Fellers Flexes to Top at Sac Int
By Jennifer Walker November 13, 2011
Rich Fellers and Flexible take their victory lap. (Flying Horse Photography Ltd.)
Rich Fellers and Flexible rode off with the blue (again!) at the $50,000 Sacramento International Grand Prix CSI-W Nov. 12. It was a repeat of the duo’s 2009 victory. Pitting 23 horse and rider combinations over Heiko Wahlers’ challenging course, only three made it clean through round one (which produced several four-faulters).
Michelle Spadone was first on the jump-off course and made it without lowering the rails, but a costly refusal earned 11 time faults. Saer Coulter was second. Dropping one rail she jumped to second, but left the door wide open for Fellers, who did not disappoint.
The win was good for 20 points for Fellers, who vaults from eleventh place to top five among West Coast riders competing for Rolex/FEI World Cup qualifier points. Saer Coulter and Karl Cook also earned beaucoup points!
FEI World Cup points are awarded to athletes only (not athlete/horse combinations, but must be won on a declared horse. Points are awarded to the 16 best placed athletes. Only three West Coast riders will get to join the seven from the east to form the group of 10 competing at World Cup on behalf of the U.S.
Sacramento International Horse Show's Rudy Leone and ProEquest's Allison Ekeroth in front of the five-bar, which rose to 1.86m (or 6'1").
East Coast rider Beezie Madden won the $31,000 Welcome Stake on her Pan Am mare, Coral Reef Via Volo. Jill Humphrey won the $4,000 Swiss Up Open Jumper 1.4m 5-Bar, clearing the tie-breaker at 1.86m). Karl Cook proved he has his pedal to the metal by winning his second Ride & Drive of the year (this one a $2,500) on Notories Utopia.
$50,000 Grand Prix of Sacramento CSI-W (Nov. 12, 2011; 1.6m; 24 entries)
1. Flexible Rich Fellers (Harry & Mollie Chapman) 0/0 0/time
2. Springtime Saer Coulter (Copernicus Stables Llc) 0/0 0/4/time
3. Uwwalon Michelle Spadone (Morgan Hill Partners) 0/0 0/11/time
4. Uno de Laubry Karl Cook (Signe Ostby)
5. Coral Reef Baloufino Vinton Karrasch Coral Reef Ranch
6. Toscane Emilie Martinsen (JAJ Van Rijswijk)
7. Cassiato Harley Brown (Harley Brown)
8. Woodpecker De Villars Candida Anthony (Potcreek Partners Llc)
9. Coral Reef Via Volo Elizabeth Madden (Coral Reef Ranch)
10. Mr. Whoopy Duncan McFarlane (Simone Coxe)
11. CombinaI Kirsten Coe (lan Ferder)
12. Quintender 2 Henrik Gundersen (Emilie Martinsen)
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