The 2020 Abilene Spectacular concluded on Saturday, January 11 with the 5/6-Year-Old Non-Pro Finals, won by Paula Wood, Stephenville, Tex., with 222.5 points, on Cool N Hot. Kylie Rice, Weatherford, Tex., scored 221 points as reserve champion on Miss Kitty Russel, while Nadine Payne, Overbrook, Okla., placed third with 218.5 riding Blu Velvet.
Defending World Champion Earns 20 World Points with 89-Point Ride, Remains World No. 3
In front of a roaring crowd inside Allstate Arena, defending World Champion and current world No. 3 Jess Lockwood (Volborg, Montana) used a re-ride option in Round 1 of the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) 2020 Chicago Invitational to make his second-straight trip to the Can-Am Cage for a round win.
Langston Pattillo, St. Elmo, Ill., scored 222 points on Catsa U Later LTE $19,784, by Boon Too Suen, to win the Abilene Spectacular Amateur Derby. Hunter Williams, Nolan, Tex., took second with 219 points on Rumor On The Street, by Dual Rey, as well as first in the Amateur Gelding division. Williams also placed sixth in the seven-horse finals aboard Mightee Merle, by WR This Cats Smart.
The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Executive Committee recently finalized and approved conditions for a trial phase of an amateur division.
Ireydescent, shown by Adan Banuelos, and Stole A Kiss, with James Payne, were the stars on Wednesday, January 8, at the Taylor County Expo Center, as 221.5-point co-champions of the 2020 Abilene Spectacular Derby. Miss Blu Boon, ridden by Lloyd Cox, was next with 219 points, while Jae Zee, with Tatum Rice, scored 218 points to place fourth, with the third-highest score in the 28-horse Finals field.
The stakes were high on Tuesday at the Abilene Spectacular, where the second go-round of Open 4-year-old competition saw 28 horses with cumulative scores of 434.5 points or more advance to Wednesday’s Derby Finals, and 19 Open 5- & 6-year-olds with scores of 220.5 points or more advance to the Classic Finals.
Olympic athlete Martin Fuchs (SUI) has moved to the top of the Longines Rankings for the first time in his career, overtaking compatriot Steve Guerdat who held the number one position for a year. Martin Fuchs (27), now out in front with 3,483 points, has been hot on the heels of Guerdat since August last year and finished 2019 with a string of inspirational performances including his impressive Grand Prix victory on home turf at the CSI5* at Geneva and, a week later, taking the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ leg at Olympia in December, 29 years after his father Thomas won at the London venue.
Belgian-based German star, Daniel Deusser, stormed to victory with Killer Queen VDM at the ninth leg of the Longines FEI World Cup™ 2019/2020 Western European League at Mechelen in Belgium. In a fascinating 12-horse second round, the 38-year-old rider who is currently third in the world rankings had to wait until the very end to take his chance. Switzerland’s Pius Schwizer was holding the lead with a run that had clearly not pushed his gelding, Cortney Cox, to the limit of speed when breaking the beam without lowering a pole in 44.02 seconds.
Ireland claimed the FEI Jumping Ponies’ Trophy for the third consecutive year and completely dominated the podium when Rhys Williams romped to victory ahead of compatriots Alex Finney and John McEntee at the 2019 Final at Mechelen in Belgium.
Swiss star follows in his uncle’s footsteps; now qualified for Las Vegas Final
Switzerland’s Martin Fuchs scooped his second win of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2019/2020 Western European League at the London International Horse Show at Olympia, London (GBR) this afternoon where Austria’s Max Kuhner lined up second ahead of Belgium’s Niels Bruynseels in third. Partnering his top ride, the lightning-fast grey Clooney, Fuchs took the third leg in Lyon (FRA) by storm last month, and in today’s eighth round of the 14-leg series he galloped to victory with a stunning performance from The Sinner. He’s the reigning European champion, and looks set to take over the No. 1 spot on the Longines World Rankings as 2020 gets underway after an incredible run of recent form. He also became the first Swiss winner of the Olympia leg of the FEI World Cup™ series in 29 years. The 27-year-old rider wasn’t even born when his father, Thomas Fuchs, stood top of the podium at the London fixture back in 1990.
Just six horse-and-rider combinations made it through to today’s jump-off, and Fuchs was fulsome in his praise of Irish course designer, Alan Wade. “The first round wasn’t crazy big, but Alan set a great course as he always does - it was another of his masterpieces!” the winning rider said.
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