Thermal, Calif. – In just three weeks at Desert Circuit, Karrie Rufer notched four major victories in the Grand Prix Stadium – and on Sunday, February 15, she made that five. This time, she piloted Stern dei Folletti to the win in the $40,000 FarmVet 1.45m Open Classic, held as part of Desert Circuit 6 at Desert International Horse Park.
Karrie Rufer and Stern dei Folletti. Photo by High Desert Sport Photo
Rufer and the 15-year-old Holsteiner gelding were one of five entries from the 34-horse starting field that qualified to jump off over the Colm Quinn-designed course, and they once again proved to be the ones to beat.
As the third rider to return for the shortened course, Rufer utilized Stern dei Folletti’s ground-covering stride – and what she gleaned from watching the two riders before her – to her advantage. When Rufer entered the ring, Jamie Sailor and Monarch, owned by Ahmad Nassif, had just set the clear time to beat at 38.516 seconds.
Karrie Rufer and Stern dei Folletti were presented as the winners of the $40,000 FarmVet 1.45m Open Classic. Photo by High Desert Sport Photo
“I’m glad I watched Jamie go before me because I didn’t think the eight down the last line was going to be that long!” explained Rufer. “I was like, ‘Oh God! That’s really long!’ I landed off the combination and really pushed away. So, I was able to stay kind of nice and even and not have to run to it, and luckily, [Stern dei Folletti] is just a fast horse!”
Her even gallop down the final line helped Rufer clear the final FarmVet oxer in 36.619 seconds to ultimately take home the win. Sailor and Monarch held on to second, and Vani Khosla and Han Solo de Hus, owned by Van Shadow Stables LLC, finished in third with a time of 41.029 seconds.
Karrie Rufer and Stern dei Folletti. Photo by High Desert Sport Photo
“I don’t buy many slow horses!” joked Rufer in speaking to part of the key to her consistency this season. “If I’m on top if it, they are always going to be kind of up there and quick enough. I don’t really have to manufacturer speed with them. The lack of complication really helps.”
Also helping Rufer continually find success are a relaxed attitude and a bit of a change of perspective.
Jamie Sailor and Monarch took home second place. Photo by High Desert Sport Photo
“In the past, I think I put a lot of pressure on myself to come back and be ready,” explained Rufer. “Especially after having the baby [roughly a year and a half ago], it didn’t come so naturally. It wasn’t second nature anymore. I started putting way too much pressure on myself. I had to be like, ‘Why am I doing this?’ I’m doing it because I love it. I’m doing it because I want my daughter to have a mom that is going and doing things she loves and being successful at it. Once I shifted the focus and the importance to that, I think I forgot kind of about, ‘Well, I need to be back to where I was.’”
Rufer continued, “Now, I go in classes like this, and I’m like, ‘This is just fun!’ It’s relaxing for me. Whereas a year ago, it was a bit more nerve wracking. I think once I took that pressure off, then it was like, ‘Oh!’ Now I can do what I was doing before!’”
To view full results from the $40,000 FarmVet 1.45m Open Classic, click here, and to learn more about all competition at Desert International Horse Park, visit deserthorsepark.com.