Thermal, Calif. – Alison Locke and Adelaide Ellis sped away with victories in the $10,000 CWD Sellier NAL 1.15m Amateur Mini Prix and the $10,000 CWD Sellier NAL 1.15m Junior Mini Prix, respectively, on March 1, at Desert Circuit 8.
Alison Locke and Betty Boop de Vidau. Photo by High Desert Sport Photo
Course designer Marina Azevedo set the track for the two classes, with 30 amateurs and 34 juniors taking on the challenge on Sunday morning at Desert International Horse Park.
In the amateur section, Locke says she and her winning mount, Betty Boop de Vidau, are likely the oldest duo on the entry list – but that does not stop them from often being the fastest in the field.
Alison Locke and Betty Boop de Vidau in their winning presentation. Photo by High Desert Sport Photo
Locke, 70, and “Betty,” 16, blazed through the jump-off timers in 27.331 seconds to take home the win over second-place finishers Beth Von Brecht and Harry de Beaufour, who cleared the finish in 28.917 seconds. Third place with a time of 29.162 seconds went to Mackenzie Hudson and Ekyra Fortuna.
“I just had to take the inside turn on everything and go as fast as I could,” said Locke of her winning jump-off strategy. “[Betty] has great foot speed. We’re always competitive, and it just depends on if somebody catches us!”
A now retired video game sales and marketing executive, Locke spends much of her winter riding and competing at DIHP, alongside her other hobbies.
“I do CrossFit, running. I swim a lot,” said Locke. “I’ve just kept myself fit. It’s kind of the only way you can do it at this age – just keep on keeping on!”
Locke’s fitness certainly helps her succeed in the saddle, as does her long-time partnership with Betty, the mare that she has been partnered with for the last 10 years.
“I have had her since she was 6,” explained Locke, who trains with James Chawke. “She’s just an amazing competitor. She’s smart. She’s careful. She’s brave. She’s everything you want in a show jumper, and we just have had 10 years of a wonderful, wonderful partnership. You just can’t imagine anything better.”
Adelaide Ellis and Coco Chanel 286 topped the $10,000 CWD Sellier NAL 1.15m Junior Mini Prix. Photo by High Desert Sport Photo
In the junior section, Ellis took the win aboard a significantly newer-to-her mount, Coco Chanel 286. Ellis, 16, just began riding the 11-year-old Westphalian mare at the beginning of Desert Circuit, but the pair meshed quickly.
“This was my first or second 1.15m class on her,” said Ellis, who trains with Pegasus Show Stable. “She is really careful in the mouth, so you have to be really nice and kind of fluid with her. She is like a sports car. I love riding her!”
Ellis continued, “Our first round today was really good. We started off strong, and we finished strong. Then, in the jump-off, I really wanted to have a really quick and solid round. I’d say, after my jumps, I really just kind of went for it.”
Adelaide Ellis and Coco Chanel 286. Photo by High Desert Sport Photo
Going for it paid off for Ellis as she took the win with a time of 28.215 seconds. Second place in 28.444 seconds went to Darya Davoudi and King Julien ES, owned by Jennifer Edwards, and third went to Dylan Henderson and Impact d’Izkay, owned by Ilan Ferder, with a time of 30.410 seconds.
For complete results from the $10,000 CWD Sellier NAL 1.15m Amateur Mini Prix, click here, and for all results from the $10,000 CWD Sellier NAL 1.15m Junior Mini Prix, click here. For more information on all competition at Desert International Horse Park, visit deserthorsepark.com.