The Showplace Fall Classic Championship welcomed an array of equestrians to the Lamplight Equestrian Center for the second day of showing on Wednesday. Douglas Boyd was one of the exhibitors to arrive for the subsequent day of classes, dominating the event with wins across the hunter and jumper divisions and concluding his winning streak with Berkley III to take the $1,500 1.30m Modified Jumper victory.
Guilherme Jorge designed the jumper tracks, using technical components to challenge both horse and rider alike. For Boyd, the track was the preparation he needed to settle the 8-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, Berkley III, into his surroundings as the groundwork for the $10,000 Open Welcome Stake on Thursday afternoon.
"We did not get here until today, and I thought that the course was good preparation for the Welcome Stake tomorrow," eventual winner, Boyd said. "Berkley III was imported in January, and we have just been taking it slow and bringing him along. He recently started doing his first grand prix classes, and we have been very pleased."
Lisa Goldman and Sovereign, owned by Barbara Disko of Chicago, Illinois, were the first to clear Jorge's opening track. They set the pace during the jump-off track with a time of 36.278 seconds, yet a rail at the final fence would leave the door open for the 14 remaining contenders to take a chance.
It was not until six rounds later that Sari Polakow entered the ring aboard Amy Adams' Salouise and the lead was overtaken. She cleared the course without fault in 36.424 seconds, completing an inside track that would challenge the rest of the pack to chase her time in order to gain the lead.
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| Sari Polakow and Salouise |
Although seven horses found their way into the jump-off, it would be 13 trips until the winner would surface. Boyd and Berkley III, owned by Sapphire Riding Academy of Mettawa, Illinois, blazed the way in 33.933 seconds to take over the lead with more than a two-second lead.
He followed a similar strategy to Polakow; however, it was the open gallop to the final oxer that made the difference in the time.
"He was a little fresh today," Boyd laughed. "I think tomorrow he will settle down and be looking to be a little more serious. After we did the inside turn to the second fence of the jump-off, I just kept my gallop and did not even turn inside to the CWD-oxer. He landed, and I just let him loose to the final oxer. I let him run flat out, and he really liked that."
Polakow finished as the runner-up today, with Thomas Cerra and Compis following just a hair off her time to trip the timers in 37.941 seconds as the third of four double-clear efforts. Fourth place was awarded to Javier Berganza Anderhub and Cypress, owned by Keystone LLC of Carmel, Indiana, for their clear short course clocked at 39.936 seconds.
Earlier in the day it was Sarah Kemper of Chicago, Illinois, and Barack who took the win during the $500 Take 2 Thoroughbred Jumper Classic. They nabbed the victory with a speedy track completed in 40.083 seconds, and although they incurred a four-fault score, their time and tactics would hold strong as the only competitors to successfully navigate their way into the short course. Wisconsin's Carli Curtis and Incendio captured the second place finish as the fastest of the first round four-faulters.
The Fall Classic Championship Horse Show is one of the Midwest's most important competitions and includes the USEF Zone V Horse of the Year Finals, the IHJA "A" Medal Finals and the Marshall and Sterling Midwest Finals. The $10,000 Welcome Stake is scheduled for Thursday with the $30,000 Showplace Grand Prix set for Saturday, prior to the start of the Marshall & Sterling Junior Medal, Sore No More Children's Medal and Farnam Adult Medal Finals. The IHJA equitation medal finals will conclude the championship competition on Sunday with a full day of medal finals.
