Debney and Derbyshire’s tied time into third. McCarthy would ultimately finish fifth with the fastest time while Mandli took sixth.

Derbyshire dominated the week in FEI competition at the Split Rock Aiken CSI2*, capturing a podium finish in every class she jumped, also bookending Thursday’s podium in the $32,000 C. Jarvis Insurance 1.45m Welcome CSI2*, taking the win with Zadora and third on Cornwall BH. She also finished in second place with Zadora on Wednesday in the $10,000 1.40m Speed CSI2*.

The Split Rock Aiken CSI2* will conclude competition on Sunday before it immediately heads West to Santa Anita Park for two weeks of world-class showjumping with the Los Angeles National and the Santa Anita CSI5*-W.