Gegen Goes For It In The $50,000 Grand Prix Of Showpark

Nick Gegen and Arc De Triomphe

August 25, 2019 Del Mar, CA – For the second year in a row, Nick Gegen led the victory gallop in Saturday’s feature event at the Showpark Summer Classic. Aboard Arc De Triomphe owned by Neaulani Farms, Gegen topped a field of twenty-one entries on another perfect #WestCoastShowcation day in beautiful Del Mar, California. Keri Potter and Jiminy Cricket, winners of the Markel Insurance Jumper Classic earlier in the week, finished a fraction of a second slower to earn second place honors.

 Olympic course designer Guilherme Jorge (BRA) set a flowing track, that even though was quite technical, allowed the group to successfully step up to the 1.50m level. 

Keri Potter aboard Jiminy Cricket

Eight horse/rider pairs returned for the jump-off including Nicole Haunert who rode all three of her mounts clear in the first round. First to go, she set the time to beat in the second round, going double clear on Jamaico Drum Van de Breepoel with a careful time of 47.795. Keri Potter and Jiminy Cricket followed, upping the ante with a quick 44.959. Watching Potter from the in-gate, Gegen knew he would have to go for it if he was going to catch Potter. He did just that, finishing in 44.085.

With the pressure on, each of the final five riders pressed for time. However, Jorge’s shortened course demanded respect and would not surrender another fault-free round.

Nick Gegen aboard Arc De Triomphe and the team from Neaulani Farms with Robert Ridland and Melissa Brandes of Blenheim EquiSports

This is the second grand prix win for Nick Gegen and Arc De Triomphe this year. The pair were also victorious in the $50,000 Spring Classic III Grand Prix presented by Equ Lifestyle Boutique.

In his post-win interview, Gegen shared,

“Arc De Triomphe is a wonderful horse. I showed here a couple of weeks ago in FEI shows and I didn’t feel like I rode the horse very well. We went home and changed a few things to get him and I back on the same page. He’s a horse with so much power and so much experience, I feel really lucky to ride a horse like that. If it continues on this way we’ll probably jump some FEI classes in the fall.”

WATCH! Jump-off round and post-win interview with Nick Gegen (below)

Competition continues next week at the Del Mar Horse Park with the Showpark All Seasons Summer Classic, featuring the $25,000 Markel Insurance 1.45m Grand Prix, Sallie B. Wheeler Hunter Breeding Championships, Blenheim Young Jumper Championships. Blenheim Developmental Jumper Series Finals and much more! The winning trainer of the Markel Insurance Grand Prix will earn $4,500 in Blenheim EquiSports horse show credits and the winning Groom will earn $500 cash.

RESULTS

$50,000 Grand Prix Of Showpark

Place – Entry Number – Horse – Rider – Owner – Faults/Time

1. 255 – Arc De Triomphe – Nick Gegen – Neaulani Farms – 0/0/44.085

2. 427 – Jiminy Cricket – Keri Potter – Melanie Brooks – 0/0/44.959

3. 614 – Jamaico Drum Van de Breepoel – Nicole Haunert – NJK Show Jumpers, Inc. – 0/0/47.795

4. 536 – Insolente – Shawn Casady – Neil Jones Equestrian Inc – 0/4/41.659

5. 612 – Calgary IV – Nicole Haunert – Cherokee Show Horses Inc – 0/4/43.639

6. 141 – Duc de Rhoan – Michelle Kerivan – Michelle Kerivan – 0/4/45.470

7. 613 – Concolue – Nicole Haunert – Cherokee Show Horses Inc – 0/8/47.816

8. 617 – Chappie – Derek Chang – Andrew Chang – 0/8/48.014

9. 511 – Milano – Mandy Porter – Abigail Archer – 4/73.542

10. 384 – Chacjandra – Guillermo Obligado – Samia Staehle – 4/75.496

11. 422 – Ariell La Sirene – Keri Potter – Hannah Loly – 4/75.544

12. 719 – Viking – Misti Cassar – Alberto Riveria Torres – 4/75.649

Photos courtesy: Captured Moment Photography

Thank You To Our Generous Sponsors & Partners

Blenheim EquiSports, an equestrian event management company based in San Juan Capistrano, CA, produces events in three locations: San Juan Capistrano, Del Mar and Las Vegas, NV. The events include 19 USEF “Premier” rated hunter-jumper shows featuring five FEI CSI events, including a Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ North American League event; the Markel Insurance 1.45m Jumper Series & Final, Developing Jumper Qualifiers & Championships, USHJA International & National Hunter Derbies, Pony Derby Finals, the Whitethorne Equitation Challenge, Medal Finals and more.