Darragh Kenny and Quiz Triumph in $34,000 Suncast? 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic

Earning top honors in the $34,000 Suncast? 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic was Darragh Kenny and Spruce Meadow"s Quiz.

Darragh Kenny and Quiz | Photo Copyright Sportfot

February 1, 2014–The $34,000 Suncast? 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic was held on Friday with a win for Darragh Kenny and Spruce Meadow”s Quiz. The class saw 23 entries with 5 clear rounds to advance to the jump-off and three double clears. Kenny and Quiz earned top honors in 41.05 seconds.
McLain Ward (USA) and Kantunaro, owned by Ellen Holtgers and David Paige, finished second, clearing the course in 41.17 seconds. Alexa Pessoa (USA) and Rodrigo Pessoa”s Levade 35 were the first pair to jump clear and stopped the clock in 42.41 seconds to finish third.

Alex Granato (USA) and Wood Run Farms” Mullaghdrin Rado had the fastest time of 39.80 seconds, but had one rail down to place fourth. Sydney Shulman (USA) and Marcus Hagglund”s Quirado had four faults in the jump-off in 42.37 seconds to place fifth.
Quiz is a 10-year-old Selle Francais gelding by For Pleasure x Laudanum, owned by Spruce Meadows and the Southern Family. Kenny got the horse last year and has brought him along nicely.

“He”s ten, but he hadn”t done so much. He had only been doing 1.30m,” Kenny noted. “He won a good grand prix with me last year in Saugerties the week of the $1 million class. He has kind of just grown. He is unbelievably careful, he has loads of scope. I really think he is a top horse. I think he is a super, super horse. I am so lucky that Spruce Meadows owns him and that I get to ride him.”

Describing his strategy in the jump-off, Kenny explained, “I just thought, “Start going a little bit and then just keep building as the course went on.” He is still green, so you can”t just go crazy from the start, but he has a big stride and he really wants to be careful, so you have to just keep going at the jumps. Then as it went I just got gradually faster.”

Kenny plans to keep Quiz competing at the 1.50m level this winter and is very happy with the horse”s progress. “He seems to be doing great. He was second last week and he won this week,” Kenny smiled. “He is going to have a week off next week. I really think a lot of the horse, so I am going to take my time with him.”

In addition to Quiz, Kenny has a lot of great young horses this year and is having a nice start to the FTI WEF circuit. “It has been going great,” he said. “I am very busy. I have a lot of good clients and a lot of good owners and some really nice horses. I haven”t yet jumped a Saturday night grand prix, but I”m taking my time. There is no rush. One horse will show next week in the big classes. These horses are all a little bit younger, and I am trying to produce them for the future.”

Final Results: $34,000 Suncast? 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic

1. QUIZ: 2004 Selle Francais gelding by For Pleasure x Laudanum
DARRAGH KENNY (IRL), Spruce Meadows: 0/0/41.05

2. KANTUNARO: 2004 Oldenburg gelding by Kannan x Cantauer Z
MCLAIN WARD (USA), Ellen Holtgers & David Paige: 0/0/41.17

3. LEVADE 35: 2004 Brandenburg mare by Levisto x Kolibri
ALEXA PESSOA (USA), Rodrigo Pessoa: 0/0/42.41

4. MULLAGHDRIN RADO: 2002 Irish Sport Horse gelding by Radolin x Tresor de Mesnil
ALEX GRANATO (USA), Wood Run Farms: 0/4/39.80

5. QUIRADO: 2001 Holsteiner gelding by Quinar x Corrado II
SYDNEY SHULMAN (USA), Marcus Hagglund: 0/4/42.37

6. WOTSAMILLION: 2005 Irish Sport Horse gelding by Captain Clover x Atlantic Boy
LAURA KRAUT (USA), Stone Hill Farm: 1/73.30

7. ZAMIRO 16: 2000 Sachsen-Anhaltiner gelding by Zenturio x Landstreicher
KARA CHAD (CAN), Stone Ridge Farms LLC: 4/66.52

8. BLACK JACK 163: 2004 Hanoverian gelding by Escudo I x Drosselklang II
DAVID WILL (GER), Eveline Kraus: 4/67.11

9. FIFTY FIFTY 111: 2005 BWP mare by Action Breaker x Major de la Cour
ANDRES RODRIGUEZ (VEN), Arao Enterprises LLC: 4/67.89

10. BELUGA: 2005 Swedish Warmblood mare by Cobra x Cortez
SHANE SWEETNAM (IRL), Spy Coast Farm LLC: 4/70.06

11. TAMARA 296: 2003 Holsteiner mare by Quintero x Claudio
BRIAN WALKER (USA), Brian Walker: 4/70.92

12. STATUS: 2004 Hanoverian gelding by Satisfaction x Sao Paulo
RODRIGO PESSOA (BRA), Pessoa Stables LLC: 5/72.54

What did you think of this article?

Thank you for your feedback!