Temecula, Calif. – Oct. 23, 2021 – World class show jumping competition came to a dramatic head Saturday, October 23, for the second and final double-feature evening of the two-week Temecula Valley National Fall Series, presented by Interactive Mortgage. Athletes went head-to-head in both the $10,000 1.35m NEEd for Speed Derby sponsored by Multi Radiance Super Pulsed Lasers and the $50,000 Grand Prix sponsored by First National Bank of Pasco . As the final two hefty purses on the table for riders to claim, they left nothing on the table, tearing around the Grand Prix Arena one last time in hopes of claiming the lion’s share of the prize as well as the last of the points in the $25,000 Leading Rider Bonus, sponsored by Desert International Horse Park. Eric Navet and Coronado Blue NF rose to the occasion in the $10,000 1.35m NEEd for Speed Derby, while Jamie Taylor and Cocoliche of Greenhill Z claimed the ultimate victory in the $50,000 Grand Prix.
The speedsters were the first to kick off the action as twenty-three horse-and-rider combinations contested over Peter Grant’s (CAN) 16-effort 1.40m track. Set in the USEF Table III format, a faults-converted round, riders were only focused on the time posted to the scoreboard where each rail or refusal added four seconds to their overall time. Though many of the riders would return for the following class, many of the familiar faces from the two-week series saddled up their respective speed mounts for the last time.
Taylor, who won the $50,000 National Grand Prix during Week I of the Temecula Valley National Fall Series aboard Quatar, returned hoping to make it two-for-two and fend off other competitors as the leading rider in the $25,000 Bonus. Taylor was the first to enter the ring aboard her reliable speed partner, Katherine Wallisch’s 13-year-old Oldenburg mare, Isida. The duo prioritized a strong rhythm and steady pace through the tight turns around the course. She was on track to set the standard for the class with a time of 89.19 seconds, but two unfortunate rails caused her to fall out of contention for the first place prize.
Coming into the ring hot was John Pearce and Corsini, an eight-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Nicole Teague. The pair had spectators and fans on the edge of their seats as they took on the 13-obstacle track that featured a triple-bar and multiple vertical-oxer double combinations. The duo were the first to put in a faultless round, stopping the timers in a speedy 89.25 seconds, making them the new pathfinders of the course.
Sixth to take a shot at the course, Eric Navet and Signe Ostby’s nine-year-old Holsteiner gelding, Coronado Blue NF, took sharp turns and difficult approaches in an effort to shave off precious time. The dynamic duo blazed through the track, wowing the crowd with their speed and agility. The pair galloped through the finish line with a time of 83.338 seconds, breaking the beam and taking over the top spot, bumping Pearce down a spot.
Katie Kehring knew she would have to be quick with Mr. Miracle Man, a 14-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding owned by the Kehring Family. Taking advantage of going late in the class, Kehring was able to watch her peers and take note on how the course rode. Set on speed and speed alone, Kehring showcased a nail-biting round with a strong fight to the finish, cutting corners and leaving out strides to try and overtake the lead. In the end, the pair’s attempt to overturn the victory was unsuccessful but good enough for them to finish in the second place spot with a time of 88.734 seconds, ultimately leaving Pearce to round out the third place position and leaving Navet to take home the victory.
Riding the adrenaline rush from the speed class just prior, the grandstands surrounding the arena were buzzing with excitement ready to watch the thirty-six horse-and-rider pairs vie for their share of the $50,000 prize. Returning competitors from Week I’s grand prix were hoping to snag the last of the leading rider bonus points, while new faces aimed at pocketing the prize. Peter Grant’s (CAN) 16-effort 1.45m first round whittled the group down to just nine riders in the jump-off.
Returning to the Grand Prix Arena for the 8-effort jump-off, Kaitlin Campbell laid down a valiant effort aboard HD Horses LLC 10-year-old gelding, Dandy, to set the pace for the remaining eight competitors. The pair left all of the rails in the cups and crossed the finish line in 38.745 seconds, setting the bar high for those to follow.
Brazil-native Cassio Rivetti entered the arena on the 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood, Kayack, with confidence. Rivetti was hopeful to complete the first double-clear of the night, and after a nail-biting ride he navigated through the tiers with zero faults on the clock. Rivetti and Kayack’s double-clear finish would push them into the leading spot with a jump-off time of 38.172 seconds. The remaining competitors would have to give it their all to catch up to the leading rider.
Entering the ring to claim Rivetti’s first place finish was Taylor aboard Cocoliche of Greenhill Z, an 11-year-old Zangersheide gelding owned by Ali Nilforushan. The pair put down a double-clear ride of 35.279 seconds, proving that she is a force to be reckoned with in the jumper ring. Their performance in the ring stole the crowd’s hearts and brought a large roar from the spectators in the stands. The duo’s faultless score would remain unbeaten for the remainder of the class, leaving Taylor to lead the victory gallop at the conclusion of the night.
With nothing to lose and total faith in her mount Saturday afternoon, California-favorite Keri Potter entered the ring with Hannah Loly’s 12-year-old Westphalian gelding, Ariell La Sierene, with a plan to lay it all on the line. The pair left out strides and cut every corner they could as she narrowly overtook Rivetti’s second place spot by three seconds, finishing in a time of 35.62 seconds and settling into the second place position on the podium. In the end, it would be Taylor donning the winning cooler and blue ribbon in the victory gallop aboard her partner of six months, with Rivetti and Kayack claiming third place.
