Tracy
Fenney and S & L Willie jump to victory in the AGA $40,000
Rocky Mountain Grand Prix presented by American Sport Horse
Stables.
Photos
by Horse and Ryder Photography |
Fenney
Shows the Boys How It’s Done in the AGA $40,000 Rocky
Mountain Grand Prix
Parker, CO, July 12, 2003— Show jumping is one of the
few Olympic sports in which women and men compete equally
against each other. And Tracy Fenney showed the boys how it’s
done with a victory in Saturday’s AGA $40,000 Rocky Mountain
Grand Prix presented by American Sport Horse Stables. Athletes
from Mexico, Colombia, Denmark, Canada and 14 states vied
for the top prize money, but it was Fenney, of Flower Mound,
Texas who collected the winning paycheck.
Fenney
credited her victory to her horse S& L Willie. “Willie
will do whatever needs to be done,” she explained. “He
has a very adjustable stride and is very willing to let me
regulate him.” Fenney and the bay gelding have been partners
since Willie first began wearing a saddle. “He’s
very happy go lucky,” she said.
Fenney,
who represented the United States on a European tour in 2001,
has been on a winning streak with three victories in Florida
earlier this year. She also placed second and third in last
week’s $25,000 High Prairie Grand Prix.
Settling
for second place was Mexico’s Enrique Gonzalez with his
Belgian-bred horse Guajillo, his partner of 18 months. Gonzalez
said, “He’s a very, very nice horse—very honest
and always tries really hard.” The duo claimed both the
team and individual silver medals at the 2002 Central American
Games, and is the reserve team for next month’s Pan American
Games.
|
Gonzalez’s
wife, Lorenza O’Farrill, also competed in Saturday’s event
and will represent Mexico in the Pan American Games. “It’s
very exciting to get to show together,” Gonzalez said.
Forty-four horses and riders contested the class—the largest
field ever assembled at a grand prix in Parker. They were challenged
by a very technical Richard Jeffrey course that included an airy
double combination into the crowd as well as a triple combination
at the end of the course. But the fence that worried many of the
riders was a skinny vertical on a downhill slope. Gonzalez explained,
“The horse is a bit unbalanced by the downhill and the fence
after the skinny is an oxer with a little bit of a long distance.
It was very technical and very, very interesting.” Jeffery,
five-time course designer of the year, built a nearly flawless course—there
were faults at every obstacle, but no disasters.
Paul
Messenich of American Sport Horse Stables presents the trophy to
Tracy Fenney and S &L Willie.
Photos by Horse and Ryder Photography
The AGA $40,000 Rocky Mountain Grand Prix presented by American
Sport Horse Stables took place on week three of the four-week summer
circuit at the Colorado Hose Park. The highlight of the shows is
the AGA $60,000 Grand Prix of Denver presented by Dillards and Ariat
to be held on July 19.
Spectators
are welcome and tickets are just $10 for adults and $5 for children
under 12. . Opening ceremonies begin at 5:00 p.m. Tickets are available
by calling 303-841-5550 or at the gate. VIP tickets for July 19
include dinner and are $100. Parking is free. Snacks and dinner
are available on the grounds. Spectators can also enjoy the equestrian
themed shopping with boutiques, jewelers and more.
For
a complete schedule of upcoming events check out www.highprairiefarms.com
Results
of the AGA $40,000 Rocky Mountain Grand Prix Presented by American
Sport Horse Stables
S&L
Willie Tracy Fenney
Guajillo Enrique Gonzalez
Alibi Erynn Ballard
Grace Tracy Fenney
Capricho Jorge Zavala
Camilla Z Paul Rohrbach
Ramona John Perez
Exclusive Roberto Teran
.
|
