Thermal, Calif. – Ali Ramsay and Domina VH Scheefkasteel Z made their 1.40m debut a winning one on Thursday, March 19, at Desert International Horse Park. The pair topped a 30-horse field to take home the win in the $15,000 Risk Strategies 1.40m Open Classic, held as part of Desert Spring Fling 1.
Ali Ramsay and Domina VH Scheefkasteel Z. Photo by High Desert Sport Photo
Ramsay only began riding Domina VH Scheefkasteel Z a few weeks ago for the mare’s owner, Jaclyn Duff, but she and the 10-year-old Zangersheide mare have meshed rather quickly.
“[Jaclyn] got hurt kind of mid-circuit,” said Ramsay of her good friend and fellow Canadian rider. “So, I showed it two weeks ago just in some smaller classes. Then, this was our first week coming out in the grand prix ring, and that was actually our first 1.40m. She’s my type – bay, spicy mare. Those are all my good horses. It took some getting to know her the first week, but I would say, this week coming out, I felt like we really figured each other out. She’s a really cool horse.”
Ali Ramsay (pictured aboard Kaffee) in her winning presentation. Photo by High Desert Sport Photo
Ramsay and “Dory” were one of the first entries to take on Thursday morning’s course, designed by Chris Jones, and they quickly showed how it was done. After advancing to the immediate jump-off, they stopped the clock in 37.519 seconds.
“I had Jaclyn yelling at me from the side to go faster before I crossed through the start timers!” said Ramsay. “I think that just fired me up to take a little risk. [Domina VH Scheefkasteel Z] is super fast. It was a lot of galloping in the jump-off, and she just kind of followed me and was super on.”
Ali Ramsay (pictured aboard Kaffee). Photo by High Desert Sport Photo
Ultimately, Ramsay and Dory’s lead held up by a very narrow margin, with less than three-tenths of a second separating first from fourth place. Coming the closest to catching Ramsay – by not even a full tenth of a second – was Simon Schroeder who crossed the finish in 37.595 seconds aboard NKH Cento Blue, owned by The Bridgeport Group LLC. Third place on 37.735 seconds went to Jordan Gilchrist and Casallco’s Ana PS, owned by CRA Equestrian, and Camilo Rueda and Chocoprince of Picobello Z took home fourth in 37.772 seconds.
Ramsay and Domina VH Scheefkasteel Z will next take on Saturday night’s $75,000 C3RV Grand Prix, before Duff soon returns to the irons on the mare.
Simon Schroeder and NKH Cento Blue finished in second place. Photo by High Desert Sport Photo
The all-new Desert Spring Fling horse shows offer two back-to-back weeks of National Hunter and Level 5 Jumper competition, continuing through March 29. To learn more and to view a complete schedule of class offerings, click here.
To find full results from the $15,000 Risk Strategies 1.40m Open Classic, click here.