Temecula, Calif. – Jun 3, 2022 – The stage was set in the Grand Prix Arena at Galway Downs for the highly anticipated $46,500 Nilforushan Equisport Tournament (NET) Finals. A unique opportunity provided by Ali and Francie Nilforushan at their own Nilforushan Equisport Events’ Temecula Valley National Horse Show gave riders the option to enter into a pool to earn extra prize money. The NET Final ran concurrently with the Equestrian Lifestyle Boutique $10,000 1.35m class. At the conclusion of the 1.35m class Friday, the points were tallied amongst the NET competitors to determine the winner of the extra prize money. The Anderson Lima designed course tested the agility and preparation of the horse and rider combinations with several tight bending lines, seven oxer obstacles and triple combination jump. The class was set to a traditional 2(a) format, with all entries taking to the course for round 1 and the clear horse and rider combinations returning for a jump off. After the conclusion of the 1.35m, it was Joie Gatlin and Gugler Sport Horses GHMB & CO.KG’s Finna W that took home the prestigious blue ribbon for the TVNHS NET Final.
The winning duo put together a stellar performance in the Equestrian Lifestyle Boutique $10,000 1.35m despite it being only their second ride together. Finna W was Gatlin’s second mount of the class, which proved to be beneficial in their first round ride. In Gatlin’s first ride aboard Classic Fly MJ, she had an unfortunate rail towards the end, so she used that adversity to her advantage to pilot Finna W. Only eight clear rides were posted in the 1.35m class, and only two of those clear rides were NET Final qualified combinations. A double clear effort in which the pair crossed the line at a time of 38.30 in the jump off awarded them a fifth place finish in the Equestrian Lifestyle Boutique $10,000 1.35m, but amongst NET competitors the pair’s time proved too quick to be caught. Although an inexperienced partnership, Gatlin and Finna W worked well together to maintain a consistent pace and navigate the bending lines throughout the track with precision.
The only other double clear effort amongst the horse and rider combinations vying for a share of the $46,500 extra prize money was Talise Baker-Matsuoka and Zirocco. The pair posted a top three time in the first round, tipping the wire at a speedy 76.67 seconds. Zirocco piloted her own ten-year-old Warmblood Gelding effectively and efficiently through the shortened jump off track, but ultimately came up just short of the time to beat against her fellow NET competitor, Gatlin. Danielle Vahdat and Gernice Van De Postbaan rounded out the top three in the final $46,500 Nilforushan Equisport Tournament standings. The yellow ribbon duo had the fastest first round time amongst all competitors in the Equestrian Lifestyle Boutique $10,000 1.35m at a blazing 73.535 seconds, but had an unlucky rail during the track that prevented them from getting into the jump off.
The Equestrian Lifestyle Boutique $10,000 1.35m saw its own set of podium finishers as well Friday night. After all eight first round clear efforts left their mark on the jump off course, it was Hannah Loly and Tres Palomas’s Bisou that rose to the top of the leaderboard to capture the blue ribbon. The win marks their second podium finish of TVNHS Week III after taking second in Wednesday’s First International Bank of Pasco $5,000 1.35m Welcome Stake. Second place went to Michelle Parker and Dana B. Nemeth’s Lutalo after Parker piloted the nine-year-old Holsteiner stallion to a remarkable jump off ride but just missed the time to beat by less than a second. Danielle Morrow and Monarch Farms, LLC’s San Diego rounded out the leaderboard for the talented class. First and third place were ultimately separated by just 0.85 seconds.
A full docket of jumper competition is set as we head into the final weekend of the Niforushan Equisport Events’ Temecula Valley National Horse Show. Kicking off Saturday, June 4 is the ShowMD $2,500 1.20m Jumper Classic and the day concludes with the Spruce Meadows $50,000 Grand Prix NET Finals. Sunday, June 5 will see athletes try their hand in the $20,000 1.40m and NET Final, Sponsored by Equifit, to close out the series.
FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE
Joie Gatlin – $46,500 Nilforushan Equisport Tournament (NET) Finals
On her plan for the Equestrian Lifestyle Boutique $10,000 1.35m:
“Everytime I go in the ring I want to do my best. This is only the second time I’ve ridden [Finna W], she just got here. Unfortunately, I had an unlucky rail on the first horse so all the pressure was on Finna. We had a clean first round and then for the jump off there was a little more strategy. I wanted to go medium and clear and was thinking more about the bonus than the actual class itself. That pool money is amazing.”
On how it feels to win the $46,500 Nilforushan Equisport Tournament (NET) Finals:
“It’s very unique in our sport and I have to commend Ali [Nilfoushan] on going out on a limb to do something like this. We were fortunate enough to talk about the horses and then it was really up to [Savannah Jenkins, trainer] and Johnny to pay to enter. They flipped a coin and both horses landed heads up. We want to support Ali when he does these new innovative things. It was fun – kind of a class within a class, a little more added pressure. I’m very grateful that it was our day.”
On competing in Temecula:
“The April and May shows are awesome, they’re the ones we come to the most. They just keep making all these nice improvements. New jumps, great footing, great course designers, great prize money. The horses jump great in this ring and it’s always a great atmosphere.”
Results for the $46,500 Nilforushan Equisport Tournament (NET) Finals
Place / Horse / Rider / Country /Owner
- Finna W / Joie Gatlin / USA / Gugler Sport Horses
- Zirocco / Talise Baker-Matsuoka / USA / Talise Baker-Matsuoka
- Gernice Van De Postbaan / Danielle Vahdat / USA / Danielle Vahdat
- Classic Fly MJ / Joie Gaitlin / USA / Gugler Sport Horses
- Bartholomaeus 2 / Clea Caddell / USA / Spyglass Hill
- Adalberto Audi Scappino / Cameron Trimino / USA / Cameron Trimino
Results for the Equestrian Lifestyle Boutique $10,000 1.35m
Place / Horse / Rider / Country /Owner / R1 Faults | R1 Time / R2 Time | R2 Faults
- Bisou / Hannah Loly / USA / Tres Palomas / 0 | 78.62 / 0 | 35.98
- Lutalo / Michelle Parker / USA / Dana B Nemeth / 0 | 79.10 / 0 | 36.73
- San Diego / Danielle Morrow / USA / Monarch Farms LLC / 0 | 75.82 / 0 | 36.84
- Zendo / Kevin Lemke / GER / Durango Farms / 0 | 82.75 / 0 | 37.96
- Finna W / Joie Gatlin / USA / Gugler Sport Horses / 0 | 78.94 / 0 | 38.30
- Zirocco / Talise Baker-Matsuoka / USA / Talise Baker-Matsuoka / 0 | 76.67 / 0 | 42.81
- Lord Angeles / Jan Humphrey / USA / Patricia Blaylock / 0 | 82.47 / 4 | 44.69
- Royal Dream-T / Mandy Porter / USA / Beth Bowlen / 0 | 75.46 / 4 | 45.05
- Gernice Van De Postbaan / Danielle Vahdat / USA / Danielle Vahdat / 4 | 73.53
- Siegfried / Devi Ferreira / USA / Ixchel Mosley / 4 | 73.77
- Classic Fly MJ / Joie Gatlin / USA / Gugler Sport Horses / 4 | 76.55
- Santos LS La Silla / Kevin Lemke / GER / Durango Farms / 4 | 79.04