Press release from Split Rock Jumping Tour, edited by World of Showjumping

The Split Rock Jumping Tour’s (SRJT) Fall series returned for its fifth year to the Kentucky National CSI2*, September 16-21, and culminating on Sunday with the $65,000 1.45m Grand Prix CSI2*, presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute. After a competitive international show jumping class, it was Juan Manuel Gallego (ESP) riding Oriana Van't Ruytershof (Vigo D'arsouilles x La Brillianthina Van't Ruytershof) who secured the only clear ride for the pair's first international win together.

The 16-effort first-round track, designed by Olaf Peterson Jr. (GER), proved to be a true test for the 48 horse-and-rider combinations. Four pairs had clean jumping efforts, with Emma Irwin and her gelding Concardus (Conthargos x Carthago) leading the charge. Though they kept all the rails up, a single time fault prevented them from advancing to the jump-off. Diego Bedoya and Cap West (Chacco-Blue x Hors La Loi II) also delivered a clean round, but 2 time faults ultimately kept them out of the short course as well. Juan M. Gallego and Loero Horse Sales LLC's Oriana Van't Ruytershof produced a faultless performance, shooting them straight to the top of the leaderboard. Emma Irwin returned with her second mount, Las Vegas, and managed a clean round, but again, another time fault kept her from the jump-off. In the end, it was Gallego and Oriana who emerged as the only faultless pair, maintaining their uncatchable lead.

"This was a good class. Today in the Grand Prix, the course was big and technical. The time allowed was not impossible but tight enough. I was confident in my clear round, but you have to ride jump for jump, and we made it," Gallego reflects on the class. The partnership, starting a year and a half ago, Gallego and Oriana have produced top results in the 1.40m/1.45m. "We have jumped several National Grand Prix and now, a bit bigger, we have had super results with her. We have been 2nd five or six times now, and we finally got a win. This is our first international win together. We have been really happy with the results this week after a super summer, and we are now getting ready for next week."