USA’s Alison Robitaille and Serise du Bidou, last to enter the ring and the only double clear, was delighted with her Grand Prix win this evening. Robitaille has only been riding this mare, owned by her parents Bertram and Diana Firestone, for eight months.
Robitaille explained, “I really haven’t had many jump-off’s with her and we’ve started to click these last few months. Serise du Bidou has become a great horse for me, I feel really fortunate. It is always lucky to go last in a jump-off, especially with no one else being clear. I trusted my horse was going to go clean so I didn’t take the risky inside cuts, and it paid off.”
The time allowed in the jump-off was set at 42 seconds, and this provided Robitaille the opportunity to have up to 3 time faults and still win the class. They set a strong pace and were well within the required time.
“I didn’t want to get a bunch of time faults and she is happier going at a little bit of a roll anyway.” said Robitaille.
Forty-seven entries competed, all with the goal of qualification for Saturday’s $100,000 Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Sacramento, presented by Lasher’s Elk Grove Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram. Canada’s Keean White and Corette finished in 2nd place with 4 penalties and 33.86 seconds on the clock, closely followed by USA’s Mandy Porter and Milano again with 4 penalties and 34.38 seconds in the jump-off.
Robitaille is keen to take part in Saturday’s class. Robitaille explained,”I am very much looking forward to the weekend, it is my first time here at this horse show and today has been a great way to start things off.
It is really lovely here at the Murieta Equestrian Center, it has very nice footing and it is great place to try and qualify for a World Cup™ Final in an event like this where it is like being at the World Cup Finals.”
Grand Prix Results
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