Peter Leone and Capito Z
Upperville, Va. – June 5, 2019 – The 1.40m Open Jumpers once again highlighted the day at the Upperville Colt & Horse Show (UCHS) in the B&D Builders Jumper Ring I with Olympian Peter Leone capturing the day’s victory about Capito Z. The pair turned in a double-clear effort to earn the blue ribbon by just one second during the competitive class, outpacing some of the country’s top combinations at the historical event.
Anne Kursinski and U2
Twelve horses and athletes completed Alan Wade’s first round course to return for the jump-off, which included a vertical-oxer double combination and several tight rollbacks. Seven of the returning combinations posted a second faultless effort, with Olympian Anne Kursinski turning in the original time to beat aboard Jane Sleeper’s UK, breaking the beam in 35.659 seconds. Schuyler Riley eventually slipped ahead of her with E2 Show Jumpers’ Karina, clearing the course in 34.049 seconds.
Schuyler Riley and Karina
With just a few rounds remaining, Riley’s round looked like it might claim the victory, but Leone and Capito Z took risks by leaving a stride out in the first line and making a tight rollback to the combinations. The risk paid off as the careful 11-year-old Zangersheide gelding owned by the Capito Group galloped across the finish line in 33.105 seconds to take home the top prize.
Leone has been riding Capito Z for five years, and while he has been developing well, he was injured in 2017 and had a year off before returning to the ring and the 1.40m division in fall 2018. The pair has had consistent results throughout the spring and summer and continued to showcase their winning talent during Wednesday’s highlight event.
Peter Leone and Capito Z
Capito Z and Leone will return to the B&D Builders Jumper Ring I for Thursday’s $30,000 Upperville National Grand Prix, presented by the Palm Beach Masters Series. International competition will begin on Friday with the $71,200 Upperville Welcome Stakes CSI4*, presented by the World Equestrian Center.
FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE
Peter Leone – 1.40m Open Jumper winner
On Wednesday’s jump-off:
“I had a good draw — I went late. I had the opportunity to see quite a number of riders do the jump-off course before me. I knew where and how to make the turns and do the striding. For starters, I had planned seven strides from one to two in the jump-off. Some riders did seven, a lot did eight and some did nine. I knew that with good execution I could do the seven. My horse has a very bold, big step, so all the lines rode easily. I was really pleased with my horse because we did a very tight rollback to the yellow double and he really tried hard for me. That’s where we took the biggest risk and he gave me the biggest effort.”
On Capito Z:
“I got him as a 7-year-old and we have just been developing him slowly. We just got him into the bigger sport, but I took him out to Spruce Meadows in 2017 and he got injured during his first class. He had a year off and he started back this time a year ago and was doing the 1.40m and 1.50m again in August and the fall. He’ll do the national grand prix tomorrow. I am really thrilled with Capito and the foundation he’s putting in at this level because it makes it really exciting to go to the next step.”
On the Upperville Colt & Horse Show:
“It’s so wonderful to be back at Upperville. I was Best Child Rider here in the late 1970s. I love the hunter ring. I was saying to my show jumping friends who aren’t familiar with Upperville, as a show jumper you dream of riding at Dublin, Aachen, Rome or Hickstead. As a hunter rider, this is a Dublin or an Aachen. Those trees, the history, the classics with Rodney [Jenkins], Bernie [Traurig] and Terry Rudd, the history, the horse country, Upperville, Middleburg — I just love it. It’s the same wonderful, traditional horse country show that I remember, except completely modernized with fantastic footing, amenities and deluxe jumbotron screens. I really tip my hat off to Upperville. Even though I could spend my entire week here on the jumper side I love going to the hunter side and seeing it. I’ve always had a good show at Upperville. I love it, it’s really horse country and real horse people. I think they are doing a great job.”
RESULTS
1.40m Open Jumpers
Place / Horse / Rider / R1 Faults | Time / R2 Faults | Time
1. Capito Z / Peter Leone / 0 | 61.423 / 0 | 33.105
2. Karina / Schuyler Riley / 0 | 60.829 / 0 | 34.049
3. U2 / Anne Kursinski / 0 | 62.840 / 0 | 35.659
4. Berdien / Molly Ashe Cawley / 0 | 59.759 / 0 | 35.845
5. Conrad 119 / Molly Ashe Cawley / 0 | 62.418 / 0 | 36.458
6. Very Chic Du Tillard / Schuyler Riley / 0 | 62.966 / 0 | 37.391
7. Dasino / Tomas Yofre / 0 | 60.672 / 0 | 44.476
8. Chuck Berry 8 / Olivia Chowdry / 0 | 61.506 / 4 | 31.865
9. Romeo De Villaret / Adam Prudent / 0 | 63.660 / 4 | 33.149
10. Tiadora DR / Conor O’Regan / 0 | 63.449 / 4 | 35.972
11. Chanel One / Jimmy Torano / 0 | 57.270 / 4 | 39.940
12. Chatman / Tomas Yofre / 0 | 63.587 / 8 | 34.861