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Atlanta Summer Classics Opener is Action Packed

Release: June 16 2009

Author: severs

By Robbi Meisel

Mother Nature welcomed exhibitors to the summer season with plenty of sunshine and blue skies kicking off two weeks of heated competition at the Georgia International Horse Park. "This has been some week—great weather, wonderful courses, and all the amazing talents we have here!” said Bob Bell, President of the Classic Company.

Following a grand prix triumph last weekend in Tryon, NC, Hardin Towell continued his winning ways in Conyers. Based in Camden, SC, Towell over took 24 tough competitors to clinch victory in Thursday’s Classic Equine Equipment, Inc.-sponsored Open Jumper Welcome Stake. After riding his own eight-year-old Belgian-bred mare, Boo Van Het Kastanjeho,r to a double-clear finish on the Allen Rheinheimer-designed course of looping turns, Towell spoke of his partner and the evening class, “I’m so lucky to have her. She’s the best horse I’ve ever had. This course was great, but I really don’t always try to go too fast here, because I believe she’s destined for really big jumps in the future.”

Neither speed or twilight shadows posed an issue for this duo, who stopped the clock with a jump-off time of 33.160, well below the allowed 47 seconds. Towell had only one mount for this event, partly due to the increase in his riding schedule. “I’m riding a lot more now because Liza [Boyd, his sister] is pregnant,” Towell said with a huge smile. “We’re all so excited about that!” However, Hardin does plan on having a second mount in Saturday’s $25,000 Brookledge Grand Prix. “I’ll have Boo of course and Copado, who is really coming along nicely so we’ll see how it goes,” the laid back Towell said on his way back to the barn.

Friday evening spotlighted the $10,000 Chronicle of the Horse/United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) International Hunter Derby. A large crowd lined the former Olympic arena to cheer their favorite among the 38 entered for the initial round. Rheinheimer of Zionsville, IN, created a visually stunning and equally challenging course. “Allen has truly outdone himself on this one!” began Bell. “It’s just an incredible layout. The positioning of the jumps, the choice of options, and use of this vast arena could not have been more perfect.” Two panels of judges consisting of Thom Brede, Carl Hansen, Mike Lowry, and Chris Wayne, were placed around the arena and had the difficult task of selecting a mere 14 to return for the deciding round. Competitors chose to compete on the 3’6” or 4’ heights and had optional fence choices to select for bonus points. Bonus points could also be awarded for a pair’s handiness on course.

Despite being first to take on the testing layout, 15-year-old Hasbrouck Donovan of Florida set the tone with Paige Dekko’s entry Sag Harbor’s Lucky Star scoring a high 174 in the round. Fourth in the order, the Porter Allen-owned Reveille picked up bonus points with Florida’s Molly Sewell in the irons when the pair executed the uphill canter to the top of the bank, seemingly floated over the fence and back into a smooth transition downhill, giving them a 166 Round One score. However, this night would belong to Camden, SC-based Gary Young and the talented Colorado, owned by Nancy Jones. “I thought the course very challenging, a few interesting spots you had to really think about, like the bank, which options to take, and the lighting,” Young began. “We were lucky in the first round we went very early on when the natural light was still good, but coming back late was fine because the ring lights up great.” The pair’s first round score was 173, just one point off the leader.

The final round for the 14 top horses was geared towards being handy. “Handy is where I think he [Colorado] excels. He’s so concentrated and tries to please every time.” Young said of the nine-year-old German Warmblood. Confident that the 4’ options would play well for the duo, Young waited in the wings for 12 others to precede them. Towel

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