Lexington, Ky. – Nov. 2, 2018 – The penultimate day of show jumping competition at the 2018 National Horse Show took place Friday, with the crowd favorite Salamander Hotels & Resorts $35,000 Accumulator Class CSI4* showing off a unique contest. Accruing the highest number of points out of the pack of entries, Molly Ashe Cawley (USA) and Louisburg Farm’s Picobello Choppin PC earned the lead spot in the victory gallop and added the Whitney Stone Memorial Trophy to their trophy case, the second time in two days that Ashe Cawley and “Chops” have been victorious in the Alltech Arena.
Always an exciting class, the Salamander Hotels & Resorts $35,000 Accumulator Class CSI4* featured 10 obstacles of increasing difficulty, where points were awarded for each fence cleared. Obstacle one jumped without fault was worth one point, obstacle two jumped without fault was worth two points and so on. A final fence option, “The Joker,” was worth double points if left intact, however, if a rider opted for ‘The Joker’ and knocked it down, those points were deducted from the cumulative score. All told, a perfect score would be 65 points, with time serving as the tie-breaker.
Ultimately, 15 combinations out of the original field of 28 managed to secure a perfect score over course designer Ken Krome’s (USA) winding track. Third to go in the class, Katie Dinan and Grant Road Partners, LLC’s Tarioso Manciais were the first duo to successfully finish on a tally of 65 points, tripping the timers in 53.21 to set the pace for subsequent contenders. Only a handful of trips later, Ashe Cawley and Picobello Choppin PC overthrew the pole sitters, edging them out with perfect marks in a quick time of 51.36 seconds, almost two whole seconds faster. The remaining 20 participants aimed to chase down the class leaders, and while many managed to leave the course fully upright, none had the speed to eclipse Ashe Cawley and the 10-year-old chestnut gelding’s time.
Beezie Madden (USA) and Abigail Wexner’s Jiva secured the second place honors as the closest to overthrowing the leaders with a 65-point trip in 51.97 seconds, while Catherine Tyree (USA) and Mary Tyree’s Catungee captured third place just a hair off the pace in 52.36 seconds.
Already champions once this week, Ashe Cawley and Picobello Choppin PC retained their winning momentum from Thursday afternoon, when they jumped to the head of the leaderboard in the $35,000 Palm Beach Masters Series International Open Jumpers Speed CSI4*. Their top call Friday evening is just one in a growing list for Ashe Cawley, who piloted D’Arnita to victory in the $204,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ New York CSI4*-W at the American Gold Cup earlier this season.
Finishing in the reserve position for their third podium finish in as many classes, Madden and Jiva have also compiled an impressive list of top finishes over three days of riding at the National Horse Show. The horse-and-athlete combination took first prize in Thursday’s $35,000 Free x Rein International Jumper Welcome Speed CSI4* in addition to third place in the $35,000 Palm Beach Masters Series International Open Jumpers Speed CSI4*.
The 2018 National Horse Show will return Saturday, with juniors and amateurs highlighted in the afternoon in the $50,000 Hollow Brook Wealth Management Show Jumping Hall of Fame Amateur-Owner/Junior Jumper Grand Prix, and the $250,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Lexington CSI4*-W bringing top show jumping competitors to the ring Saturday evening.
FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE
Molly Ashe Cawley – Salamander Hotels & Resorts $35,000 Accumulator Class champion
On two wins in two days with Picobello Choppin PC:
“He is a fast horse and he is very careful. He gives it his best every time, so he is a real winner and he does that a lot.”
On the accumulator class format and course:
“Today we were all a little surprised when we walked because [Ken Krome] had built it small and then he raised it a bit. Technically speaking, the fences are supposed to get bigger each jump because they are worth more points each jump, but it was a bit more turning today than yesterday’s course. It wasn’t quite as smooth as yesterday’s course, but it is right up my horse’s alley. I was happy with the course as I walked it and I thought I had a pretty good shot.”
On riding at the National Horse Show:
“It’s gone great so far. The horses have jumped super. I love this ring and the footing is super. It is really set up for the horses to go their best and so far they have done that.”
Beezie Madden – Salamander Hotels & Resorts $35,000 Accumulator Class reserve champion
On her success this week with Jiva:
“She has been first, second and third this week. I thought the first class would be the hardest for her because it was the biggest class she was going to do this week. She did [the Pennsylvania National Horse Show in] Harrisburg two weeks ago and she was excellent there. She won the last two classes she did there, as well. This is a little bit bigger ring, so I had a good feeling that she could be competitive.”
On the accumulator class format and course:
“I think it’s nice to mix up the classes. It keeps it interesting for us, and sometimes it is nice for a horse to jump to get up some confidence and things like that because there are no combinations for them to get in trouble with since it’s all single fences. It’s not a bad exercise.”
RESULTS
Salamander Hotels & Resorts $35,000 Accumulator Class
Place / Horse / Rider / Country / Owner / Score / Time
1. Picobello Choppin PC / Molly Ashe / USA / Louisburg Farm / 65 / 51.36
2. Jiva Elizabeth Madden / USA / Abigail S Wexner / 65 / 51.97
3. Catungee / Catherine Tyree / USA / Mary Tyree / 65 / 52.36
4. Buckle Up / Shane Sweetnam / IRL / Sweet Oak Farm / 65 / 52.94
5. Tarioso Manciais / Katherine A. Dinan / USA / Grant Road Partners, LLC / 65 / 53.21
6. Major / Aaron Vale / USA / Sleepy P Ranch LLC / 65 / 53.30
7. Quidam MB / Adrienne Sternlicht / USA / Starlight Farms, LLC / 65 / 53.41
8. Little Lord / Karen Polle / JPN / Karen Polle / 65 / 53.79
9. Eyecatcher / Mattias Tromp / USA / Beyaert Farm Inc / 65 / 54.10
10. Camillo VDL / Peter Lutz / USA / E2 Showjumpers / 65 / 54.59
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