There are few classes that Olympic silver medalist and World Championship veteran Beezie Madden hasn’t won. But until April 2, the $200,000 Budweiser American Invitational was one of them.

Madden and Authentic changed all that with the only double-clear jump-off round in the prestigious class, held under the lights in Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla., as the finale of the Winter Equestrian Festival.

“He’s been jumping so fantastically all circuit and just missing, so I think it was kind of his time,” said Madden of her Olympic partner. “He jumped so great in the first round that I went into the jump-off with a lot of confidence.”

That confidence was helped by the fact that the only other first-round clear, Jeffery Welles and Armani, had pulled a rail, stopping the timers in 43.29 seconds, before she entered the stadium.

“I knew I had to be not too much slower than Jeffery, because even he was close to the time allowed [of 47 seconds],” Madden said. “I did take my time. I knew I had to be similar to Jeffery, but just a little more conservative to pull off the clear round.”

Welles wasn’t too upset about conceding defeat.

“Basically, I didn’t know what to expect from Armani. He’d never shown in a situation like this, and while I didn’t think he’d be spooky, I wasn’t sure how he’d react. But he kept his cool and jumped fantastic,” he said

Armani’s rail came at the front rail of 10A, the first element of a scopey oxer-oxer two-stride combination that had fallen multiple times in the first round for other horses. “Armani has a tendency to cut down on the back rail of oxers, so I rode into that pretty strongly, and the front rail came down,” Welles explained.

Interestingly enough, Authentic (out of the mare Gerlinda) and Armani (out of Fzostara) are each 10-year-old, Dutch Warmblood geldings by the same stallion, Guidam. Guidam currently stands in Ireland, owned by Tom Rowland.

Mixed Feelings

The top check for $60,000 might help alleviate Madden’s disappointment at falling just short of qualifying for the Budweiser FEI World Cup Final, in Las Vegas on April 21-24. She finished ninth in the final U.S. East Coast League standings, just out of the running for a spot in Vegas.

“It’s fine, though. Authentic had a big year last year as a 9-year-old [earning team silver in the Athens Olympics]. We’ll give him a little bit of a break now and then get him ready for the Spruce Meadows [Alta.] shows this summer,” Madden said.

Madden and Authentic have been named to the U.S. team for the Samsung Super League, but she might take Conquest and Judgement to Europe for that tour.

Ramiro Quintana also had some mixed emotions after the Invitational. He was thrilled to place an impressive third as the fastest four-faulter in the first round in his Invitational debut. But he was heartbreakingly close to a clear round.

Hurricane, on whom Quintana had won the $100,000 CN U.S. Open Jumper Championship in Wellington, Fla., three weeks before, just barely caught the front rail of the last oxer.

“It was my mistake. It was a steady line, and I got there a little too early. It was definitely rider error,” Quintana said. “But I was thrilled with third. Of course, you always want to win, but this was pretty good as well.”

After walking the first round, Quintana knew he had his work cut out for him.

“It was definitely a big course, but Hurricane has all the scope to jump the jumps,” Quintana said. He’s only had the ride on Hurricane for six months, but he’s built a solid relationship with the horse, who previously won at the grand prix level with Welles, McLain Ward, and his owner, Sarah Willeman.

Quintana relished his glory, since this summer Hurricane will travel to Europe to compete with Willeman, who graduates from Stanford University (Calif.) and will take over the reins again. She’ll also be showing her Fein Cera, the 2002 World Equestrian Games bronze medalist with Peter Wylde.

Quintana credited Willeman’s generosity and the help of many–including Hurricane’s trainer Missy Clark and Joe Fargis–for their performances this winter. “It’s not just me; it’s a real team effort,” he said.

Quintana was the only four-faulter in the first round, as the course Steve Stephens designed took quite a toll on the 30 top money-winners throughout the Winter Equestrian Festival (Fla.). The main challenge was the notorious Aquaduct fence, an airy arched wall that had liverpools set at the bases of its three arches. Seven horses stopped there, and many horses jumped it awkwardly.

Bridge Over Troubled Water

The Aquaduct wasn’t a new fence–it had appeared in grand prix classes during the WEF before. But a new paint job and reflections off the lights made the fence even spookier.

“The first three horses jumped it fine, and then a couple of them stopped. I think what happens then is that the riders think it’s a problem and overreact a bit, overriding the fence. Sometimes, that alerts the horses that there’s something strange coming up,” said Stephens.

Veteran horses like 2000 Olympian Clasiko, with Lauren Hough, stopped twice at the Aquaduct, eliminating them. Mac Cone on Melinda, Nona Garson on Languster, Laura Chapot on Little Big Man, and Ellen Whitaker on AK Locarno were also eliminated for two stops there. Todd Minikus’ Invitational ended when Flier stopped at the Aquaduct and he came off. Candice King’s Verlest Camillo stopped once, then cleared it, but seemed unnerved and pulled rails and stopped again later.

“I knew that jump would cause problems,” said Welles. “Even when he used it in the daylight, some horses had issues with it. When you add in the darkness and the lights, it was very difficult.”

But Stephens was unapologetic for the question the Aquaduct asked.

“It was a bravery question. This class is the Super Bowl of our sport. If you win, you’re going to get famous. I expect you to be at the top of your game when you walk into this stadium,” he said.

Ken Berkley and Carlos Boy had their only jumping faults at the Aquaduct, when Carlos Boy took a long, hard look at the fence, then jumped through it. The loss of momentum also cost them 2 time faults, putting them sixth. McLain Ward and Sapphire claimed fourth with a rail at the 10AB combination and a time fault. The same score brought Ian Millar and In Style to fifth.

Rails fell often at the 10AB combination. “Both oxers were five feet square, so it was a scopey combination. I didn’t build a triple combination, so I had to have a scope question,” Stephens said.

Chris Kappler and Primeur looked to be on their way to a classy clear in the first round, jumping all the hard parts with aplomb. But on the turn to the last line, away from the in-gate, Primeur stalled out and stopped going forward. Kappler got him to the next vertical at the trot, and they knocked it down. Their 7 faults left them seventh.