All the prizes to Quimby because he is so darn cute.
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I think Iâd give it to Zayna. Under the theory that both made significant bobbles, but one happened at the very first fence she had jumped with the horse, while the other happened significantly later, when the rider had had enough time to get a feel for the horse.
I also think Zaynaâs bobble was part her and part the horse, while Graceâs bobble was all her.
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Bobbling a counter canter and running the horse into the wall, though. 
I stand by not minding the idea of retesting the top two if you cannot split the hairs, but this is the risk of testing (and retesting) if you cannot split the hairs. Just like any other test- you are at risk of losing your winner.
I do agree with those who said that this did not turn out to be a horsemanlike procedure in how it went down.
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I think itâs interesting that Grace had the same issue on 2 different horses, too.
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I really feel for both of them, ESPECIALLY if they didnât get any warm up jumps. Thatâs an extremely difficult test to have to start with a counter canter on a turn to an oxer on an unfamiliar horse. I feel for them and for the horses.
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Yes. There are two reasons I have Zayna on top.
- Neither rider executed a solid halt on Quimby, which perhaps indicates more about Quimbyâs preference for the halt than it does about the riderâs ability to halt and stand.
- One rider made the same mistake on two horses.
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I think Zayna should have been the winner after the first test. We shouldâve been done at that point. Iâd love to see her pull this out, but I have no idea what theyâll do with that retest.
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And that to me is where Zayna won it. Graceâs first round was probably scored a lot of points higher. The 2nd round brought her into range. The first test left them tied. And then Grace showed she has an issue that carries through onto another horse. Zayna had a mistake but likely on the first fence she jumped on the horse, and then had a beautiful test. There is my winner.
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Hereâs an interesting tidbit: Zoe Brown did not make it through regionals but won the Talent Search West and got a bye to Lexington. Eleanor Rudnicki also did not get through Region 1, but will get a bye by finishing in the top 4 today.
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I really like that they have alternate methods for qualifying like this. Makes it possible for the riders who are really consistent and just happen to have an off day at regionals.
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I donât think the test specified you had the land the counter canter. It said to counter canter the next jump, which Grace did. On both horses.
After running Finnick into the wallâŠ
On both horses, she landed the lead, swapped off it, and then had to change back to it.
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Interesting to have a top horse who did not do the second round. I donât think I remember it being a horse that wasnât in the top 10.
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I thought Zayna won before the re-test. Now I have no idea what the judges are thinking.
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Ditto. He even had his braids out. Good thing he wasnât already on the truck headed home.
Yup - she completed it, but itâs not just about completing it, but HOW you execute.
It also looked to me like the second time she landed the counter-canter and then just took it for granted, instead of working to hold it.
My sound bar quit working again. Who was Best Horse?
Celia Cramâs sweet bay horse.
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Aside: I really miss John Franzreb III.
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Well, I sure didnât have Catalina 10th.
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