Jamie Barge Lights Up The Night At The $25,000 Markel Insurance Grand Prix
Jamie Barge and Luebbo with Melissa Brandes from Blenheim EquiSports
July 21, 2019 – Del Mar, CA – The eighth of thirteen qualifying events in the Markel Insurance 1.45m Jumper Series was held under the lights at Del Mar Horse Park on Saturday night. After an electrifying evening of world-class show jumping, it was Jamie Barge and Luebbo, owned by Kylieco, who led the victory gallop during the Showpark Summer Festival’s feature event. Enjoy, owned and ridden by Manuel Alvarez, earned runner-up honors.
For the first time this season, the event was held in the covered arena, where ringside spectators packed grandstands and VIP boxes to experience the sights and sounds of the grand prix in a more intimate setting.
Jamie Barge aboard Luebbo
Nicole Haunert and Calgary IV were first to go clear around the 1.45m track created by international course designer, Catsy Cruz of Mexico. Barge and Luebbo followed two rides later and would eventually be one of five pairs qualifying to return for the shortened-course tie-breaker.
Looking to expand her lead in the Markel series, Haunert aboard Calgary IV set the new time to beat, riding carefully and clear in 37.656 seconds. Jamie and Luebbo bested that mark, drawing on their recent experience riding indoors in Europe, as she focused on taking out strides and slicing fences to cross the wire in a quick 35.960. Next up, Dublin, owned and ridden by Patricio Pasquel was unable to catch Barge as he recorded 36.471 resulting in third place. Manuel Alvarez and his horse Enjoy, looked like they might be able to steal the lead away from Barge but it wasn’t to be as they crossed the finish line less than two-tenths of a second slower at 36.135.
Knowing the task at hand, the final rider of the evening, Pablo Vizcaino and his horse Don Angelo had the crowd cheering and whistling as they sped through the early jumping efforts, clearly on pace for the victory. Unfortunately, a tight turn to the final combination left them too deep to the base, resulting in a four-fault time of 34.157, confirming Barge and Luebbo as the evening’s champions.
Manuel Alvarez aboard Enjoy
Back home in California after a tour in Europe, Barge explained, “It’s nice to have a place where we can come and jump indoors and under the lights. I jumped under the lights a few times in Europe so I thought he [Luebbo] knows this atmosphere and would be comfortable here.
Referring to her 14 year-old Oldenburg Springpferd, “Bo was with me every step of the way. It’s our first show in over a month and he felt so confident, so for the first time in a jump-off, I felt like I could go for it a little bit and practice the slices and do the leave-outs. So for me, that was really fun that I got to go in and really try and I can’t believe that we actually won!”
WATCH! Post-win interview with Jamie Barge and see her winning ride in the jump-off (below)
The grand prix was held concurrently with the $2,500 Blenheim EquiSports U25 Jumper Classic. For the second time this season, it was Shawn Casady taking home the blue ribbon; this week while riding, Fenna, a nine year-old KWPN mare recently added to the stables at Neil Jones Equestrian Inc. Haley Schwab and Rivaux, owned by HH Stables LLC took second place among the U25’s.
Shawn Casady aboard Fenna
There are now five qualifying events remaining in the Markel Insurance 1.45m Jumper Series to be held throughout the Blenheim EquiSports 2019 Horse Show Season, with the Final to be held during The Las Vegas National, November 11 – 17, 2019.
Competition continues next week in Del Mar California at the Showpark Racing Festival featuring FEI CSI2* Bronze & Silver Tours, including two Longines ranking classes.
RESULTS
$25,000 Markel Insurance 1.45M Grand Prix
Place – Entry Number – Horse – Rider – Owner – Faults/Time
1. 119 – Luebbo – Jamie Barge – Kylieco – 0/0/35.960
2. 114 – Enjoy – Manuel Alvarez – Manuel Alvarez – 0/0/36.135
3. 599 – Dublin – Patricio Pasquel – Patricio Pasquel – 0/0/36.471
4. 400 – Calgary IV – Nicole Haunert – Cherokee Show Horses Inc. – 0/0/37.656
5. 534 – Don Angelo – Pablo Vizcaino- Pablo Vizcaino – 0/4/34.157
6. 503 – Fenna – Shawn Casady – Neil Jones Equestrian Inc – 4/75.961
7. 118 – Fioretti S – Jamie Barge – Jamie Barge – 4/76.669
8. 391 – Elicole – Jason Mcardle – Fairbanks Valley Farm LLC – 4/76.892
9. 306 – Guess – Michelle Parker – Idyllic Imports – 4/76.971
10. 329 – Santiago – Misti Cassar Carlos Torres – 4/77.406
11. 575 – Dimitri – Juan Carlos Martin Del Campo – Juan Carlos Martin Del Campo – 4/77.769
12. 408 – Jamaico Drum van de Breepoel – Nicole Haunert – NJK Show Jumpers Inc – 5/80.325
RESULTS
$2,500 Blenheim EquiSports U25 Jumper Classic
Place – Entry Number – Horse – Rider – Owner – Faults/Time
1. 503 – Fenna – Shawn Casady – Neil Jones Equestrian Inc. – 4/74.961
2. 297 – Rivaux – Haley Schwab – HH Stables LLC – 7/82.913
3. 453 – Insolente – Shawn Casady – Neil Jones Equestrian Inc. – 8/76.151
4. 292 – Double O Seven 7 – Haley Schwab – HH Stables LLC – 8/77.580
5. 347 – Chappie – Derek Chang – Andrew Chang – 11/82.913
6. 184 – Centurion – Sloan Elmassian – Sloan Elmassian – 12/78.131
7. 293 – Cro – Haley Schwab – HH Stables LLC – 16/77.580
Photos by Captured Moment Photography
Thank You To Our Generous Sponsors & Partners
Markel Insurance Company is proud to once again partner with Blenheim EquiSports for another season of fun in the sun.
Representative Brandon Seger will be on the show grounds to answer any questions related to your equine insurance needs. At the show and in the barns, Markel is the Insurance Company with Horse Sense. With offices across the US, Markel is your national insurance provider covering equine risks for over 50 years.
Thank you for your support – contact Brandon to get a horse, farm or liability insurance quote today: [email protected] 213-219-7837
Markel/Lisa Seger Insurance Field Agent Josh Mullins is also available to answer any questions related to your equine insurance needs.
Contact Josh at: [email protected]
949-212-2970
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.