Competition at the Temecula Valley National Fall Series, presented by Interactive Mortgage, comes to a close Sunday, October 24 with Amateur riders taking the spotlight. The action kicks off in the Grand Prix Arena with the Low, Medium, and High Junior/Amateur-Owner/Amateur Jumper Classics, while the Amateur-Owner 3’3” and 3’6” Hunter division concludes with the crowning of the final champion of the 2021 season at Galway Downs.
FROM THE WINNERS CIRCLE
Eric Navet – $10,000 1.35m NEEd for Speed Derby winner
On Coronado Blue NF:
“I am so lucky to have this horse get another blue. He is a very, very fast horse and he knows how to play the game and loves doing it. He loves to go fast, he loves to win and he does his best. If I ride him well, he always has a chance.”
On the course:
“The course was totally different. I really liked last week’s because you could go very fast and ride very fluidly. Today was a little bit more of a rush ride for me. Last week you could go fast just by picking a big canter and just steering. Today was a little bit more of a rough ride and it was totally different. It was much more asking the horse. Coronado [Blue NF] was amazing and he always tries his best and loves to go fast. Every time he feels me let him go, he gets so happy and loves it.”
On Nilforushan Equisport Events:
“I think that this is a very, very nice show. It is very well organized and I think that there is a great team behind it. I think that Ali and Francie do a great job but not only them. I think they have a team around them that is absolutely amazing and you can see every single person on the team doing their best to make this show better and better. I’ve really enjoyed these past two weeks.”
Jamie Taylor – $50,000 Grand Prix winner
On her second win:
“Honestly, I put a lot of pressure on myself this week to [win]. I’ve had really good shows and have not always been able to call upon myself in that moment repeatedly, so I was just really happy I was able to achieve that.”
On Cocoliche of Greenhill Z:
“He was owned by a former client of mine and I was able to acquire him myself, which he has always been my favorite. If I could make a perfect horse, it would be Cocoliche [of Greenhill Z]. He’s blood, he’s careful, there’s a lot of sass. I’ve never ridden a horse where I feel like I could really jump anything.”
On the course:
“My plan was to go very fast again. We don’t get very detailed on the plan. It’s more so just go fast. He is very fast across the ground naturally and you can turn to very large jumps very tight. He is an incredible turner and the faster you go, the more careful he gets, so you can really ride that line between crazy and winning.”
On the turn before the last line:
“I knew that was a place that I could take a risk with him and I maybe made it riskier than I should have but you know, if you’re not trying, there’s no glory if you’re not trying.”
On giving thanks:
“I’m so thankful to the sponsors of this class. The first is [First National Bank of] Pasco for sponsoring what I thought was an incredible class. I’d also like to thank Ali and Francie Nilforushan for their unbelievable horse shows. I don’t miss one and I doubt I ever will.”
RESULTS
$10,000 1.35m NEEd for Speed Derby
Place / Horse / Rider / Country / Owner / Faults | Time
1. Coronado Blue NF / Eric Navet / FRA / Signe Ostby | 83.38
2. Mr. Miracle Man / Katie Kehring / USA / Kehring Family / 0 | 88.73
3. Corsini / John Pearce / CAN / Nicole Teague / 0 | 89.25
4. VDL Indygo Solier / Gabriel Rodrigues / BRA / 0 | 92.28
5. A Picasso De Vie / Sophie Simpson-Leckie / USA / Will Simpson Stables Inc. / 4 | 89.91
6. Delmonde / Allison Lajoie / USA / Allison Lajoie / USA / 0 | 94.58
7. Gatsby / John Pearce / CAN / Mary Poelman / 0 | 94.82
8. Kandella / Cassio Rivetti / BRA / Delaney Batter / 8 | 87.50
9. Isida / Jamie Taylor / USA / Katherine Wallisch / 8 | 89.19
10. Daisy Lyn / Lexi Burdon / USA / Lexi Burdon / 12 | 87.472
11. Tatabra Corvette / Britt Harley / USA / Patricia Martin / 4 | 96.98
12. Serendipity / Mandy Porter / USA / Vicki Juelsgaard / 4 | 100.08
$50,000 Grand Prix
Place / Horse / Rider / Country / Owner / R1 Faults | R1 Time / R2 Faults | R2 Time
1. Cocoliche of Greenhill Z / Jamie Taylor / USA / Ali Nilforushan / 0 | 86.19 / 0 | 35.27
2. Ariell La Sirene / Keri Potter / USA / Hannah Loly / 2 | 89.70 / 0 | 35.62
3. Kayack / Cassio Rivetti / BRA / HF Farms LLC / 0 | 86.96 / 0 | 38.17
4. Dandy / Kaitlin Campbell / USA / HD Horses LLC / 0 | 86.81 / 0 | 38.74
5. Adele XIII / Bruno Diniz Das Neves / POR / BDN Horse Investments / 0 | 83.99 / 0 |
40.72
6. Costo Rico / Judy Nielson / USA / Judy Nielson / 4 | 86.88 / 0 | 41.56
7. Doraindo / Kailtin Campbell / USA / SWS Training & Sales / 0 | 84.77 / 4 | 36.29
8. Triskel De Kerliven / Mandy Porter / USA / HHZ, LLC. / 0 | 86.53 / 8 | 39.34
9. Cooper / Simone Berg / USA / Berg Equestrian Enterprises LLC / 0 | 85.63 / 8 | 44.31
10. Top Castino / Bjorn Ikast / DEN / Bjorn Ikast / 4 | 91.43
11. Sherlina Ale / Jeffrey Fields / NZL / Sahana Ganesan / 4 | 84.74
12. Quatar / Jamie Taylor / USA / JT Equine LLC / 4 | 85.33