Edited Press Release
Shane Sweetnam (IRL) wasn’t going to let the summer pass without a big victory. This one came in Thursday’s $37,000 CSI3* Corcoran Group Speed aboard Alejandro, a horse no stranger to the winner’s circle.
Sweetnam had two rides out of the 36 starting entries in Thursday’s class. Over a track built by Germany’s Olaf Petersen, Jr., the Irish rider piloted Caraghs Quality Lady, owned by Anna Beth Athey, to an early lead after clocking in at 65.45 seconds. His lead would hold strong until he returned to the ring 32nd in the order aboard Alejandro, the 13-year-old Rhinelander gelding (Acorado’s Ass x Continue) he owns with Seabrook LLC and Spy Coast Farm.
Putting his own time to the test, Sweetnam raced around the long, windy track and shaved off just below half a second which set a new time-to-beat of 64.60 seconds with only four remaining to challenge him.
The only pair to come close was Lisa Goldman-Smolen (USA) with Sovereign as the final combination on course. Denying Sweetnam the one-two finish, she piloted Barbara Disko’s 16-year-old Selle Francais stallion (Frontal x Galoubet A) across the finish line in 65.01 seconds to secure second place and pushed Sweetnam to third aboard Caraghs Quality Lady.
“I was lucky I had been around once already with Caraghs Quality Lady,” Sweetnam reflected on his plan with Alejandro. “I’d been pretty quick with her so I had a feel for the course. When I went with Alejandro, I knew the ones after me were really quick so I thought I’d try to get a bit quicker around the corners and the turns than I did with the first one.”
While Sweetnam has traveled back and forth between Traverse City and Europe to show and train, Alejandro has stayed primarily in Europe, competing at top venues.
“This year we’ve been going fast at most of the shows,” Sweetnam said about the horse’s progression. “He’s been the backup horse so he’s had to do a lot of speed classes. We’ve been getting a little quicker. This year he’s had more opportunities to go fast, and he’s beginning to get the hang of being quick without forcing it.”
“I turned back to the plank, and the start [of the turn] wasn’t great but the second half ended up being quicker,” he said, of where he thought he made up the time. “Coming home to the last I was really fast, and he was quick in the air so I think it made a difference there. He jumped really well, and I’m very happy with him.”
Final Results: $37,000 CSI3* Corcoran Group Speed
1. ALEJANDRO: 2009 RHEIN gelding by Acorado’s Ass x Continue
SHANE SWEETNAM (IRL), Shane Sweetnam, Seabrook LLC, and Spy Coast Farm: 0/64.60
2. SOVEREIGN: 2006 SF stallion by Frontal x Galoubet A
LISA GOLDMAN-SMOLEN (USA), Barbara Disko: 0/65.01
3. CARAGHS QUALITY LADY: 2013 ISH mare by Obos Quality x Limmerick
SHANE SWEETNAM (IRL), Anna Beth Athey: 0/65.45
4. CARLCHEN W: 2008 MECKL gelding by Chacco Blue x Continue
ALEX GRANATO (USA), The Bright Lights Group: 0/65.65
5. BABYCOMEBACK: 2011 SF mare by Corofino II x Joyau D’or A
ROBERTO TERAN TAFUR (COL), Trefoil Farm LLC: 0/66.24
6. HIGHWAY FBH: 2010 KWPN gelding by Plot Blue x Cornet Obolensky
JACOB POPE (USA), Team Rakowsky Equestrian LLC: 0/66.77
7. AKUNA MATTATA: 2008 AHHA mare by Quinar Z x Landwind II
NICOLE SHAHINIAN SIMPSON (USA), Silver Raven Farms: 0/66.98
8. SANTANA: 2013 HOLST gelding by Cascadello x Carthago
ROBERTO TERAN TAFUR (COL), Rocking Basilisk Farm LLC: 0/68.07
9. IDEAAL ES: 2013 KWPN gelding by Ukato x Conway
FILIPPO PIGNATTI (ITA), Take The High Road, LLC: 0/71.82
10. CAPTAIN COOPER: 2007 KWPN gelding by Namelus R x Corland
HILARY MCNERNEY (USA), Hilary McNerney: 0/72.17
11. LOVELIGHT: 2011 HOLST stallion by Lord Z x Lordship
HILARY MCNERNEY (USA), Hilary McNerney: 0/72.59
12. EXTASY: 2012 HOLST mare by Quadros x Clearway
VICTORIA KETCHUM (USA), Copperline Farm LLC: 0/73.55
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Whitethorne LLC always carries a number of high-quality Hunters, Jumpers and Equitation horses for sale or lease in Southern California. All of these horses are personally chosen by Georgy Maskrey-Segesman and her partner in Germany, and represent some of the best competition horses available in Europe for every level of competition in Hunters, Equitation, and Jumpers. Georgy travels to Europe several times per year and together with her partner in Germany, selects the best of the horses available in Germany and Holland and several other countries in Europe, and imports them to Whitethorne Ranch where they are available for sale or lease.
