Traverse City, Michigan, USA – July 20, 2024 – In an unorthodox jump-off, Charlotte Babbitt (USA) claimed her first-ever grand prix win aboard Vivianne Blue PS in the $30,000 Traverse City National Grand Prix on Saturday during the third week of the summer’s Great Lakes Equestrian Festival (GLEF), presented by B&D Builders, at Flintfields Horse Park. 

The opening course built by Andy Christiansen (ECU) proved a difficult one to master with no clear rounds being produced. Babbitt, a California native who now calls South Florida home, matched step with Wellington, Florida’s, Molly Ashe Cawley (USA) to finish the first round on one time fault apiece.

The pair advanced to a jump-off where Babbitt and her own 11-year-old Oldenburg mare by Vivant van de Heffinck took top call after Cawley’s mount Hyazinthe CR, a nine-year-old Holsteiner mare owned by Sky Group, refused at the wall obstacle.

“Either one of us would have deserved this win and Molly rode really well,” said 23-year-old Babbitt. “I’m so happy that my horse showed up for me today as she does every day. It’s the first time that I feel I gave her an error-free ride. It was nice to give her that; she deserves the world and I can’t believe she’s mine.”

Babbitt jumped her first grand prix a year ago after making a transition to show jumping. She competed up to the four-star level in eventing before accepting a freelance riding position with U.S. show jumping team Olympic gold medalist Will Simpson. “It wasn’t long and I was hooked,” she said. “This is one of the top finishes of my career for sure, and it’s my first big show jumping win which means a lot to me.”

The fastest four-fault round over the opening course, Avery Griffin (USA) and Oh My Star Van Strytem, a 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding by Iam Moerhoeve’s Star, round out the podium in third for owner PBC Equine Investments, LLC. 

Together with Simpson, Babbitt found Vivianne Blue PS on a buying trip to Paul Schockemöhle’s yard in Germany in 2022. “She does no wrong in my eyes,” said Babbitt. “She has been the best horse to teach me show jumping. It’s pretty amazing to get from where we started to here.

“I really wanted to show in Wellington and Will called Nikki [Shahinian-Simpson] for me,” continued Babbitt, who now rides professionally for Shahinian-Simpson’s Riffle Hitch. “It is the best place for me and the horse. I did my first 1.30m with her and 2023 was our first consistent season doing the 1.40m.”

Tackling her next goal, Babbitt and Vivianne Blue PS will jump their first three-star together next week at Flintfields Horse Park.

Final Results – $30,000 Traverse City National Grand Prix

1) Charlotte Babbitt (USA) & Vivianne Blue PS – 1 / 0 – 40.60

2) Molly Ashe Cawley (USA) & Hyazinthe CR – 1 / 8 – 46.22

3) Avery Griffin (USA) & Oh My Star Van Strytem – 4 – 71.93

Source: Press Release from Traverse City Horse Shows

Photos: © TCHS / Megan Giese Photography / Andrew Ryback Photography

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