Langley, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada – May 25, 2023 – It wasn’t Alison Robitaille’s intention to go fast or be particularly competitive in Thursday morning’s Two-Phase Challenge CSI 2* with Jikke-Cara, it being their first time out on the grass field of the Fort Grand Prix Arena at tbird. But “Bunny Rabbit” as the nine-year-old mare is known in the barn (because she looks like the emoji of course) picked up the pace and kept on rolling, right to the top of the 60-horse field.

“We were lucky to show in Wellington on the grass recently, so we got our feet wet out there,” remarked Robitaille. “She has a very big stride — I left out a stride down the very first line and just was able to keep that pace throughout the whole course.”

A relatively new pairing, Robitaille purchased the Dutch Warmblood mare in 2022 from world no. 9 Kent Farrington (USA). 

“She was in Europe, so [I bought her] pretty much sight unseen. But [Kent] thought it would be good match. She came over in quarantine and I agreed with him—and off we went,” said Robitaille.

The pair have been training with Farrington for the past year and developing their partnership at the 1.35m-1.40m height. They have clear round average of 67% over six rounds at the 1.40m-1.45m level, according to Jumpr App.

Final Results – $1.000 Fort Grand Prix Arena at tbird CSI 2* – 1.40

1) Alison Robitaille (USA) & Jikke-Cara  – 0 / 0 – 35.38

2) Alexis Sokolov (USA) & Fasole Du Seigneur – 0 / 0 – 35.8

3) Mandy Poter (USA) & Cadeu Z – 0 / 0 – 38.61

Source: Press Release from Thunderbird Show Park 

Photo: © Tbird / Quinn Saunders

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