Monsieur du Reverdy and Victoria Colvin. (Shawn McMillen Photography)
There were 30 entries in tonight's final round, which was held in jump-off format. There were four clear rounds, and they went for speed over the shortened course, designed by Steve Stephens. First to go was Nathaniel Britell on Kimberlite. They had one rail in 41.064 seconds and finished in third place. Haley Schaufeld and Ana Sia also had four faults, but with a slower time of 43.165 seconds, they placed fourth. Barbara Ruziska and Victoire van het Dingeshof were faster in 42.343 seconds and a clear round, but they would have to wait and see what Colvin could do.
It turns out, Colvin could do quite a lot. She and Monsieur du Reverdy, a 12-year-old Selle Francais gelding by Quidam de Revel, started out with speed, but had a hiccup after landing from the liverpool oxer into the corner. The horse tripped and caught his shoe, pulling it off, and Colvin lost a stirrup. She continued through the double combination, but after that finished the rest of the course with no stirrups.
When asked about her jump-off plan, she said with a smile, “I didn't know if I was going to go inside or around to the second jump. I wasn't deciding to drop my stirrups either. I jumped the liverpool and kind of fell down, and he pulled a shoe. Then I almost fell off. Then I jumped the in and out with one stirrup. I couldn't get it back, so I just decided to drop my stirrups since it was much easier.”
Colvin said that the same thing happened at the Devon Horse Show where she lost one stirrup but decided to drop both of them and was able to win there too. Last weekend, Colvin finished second in the equitation finals after completing a work-off without stirrups. She compared, “This was easier than the equitation because I didn't have to think about my position, even though I almost fell off!”
Despite winning by two seconds, Colvin didn't think she was fast enough for victory. “I didn't think I had the time because I slipped and thought that would take time. I didn't think I was going that fast,” she acknowledged. “Maybe because I was without stirrups, it seemed slower or something.”
Colvin was excited to add this win to her career highlights after finishing in second place last year with Waminka. She remarked, “This one is pretty cool. Since it's indoors, it's pretty prestigious. It's pretty nice to win this.”
For their win in the final round, Colvin was presented with the Remy Martin Perpetual Trophy, donated by Rolling Acres and Melanie Wright. The Best Junior Jumper Rider Award, sponsored by Back Country Farm, was given to Victoria Colvin, while Darby Toben won the Best Amateur Jumper Rider Award sponsored by Lyman T. Whitehead and Eight Fences, LLC.
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Final Results: $10,000 North American Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Final Round
1 MONSIEUR DU REVERDY VICTORIA COLVIN: 0/0/40.832
2 VICTOIRE VAN HET BARBARA RUZISKA: 0/0/42.343
3 KIMBERLITE NATHANIEL BRITELL: 0/4/41.064
4 ANA SIA HALEY SCHAUFELD: 0/4/43.165
5 VICKY TAYLOR ALEXANDER: 0/8/72.117
6 SALERNO KILIAN MCGRATH: 0/8/75.108
7 KING OF HEARTS CHLOE REID: 0/8/77.081
8 TORSINAA MEGAN CACCHIO: 0/9/78.058
9 UPSTAIRE CALLIE SMITH: 0/12/69.309
10 KASKADE SHAWN CASADY: 0/12/73.745
11 CHAUCER DARBY TOBEN: 0/13/78.294
12 PRINCETON DARBY TOBEN: 0/15/80.939