Top O’World: Steinwedell-Carvin and Taunus

By Staff Report February 6, 2012

Francie Steinwedell-Carvin and Taunus were top of class in the first of World Cup Qualifier of the HITS Desert Circuit on Feb. 4, speeding to victory over the indoor course at the $53,000 Strongoid C 2X Grand Prix CSI-W 2* to best a field of 14 competitors.

The event played out before a packed house in the indoor arena at the HITS Horse Park in Thermal, CA, where the very next day day, Sunday, week two of the six-week circuit came to a close with Josephina Nor-Lantzman and Chello Z winning the $30,000 Smart Pak Grand Prix on Feb. 5.

Francie and Prentiss Partners’ Taunus were the only faultless round in the class, and in addition to valuable FEI World Cup points, also banked stock toward the third annual Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix.

For the first HITS Desert Circuit World Cup test, course designer Bernardo Cabral of Lisbon, Portugal presented 12 obstacles, including a double and a triple combination. Faults were scattered throughout the course, but it was the time allowed of 74 seconds that posed the most difficult question to both horses and riders. The first round birthed zero faultless rides, but four emerged with only one time fault to advance to the jump-off.

“I thought the time was fair for a World Cup qualifier,” said Steinwedell-Carvin, partnered with husband Dick Carvin in Meadow Grove Farms, based at Middle Ranch in Lakeview Terrace, CA. “Obviously I would have liked to come in under the time, but it worked out just fine for me and we had an exciting jump-off.”

Even without any fault-free first round efforts, Cabral was pleased with the class. “If I test the riders properly and the horses don’t get too anxious, I am happy,” he said. As it wound up, Steinwedell-Carvin was the only women representing the United States.

“It was so cool to be the only American woman in the class and to win it was surreal,” Steinwedell-Carvin said.

Joining her in the jump-off as the first to go was Helen McNaught riding her own Caballo. McNaught, who rides for Great Britain based at Outwood Farm in Castro Valley, CA, won the first HITS Desert Circuit grand prix of the 2012 season.

Cabral offered seven obstacles in the second round and McNaught covered the first three without fault, only to have trouble at the fourth – the second fence of the double combination. She and Caballo dropped a rail to pick up four faults in a time of 42.26 seconds, good for second place.

“This was our first time indoors this season and for the horses it’s a big deal,” McNaught said afterwards. “I rode that one fence badly and it caught me, not the horse – he was ready to go clear.”

Otavio Penedo of Zapopan, Mexico and his own Es Carando Z made it into the top three with only four faults in the jump off (at the second fence) and  a time of 42.35.

Mark Watring of Thousand Oaks, California aboard Horseworks etc Inc’s Green Sleeps Vioco finished in fourth with a four-fault jump-off round in 43.31 seconds. Duncan McFarlane of San Ramon, California and Simone Coxe’s Mr. Whoopy rounded out the top five after picking up two time faults in the first round.

Steinwedell-Carvin currently sits comfortably in the top 10 of the North American West Coast League FEI World Cup standings and will place some attention on making an appearance at the Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix, scheduled to take place on Championship Weekend, Sept. 7-9, at HITS on the Hudson in Saugerties, NY. “I would love to go to Saugerties,” Steinwedell-Carvin said. “I just have to make sure I qualify and get some money in the bank.”

To qualify for the $1 Million class, riders must bank eight qualifying classes to become eligible. Of those, the top 40 riders (based on money won on their leading horse) will earn a slot in the line-up.

 

In Sunday’s Grand Prix, Nor Lantzman topped a field of 34-starters. “I couldn’t be happier with the way I finished my two weeks at HITS Thermal,” Nor Lantzman said. “I will be back for the second half of the circuit where I look forward to competing against some of the top riders in the world. I am riding for Brazil and my ultimate goal is to make the 2016 Olympics.”

Five riders advanced past round one of Cabral’s 13-fence track (time allowed, 84 seconds). The winning pair posted 47.80 seconds in the jump off, besting second-placed Michelle Spadone and Redfield Farm’s Coco at 47.80.

 

 

$30,000 Smartpak Grand Prix  (Feb. 5, 2012)

1)  Chello Z  (Josephina Nor Stables LLC)  Josephina Nor Lantzman $9,000
2)  Coco  (Redfield Farm)  Michelle Spadone $6,600
3)  Kaskaya   (Leone Equestrians Inc.)  Jill Humphrey $3,900
4)  Angelli  (Paige Harryman)  Harley Brown $2,400
5)  Acorina   (Monarch International)  Will Simpson $1,800
6)  Con Capilot  (Plum Creek Hollow Farm)  Mandy Porter $1,500
7)  Hopscotch  (Poseidon Stables)  Karianne Boyce-Lockhart $ 1,200
8)  IV Ever (Brian Gingras)  Jill Henselwood $900
9)  Brown Thomas  (Kim Nixon)   Jenn Serek $900
10) Absie  (Sarah Ballou)  Sarah Ballou $600
11)  Sacramento N  (Kim Cox)  Katie Cox (TX)   $ 600
12)  Colgan Cruise  (Chapman & Fellers)  Rich Fellers $600

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