Lane Clarke and Hooverphonic Odeveld Race to Victory in the $2,500 Ruby Tour Welcome CSI3*, Sponsored by El Paseo Jewelry
For Immediate Release:
THERMAL, Calif. – February 27, 2020 – Lane Clarke (AUS) and Hooverphonic Odeveld sped to a first-place finish in the $2,500 Ruby Tour Welcome, sponsored by El Paseo Jewelry, with a time of 34.8 seconds. Leslie Wright (USA) and Adamus (Caballo x Unknown), owned by Pinnacle Equine Group, LTD, finished with a time of 36.91. Nicole Haunert (USA) and Lady G (Levistus x Levisto), owned by Elle Campbell, concluded the top three finishing with a time of 39.52 seconds.
Twenty-four pairs challenged the course designed by Bernardo Cabral (POR). “It was a really cool course in many ways,” noted Clarke. “I think Bernardo did a really good job of giving you two options: you either went around and added a lot of time or you took a very difficult inside turn and saved a lot of time.”
Clarke has ridden the 2007 Belgian Warmblood, owned by Mickey Hayden, for several years. Today’s winning course was Hooverphonic Odeveld’s first competitive class back from a break. “We are really excited about how he felt and we know pretty soon he will be ready for the big classes,” explained Clarke. “He’s got so much blood, so much motor, and so much scope that I didn’t have to do anything other than let him do what he does.”
The pair will continue in the Ruby Tour this week, competing in the $5,000 Ruby Tour Speed, sponsored by Green is the New Blue, on Friday at 8 AM and the $10,000 Ruby Tour Classic, sponsored by Platinum Performance, on Saturday at 11 AM.
Clarke shared his gratitude to be competing at the horse park, “I would like to thank El Paseo Jewelers for sponsoring such a great class today,” Clarke commented. Although Clarke has been coming to Thermal for many years, he has enjoyed the recent changes occurring at the horse park, “All the improvements here [at Desert International Horse Park] are fantastic. I’ve been coming here for a long time. You feel the effort. You feel they appreciate you as an exhibitor, so it’s really nice,” Clarke 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.