Lexington, Kentucky, USA – September 29, 2024 – The Lugano Diamonds Split Rock Jumping Tour‘s (SRJT) Fall 1 saw girl power in full force as it was not only an all-female athlete podium for the $100,000 Lugano Diamonds Grand Prix CSI 3*, presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, but their horses as well. Mares would compliment the efforts of Lacey Gilbertson (USA), Daisy Farish (USA) and Abigail McArdle (USA) in the week’s highlight event at the Kentucky Horse Park.
A clear round seemed hard to come by over Anderson Lima’s (BRA) 16-effort first-round track as the first eight combinations fell victim to various jumping and time faults, but it was Gilbertson (USA) who finally delivered as ninth in the order with Damzelle Ste Hermelle to set the standard.
Clear rounds would quickly follow as Daisy Farish entered two rounds later, already in great form with the win in last week’s $65,000 Lugano Diamonds Grand Prix CSI 2* – 1.45m, presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, and a ribbon in every FEI class she has jumped during the fall series. She piloted Quala vd Rollebeek (Bamako de Muze x Vigo D Arsouilles STX), owned by Lanes End Showjumping, to a jump-off guarantee.
Delaney Flynn (USA), Jonathan McCrea (IRL), and McArdle (USA) would also add their names to the good list before Gilbertson returned as the penultimate pair with Seabrook’s LouLou MPSZ (Lord Pezie Junior x Semper Fi) to bookend the starting positions of the six-horse jump-off.
Gilbertson set off with pace aboard Damzelle Ste Hermelle in round two, but it came at the expense of two rails down, leaving the door open for her fellow competitors and the chance for redemption on her second ride.
Following just after, Farish and Quala vd Rollebeek set a blazing time of 37.90 seconds that saw little margins for improvement on turns and footspeed. Jonathan McCrea and Abigail McArdle (USA) would each produce clear rounds, but their respective times of 40.88 and 39.81 seconds would further suggest Farish was uncatchable.
However, Gilbertson would do just that, mimicking a similar track with LouLou MPSZ to just edge ahead by 0.43 seconds, crossing the timers with the winning pace of 37.47 seconds. Farish would settle for second place while McArdle claimed third place aboard Olympia van het Eikenhof (Elvis Ter Putte x Toulon), owned by Sweetwater Jumpers , and McCrea took fourth.
Final Results – $100,000 Lugano Diamonds Grand Prix CSI 3* – 1.50m
1) Lacey Gilbertson (USA) & Loulou MPSZ – 0 / 0 – 37.47
2) Daisy Farish (USA) & Quala vd Rollebeek – 0 / 0 – 37.90
3) Abigail McArdle (USA) & Olympia van het Eikenhof – 0 / 0 – 39.81
Source: Press Release from the Split Rock Jumping Tour
Photos: © SRJT / Winslow Photography
