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Posted
6/23/11
Great
Cash, Prizes and Fun During Summer in the
Rockies
II
Bjorn
Ikast Wins Second Consecutive Grand Prix
Parker,
CO---The second week of the
Colorado Summer Circuit finished Sunday with great style. Summer in the Rockies
II awarded cash and prizes to riders in all divisions, from the Adult Amateur
Hunters to the Open Jumpers. Competitors and sponsors were treated to a range of
hospitality. Among the social highlights--Friday Afternoon Club at A Bit of Tack
with margaritas and munchies, a fabulous tented party complete with a band in
Central Park, and a wonderful VIP party during the $25,000 Grand Prix Presented
by Littleton Equine Medical Center and Platinum Performance. Sunday brunch on
Father's Day rounded out the fun.
"Our goal with the expanded
circuit was to create a destination," said CHP Vice President Brian Curry.
"We have people that are staying in
Colorado
for the summer, so we wanted them to feel at home and help them have wonderful
memories from their trip."
Many riders that have attended shows at the Park for almost 20 years are
saying that the facility never looked better. Not only are there many beautiful
new flower beds, rings full of new jumps, including elegant water features in
the hunter rings, there's also the new permanent coffee shop, Stable Grounds,
offering lattes, cappuccinos and pastries.
Of course, all of the new amenities
are a wonderful backdrop to the real draw---the horse show. While this week's
$25,000 Grand Prix Presented by
Littleton
Equine
Medical
Center
and Platinum Performance found the same three riders claiming the top three
spots, they had to run for their placings in the jump-off, a real thrill for the
spectators.
Each rider raised the bar for the one coming after, with Paul Rohrbach
and Phoenix Equine Partners' Simple Kaliber putting in a blistering round that
appeared to be unbeatable. "I've been pushing the speed factor in the
jump-offs," Rohrbach said. "I'm delighted with how my horse is
responding."
However, last week's red ribbon
winner, Armando Hassey, wasn't going to let Rohrbach run off with the prize.
"Paul did a great job. He was very, very fast," Hassey said. "But
I wanted to try to get the win. I knew I had to go for it." His 17-year-old
stallion La Roche responded and left all the rails in the cups while shaving
three-tenths of a second off Rohrbach's time.
After Ceinwen Muma had four-faults,
ultimately finishing in eighth place, the last rider, Bjorn Ikast, had the
opportunity to clinch the class.
"It was a very, very fast
jump-off," the Denmark-native said of the Danny Foster-designed course.
"When you're last to go, you have to go for it. I took a few big, big
chances." The strategy worked; he cut nearly a second from Hassey's time.
Ikast credited his horse, Omar Shariff, for the victory. "He's a very, very
careful horse so I could gallop to those verticals."
Ikast has owned Omar Shariff for two
years and has worked to build the 15-year-old's confidence to match his talent.
"It's been an emotional ride for me," Ikast explained. Ikast also
finished in fourth place with Brave Heart and sixth with
Colorado
. "The horses are feeling very good. The footing is very good," Ikast
stated.
The Colorado Horse Park relies on the
generosity of its sponsors, including Parker Adventist Hospital and Foundation,
Littleton Equine Medical Center, Platinum Performance, Holiday Inn of Parker,
Hampton Inn of Parker, Super 8 of Parker, Griffis Group, Norstar, The Olson
Family, Horse Connection, Comfort Suites of Castle Rock, Days Inn of Castle
Rock, Nutrena, The Chronicle of the Horse, A Bit of Tack, Horseware Ireland,
Grand Meadows and many more.
Check out all of the Flying Horse
Photography photo galleries on Facebook and loads of videos on The Colorado
Horse Park's Youtube channel. Visit www.coloradohorsepark.com
for more details.
Results
$25,000 Summer in the Rockies
II Grand Prix Presented by
Littleton
Equine
Medical
Center
and Platinum Performance
1. Bjorn Ikast Omar Shariff
2. Armando Hassey La Roche
3. Paul Rohrbach Simple Kaliber
4. Bjorn Ikast Brave Heart
5. Brooke Kennedy MTM Waffle
6. Bjorn Ikast
Colorado
7. Susan Griffis Udine
8. Ceinwen Muma Fly With Me
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