Thermal, California, USA – March 10, 2024 – Kaitlin Campbell (USA) felt that she had just had a few too many instances of an unlucky rail in top competition throughout Desert Circuit so far, but she changed her fate during Desert Circuit 9, presented by Kubota. Aboard her longtime partner Palina de L’Escaut, owned by SWS Training & Sales, Campbell flew to the win in the $32,000 Frontier Farms Classic CSI 3*, making it two FEI wins for her in one week.

Campbell and Palina de L’Escaut were one of eight pairs to jump Joey Rycroft’s course clear and advance to a jump-off. She had the pole position heading in last, and in addition, she knows her mare’s footspeed is unmatched.

“Usually I’m riding brand new horses all the time but this horse has been in the barn for five years now so she’s pretty much the longest partnership I’ve had,” she said of Palina de L’Escaut, a 15-year-old Hanoverian mare (Perigueux x Gardeulan). “We try to pick and choose the classes she will do the best in. The other two horses I showed this week, it was their first FEI show with me so I wanted to have something I knew well today.”

Campbell and Palina have won quite a bit together, but jumping on the grass isn’t usually Campbell’s first instinct with the mare.

“Normally I don’t show her on a big open grass ring like this but she’s been feeling so well that she deserved to go out there and have a win,” she explained. “She’s been feeling so good and jumping so well but I’ve been making a mistake. Finally today it came together.”

In second was Peter Petschenig (AUT) and It’s The Senator 111, owned by Petschenig Showjumping LLC, while Nicole Haunert (USA) and My Lady Lavista, owned by Cherokee Show Horses, took third.

Campbell knows the mare so well so she knows exactly how to keep her fit and performing at her best. “She pretty much never jumps at home but that’s been the case since I’ve had her,” she shared. “She doesn’t really ever canter, we only trot. She’s really light on herself besides when we’re showing, so it’s a balance of keeping her fit without doing too much work. She doesn’t need to practice much at this point.”

The week was for sure a highlight for Campbell and the team behind her, but they know they still have decent shots at all the final classes remaining for week 10.

“This was for sure the best week so far,” she reflected. “But we’ve been here since week 3 and it’s been great. They get in different rings each week so it’s nice to pick and choose which horses to show which week. They give a variety of classes you can do, and it’s really nice having National grand prixs and the 1.40m is a nice stepping stone in between.”

Show jumping picks back up for CSI4* and National action on Wednesday, March 13.

Final Results – $32,000 Frontier Farms Classic CSI 3*

1) Kaitlin Campbell (USA) & Palina de L’Escaut – 0 / 0 – 40.43

2) Peter Petschenig (AUT) & It’s The Senator 111 – 0 / 0 – 40.82

3) Nicole Haunert (USA) & My Lady Levista – 0 / 0 – 40.93

Source: Press Release from Desert International Horse Park

Photos: © DIHP / TB Photography / High Desert Photo / MG Photography

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