Press release from Split Rock Jumping Tour

With only a half a second separating the top three riders in the $36,000 CaptiveOne FEI 1.45m Welcome Stake, Mathis Schwentker of Germany piloted Nkh Caruso to victory at the Split Rock Jumping Tour's Santa Fe International CSI2* at HIPICO Santa Fe in New Mexico. The competition continues through Sunday, August 18 concluding with the $50,000 CSI2* Grand Prix.

Now in its fifth year, the SRJT is renowned for revolutionizing the sport of show jumping in the U.S. and creating an "Unparalleled Show Jumping Experience." Modeled after successful European shows, the SRJT gives competitors, sponsors and spectators an "Unparalleled Show Jumping Experience" by hosting competitions with world-class venues, top prize money, extravagant awards, special entry packages, and numerous first-class amenities for riders, horses, owners, sponsors, and spectators, with close attention paid to every detail. The SRJT is presenting six FEI shows at five world-class venues as part of its 2019 Tour.

The $36,000 CaptiveOne FEI 1.45m Welcome Stake course, designed by Anderson Lima, tested the field of 43 horse-and-rider combinations. Only eight of the original 43 combinations produced a fault-free round to advance to the jump-off. The shortened course proved to be technical, with only 47 seconds allowed; but it was no match for Schwentker and Nkh Caruso who rode with precision ending the day with no faults and a time of 35.37 seconds for first place.

Hometown hero Chenoa McElvain and Wallstreet Rc were the last combination to enter the ring for the jump-off and they just missed Schwentker's time, finishing in second with a time of 35.70 seconds. Coming home just .20 seconds behind was Olympic Gold Medalist Will Simpson who rounded out the top three with Chacco P with a time of 35.90 seconds.

"The course was super fun to ride," said Schwentker, who has had an outstanding 2019 season. "The course rode very fast and Nkh Caruso is a fast horse so it really played to his strength. He did an excellent job and it was fun."