Blenheim
EquiSports |
Chris
Kappler Wins $175,000 Cargill Grand Prix of the United States,
Presented by HBO To Close 2002 Oaks Blenheim International
CSI-A
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San Juan Capistrano, CA—July 28, 2002—Chris Kappler of
Flemington, NJ won the $175,000 Cargill Grand Prix of the United
States, Presented by HBO, to close the 2002 Oaks Blenheim International
CSI-A.
Kappler won in dramatic fashion, riding Royal Kaliber, owned by
Kappler and Kathy Kamine, to the only double-clear score of the
day, defeating the reigning World Champion, Rodrigo Pessoa of Brazil,
by one penalty.
“I
knew all afternoon that I’d have to go clean in order to win
this thing,” said Kappler who as the last rider saw Pessoa
go clean in the afternoon after scoring one time penalty on Gandini
Lianos in the morning’s first round. “There was just no
doubt that Rodrigo would force the issue with a clean round.”
Pessoa had nothing but praise for his horse and said, “Time
faults are always the fault of the rider. My horse was 100% today,
I can only blame myself for the time fault.”
The
two-round Grand Prix served as the final two United States Equestrian
Team (USET) selection trials to pick this country’s squad for
the 2002 Show Jumping World Championships to be held as part of
the World Equestrian Games in Jerez, Spain in September. The CSI-A
also hosted the fourth of the six trials on Friday.
Topping the standings in the bid to be among four team members plus
one alternate for the U.S. team were:
Molly Ashe of Wellington, FL on Kroon Gravin, owned by Sandra O’Donnell;
Peter Wylde of Dover Plains, NY on Fein Cera, owned by The Fein
Cera Group; Leslie Howard of Westport, CT on Priobert de Kalvarie,
owned by Higher Ground Farms, Inc.; Nicole Shahinian-Simpson of
Westlake Village, CA on El Campeon’s Cirka Z, owned by El Campeon
Farms; and Beezie Madden of Cazenovia, NY on Judgement, owned by
Iron Spring Farm.
Veterinary inspections and drug testing are scheduled for the top
finishing horses and the USET will formally announce the squad of
four plus one alternate no later than Tuesday, July 30.
The trials results are also being used to determine the team for
CSIO Spruce Meadows in Calgary, Canada in early September.
Complete results of all trials with final standings are available
on the U.S. Equestrian Team website at www.uset.org.
This
year marked the second annual Oaks Blenheim International CSI-A,
which was the country’s first outdoor CSI-A (international
individual show jumping competition). It was also the second time
Selection Trials to determine a USET squad were held at the Oaks
Blenheim Exhibitions – Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park. Selection
Trials for the USET’s Sydney Olympic squad were held at the
San Juan Capistrano venue in 2000.
In
addition to the selection trials, other exciting classes at the
CSI-A included the $10,000 Hermes International Speed Class, won
Thursday morning by Laura Kraut on Liberty; the $10,000 Robert Mondavi
Winery International Welcome Class won Thursday afternoon by Eric
Hasbrouck on Sitah; the $25,000 St. Regis Resort International Class
won by Mandy Porter on Lavita on Friday afternoon; the $10,000 Budweiser
Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic won by Alison Lynch on TJ’s
Eagle on Saturday morning; and the $35,000 Budweiser International
Speed Derby won by Rodrigo Pessoa on Gandini Bianca D’Amoury
on Saturday afternoon.
In
addition to thrilling show jumping competition, spectators enjoyed
a range of activities and entertainment, including live music and
a Kids Day sponsored by Fidelity Investments. Kids Day included
a soccer shootout with show jumping stars Rodrigo Pessoa, Beezie
Madden, Ray Texel and Marley Goodman who joined local soccer players
in trying to score against a goalkeeper from the Los Angeles Galaxy
professional soccer team.
Blenheim
EquiSports, under the direction of Olympic veteran rider Robert
Ridland and CEO R.J. Brandes, is one of the country’s largest
equestrian management and promotion companies. Events managed by
Blenheim EquiSports include the 2000 Budweiser World Cup Finals
in Las Vegas, the 2000 U.S. Olympic Team Trials and the inaugural
Oaks Blenheim International CSI-A
For
general information, please visit www.capistranofestival.com
or www.blenheimequisports.com
or call (949) 443-1844.
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