Tampa, FL – April 2, 2010 – It was another beautiful day at the Bob Thomas Equestrian Center at the Florida State Fairgrounds, where the first week of the Tampa Equestrian Festival is being held. Today the Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumpers had the opportunity to compete for top ribbons in the Covered Arena. Blue ribbons were awarded to Joy Slater and Shindig for their stunningly fast double clear effort during the Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumpers, and to Darby Toben who rode Princeton in the High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumpers.
During today’s Junior/Amateur-Owner classes riders competed over a difficult course designed by Michel Vaillancourt. The course featured bending lines, an oxer to vertical double combination, a vertical-vertical-oxer triple combination, and a large final oxer going towards the gate. Many riders found faults at the large double combination and the final fence.
Joy Slater and Shindig, owned by Fat Chance Farm, were the first to compete during the Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumpers and they easily completed the first round without fault. The pair then geared up for their jump-off round. They quickly galloped to the first fence and continued their fast pace throughout the course, leaving each rail in its cup. Slater and Shindig blazed through the finish line in 33.771, setting a pace that no other riders would be able to catch, winning the top prize.
Samantha Schaefer was the next to complete a double clear effort aboard Canute, but the pair’s pace of 37.349 was soon caught and they took home the fourth place honors. Lacy Marrone Cramer and Beauty, owned by Equi-Sport LLC, were next in the ring and they also laid down a fault-free first round to move on to the jump off. Their quick time of 34.827 would not be fast enough to take the top spot, but they were awarded the second place ribbon for their efforts. Matthew Murphy and Nilton De St. Druon, owned by Michael Murphy, also so made it through the jump-off with all the rails in their cups, but pair’s time of 39.827 would earn them the fifth place honors.
Slater and her second mount Silvester, owned by Fat Chance Farm, were one of the last pairs to compete and they also made it through both the first round and the jump-off with out fault. Their time of 35.355 seconds earned them the third place title and sealed Slater’s victory with Shindig.
“Shindig is a fast horse,” noted Slater. “He jumps very accurately and he wastes no time in the air. He fit one stride too many between four and five during both the first round and the jump-off, but Shindig is such a star that he can deal with it.”
Slater has owned 18-year-old Shindig for ten years and they have many wins together. “He’s pretty straightforward, he’ll cheat sometimes, but he’s a good old soul,” she said. “Usually I just kick and go beause he likes going forward anyway.”
Silvester is a new mount that Slater purchased from McLain Ward in November. “I think Sylvester is quite a cute horse,” she smiled. “We went in the Highs during our first week together but we messed up. Then we moved way down to the lows, did the lows a couple times, and then moved up to the mediums. He’s a very happy horse now and I can’t complain.”
Slater has been riding for many years and used to compete in Steeplechase races. “I rode in English Grand National in 1983,” she explained. “I was the first girl in the Maryland Hunt Cup in 1980 and 198; I started race riding in 1976.” These days Slater focuses on her jumpers and tries to find time for foxhunting at her farm in Ocala.
Earlier in the day the High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumpers showed over the course in the Covered Arena. Michael Murphy and All Star, owned by Centennial Farm, led the way by completing a clear first round. They then repeated their fault-free effort during the jump-off, setting the pace at 37.995 seconds, which would hold-up for the second place prize.
Darby Toben and Princeton, owned by Doreen Toben, was the next pair to qualify for the short-course. The duo raced over the fences and was able to squeak by Murphy’s time. They had a fault-free effort in a time of 37.682, winning the class by just 3/10ths of a second. Meg O’Mara was the final rider on course with Sinatra IV, owned by Thinks Like a Horse, and they also made it to the short course, but an unfortunate rail during the bending line gave them a four fault score to earn the third place honors.
Toben has ridden 17-year-old Princeton for five years and the pair knows each other very well. “He’s very simple, he’s got the perfect mouth, definitely very scopey, and easy to turn,” she said. “Hopefully we’ll keep doing the Highs and then I would like to find one just like him. I am hoping he’ll show for another year or two.”
The pair came to the Tampa Bay Classic with trainer Emil Spadone of Redfield Farm. “I like it here because when it’s hot out you’re in a covered ring,” noted Toben. “I like the grounds, and everything is nice and relaxed.”
The Tampa Equestrian Festival’s first week, the Tampa Bay Classic, will continue through Sunday and on Tuesday the Tournament of Champions will get underway. This week’s horse show is a World Champion Hunter Rider (WCHR) qualifying event, and tomorrow’s highlight event will be the WCHR Handy Hunter Classic. The Tampa Equestrian Festival will come to a close on Saturday, April 10, following the $200,000 Gene Mische American Invitational presented by G & C Farm at Raymond James Stadium.
For more information about the Tampa Equestrian Festival please visit www.stadiumjumping.com.
