Lexington, Kentucky, USA – October 04, 2024 – Friday afternoon saw one final Welcome winner at the Kentucky Horse Park for the 2024 season as the Split Rock Fall II CSI 3* would commence the last of three weeks for the Lugano Diamonds Split Rock Jumping Tour’s (SRJT) Fall series. With the $35,000 C. Jarvis Insurance 1.45m Welcome CSI 3* as the day’s center stage, it was the United States’ Alex Granato (USA) aboard Kisma Equestrian’s Helios vd Nosahoeve (Numero Uno x London) who would earn the top spot of the 15 pairs through to the second round to take the victory.

Bernardo Costa Cabral‘s (POR) track saw fifteen out of forty combinations navigate the first-round test fault-free. Two pairs elected to withdraw from round two for a competitive thirteen-horse jump-off. A clear round pace was set early by Ireland’s Shane Sweetnam (IRL) with Sweet Oak Farm’s Fun de L’Oiseliere, crossing the timers in a seemingly swift pace of 37.24 seconds. 

Francisco Goyoaga Mollet (ESP) would follow two rounds later with Onatella v.d Vinkhoeve, (VDL Zirocco Blue x Osta Rugs Quintus) owned by Allie Rae Hayes, barely edging ahead by .04 seconds to challenge a new leading time of 37.20 seconds.

Goyoaga Mollet’s lead was short-lived withGranato entering immediately after. What seemed a fast-paced finish was made even faster as Alex Granato (USA) and Helios vd Nosahoeve‘s 35.73-second time clocked nearly a second and a half quicker. The remaining contenders tried but couldn’t catch the duo.

Simon McCarthy (IRL) and Narcotique vh Dingenshof (Harley x Chacco-Blue), owned by Ilan Ferder, gave the closest run as the penultimate combination, but they would fall just short crossing the timers in 36.31 seconds for second place. Goyoaga Mollet would ultimately capture third place while Sweetnam settled just off the podium in fourth.

The three-week series will culminate Sunday with the $100,000 Lugano Diamonds 1.50m Grand Prix CSI 3*. The tour will then head to Aiken, South Carolina, featuring hunter competition at Bruce’s Field for its first time alongside the return of all ranges of jumper classes in the Split Rock Aiken CSI2* November 6-10.

Final Results – $35,000 C. Jarvis Insurance Welcome CSI 3* – 1.45m

1) Alex Granato (USA) & Helios vd Nosahoeve – 0 / 0 – 35.730

2) Simon McCarthy (USA) & Narcotique VH Dingenshof – 0 / 0 – 36.310

3) Francisco Goyoaga Mollet (ESP) & Onatella vd Vinkhoeve – 0 / 0 – 37.200

Source: Press Release from the Split Rock Jumping Tour

Photos: © SRJT / Winslow Photography

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