News

Notories Utopia is uncatchable in Speed Classic

Nov 19, 2012

It was a night full of speed and spills as forty-two horse and rider duos broke from the gate in the $30,000 EQU Lifestyle Speed Classic. The evening was dedicated to great causes as Just Word International hosted their infamous horseless horse show and High Jump Finals, as well as the local Air Force Base Honor Guard presented our nation's colors before competition was underway. German course designer, Olaf Petersen Jr., set a very technical track that presented many challenging questions. Only six were able to post fault free efforts, however Karl Cook (USA) stuck to his game plan as he posted the first and third best clear rounds of the night.

Kandi Stewart and her eight-year-old gelding, C-Scooter, were the first pair of the class to post a clear and quick round in 55.908 seconds, making them the ones to beat. Several rounds, refusals and eliminations later, Karl Cook put up a play-by-play ride to each obstacle on his seventeen-year-old mount, Notories Utopia. Proving that speed doesn't fade with age, Notories Utopia galloped around the course with ease and was able to clear the final vertical and stop the clock in 54.754 seconds, topping the leader-board. Cook returned near the end of the field with his second mount, Banba, an Irish Horse Sport mare with the same sire as the Olympian and current World Cup Champion, Flexible. Displaying similar characteristics of heart, Banba cruised over the course in a clean 55.998 seconds, unable to surpass Stewart but good enough for third place.

"I thought it was a great class and I am looking forward to tomorrow, "Cook noted, "I will have both stallions, ASB Conquistador and Jonkheer Z, so I hope for the best."

Source: Press release from Blenheim EquiSports