WEG Trials/$175,000 Cargill Grand Prix make for exciting doubleheader

Coming into the grand prix, the standings for the WEG team had shifted slightly from where they were at the conclusion of the Del Mar trials the previous weekend. Ray Texel and the expressive mare Fleur had a clean round in Friday's trial four, which put them in a four-way tie for first with Molly Ashe and the mare Kroon Gravin, Nicole Shahinian-Simpson and El Campeon's Cirka Z and Beezie Madden on Judgement.

Although Lauren Hough and Clasiko had been leading the way following the Del Mar trials, she'd fallen to thirteenth place after a disappointing seventeen-fault performance. However, she had managed to rise to sixth on her other mount, the chestnut Windy City, after posting a clear round in trial four. This state of flux meant that virtually any horse/rider combination in the top twelve had a shot at making the WEG team with a sterling performance in the grand prix.

The first clear round belonged to a member of our Sydney Olympic squad, Laura Kraut aboard the youngster Anthem. "My horse was just amazing," she remarked afterwards. "He listened to everything I told him and probably disregarded some of the wrong things I told him."

The only other clear belonged to always-accurate Chris Kappler on Royal Kaliber. World champion Rodrigo Pessoa on Gandini Lianos, attempting to garner some grand prix cash, floated around the course much like it was a working hunter round, but he ended up with one time fault.

Chris Kappler and Royal Kaliber celebrated with the fans after his win in the $175,000 Cargill Grand Prix.

Yet Wylde, who'd had a thrilling clear round in the works in the first round until a heartbreaking rail at the final jump, rode brilliantly to capture a clear in the second round aboard the mare Fein Cera. Others who posted clears included Leslie Burr Howard on Priobert de Kalvarie (who always gets his customary sugar treat before he starts on course), Pessoa, and Kappler.

Laura Kraut had a terribly disappointing final round. Anthem seemed to struggle then just run out of steam as he pulled four rails and earned two time faults for a total of eighteen.

When the dust, or in this case the turf, had settled, Chris Kappler with his back-to-back clear rounds on Royal Kaliber, had won the $175,000 grand prix. When asked what he was going to do to celebrate, Kappler said, "Actually, I'm getting right on a plane to Cincinnati because I'm riding at another horse show tomorrow."

Kappler had started the trials with the handsome bay Royal Kaliber, but after a pulled shoe in the first round, he had removed himself from contention to care for his horse.

Pessoa finished second. As if he needed any consolation, he was awarded the George Morris trophy for the most stylish rider plus he earned the mantle of leading rider for the competition.

The top six in contention for the WEG team after the final scores had been tallied were Molly Ashe and Kroon Gravin with 20 faults, Peter Wylde and Fein Cera with 21, Leslie Howard and Priobert De Kavalrie with 22, Nicole Shahinian-Simpson with El Campeon's Cirka Z with 25, Beezie Madden and Judgement with 28, and Ray Texel with Lexicon with 30. The selectors had the option of replacing either the third or fourth ranked rider with someone from lower on the list chosen subjectively, but they elected not to.

In addition, four riders from the top ten will be selected to represent the U.S. at the Spruce Meadows Master in Canada.

Sadly, fifth placed Ray Texel's owners have elected to not continue their relationship with him, and his horses were removed from consideration for either team. Therefore, 6th placed Beezie Madden and Judgement will be traveling to Spain as the alternate, should any of the top four horses and riders be unable to compete.

As for the WEG team, Leslie Burr Howard found herself an impromptu guru or mother hen. She made the cut, but she has also served as trainer and mentor to two of the other members: Molly Ashe and Nicole Shahinian-Simpson.