New Heights
California Ladies Turn On the Heat by Kathy Hobstetter
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E
On a blistering day in Southern
California, two enthusiastic ladies
W
turned on the heat for other riders, as
the journey to West Coast selections

for the 2008 World Cup began at
H
Showpark. With record setting
temperatures in the triple digits
E across the southland, forty five horses
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attempted a true test of top caliber
competition on a qualifying course set
G toward the top of the specs, with most
H
of the jumps set at, or close to, the
1.60 meter class description.
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“Riders wanted a high standard
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course to start off the qualifiers. They
are extremely smart to want that right
off the bat and stick to it,” said course
designer Anthony D’Ambrosio after
the class. “It is obvious the standard
here is improving because of that.
This is a different class from last year!
The course tonight was set so that if
they were careful, and their horses
also, they would be successful. The
well schooled, broke horse had the
advantage! The riders had to gallop
in spots and then shorten in others
and then set up quickly to face the short corners, combined with a tight
next problem. That is what showing time of eighty-six seconds, called for
indoors over big obstacles is about. quick reactions and impeccable rides.
Congratulations to these riders, there Luck would have only a small part of
is a new determination here.” the outcome for this class...you either
Time allowed was a huge factor passed the test or you didn’t.
right from the beginning. The scope For the first three dozen horses,
of the jumps, wide oxers, difficult scores were high and/or most of
combinations set on “half ” strides and the horses had time faults no matter
how quickly they traveled around this
course. When the veteran (Francie)
met the rookie (Jill), the class turned
into a new game. Francie Steinwedell-
Carvin, on Prentice Partners Ness-Go,
actually made the course look pretty
simple, till he stumbled on the landing
side of a vertical-vertical combination.
Scrambling a bit on a very tight turn,
he got his feet back under him just
in time to leap into the sir at the
Liverpool wide oxer, leaving it up in
a spectacular effort. Clear within the
time allowed, the first rider to do so!
Anyone who knows Jill Humphrey
and Rudy Leone know that they love a
challenge. Riding Equistar LLC’s new
mount, Lou Bega, she took the careful
tract till jump four, then made a very
Top & Bottom Right: Francie for the win; Left:
course designer Anthony D’Ambrosio
quick, left hand turn to the inside route,
which then left her plenty of time to
Photos © Kathy Hobstetter
be conservative with the ride but stay
within the time allowed. The strategy
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