Aley Russell wins Aiken's PSJ Week 1 Mini Prix 1/4/2009 9:58 PM
By BEN BAUGH Staff writer
A solid field of 17 entries competed at Highfields Event Center Sunday in Progressive Show Jumping's Aiken Winter Classic Week 1 $10,000 Mini Prix.
A total of eight entries went clean in the first round on a course designed by J.P. Godard. The course featured 12 4-foot-high obstacles and 15 elements, including a challenging 11th jumping effort and a triple combination.
When the dust settled after the jump-off, during which only three had double-clean rounds, Aley Russell and Querregne captured the class, with a time 34.738 seconds. That time was a little more than a half-second faster than Vicki Miller and Tamino, whose time was 35.306 seconds. Russell and Querregne's trainer is Aiken-based Hollow Creek Farm's Andrea King.
"Our plan was just to go clean," said Russell. "We're working on our corners, and we started off the new year well. We've been working hard the last couple of weeks back at home, training hard. I think we're happy with the results today. Andrea (King) has helped me a lot this week to get me tuned up."
Trina Green placed third on Dustin Ball's Zed, finishing with a time of 39.596. King was impressed with Russell and Querregne's performance.
"She did great; she's been working very hard," said King. "She's in school at American University so it's very hard for her to practice. She's a little rusty when she just flies in and gets on the horse. We did a lot of practicing."
Russell prepared diligently and achieved optimum results but didn't go into the class with aspirations of winning. She had to overcome a number of challenges.
"The ring was a little bit hilly and wasn't even, so you had to stay balanced and keep your horse balanced," said Russell. "We wanted to practice our turns, have square tens."
The second week of the Aiken Winter Classic begins Wednesday at 9 a.m.
Highfields Event Center is located at 147 Warehouse Road. For more information, call 649-3505 or visit www.psjshows.com.
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