Paige Johnson Goes Two-for-Two and Wins $20,000 1.50m Classic on Kadena R and Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic on Reddy Teddy

Wellington, FL – February 26, 2005—Paige Johnson sped across the finish line with her 10-year-old mare Kadena R with a clear go in 38.880 seconds to win the $20,000 1.50m Classic. This was her second win of the day, having also finished first in the $10,000 High Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic on Reddy Teddy. The 1.50m was the featured event on Saturday afternoon at the 2005 Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida. This was a Table II Sec 2a, Time First Jump-Off class.

The scopey mare bested a field of 44 competitors to boldly take the class, despite the muddy conditions which were the result of intermittent rain throughout the day.

“What you see is what you get,” commented Johnson, her excitement showing in the speed of her conversation. She was very proud of her mare. “You get a really honest, wonderful feeling in the air. She has a great mindset and does not have a mare attitude.”

Ten riders were able to negotiate Venezuelan Leopoldo Palacios-Jugo’s first round fault free, while many of the 34 remaining riders had faults throughout the course.

“It was a nice course,” said Johnson about the first round. “It asked you to do a lot of things. It was inviting, but difficult. Leopoldo is a great technical course designer. I just rode my best.”

Palacios’ first course consisted of 13 jumps, with a double and triple combination. Fence number three had simulated water underneath it. “Those two round waters, they look at it,” commented Leopoldo. The first combination was 4A-B followed by a turn to 5, which was a wide natural plank set on flat cups in front. This fence had the most rails down of any other single fence on the course.

“It was a very careful jump,” explained Johnson. “After the turn to this fence, the first thing you see is the tent. The plank always comes down very easily.”

The next part of the course that caused even more problems was fence number 10A-B-C. This triple combination had rails dropping at every part of it and it was the demise of most of the riders who didn’t make it to the jump-off.

“The first two verticals were easy, but the oxer going out was wide,” explained Johnson. “You started out on that jump having to ride careful and then having to stretch out across the wide oxer in order to get over it. That required a lot of scope.”

Palacios agreed with Johnson. “The distance (in the triple) is steady for the vertical and then opens up at the end.”

Scope was certainly something that Kadena R has, as she cleared the jumps with room to spare; so much that it seemed she might have lost time in the air. But at 17.3 hands, it wasn’t a problem. “Her stride is long and she’s a big horse,” explained Johnson, who finished the first round in a time of 81.088 seconds, more than six seconds under the 88 second time allowed.

“In the first round, she overjumps,” commented Johnson. “My main goal is to have faith, ride her aggressively and give her a forward and confident ride.”

First to come back of the 10 horses in the jump-off was Eric Hasbrouck aboard Lavaletta. They set the pace with a bold ride, cutting the corners where they could. Their clear round in a time of 42.90 seconds put the pressure on the nine remaining riders. It took three more riders before Johnson negotiated the second clear round. In between, Rodney, ridden by McLain Ward, put in a bold ride with a faster time than Lavaletta (41.262), but with a rail down at the first part of a double combination. Ultimately, it put them fifth. Latinus and Robin Sweeley could not find a good distance to the second fence on the jump-off course and ended up with a refusalk. They rejumped the fence, but then knocked down the next jump, the plank fence. They ended up in last place in the jump-off (11/59.436). Next was Emily Williams on Abracadabra, who finished with 4 faults in 51.239 seconds.

Next to go was Johnson, who really set the pace and their clear time of 38.880 was going to be hard to match. While it proved easy for Kadena R, going into the round Johnson was most concerned about the combination back to the plank jump. “It was an awkward turn but it ended up working out perfectly,” she commented. “She listened to everything.” Johnson knew there were some good riders still to go and although she had a good shot at the win, she knew it wasn’t over yet.

Next to enter the ring was Eric Lamaze on Hickstead. They rode aggressively and brilliantly around the course, almost appearing faster than Johnson, but Madena’s long stride can be very deceiving. Hickstead stopped the clocks in 40.699 seconds and finished second.

