Posted June 18, 2006

Aaron Vale and Sea Cloud Win $25k EMO Grand Prix at Atlanta Summer Classic

Conyers, GA – Aaron Vale of Aiken, SC partnered with Sea Cloud the 15-year old Oldenburg gelding owned by Andrea King took top honors in the $25,000 Grand Prix sponsored by EMO Insurance to kick off the Horses Helping Horses events.

“My goal is to set a course that is very challenging but also create a good balance between the test I ask horse and rider to execute throughout.” International course designer Michel Vaillancourt explained to the audience as 27 anxious competitors waited their turn to cross the start line. Tonight’s layout consisted of 13 obstacles requiring 16 efforts in a first round time allowance of 85 seconds. Among Vaillancourt’s challenges were two sets of combinations; a double coming off a long stretch early in the track and the triple at 11ABC (oxer-vertical-oxer) with the infamous white top rail as an optical illusion to test the horses on the next to the last line. 11 succeeded in making it to the second round of 5 jumps requiring 7 tough efforts in 47 seconds.

“It walked difficult and I thought it rode difficult,” Vale began about the course “having 11 clear was a little surprising. The first line, 2-3-4AB was very technical with a vertical in-out coming out and the last line with the combo 11ABC were quite difficult, long to short. It was a struggle to get around clear tonight.”

Vale had 4 mounts this evening of which two made it to the jump off. Sea Cloud was second in the order of go and the first to go clear with a time of 79.890. Arriscraft Soleil, the 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Angelstone Farm, and second place finisher in Thursday’s Welcome Stake was Aaron’s next to succeed with a time of 77.762. “I had 2 clean rounds but even when I jumped clear it felt difficult to me.” He concluded of the first round and said of the jump off, “Since my fastest horse was the first in I wanted to put down a good trip and try to put some pressure on the rest of the field. With 11 in there and not knowing what a few of them could do I just had to go in and set a fast pace that no one would catch….and they didn’t.” He said with a grin. Sea Cloud’s blistering time of 35.061 was a good 4 seconds ahead of his closest rival Heaven Bound, the 10 year-old Holsteiner gelding piloted by owner Derek Petersen of Archer, Florida who finished clean with a time of 39.332 for second place. Following in third place was All Star with veteran rider Deborah Stephens in the irons for owner Daran Cohn and a clear time of 42.435. Aaron also took home fourth place with Arriscraft Soleil finishing with 4 faults in 38.734 seconds and rounding out the top five was junior rider-owner Jack Harden Towell on board Eventual with 4 faults in 39.504 seconds.

“I’ve got a classy ole horse! He’s got quick feet and can turn like a barrel racer when needed. The horse is just super!” Aaron said of his partner after the victory gallop. Up next is the Roanoke Grand Prix and on to the Biltmore Summer Classics where he looks to defend his championships.

Chairman of the Atlanta Summer Classics Bob Bell presented the awards to Aaron and Sea Cloud commenting, “What a talent. Aaron just gives it his all everytime he enters the ring. It’s always exciting to watch him on course. We wish him continued success this season and look forward to another thrilling ride with him at the Biltmore.”

Week two of the Atlanta Summer Classics will once again host the Horses Helping Horses charity events with the “Weekend of Giving” to benefit Old Friends Equine Rescue and the Georgia Dept of Agriculture Equine Impound. Beginning on Thursday with the special Thoroughbred Only Hunters aka the “Old Friends” Division that invites all proud “OTTB” and Thoroughbred owners to come “show” off their horses while supporting the charity rescues. Friday’s special events begin at 9AM with the first Silent Auction, which benefits Old Friends Equine Rescue under the big tent in the Grand Prix arena. A wide array of items will be up for auction, even a special package that includes lunch with Nikko Ritter one of the stars from the Animal Planet series Horse Power~Road to the Maclay. At 6PM Outback Steakhouse hosts a dinner in the tent and guests are invited to enjoy the VIP seating to watch the evening’s main event the $25,000 Horses Helping Horses Hunter Classic sponsored by AME Financial Corporation. Some of the country’s top ranked riders will be riding in what is sure to be a challenging event.

The “giving” continues on Saturday with a second Silent Auction taking place in the Carriage Room to benefit the Georgia Equine Impound followed by the second charity dinner-“Southern Nights”, provided by Proof of the Pudding under the VIP tent in the Grand Prix arena and the evening wraps up with the 2nd Annual Horses Helping Horses $25,000 Grand Prix sponsored by Outback Steakhouse. Nationally and Internationally ranked show jumpers will be vying for top call in this special event benefiting both horse charities and promising for a truly exciting evening of competition. Tickets for the benefit dinners will be available at the show grounds and sold by the table — $500 for both nights or $300 for one night with all proceeds going to the charities. Each table includes dinner for eight along with a cash bar.

The Atlanta Summer Classics continue through June 25th with showing taking place Wednesday through Sunday each week. Classes begin daily at 8AM until approximately 4:30PM and the public is invited. Admission is free and at 7PM each Saturday evening will host an exciting $25,000 Grand Prix jumper event. For more information or results on the Summer Classics visit www.classiccompany.com or call the show office at 770-602-2510.

Photo Credit: Aaron Vale and Sea Cloud winning EMO $25K Grand Prix by ©Flashpoint Photography