Top Eight Riders from Round One

Serio competed in a field of 25 of the finest hunter horses and riders in the nation. All had to qualify throughout the weeklong hunter classic at the Winter Equestrian Festival, February 16-19. Costello was the fifth horse to go in the first round and his score of 89 put her second to 34-year-old Schatt, Ocala, FL, riding Take Away, who scored 89.625.

Their closest rival was Rio Renoir, ridden by Holly Orlando, Wellington, FL, to a score of 86.500 with Ken Smith, Wellington, FL and High Cotton’s 86.437 next in the order. The remaining four riders included Remedy (85.875) ridden by Danny Robertshaw, Camden, SC; Without Question with Rob Bielefeld, Wellington, FL, (85.500); Chopard ridden by Scott Stewart (85.437), Flemington, NJ and Moulin Rouge (85.250) ridden by Natalie Johnson, Greenwich, CT.

After the scores for the first four riders to return were announced (Moulin Rouge-75.250, Without Question-84.250, Remedy-76.250, Rio Renoir-82.750), it was clear that Costello was in a good position as the fifth horse to return. And when his performance over the second course was as good if not better than the first round attention was focused on the announcer. Their 89.5 second round score and two round tally of 178.5 put the pressure on the rest of the field and especially on their closest rival.

Take Away was last to go in the order and ahead of him was High Cotton (84.75) and Chopard (83.75). When Schatt and Take Away entered the ring it was clear they were the only pair who could “take away” the victory from Costello. And while there score of 88.625 was close, and left the audience waiting patiently not knowing who had won, it was just short a quarter of a point (178.250) and left the lead with Costello. Take Away placed a very close second.

The third place ribbon went to High Cotton (171.187), Without Question 4th (169.750), Rio Renoir 5th (169.250), Chopard 6th (162.187), Remedy 7th (162.125), and Moulin Rouge 8th (160.500). After the class was over if Schatt was disappointed it wasn’t obvious and Smith’s third place finish was appreciated and expected.

“I was real pleased with him tonight. The plan worked out as well as we thought. I was very satisfied with the outcome. It was about as good as my horse could go,” explained Smith.