Source:  News Release

Accurate Riding Scores LEGIS Optimum Time Awards
at Copper Meadows June

As difficult as it is to get a ribbon in the competitive eventing circuit, many riders welcome the opportunity to earn additional awards. When those awards are given for safe and accurate riding, it’s all the better, and that’s why LEGISequine.com created the LEGIS Optimum Time Awards: to reward riders for coming in as close as possible to the optimum time on the cross country course. Enthusiasm for this new award continues to grow, and it was very well received at Copper Meadows Horse Trials (June 8-9). In the Open Training division, Kristi Nunnink of Kristi Nunnink Eventing/Next Star Farm in Auburn and her five-year-old Holsteiner gelding, Lord Lombardi, finished first for the Optimum Time and second in their division, maintaining their position throughout the competition and finishing on their dressage score of 28.2. 

Kristi Nunnink and Lord Lombardi rule the cross country course Photo: Captured Moment Photography

“The award was a surprise. I thought it was awesome and I'm really proud of my training level horse for getting it,” Kristi noted. “It’s great to recognize different areas of expertise. My ride was very pleasant. I was happy with the course, and my goal was to give Lord Lombardi a confident ride around his second training level course.” Kristi's strategy to come close to optimum was to keep an even pace and tempo that was good for the both of them.

Kristi bought Lord Lombardi as a three-year-old and has been very impressed with him. “At only 15.3 hands, he is lovely to ride, has a super temperament, and is very sensible. He's a great mover and loves to jump. I have great hopes for this little guy!”

Tamra Smith and Fleeceworks Royal are regal in the Open Beginner Novice Photo: Captured Moment Photography

Tamra Smith and Fleeceworks Royal (Judith McSwain, owner) also finished first for Optimum Time and second overall for her division, the Open Beginner Novice. She had tied for first with Matthias Schwartz and SAI after dressage, dropped to third after stadium jumping, then moved back up to second after cross country and finished with a score of 29.0. “I think it's a great way to make riders aware of their speed out on cross country,” she remarked. “Very clever.”

Fleeceworks Royal, a four-year-old Holsteiner, is a new horse to Tamra. She is a full sister to Kristi Nunnink's accomplished upper level event horse, R-Star. “Her coloring is very cool right now because she is grey; however, she is very dark right now. We recently bought her as an upper level prospect. This weekend we had a very nice ride, and I just kept at a very nice steady pace. I had no idea that I came so close to the optimum time. What a great surprise. Thank you to LEGIS for your support. This is such a clever award to teach people about being more aware of their speed on cross country!”

Lena Campos and Jeffersonn are tops in Junior Training Rider Photo: Captured Moment Photography

Lena Campos (Jennifer Johnson, trainer), an eighth grader at Malibu High School, was thrilled when she brought home the blue ribbon for optimum time and fifth place for Junior Training Rider with her Jeffersonn. “I had no idea about the award, so it was a fantastic surprise for me to get closest to optimum time. When I first saw my time I didn’t expect to win anything from it, but I’m glad I did,” Lena commented. “It was an amazing experience and an honor to win the LEGIS Optimum Time award. I think these awards are great for the eventing industry because it allows you to determine if your horse is fit for the level you’re competing in. There’s different times set for the specific level you will be running in so you have to maintain a pace according to that time without going too slow. It also encourages a safe riding pace for you to follow throughout the course.”

Lena noted that her cross country round was one of the best rides she's had. “Copper Meadows is the most challenging course I’ve faced, so I was a little nervous in the warm up ring,” she recalled. “As always, when I get on course I forget about the nervousness and I ride to the best of my abilities. There’s no better feeling than finishing the course with a smile on your face and a happy horse. Before my ride, I metered the course and determined where my watch should beep. I wrote the landmarks or jumps around each spot I thought was every 450 meters on my arm, and on course I adjusted my speed to make sure my watch was going to beep exactly there.”                                                                        

Lena and her twelve-year-old Thoroughbred have been a team for about a year and a half. “He’s a joy to ride because he wants to make you happy and keep you safe while teaching you how to be a great equestrian. If you don’t ride correctly, he won’t do it correctly, as I say it,” Lena remarked. “In dressage, he gets heavy in your arms due to his long neck and body, but it’s getting better really quickly and we’re both improving at a very fast rate. The best way to describe him is quirky, patient, loving, enthusiastic, and silly. He reminds me of a toddler. Because he has such a long neck, he likes to reach into my tack trunk and toss whatever he can grab across the aisle. He never fails to make me laugh.”

Deborah Rosen and Sunsprite's Cali shine in the Open Novice Photo: Captured Moment Photography

Deborah Rosen had a great weekend on Sunsprite's Cali (Pamela Duffy-Trotter, owner) in the Open Novice division, topping both the Optimum Time Award and their division, finishing on their dressage score of 30.0. They had been fourth after dressage but moved up to second after stadium jumping, and their clear cross country ride put them over the top to win.

“I knew about the award, but I didn't know Cali had won it,” Deb commented. “I think the award is wonderful, especially for those new to the sport, amateurs, and juniors who are rewarded for being aware of their pace. I really appreciate LEGIS for drawing attention to this important aspect of our sport.”

Sunsprite's Cali is a five-year-old Hanoverian/Thoroughbred cross owned and bred by Sunsprite Warmbloods, and Deb just started riding him last fall. “He is a mighty horse in a tiny package,” she said. “He’s currently 15 hands. He has a strong personality and was a bit challenging at first, but that has worked in my favor as our partnership has developed. He is fiercely brave, enormously talented and loves to please. Everything you want in an event horse! This was Cali's first time showing at Novice and quite a substantial course. I wanted to give him an accurate, confidence-building ride, which to me includes not going too fast. I guess that worked for the award as well, but to be honest, I wasn't thinking about it.”

There are many more opportunities to get in on the LEGIS Optimum Time awards, as LEGISequine.com encourages safe and efficient cross country riding at Copper Meadows, which runs next September 6-8, Shepherd Ranch starting with the June 21-23 show, and Fresno County Horse Park events, the next of which is October 18-20.

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