Photo © ESI Photography
For Immediate Release:
THERMAL, Calif. – February 29, 2020 – Kaitlin Campbell (USA) and Colada sped to the top of the leaderboard in the $7,500 Sapphire Tour Speed, sponsored by Pink Skies Pajamas, with a time of 55.21 seconds. Jessica Gleason (USA) and her own Cerafina (Cayetano L x Fernblick) finished in second for the speed course with a time of 57.14 seconds, while Joie Gatlin (USA) aboard JGMA Meadows’ High Five (Cardento 933 x Heartbreaker) finished in third with their time of 58.79 seconds.
Photo © ESI Photography
Fourteen riders challenged the speed course designed by Bernardo Cabral (POR) with five riders finishing clear. “Bernardo has done a really good job all week,” Campbell commented. “Today’s 1.40m Speed Class was true to size and gave some options for if you wanted to go fast and win or if you wanted to do a training class,” Campbell continued. “I haven’t decided if we are going to do the classic together tomorrow or not yet; I don’t always mind quitting while I am ahead.”
Campbell has only recently paired with the 2011 Swedish Warmblood mare, owned by Sweet Oak Farm. “I got her right around Christmas time from Sweet Oak Farm and Shane Sweetnam in Wellington,” Campbell shared. “She was jumping 1.35m last year and she is just stepping up to the 1.40-1.45m level; she is just a super straightforward and easy going horse.”
“We spent the first half of the circuit just getting to know each other and then we went home for the off week and did a little training,” Campbell explained. “Since being back, she has really stepped up to the plate. She was second, third, and fourth last week in all three of her classes,” Campbell shared. “I am still just getting to know this horse but I also want to test out and see what she can do; she wants to be brave and careful and fast, so I figured go for it today and the worst that happens is we have a rail,” Campbell concluded.
About Desert International Horse Park
With nearly 1.3 million square feet of competition and riding space, the Desert International Horse Park is one of the largest equestrian facilities in North America. Offering multiple weeks of world-class equestrian competition from October through March, the facility is a destination location for thousands of equestrians, their horses, family and friends for several months annually. Competitors from all over the world travel to Thermal, CA to not only compete but to enjoy everything the desert has to offer.