Eugenio Garza and Victer Finn Dh Z Victorious Once Again to Win Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Columbus CSI3*-W at SRJT

Eugenio Garza and Victer Finn Dh Z Photo: Winslow Photography
Eugenio Garza and Victer Finn Dh Z
Photo: Winslow Photography

Columbus, Ohio – Oct. 7, 2018 – Fresh off of capturing Thursday’s qualifying $40,000 Amalaya Investments Welcome Prix CSI3*-W win, Eugenio Garza (MEX) and his mount Victer Finn Dh Z rode to another victory in the week’s highlight event, the $135,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Columbus CSI3*-W, presented by Lugano Diamonds, at the Spilt Rock Jumping Tour’s (SRJT) Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Columbus CSI 3*-W, the second week of the Tour’s run at the Brave Horse Equestrian Center in Johnstown, Ohio. The class is one of only seven qualifying competitions in the East Coast division of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ North American League for the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final to be held in Gothenburg, Sweden, in April 2019.

Ten horse and rider combinations of 38 initial starters reached the tie-breaking jump-off by riding fault-free over the first-round course designed by Alan Wade of Ireland, who served as course designer at the 2017 Longines FEI World Cup™ Finals and 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games™.

(Left to right) Peter Lutz, Eugenio Garza and Kelli Cruciotti Photo: Winslow Photography
(Left to right) Peter Lutz, Eugenio Garza and Kelli Cruciotti
Photo: Winslow Photography

Of those ten who advanced to the jump off, five managed to post double clear rounds, making it a speed duel for the top position on the podium. Garza and his 10-year-old bay gelding, owned by Axel Verlooy Euro Horse Bvba, turned in a time of 41.33 seconds and that proved strong enough to hold through the remaining rounds.

“I went into the jump-off knowing there were some really fast riders and horses behind me and I just wanted to go fast and play to the strengths of my horse,” said Garza. “He is 10 years old but he is not that experienced because he was off for a couple months, but he is a really fast horse with a big stride across the ground.”

Kelli Cruciotti and Chamonix H Photo: Winsolw Photography
Kelli Cruciotti and Chamonix H
Photo: Winsolw Photography

Kelli Cruciotti (USA) and Serenity Farm’s Chamonix H, a 17-year-old mare, were the next in the ring and tried their best to beat Garza, but were no match for the blazing round he had set down. their final time was 42.65 seconds, good enough for third place.

“A year ago she had her first class back after coming out of retirement and a year before that she was just recovering from colic surgery,” said an emotional Cruciotti. “She is the best horse I will ever ride. I am very happy.”

Peter Lutz and Robin de Ponthual Photo: Winslow Photography
Peter Lutz and Robin de Ponthual
Photo: Winslow Photography

Going last in the jump-off, Peter Lutz (USA) had the opportunity to catch Garza with Robin de Ponthual, a 13-year-old gelding owned by Katherine Gallagher and M. Michael Meller, and he almost did, but the timers read 41.49 seconds as he crossed through, putting him in close second place finish.

“I had a plan and I stuck with it,” said Lutz. “We have had this horse for four years now and he is a great horse. I didn’t watch Eugenio [Garza]’s ride, but I knew he was fast, and I tried to beat his time, but it just didn’t happen today.”

David Oberkircher and Tyson De Verteveuille
Photo: Winslow Photography

The $7,500 Horseflight High Junior/Amateur Jumper Final was won by David Oberkircher and Southfields Farm’s Tyson De Verteveuille. The pair crossed the timers in the jump-off in 39.500 seconds, almost three seconds ahead of Helen Graves with her Blue Sky Van De Olmenhoeve who finished in 42.616 seconds.

Karina R and rider Erika Sergent sped to the win in the hotly contested $5,000 Child/Adult 1.10m Jumper Final. Their double clear rounds and jump-off time of 31.115 seconds narrowly held off the challenge from Elizabeth Porath and Tequila Girl who finished second in 31.287 seconds.

RESULTS

$135,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Columbus CSI3*-W
Place / Horse / Rider / Country / R1 Faults | Time / R2 Faults | Time
1. Victer Finn Dh Z / Eugenio Garza Perez / MEX / 0 | 75.16 / 0 | 41.33
2. Robin de Ponthual / Peter Lutz / USA / 0 | 74.61 / 0 | 41.49
3. Chamonix H / Kelli Cruciotti / USA / 0 | 74.84 / 0 | 42.65
4. Venue d’Fees des Hazalles / Eve Jobs / USA / 0 | 72.83 / 0 | 45.44
5. Amice Z / Charlie Jayne / USA / 0 | 74.51 / 0 | 49.75
6. Brindis Bogibo / Andrew Welles / USA / 0 | 74.77 / 4 | 40.34
7. Bull Run’s Faustino de Tili / Kristen Vanderveen / USA / 0 | 73.20 / 4 | 41.11
8. Cat Ballou / Molly Ashe Cawley / USA / 0 | 74.00 / 4 | 42.65
9. Shorapur / Kevin Babington / IRL / 0 | 74.69 / 4 | 44.44
10. Chicago Hof Eversem Z / Mattias Tromp / USA / 0 | 75.45 / 4 | 47.44
11. Victorio / Abigail Mc Ardle / USA / 1 | 78.75
12. Amex Z / Todd Minikus / USA / 4 | 72.35

For full results, click here.

RANKINGS

Longines FEI World Cup™ 2018/2019 – North American Eastern Sub-League
Standings following the 2nd leg in Columbus, Ohio., USA
Rank / Rider / Country / Total Points
1. Molly Ashe Cawley / USA / 29
2. Mattias Tromp / USA / 22
3. Wilhelm Genn / GER / 20
4. Margie Engle / USA / 20
5. Conor Swail / IRL / 17
5. Peter Lutz / USA / 17
7. Andrew Welles / USA / 15
8. Georgina Bloomberg / USA / 13
8. Lucy Davis / USA / 13
8. Vanessa Mannix / CAN / 13

For full rankings, click here.

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