Kaitlin Campbell and Carramba L Z Win $20,000 Meadow Grove & Friends 1.20m Classic

Thermal, Calif. – Seventy-four entries came together on Saturday morning, February 21, to support #WeRideTogether and to compete for the win in the $20,000 Meadow Grove & Friends 1.20m Classic. At the end of the one-round speed class benefitting #WeRideTogether, it was Kaitlin Campbell on Carramba L Z who took home the win.

Professionals, juniors and amateurs alike were invited to contest the class in the Grand Prix Stadium at Desert International Horse Park, with all entry fees donated to #WeRideTogether.

Canada’s Justin Prather was the eighth rider to jump the course designed by Marina Azevedo, and he and Grazie, owned by Bradon Equestrian LTD, set the early time to beat at 63.361 seconds. While 66 horses would follow, only one of them would shave off enough time to take over Prather’s spot on top of the leaderboard. With Campbell in the irons, Caramba L Z stopped the clock in a winning 63.047 seconds. Prather held on to second place, and Jamie Sailor and Denis, owned by Tiffany Sullivan, took third with a time of 63.566 seconds.

“I watched Justin go earlier,” said Campbell. “There were more than 70 in this class, so it was always going to be kind of splitting hairs of who was going to end up winning at the end. Justin’s horse is super-fast, so I just honestly picked up a gallop, and I didn’t really pull on the reins. I was like, ‘If we leave the jumps up, we leave the jumps up, and if we don’t, we don’t.’”

Fortunately for Campbell all the jumps stayed up, giving the win to her and the 12-year-old Zangersheide gelding, owned by Beth Bowlen.

“He’s jumped bigger than this class, but I thought it was a nice class for him to get in the grand prix ring,” said Campbell of the horse that she is currently riding to sell. “He has also been ridden by some amateurs this circuit, so he’s just an all-around good boy, and we’ve been working on our speed.”

Campbell continued, “It’s nice that they put a 1.20m class in the Grand Prix Ring, and it was a nice class for a good cause…I’m so glad that they got the number of entries that they did today.”

While Campbell may have been named the overall winner, several other riders were also recognized in the fourth-annual fundraiser class. Earning the Top Junior distinction was fourth-place finisher Lilah Nakatani aboard her Mr. Balue BR Z. The Top Amateur honor went to Destiny Stewart who finished in 15th with her own Show Bill. Among dozens of other special prizes, all of the top 70 received Tried Equestrian gift cards, #WeRideTogether swag items and more.

For full results of the $20,000 Meadow Grove & Friends 1.20m Classic, benefitting #WeRideTogether, click here.