Lexington, Ky.—Aug. 20  

Guilherme Jorge’s track for the $40,000 Bluegrass Festival Grand Prix proved tricky for a number of the 30 first-round starters, with only four entries riding a clean and clear first round to qualify for the jump-off. Conor O’Regan and Rivage De Lormay ended up as the only duo that did not fall victim to a rail, riding to the only double-clear of the afternoon to claim the grand prix victory.

Conor O’Regan and Rivage De Lormay. Photo by Barre Dukes/Phelps Sports

The first two in the order of go, Paulo Santana and his own Taloubet as well as Sloane Coles aboard The Springledge Group’s Espirit, each mastered Jorge’s jumper track, though that would not set the tone for the class. A steady drought of clear rides followed, only twice interrupted by David Beisel with the ride on the ever-speedy stallion Ammeretto, owned by Equine Holdings, LLC, and O’Regan and Horseware’s Rivage De Lormay. A pattern emerged throughout the class, with multiple entries dropping the second half of the tight combination nearing the end of the course or exhibiting trouble in the holding lines, which resulted in plenty of downed rails. With a small number of contenders to compete against in the jump-off, each qualified pair felt the pressure to keep all of the cups in the rails.

“Walking the course I didn’t think there was going to be a ton of clear rounds and I actually really didn’t think it was going to suit my horse,” said O’Regan. “He’s really scopey and he’s got a massive stride, and a lot of the lines were quite short and backwards, but he was brilliant. He was very rideable. He answered every question that was put in front of him. The combination was quite tricky towards the in-gate—oxer, oxer, vertical. My horse was great and my other horse Barlando also jumped fantastic. He was sixth with the quickest 4 faults. He did not do that much wrong so I was happy with him also.”

The first back in the ring, Santana and Taloubet tripped the timers in a quick 35.53 seconds, but unfortunately dropped a rail to end on a 4-fault total. Coles and Espirit followed second, but also knocked a pole to add 4 faults to their 5 time faults after breaking the beam in 49.37 seconds to finish on a cumulative 9 faults. Riding a more conservative trip in a time of 43.14 seconds, O’Regan piloted Rivage De Lormay to an efficient final go around the track, leaving the course intact with only one competitor left to ride.

Always a fierce competitor in the grand prix, Biesel and his reliable Ammeretto took to the ring hoping to overcome O’Regan, and it appeared they were going to do just that until they dropped the back rail of one of the final oxers, solidifying O’Regan and Rivage De Lormay as the champions as the only double-clear pair.

“My horse is naturally not a quick horse, but he’s got a massive stride and he covers a lot of ground,” O’Regan said. “The other three competitors in the jump-off were all very quick. Paulo going first was quick, and Sloane has won some grand prix events, and of course [there’s] David Beisel. Going last I was looking over my shoulder. My plan changed a little bit after Sloane went and there were no clear rounds so I said that I’ll take a chance knowing that my horse is careful. We jumped a clear round and put the pressure on David and it worked out. I didn’t watch [David]. I was happy with my horse and whatever happened, happened. I’m just fortunate that my horse has done well today and I got the win.

“The horse is a 12-year-old Selle Français gelding,” O’Regan said. “He’s owned by Horseware Ireland—Tom McGuiness. I started riding the horse at the end of last year in November and it’s been a really good process with him. I started doing 1.30- and 1.35-meter and he finished Wellington doing 1.40m and then I started doing some grand prix classes in the spring. He’s been super consistent. Just knocking on the door. He got some places in FEI in Michigan and it’s just been building, so I feel like the horse deserves to win a class. It was a tough course today so he handled it really well.”

$40,000 Bluegrass Festival Grand Prix

1. Conor O’Regan / Rivage De Lormay / Horseware /0-0/43.14
2. Paulo Santana, Filho / Taloubet / Paulo Santana, Filho / 0-4/35.53
3. David Beisel / Ammeretto / Equine Holdings LLC / 0-4/40.17
4. Sloane Coles / Esprit / The Springledge Group / 0-9/49.37
5. Winn Alden / Charlie / Southern Arches, LLC / 2/85.17
6. Conor O’regan / Barlando / Dynomite Ranch, LLC / 4/75.42
7. Kelli Cruciotti / Hadja Van Orshof / Kelli Cruciotti / 4/78.29
8. Kelli Cruciotti / Haylie Van De Groenendijk / Serenity Farm / 4/78.83
9. David Beisel / Call Me Hannes / Harlow Investment Enterprises, LLC / 4/79.23
10. Paige Sorce / Chica’s Boy / Western Meadow Farm LLC / 4/82.79