Press release from Split Rock Jumping Tour

The Lugano Diamonds Split Rock Jumping Tour (SRJT) closed out the first week of its debut fall series on Sunday, October 2 at the Kentucky Horse Park with a memorable moment for 21-year-old American athlete Tanner Korotkin as he notched his first FEI Grand Prix victory aboard Rupert Winkelmann’s Quinn 33 (Quidam De Revel x Contender). The pair raced to the top spot of the week’s premier event, the $100,00 Lugano Diamonds 1.50m Grand Prix CSI3*, presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute.

The initial round of competition saw 16 jumping efforts laid out by designer Anderson Lima (BRA) which included a double (vertical-oxer) and triple (oxer-vertical-oxer) combination under a tight allotted time of 80 seconds. While more than one-fourth of competitors collected time penalties, nine pairs emerged from the first round fault free. International competition was in full display as five of the seven countries represented would advance to the second round.

Ireland’s Simon McCarthy was second to tackle the jump-off round, setting the pace with a quick clear round time of 37.89 seconds aboard Rock Ridge Farms’ Gotcha. Three trips later, Thaisa Erwin (AUS) and Vanturo would match the clear effort in a more conservative time of 41.01 seconds. She was immediately followed by Korotkin who credited his tight turns with the 12-year-old Holsteiner gelding to finish in 36.19 seconds, shaving over one and a half seconds from previous leader, McCarthy. Friday’s CSI3* Welcome winners, Aaron Vale (USA) and Prescott, owned by Thinkslikeahorse, were next to challenge his time but finished just shy of the winning pace in 36.80 seconds. Vale would have to settle for one spot down the podium in second place while McCarthy earned third. Erwin marked the only other double-clear finish in fourth place.

“I’ve only had Quinn 33 for about two or three months and he’s just an awesome, fast, super careful horse and he’s really fun to ride,” said Korotkin of his winning mount. “I’ve been coming to Split Rock for a few years now, ever since I started at the FEI level, and it’s always a great show, great atmosphere, really well run and it never fails to be a good experience. Obviously, this was a really good week for us and I’ll look forward to coming back.”

The Lugano Diamonds Split Rock Jumping Tour will continue competition with a CSI3* rating into the following week, October 5-9, for the Split Rock Hunter Jumper Fall II. FEI highlights will include the $50,000 BetHorseSports.com 1.45m Welcome CSI3* on Friday, October 7, and the $100,00 Lugano Diamonds 1.50m Grand Prix CSI3*, presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, on Sunday, October 9. The second week of the fall series marks one of only four events left on the 2022 calendar as the tour heads to Aiken, South Carolina, and Fort Worth Texas, where athletes are able to earn final eligibility for the $300,000 Split Rock Championship Series held at the final stop in Sarasota, Florida.