Gorky Gallops To Grand Prix Win As Woodside Summer Circuit Concludes Woodside, California. Sharn Wordley loves the shows at Woodside. Not only did he make a clean sweep of the major jumper classes, he finished one-two-three in the $20,000 Golden Gate Grand Prix (July 10, 2004). Five horses were clean over Jamie Alder’s course; Wordley rode three of them. He was first to go in the jump off on Cody and the grey gelding blazed around the course in a time of 34.554, but they dropped the rail at the final oxer. “He’s a clean jumping horse,” said Wordley, “but he got just a little flat on that long gallop and had it behind.”

Alicia Jonsson is tired of being second to Wordley and with her speedy New Zealand Thoroughbred, NZ Better Believe It, she knew she had a shot. However, the bay gelding had a light rub at the first fence and the rail came down. “I was pretty tired from riding my other horse and I don’t think I was 100%,” said Jonsson. Regardless, she loved the Woodside Summer Circuit. “Oh, I’ll be back!”

Wordley returned with Gorki and he never pulled on the reins, especially on the long approach to the last oxer in front of the VIP seating. They clocked a final time of 32.875 for the win. “It was a good course,” said Wordley after the class. “It was the right height for this class and technical. I like those long gallops to the last and they are Gorki’s forte!”

Leslie Nelson (Santa Barbara, CA) took over the lead for the race to Maui. With strong finishes in the hunter divisions, she passed Lynn Irving. At the end of the seven show series, the trainer with the most hunter points wins a trip to the Maui Marriott Ocean Resort and has the accumulated points converted to cash. “This is one of the most exciting things,” said Nelson of her lead in the Woodside Hunter Incentive. “These shows have been wonderful and the facility is great. My customers love the area restaurants, the Stanford shopping mall, and every time I have made a comment to management my needs are met.” 2003 was the first year the Santa Barbara based trainer had brought horses to the Woodside shows. “Every time I return there is another improvement.”

Professional Ned Glynn echoed her sentiments. “These are the best shows Northern California has seen in a long time. They are really nice. All five rings ran smoothly, the Maui trip is great for the hunter trainers, and the grands prix are great for the jumpers.” Glynn and his wife, Hope plan to bring more horses to more shows at Woodside in 2005.

The 2004 Woodside Summer Circuit wrapped up with circuit championships presented after three weeks of showing. Complete circuit champions are listed at www.esportsinc.com. The Golden Gate Classic ran July 7-11, 2004 and concluded the 2004 Woodside Summer Circuit.

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