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Beezie Madden Takes Top Honors in $5,000 Open Jumper Classes with Prima and Exclusive During the Kentucky Spring Horse Show's Opening Day

Release: May 07 2009

Author: severs

By Rebecca Walton

Beezie Madden would not be stopped by rain during the opening of the Kentucky Spring Horse Show. The Olympic Gold medalist was victorious in two classes in the new outdoor stadium at the Kentucky Horse Park. First, Madden competed with Prima in the $5,000 1.40m Open Jumper class and had a wire-to-wire victory. She then went on to ride in the $5,000 1.45m Open Jumper class where she was the last entry with Exclusive, who had the fastest double-clear round.

"It was a very good day," smiled Madden. "They've all had a little break so it was nice to see that they came back and didn't forget how to do it!"

Richard Jeffery designed the courses, and both included a swedish oxer over a liverpool, a vertical to oxer double combination, a triple combination with an oxer and two verticals, and an optional water jump. The 1.40m Open Jumper class was scored under Section 1, a Timed First Round. The 1.45m Open Jumper class was scored under Section 2b, an Immediate Jump-Off. The jump-off course began over a single vertical followed by a large oxer with a long rollback to a single vertical. Riders then continued to the double combination and finished over a skinny vertical rolling back to a large vertical.

The 1.40m Open Jumper class was the first to compete in the new outdoor stadium, with Madden and Prima, owned by Neapoliton Holding of Naples, FL, at the top of the order. The pair would post a time that was unmatchable, slipping through the timers in 60.11 seconds, and leaving all the rails in their cups. Mario Deslauriers and Tigger, owned by Jane Clark of New York, NY, were the next duo to complete a clear round, but their time of 62.507 would fall just short of Madden and Prima, earning them the second-place position.

Next to make a bid for the lead would be Todd Minikus of Loxahatchee, FL, riding Ultimo Van Ter Doude. The pair was clean and fast, tripping the timers in 69.457 seconds to place fourth in the class. The next horse-and-rider combination to leave all the rails in the cups would be Shane Sweetnam and Saphir. Saphir is owned by Spy Coast Farm of East Setauket, NY. The pair came very close to catching Deslauriers' time after crossing the finish line in just 62.822 seconds and taking over the third-place position, securing Madden's wire-to-wire victory.

"I was really happy about my round with Prima," expressed Madden. "It was quite smooth. My plan was really not to go for broke, but she's so naturally fast that when I'm smooth and uninterrupted she covers the ground so fast that she is hard to beat; even when I'm just letting her go along, she wants to go fast anyway."

After her win with Prima in the $5,000 1.40m Open Jumper class Madden of Cazenovia, NY, moved on to compete in the 1.45m Open Jumper class where she earned the blue ribbon with Exclusive, as well as fourth- and fifth-place honors. Madden entered the ring first with Crème Brule, owned by Abigail Wexner of New Albany, OH, and the pair produced clear jumping efforts during the first round and jump-off. Their fast time of 41.988 seconds vaulted them to the lead during the beginning of the class, but as the competition continued, they earned the fourth place award. Madden then competed with Comtess III, owned by Trelawny Farm of Stonybrook, NY. After completing a clear first round she advanced to the jump-off where she attempted to beat her own time. The pair was clean but Comtess III tripped the timers in 42.228 seconds, just behind Crème Brule to earn the pink ribbon.

Mario Deslauriers successfully challenged Madden's lead with Ardeche Van De Zelm, owned by Lisa Silverman of New York, NY. The duo produced a fault-free effort in the first round and jump-off, and stopped the clock in 41.553 seconds, just passing Madden and Crème Brule. Their victory was short lived as Todd Minikus and Romy, owned by the Diamond Group of Loxahatchee, FL, advanced to the jump-off and also left all the jumps s

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