Markus Fuchs and Nirmette Speed to Victory in $20,000 1.50m Classic at CN Wellington Open CSIO 5* presented by Cosequin

Robert Kraut and Nemo Have First Big Win Together in $25,000 CN Jumper Classic

Wellington, FL – The CN Wellington Open CSIO 5*, presented by Cosequin, continued today with 1.50m jumper classics for both the national and international divisions of open jumpers. In the first class, the $25,000 CN Jumper Classic, Robert Kraut (USA) and Meghan Moran’s Nemo raced to the finish for the win. Markus Fuchs of St. Gallen, Switzerland and Nirmette posted their second win of the circuit, this time in the $20,000 1.50m Classic.

Fuchs attempted the course in the 17th spot in the order and was chasing the leading time of 69.94 seconds set by Jimmy Torano (USA) and Vaillant, owned by Harry R. Gill. Fuchs made quick work of the course and blazed through the timers in 68.11 seconds. Fuchs’ only challenger was Mario Deslauriers (CAN) on Available Jumpers’ Gilmore 48, who recorded a time of 69.76 seconds.

“That was not a very difficult class. I used it as preparation for tomorrow,” Fuchs said afterwards. “I saw the winning time was not terribly quick, so I thought I’d try to go for it. There are some horses when you are quick that are more difficult the next day, but that is not the case with her.”

Fuchs has ridden the 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare by Ramiro owned by Juri Adolfo and Isolde Liebherr for three years. Nirmette was a broodmare until the age of nine and has had to learn to be brave in the show ring. “She started show jumping very late,” Fuchs acknowledged. “She’s terribly careful; the most careful horse I’ve ever ridden in my life. On the other hand, she’s very spooky and still not there with her confidence where it should be. She’s a little bit, I would say, coward and unsure, so I have to sit a little bit in her back. When she has the confidence and when she loosens up, she jumps really well.”

While Fuchs was unhappy with the footing, he was pleased to be showing in Florida. “It’s quite cold in Switzerland in February, so it’s nice to be here,” he said with a smile. “The facilities here are amazing. It’s really something else. I wanted to do this once before I stop riding.”

Kraut and Nemo were one of only four clear rounds in the $25,000 CN Jumper Classic. Kraut rode out of the 16th spot in the order and only one round following him, Darvin Garbo and Henrik Gundersen (DEN), went clear.

Nemo is owned by Meghan Moran, who bought him two years ago and showed him in Europe last summer. Today’s win was only the sixth time that Kraut had ridden the ten-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding by Burggraaf.

Kraut felt that today’s course offered multiple spots where horses were tested. “The combinations, the liverpool line was scopey, the set of blue oxers; it was really a careful course,” he said.

When asked where he made up time, Kraut replied, “I had pretty tight turns and all the distances came up nicely. It was just a very smooth round and to me, smooth is always fast.”

Nemo “felt like a winner,” Kraut added. “I’m just getting to know him, but he’s a blast. He’s like riding a big pony. You kick him around like a big pony. He didn’t get ridden or lunged or anything yesterday. He’s just a really cool horse.”

The CN Wellington Open CSIO 5* presented by Cosequin concludes tomorrow with CN US Open Jumper Championship CSIO 5* presented by Cosequin, which kicks off at 2 p.m. in the Internationale Arena.

Results of Class 105 1.50m Classic, 238.2.1 - CN Wellington Open CSIO 5* - March 10, 2007 T/A: 83.00

• 1 2766 NIRMETTE MARKUS FUCHS SUI 0.00 68.11 JURI ADOLFO
• 2 2339 GILMORE 48 MARIO DESLAURIERS CAN 0.00 69.76 AVAILABLE JPRS.COM
• 3 2308 VAILLANT JIMMY TORANO USA 0.00 69.94 HARRY R. GILL
• 4 2771 CALMERO ORION FRANCOIS MATHY BEL 0.00 70.78
• 5 224 TIBOR PABLO BARRIOS VEN 0.00 70.87 ANNA LISA SMITH
• 6 3651 OASIS RODRIGO PESSOA BRA 0.00 70.90 DOUBLE H FARM
• 7 2174 CURIUS GEORGINA BLOOMBERG USA 0.00 72.88 GOTHAM ENTERPRIZES
• 8 232 RIO CORDE WILLIAM LOWRY USA 0.00 73.75 WINSOR FARM SALES
• 9 2279 CEDRIC LAURA KRAUT USA 0.00 74.22 K & H ENTERPRISES
• 10 3155 COMPLETE CIAN O'CONNOR IRL 0.00 74.62 CASTLEMARTIN STUD
• 11 2907 SUCCESS MICHAEL WALTON USA 0.00 77.03 MICHAEL WALTON
• 12 1770 PLENTY ELIZA SHUFORD USA 0.00 82.74 ELIZA SHUFORD

$25,000 CN JUMPER CLASSIC - USEF Table II, 2.1

• 1 2694 NEMO ROBERT KRAUT MEGHAN MORAN-0 /68.999
• 2 3378 LENNOX LEWIS 2 LESLIE HOWARD PETER HOWARD- 0 /69.198
• 3 3451 DARVIN GARBO HENRIK S. GUNDERSEN -0 /69.519
• 4 329 MIDNIGHTLADY CHARLIE JACOBS DEERIDGE FARM-0 /70.645
• 5 3150 MARKOPOULO CANDICE KING CIAN O'CONNOR - 1 /74.001
• 6 281 MADISON ALEXA WEEKS ALEXA WEEKS-4 /64.506
• 7 1342 JULIA DU BRIO PETER LEONE ALEXIA SIMONNARD- 4 /65.189
• 8 2636 RULANDA CAROLYN KELLY LULU EQUESTRN ENT -4 /65.683
• 9 923 EDGAR 12 JOE FARGIS MARY B. SCHWAB - 4 /66.157
• 10 2809 VANCOUVER D'AUVREY DANIELLE TORANO -4 /69.067
• 11 1463 NALLA COURTNEY VINCE PEBBLE CREEK HLDGS-4 /69.269
• 12 220 DISCOVERY ROBIN SWEELY ACORN HILL FARM-4 /69.590

Photo Credit: Nirmette and Markus Fuchs (SUI), winners of the $20,000 1.50m Classic at the CN Wellington Open CSIO 5*, presented by Cosequin. Photo © 2007 Peter Llewellyn/PMG Pictures.