Paul Rohrbach and Shiraz went all-out in the jump-off for the $50,000 L.A. National Grand Prix, in front of a sellout crowd. In fact, their speed almost caught up with them when the bay mare slipped on the final turn before the long gallop to the last fence.

“When I made the turn and Shiraz slipped I thought I was going to be a dirt sandwich,” Rohrbach said with a laugh. But Shiraz regained her footing to post a clear round in 45.59 seconds, and Rohrbach knew he had done his best.

Rohrbach drew the first slot in the first round of 35 horses and handily galloped Shiraz around Guilherme Jorge’s course. “Going first is a great position for me. There is a plan and nothing else,” he said.

Although Rohrbach made the big track look easy, only Hap Hansen on Double Dutch posted another clear round. The Saturday evening class was held during the Los Angeles National, Nov. 16-20 at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center in Burbank, Calif.

Rohrbach knew that the jump-off would be tough. “Hap has beaten me so many times,” he said. He went for fast and clear, and Shiraz delivered.

Hansen returned aboard Barbara Endean’s Double Dutch, and when the pair pulled the first rail, Hansen pulled up. Although the crowd was disappointed not to see a complete jump-off contest, Rohrbach was overcome.

“I came here by myself with no great expectations. I hadn’t done a big class since April. Voila! Look what happened. The mare jumped beautifully,” he said. “I guess this has vaulted us into the West Coast World Cup standings.”

Although this was not Rohrbach’s first grand prix win, it was by far his most significant. Rohrbach was quick to credit the mare’s owner, Mary Dunahay, for her support. “Mary has supported multiple horses, and this is a nice win for her,” he said.

Rohrbach is based in Colorado with Corky Shaha, who runs a show barn with him.

Could the 2006 FEI World Cup Finals be on Rohrbach’s agenda? “So far I have not had anything she [Shiraz] couldn’t jump,” he said.

Rich Fellers finished third and fourth with Gyro and McGuinness, both owned by Harry and Mollie Chapman. Fellers is particularly excited about Gyro, who is 12 but fairly inexperienced. Alan Waldman knew of the horse as a foxhunter based in Ireland, and he thought he would make a good jumper.

“He was 10 years old when I bought him,” said Fellers. “It was a major gamble, and the Chapmans were brave enough to gamble. I tried the horse and he had so much talent. It is hard to find a really scopey, powerful horse.”

Maida Masters WCE Medal
Alex Maida led the victory gallop in the WCE Junior/Amateur Medal Class sponsored by the CPHA Foundation. The 3’6″ medal underwent some changes to encourage more jumper-type riding.

The first round was held as a Table II 2c class with power and speed phases.

While there was some confusion and uncertainty among the judges, trainers, and riders over exactly what was expected, most of those involved with the class liked the new direction.

Maida, of Danville, Calif., has come into her own this year and blossomed into a stylish and consistent performer. After clinching the USEF West Coast Show Jumping Talent Search (Calif.) in September and then posting the highest West Coast finish in the Pessoa/USEF Hunt Seat Medal Finals (Pa.), Maida, 17, closed the year with this win over 54 other riders.

“This class is so much different from the other equitation medals because they’ve added the power and speed elements, but it’s so much fun,” she said. Maida has one more year to ride as a junior, and she plans to spend a significant amount of time in the east next year focusing on the jumpers.

The Onondarka Medal Finals attracted more than 50 riders aged 12 and under. Every year the judges are awed by the sophistication of many of the young riders. After three rounds and a work-off, Sage Flynn of Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., earned the win in this prestigious class.

“The hardest thing for me has been staying consistent throughout the whole thing,” she said of her win aboard Daimler.

Trainer Lori DeRosa of Newmarket was proud of her young student’s accomplishment. “This is a really good group. It’s been really hard for Sage because she has been at the top of the class or second throughout. That’s a lot of pressure. It’s hard to come back day after day and keep that consistency.”

Flynn Can’t Go Wrong
In the hunters, Flynn rode her Falcao to the championship in the children’s, 12 and under, and Newmarket’s Erin Duffy rode Falcao to the first year green title.

“She’s really, really, really sweet,” said Duffy of the 7-year-old warmblood that Flynn bought from Peter Pletcher at the Capital Challenge (Md.) in October. “She’s like a pet–super quiet and relaxed and a really good jumper. She has lots of range and scope.”

Next year, Duffy plans to compete the mare, who stands just 15.3 hands, in the second year green division, and Flynn may make the move up to the small juniors by the end of the year.

“She’s a really nice and polite kid,” said Duffy of Flynn. “She’ll never forget to say thank-you. She has a great feel for a horse and a great eye. She’ll ride anything at the barn.”

Duffy also earned the win in the pre-green futurity, aboard Cathy Hayes’ Suddenly. Only 20 horses qualify for the futurity based on the points earned in the pre-green sections, and Duffy qualified all three of her mounts for the finals.

“It’s fun; everyone gets really geared up and into it,” said Duffy. “There’s a lot of horses–around 80–who turn out for it each year.”

The mare, now 8, didn’t show much last year as Hayes was busy with her other mount, Enchanted. But next year Duffy will take Suddenly in the first years. “She’s pretty easy and straightforward,” said Duffy of the 16.2-hand Holsteiner. “She’s a really good jumper and brave.”

Mary Ann Weisberg-Perry capped a winning season by riding her stalwart partner, Country Grammar, to the amateur-owner, 36 and over, championship and winning the classic.

“This couldn’t be better,” said Weisberg-Perry, of Burbank, Calif. “Everyone looks forward to the L.A. National. It is one of our most special shows and it is what we all try our best for.”

The entire year has been a winning one for the amateur rider, who is leading the USEF national amateur-owner, 36 and over, standings for the Horse of the Year awards. “Wouldn’t that be great?” she asked.

Enjoying A Happy Horse
For Anne-Marie Wotkyns the L.A. National served as a final show in more ways than one, as she is wistfully parting ways with Roman Holiday. They earned good ribbons in the amateur-owner, 36 and over, section and are finishing the year as champions in LAHSA and PCHA Region 1, as well as taking third in the overall PCHA “A” standings.

For Wotkyns the accomplishments are especially sweet since “Ollie” wouldn’t go within 25 feet of a jump when he first came to Jim Hagman’s Elvenstar 21³2 years ago.

The striking bay gelding has a stellar jump, but bad experiences made him fearful of jumping and especially the show ring. Hagman gave the bay horse to Wotkyns as a project, and with infinite patience she and Ollie bonded. Soon he was willing to trot a small crossrail, and over time he confidently cantered around small courses.

Wotkyn’s experience as a fourth grade teacher came into play. “I really like the fourth graders,” she said. “They are old enough to have intelligent conversations and young enough that peer pressure hasn’t influenced them. I like seeing the kids grow, and they make huge growth in fourth grade.” She saw that same growth in Ollie.

“He has been worth all the work,” said Wotkyns. “I am going to find him a good home where he can do dressage or be a pleasure horse. I think he has done all he is going to do in the show ring.”

Her biggest accomplishments aren’t necessarily the ribbons they’ve won but the change in the gelding. “When we were at Indio this year, some people who used to know Ollie came up and couldn’t believe how well he was going,” she said. “They said he looked happy.”