Molly Talla and Java Keltic Courage Win
$30,000 California Horsetrader Grand Prix
Top ten jump off in exciting second round format

October 30, 2011 – Del Mar, California – A step away from the usual format mixed up the jumpoff and added extra excitement during the $30,000 California Horsetrader Grand Prix at the Del Mar Fall Festival II on Saturday night under the lights in the Del Mar Arena. But when the dust settled, it was rider Molly Talla who surprised herself by claiming the top place with her own Java Keltic Courage.

The course designer eschewed the usual format of clear rounds moving on to the jumpoff by inviting the top ten riders in the first round back to jump off for the top placings. This "made for TV" format is used often in Europe, as it allows television broadcasters to package show jumping sport into a specific time slot. In Del Mar on Saturday, the format gave competitors a slice of variety that was well received by riders and the gathered crowd.

Technical spots and a course built up to the 1.45m height requirement gave riders a challenge to overcome in round one. Only Stephanie Saperstein with El Sueno's Quanto VL completed a clear first round course. A group of four and eight faulters followed behind her, making the cut to the jumpoff depend not only on faults, but on time as well. Further, first round scores carried over into the jumpoff, raising the element of unpredictability when it came to who would be the eventual winner.

Although Talla, 33, had a rail in the first round, her time and first round score qualified her to move on as one of the top ten (out of an initial 31) who made the cut to the final round. Talla imported her now 8-year-old gelding two years ago, and was competing him in just the fourth grand prix of his career at Del Mar. Talla entered the class with the sole intention of jumping well to build Java's resume and confidence, so her win came as a happy surprise.

"I said to my trainer (Ginny Bryant) that this was a little bit of a gamble, he's been doing great but he's a young horse," explained Talla. "And with the way the class was held I could have easily ended up 10th. But he handled the course so well, and in the jumpoff I was able to turn on the speed when it counted."

Hot on Talla's heels was Paige Dotson, who also carried four faults into the jumpoff, but made up for it with a speedy clear round with The Dotson Family's Rockford I. Alec Lawler and Glen Devon raced to third place by coming in les than a second slower than Dotson, while also carrying a first round rail of his own. Unfortunately, Saperstein ran into trouble in the jumpoff, picking up 17 faults that dropped her to 10th place.


Caroline Underwood Wins $25,000 PCHA Child/Adult Jumper Championship
Prior to the grand prix, 40 entries were seen in the highly competitive $25,000 PCHA/Equine Insurance Child/Adult Jumper Championship. Open to the top 40 ridesr on the combined Pacific Coast Horse Show Association’s Adult/Children’s standings, and also to show champions at the Del Mar International and Fall Festival I, the class was won by Caroline Underwood on her own Reina. Kelsey Maloney, riding Brooke Flynn’s Luke placed 2nd, and Emily Colella on Manor Bridge Farm’s Filibuster was 3rd.

It was an exciting finale to the 2011 season at Del Mar, and the excitement of the jumpoff added to the Halloween-flavored evening, which included a costume contest and an all-out "Thriller" dance off in the Del Mar Arena prior to the grand prix. Follow this link for pictures of the costume contest and Halloween celebration in the Del Mar Arena.

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