Victoria Colvin cruises to CP National Grand Prix victory

Victoria Colvin and Clochard. Photo (c) Sportfot.

The $25,000 CP National Grand Prix was held on the grass derby field, and it was 20-year-old Victoria Colvin of Loxahatchee, FL, who sped to victory on Clochard, owned by Neil Jones Equestrian Inc.

There were 26 entries in the class, and seven in the jump-off. Colvin was the last to go, and she and Clochard, a 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion, raced across the field to clock a time of 40.902 seconds for the win.

They were chasing a time of 42.236 seconds set by Jonathon Millar (CAN) and Bonzay, owned by Isotropic, who finished in 42.236 seconds for second place. Third place went to Cafino, ridden by Amber Harte (USA) and owned by Take The High Road LLC, who had a time of 42.741 seconds.

Colvin has only shown Clochard four times and ridden him “less than eight times.” Owner Neil Jones asked her to compete him in the Under 25 division, and while he has shown in the Welcome classes, Colvin can only compete one horse in the grand prix classes. For week six, Colvin thought the CP National Grand Prix would be a perfect alternative.

Describing herself as a “forward rider,” Colvin loves riding the horse she describes as “like a little moped, like a little dirtbike!”

With a forward rider and a fast horse, the outcome was a blazing winning time. “In the jump-off, I wasn’t even trying to go fast,” said Colvin. “I had to control myself. Usually to the in and out, I would have left one (stride) out, but I said, ‘No, slow it down Tori.’ That was my conservative. I was shocked to see the time. I didn’t expect it to be that fast. I see my distance so far away and I just do it. I don’t count strides or anything. To the last line, I was cooking! At the last jump, I could have slowed it down and added one, but at that point I was moving.”