Six horses advanced to the jump-off over Jack Robson’s first round course of airy fences. The shortened jump-off required technical skill and favored precise riding. “I knew it wasn’t an easy jump-off,” Cudmore says. “It was a careful jump-off [and] I risked a few things.” Her winning horse is a homebred by Ocean II. The 11-year-old Holsteiner was sold three years ago, but Karen got him back as a 10 year old. The pair finished second in last week’s $40,000 AGA Rocky Mountain Grand Prix Presented by Murdoch’s.

Finishing in second place was Janet Hischer, of Scottsdale, Arizona, on Rose Bergdale’s Carpe Diem. The nine year old Hanoverian was doing the 3’6” jumpers when Hischer began moving him up the levels. “I had no idea he could jump a grand prix course,” she recalls. Taking her horse’s greenness into account, Hischer’s jump-off strategy was to go for double clean, but she did do an inside turn and was pleased with her horse’s rideability on the other rollback turns. “His barn name is Buddy; and he’s my little buddy,” Hischer says.

The third and final leg of the Colorado Horse Park Triple Crown is held in a ring that had capacity spectators on three sides. Riders praised the atmosphere and excitement of the event. “The crowd is awesome,” Cudmore explains. “You can really feel their enthusiasm.”

Armando Hassey’s quest for the $25,000 bonus for winning two grand prix during the Colorado Horse Park Triple Crown came to an end during the first round when he and La Roche pulled a rail at the eleventh obstacle. They finished in ninth place.

Results $60,000 AGA Grand Prix of Denver Presented by Dillard’s and Ariat
1. Ocelot - Karen Cudmore
2. Carpe Diem - Janet Hischer
3. Southern Pride - Karen Cudmore
4. Pleasant - Peter Pletcher
5. Monaco - Christian Rogge
6. Nomograaf - Allison Kroff
7. Mr. Flanagan - Sharn Wordley
8. Omar Sharriff - Allison Kroff

The jumpers weren’t the only ones having fun the last week of the four-week Colorado Summer Circuit. The grand finale for the hunters is the $15,000 Working Hunter Classic, which was won for the third time by Peter Pletcher. This year Pletcher rode Mary Katherine Atkin’s Godiva to the win. The attractive bay did double duty for the circuit in both the first year green hunters and the juniors.

Pletcher also finished second in the class with Ashley and Michael Dennehy’s Burberry. Rounding out third place was Keiri Kaneps on her own Brescia. Brescia also won the $5,000 Hunter Classic during the second week of the circuit.

Results $15,000 Working Hunter Classic
1. Godiva - Peter Pletcher
2. Burberry - Peter Pletcher
3. Brescia - Keiri Kaneps
4. Limoges - Audrey Carlson
5. Just Kidding - Lindsay Sceats
6. Primrose - Becky Gochman

About the Colorado Horse Park:
The Colorado Horse Park is a 501 (c) 3 not for profit organization. The purpose of the Colorado Horse Park is to showcase the history and heritage of the West using the horse as the primary teaching tool through hands-on educational programming, museum exhibitions, competitions, boarding and training, recreation, entertainment and therapy for all ages.

Photos by Horse and Ryder