Riley Delbecq and Cardozo 4 Shine in the $30,000 Purina Animal Nutrition Grand Prix at the 2024 HITS Vermont Summer Festival
The stage was set on the beautiful afternoon of July 14, 2024, for the $30,000 Purina Animal Nutrition Grand Prix at the HITS Vermont Summer Festival. Top jumper riders donned their white breeches as they prepared to take on the challenging course. Several riders showcased brilliant performances, but Riley Delbecq (USA) and Cardozo 4 ultimately secured the win.
Twenty-seven horse-and-rider combinations set out to contest the track set by Catsy Cruz Harris of Mexico City, Mexico. Thirteenth to go in the class, Debecq understood all the questions the course asked and executed accordingly, producing a fault-free effort. One of seven to jump the shortened course, Delbecq set a blazing pace of 37.458 seconds that would hold up for the win.
“I thought the course was really nice, obviously; it was a good day for us,” laughed Delbecq. “The jump-off was nice and flowy. In places I may have turned a little wide, but we were quick across the ground to make up some time, and it worked out.”
Delbecq paired up with Cardozo 4, Todd Minikus LTD.’s 11-year-old Westphalian gelding (Colestus x Falkenhof’s Lancer) almost exactly a year ago. They have had a successful first year together, yet this win comes as the most meaningful, as it is Delbecq’s first grand prix victory.
“I’ve been showing him in the national grands prix and U25 classes throughout the winter,” explained Delbecq. “We had a couple of top placings, but I’ve had a few mistakes here and there that have kept us out of the jump-offs. We’ve been working towards this win for a long time.
“Cardozo is just very patient and forgiving,” she continued. “He’s scopey and athletic enough that when you do make a mistake, he’s always there to back you up.”
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