Eric Flameng aboard Mazelle went in bold, but at the planks they took both the front and back part of the fence down. They finished seventh with 4 faults in a time of 42.998 seconds. Next was Judy Garofalo on Harlem de Mescam. They went for broke and finished with the second fastest time (39.566) but just managed to take down the rail at 4A for 4 faults.

There were just two more to go. Both Neuville ridden by McLain Ward (8 faults) and Trezebees ridden by Addison Phillips (4 faults) sped around the course but rails down meant the victory went to Johnson.

After the course, Johnson admitted that she knew her ride was fast, “but I didn’t know if it would hold up.” When that last rider went over the course and she knew the victory was hers, she admitted, “I couldn’t be happier. It was a really good day!”

Johnson’s dad, Bob Johnson is a big supporter of his daughter and of horse sports. He is a majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats organization. The organization’s signature fundraising event is the Charlotte Jumper Classic. The second annual event will take place April 8-10 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

This was the fourth 1.50m at WEF. Poleander and Cody Baird won the first Classic on January 29. In Week 2 it was Milona, ridden by Laura Kraut, who earned the first place ribbon. In Week 3, Yann Candele rode Tyra to the win. Week 4 was focused on hunters and no 1.50m class was held.

Grand Prix Sunday features a full day of action in eight rings at the nation’s largest and longest running equestrian sporting event. Action starts in the Internationale Arena at 8:00 a.m. and features classes for Junior and Amateur-Owner Jumpers and the $10,000 Senior Jumper Classic. Show jumping’s main event gets underway at 2:00 p.m. The fifth of seven weeks in Wellington concludes with Sunday’s $75,000 Zada Enterprises, LLC Masters Cup – CSI 3*, a member event of the AGA Series of Show Jumping, kicking off at 2pm. .

Official Results #1001 $20,000 1.50m Classic Table II, Sec 2a – 2-26-05 – Internationale Arena

• 1 – Kadena R, Paige Johnson -0-0/38.880
• 2 – Hickstead, Eric Lamaze – 0-0/40.699
• 3 – Lavaletta, Eric Hasbrouck – 0-0/42.900
• 4 – Harlem de Mescam, Judy Garofalo – 0-4/39.566
• 5 – Rodney, McLain Ward – 0-4/41.262
• 6 – Trezebees, Addison Phillips – 0-4/41.875
• 7 – Mazelle, Eric Flameng – 0-4/42.998
• 8 – Abracadabra, Emily Williams 0-4/51.239
• 9 – Neuville, McLain Ward – 0-8/40.260
• 10 – Latinus, Robin Sweely – 0-11/59.436
• 11- Ostara, Aimee Aron – 4-77.353
• 12 – Antigua RG, Laura Kraut – 4-80.384

Official Results - #1025H $10,000 High Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic – Table II 2b – 2-26-05 – Internationale Arena

• 1 – Reddy Teddy, Paige Johnson -0-0/39.783
• 2 – Lumina 2, Georgina Bloomberg -0-0/40.739
• 3 – Zizou, Nathalie Mathers – 0-0/42.381
• 4 – Capitano, Danielle Torano – 0-0/42.385
• 5 – La Movida, Georgina Bloomberg – 0-4/38.412
• 6 – Isabella, David Tromp – 0-4/39.662
• 7 – Obelix R, Lisa Silverman – 0-4/41.418
• 8 – Madonna, Katherine Miracle – 0-17/52.253
• 9 – Flubber Cocoy, Lisa Silverman – 1-80.591
• 10 – Modra, Cara Cheska – 2-81.049
• 11 – Riane, Alexa Weeks – 4-75.70
• 12 – Action, Georgina Bloomberg – 4-77.351

PHOTO CREDIT: Kadena R and Paige Johnson win the $20,000 1.50m Classic. Photo by Randi Muster.