Lexington, KY – August 3, 2022 – Just as it did last week, the $5,000 1.40m Open Jumper kicked off jumper competition Wednesday in the Rolex Stadium at the Kentucky Horse Park. This time, however, the class was set to a one-round speed format in which Bernardo Costa Cabral (POR) set the course to challenge the competitors to post their fastest times. Eighteen talented horse-and-rider athlete combinations entered the stadium with their sights set on the blue ribbon. At the conclusion of the class, TJ O’Mara and Kassiodam, once again, stood atop the leaderboard, exerting their dominance and proving they are a force to be reckoned with at this level.
Although a more inexperienced duo, the pair clicked right away when they got to work together in the spring. Their partnership blossomed quickly and they have racked up several big wins in a short amount of time. O’Mara and the 10-year-old Anglo European Studbook mare arrived in Kentucky last week after spending the several weeks prior at Tryon International Equestrian Center, where they secured several podium finishes including 1st in the 1.35m Jumper and 2nd in $25,000 Grand Prix.
With speed as the name of the game, Kassiodam, owned by Caroline Blake, entered the ring with a chip on her shoulder. No stranger to this level of competition, Kassiodam took to the track with an impressive stride and near perfect jumping form, gliding over each obstacle with ease. O’Mara proved to be comfortable in the tack aboard his trusted mount, setting her up perfectly for each jump and pushing her to the limits. The pair crossed the wire at a speedy time of 70.443 seconds, leaving all rails in-tact, to take home the blue ribbon.
Putting together a clear round of their own was Alison Robitaille and Alison Firestone LLC’s, Jikke-Cara. Although the pair only started working together this year, they use each opportunity to add wins to their resume and build upon their partnership. Coming off several successful rides at both WEC Ocala Summer 6 and Tryon Summer 3 at this level, Robitaille and the 8-year-old KWPN mare did not hold back. With Robitaille in the irons, Jikke-Cara was unphased by the pressure of the environment and took the expansive track with confidence and poise. Robitaille piloted her mount effortlessly through the bending lines and over each obstacle, guiding her to a clear round, coming up just short of the top spot at a time of 73.250 seconds, successfully securing the red ribbon. The pair’s confident nature and trust in one another shows they have a promising future ahead of them.
Rounding out the top three with the third and final clear effort in the class was Annie Bolling and her own, Mykonos SCF. Bolling took a slightly more reserved approach in piloting the 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding and placed emphasis on posting a clear round. The pair kept a consistent pace, but didn’t take as many risks throughout the track, crossing through the timers with a time of 77.545 seconds to take third. As another younger partnership, they are continuing to use these opportunities to build their partnership.
A full slate of jump competition is scheduled to continue in the Rolex Stadium Thursday, August 4, starting with the Open Jumper 1.40m at 8:00am EST. Jumper competition in the Rolex Stadium will come to a head Saturday with the featured event of the week in the $50,000 Kentucky Summer Classic Grand Prix at 7:00pm EST.
RESULTS
1.40M Jumper
Place / Horse / Rider / Owner / R1 Faults | Time / R2 Faults | Time
1 / Kassiodam / TJ O’Mara / Caroline Blake / 0 | 70.443
2 / Jikke-Cara / Alison Robitaille / Alison Firestone LLC / 0 | 73.250
3 / Mykonos SCF / Annie Bolling / Annie Bolling / 0 | 77.545
4 / Carlson 135 / Francisco Goyoaga Mollet / Ashland Farms / 4 | 69.080
5 / Hendrik Wildricks / Richard Rinehart / Chris Richards / 4 | 73.524
6 / Fortaleza / TJ O’Mara / Bluewater Farm / 4 | 74.588
7 / Elana 22 / Rachel Turk / Turk Performance Horses LLC / 5 | 83.261
8 / RMF Retro / Alexandria Beneson / Alexandria Beneson / 7 | 81.250
9 / Janari Ter Dolen / Celso Ariani / Ricardo Romero & Rodrigo Padilla / 8 | 68.108
10 / Hunters Conlypso II / Lorcan Gallagher / Dacantos Group / 8 | 69.975
11 / Cornetta / Skyler Fields / Skyler Fields / 8 | 82.847
12 / La Jolie Van’t Eigenlo / Celso Ariani / Ricardo Romero / 8 | 82.847
