The Colorado Horse Park made sure spectators
ShowBiz Feature
were entertained before the start of the $60,000
Grand Prix of Denver, releasing the horses and
Asked what was instrumental to her the first Grand Prix as well as placing
hounds before the start of Grand Prix action.
clean run for the money, the engaging in the money in the next two. Aboard
Californian had a ready answer. Carolina, McConnell didn’t flinch at
“I was due,” she said with a burst unfavorable conditions during the first
of laughter. “It’s been a long time. two weeks of competition.
I’ve been working really hard.” “It’s just the luck of the draw,” said
Steinwedell-Carvin had an opportunity McConnell about tough weather during
to pick up a $25,000 bonus the very next a competitor’s time in the arena. “You
week, which goes to any rider winning don’t know if your horse is going to
two legs of the Colorado Horse Park handle those conditions well, you just
Triple Crown on the same horse. go,” he continued. “You don’t have
Heading into the arena just as clouds choices. You get to go show when it’s
unleashed several minutes of rain, good and when it’s bad.”
Colorado
she and Ness-Go had the large crowd Another local rider stepped up as
cheering them on over the difficult well, surprising most everyone with
Horse Park
Linda Allen designed course. The her performance during the first
crowd cheered louder as she approached two legs of Grand Prix competition.
Triple Crown
the final two jumps clean and fast, but Seventeen year-old Sarah Tredennick
all traces of happiness washed away of Littleton, Colorado showed riding
with a fault on the next to last obstacle. maturity beyond that of her first year
Story & Photos By
With a large crowd cheering
Lincoln Rogers them on, Francie Steinwedell-
Carvin and Ness-Go gallop
through the rain and over the
T
Linda Allen designed derby
he Colorado Horse Park Triple
course during the $40,000
Crown was a royal smash in 2007,
Rocky Mountain Grand Prix.
providing personal milestones and the
first-ever payout of a $25,000 bonus.
“It’s one of the best (summer circuit’s)
we’ve had,” said Charlotte Skinner of
Langer Equestrian Group, the firm
responsible for managing the Grand
Prix events at the Parker, Colorado
venue. “Riders came from all over,
(mostly from) Texas, New Mexico, and
Arizona. Probably about thirty percent
of the riders are from Colorado.”
While an Illinois competitor, Charlie
Jayne, grabbed the high point title and
almost $40,000 on a trio of horses,
riders from the west picked up plenty
of cash for themselves. Despite a
sideways rain throughout the jump-off, “It’s one of the best (summer circuit’s) we’ve had,” said
Californian Francie Steinwedell-Carvin
Charlotte Skinner of Langer Equestrian Group, the firm
won the first Grand Prix over a Jorge
Guilherme course she fretted over responsible for managing the Grand Prix events at the
beforehand.
Parker, Colorado venue. “Riders came from all over...”
“When I walked the course, I
thought it walked really nice,” began
Steinwedell-Carvin about her thought “It really felt great. It was really on of Grand Prix competition. Tredennick
processes. “That really concerned me, and I was really focused,” Steinwedell- put aside any nerves and turned in a
because I know that Guilherme is such Carvin said of her thoughts during the pair of solid performances, including a
a technically amazing course designer. ride. “(Ness-Go) is fit, but probably sixth-place finish in the $40,000 Rocky
So every time something walks kind of not quite fit enough for this course, in Mountain Grand Prix with one of the
like, ‘Huh, this is really nice.’ I’m like this weather, at this altitude. He did fastest times all day.
‘No! It is not! It is technical and there his best and it was raining. He just “I was so happy,” described the
are questions. I have to find those misjudged it and it was a real bummer,” young Tredennick. “I came here with
questions,’” she revealed with a laugh. she summed up in candid fashion. no expectations, just to have fun. This
“They are really subtle things like time A Colorado rider working hard performance is what I wanted to do.
allowed, placement of the jump, and despite inclement weather was John My horse (Special Verdict) and I are
how he does the jump.” McConnell, who finished second in right on track together.”
33
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60