Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.sports From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Jumper competition turns spotlight on Thrilling, Minikus Date: Tue, 27 Oct 92 13:27:07 EST Message-ID: \SE D;SPORTS;EQUESTRIAN \HD Jumper competition turns spotlight on Thrilling, Minikus \BY Tom Yorke \CR THE WASHINGTON TIMES The cre'me de la cre'me of the horse show world swings into action at Capital Centre tonight as international-open jumper action begins with a $7,500 time first-round class. Team members from Germany, Canada, Mexico and the United States will compete against many of the leading national riders from this country, including Todd Minikus of Lake Forest, Ill., and his mount, the aptly-named Thrilling. "We'll see how things go in the first round when we try to go over the course clear," said Minikus, who is riding here for the first time since he brought Thrilling home the winner of the $50,000 Mag Instruments President's Cup two years ago. "Then we'll try for speed." Minikus and the thoroughbred gelding Thrilling, an 11-year-old Canadian-bred, combined to capture three international-open jumper classes in that show. Thrilling displayed amazing versatility in winning speed, timed jumpoff and puissance (high jump) classes in what is believed to be the first "triple" triumph for a rider in the history of the WIHS that started in 1958. "If he's on, I don't think there is a horse that can beat him," Minikus, 30, said of the horse he owns with Michele Masso. "But he's unpredictable." The Illinois horseman said his steed has "a terrible disposition, is sensitive and prefers just to do things his own way." But again, when Thrilling is on, watch out! Minikus explained Thrilling's two-year absence from the Washington show was because the horse had elective surgery, a memento of racing on the flat in Canada, and was out of action for nine months. Although they had preferred Midwest competitions, Minikus and Thrilling have been on a roll this year, mainly in the East. "Thrilling has won five grand prix events this year," Minikus said. "If he does well tonight in the timed jumpoff, we'll hold him out until Sunday night and try again in the President's Cup." Twenty-two entries took the course in the Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic for the $10,000 Ambassador's Cup before Ibus Du Logis and Hearsay, showing back-to-back, went clear over the 15-obstacle layout to force a timed jump-off. Defending champion rider Terry Regan, aboard Ibus Du Logis for Golden Hin Farm of Milbrook, N., and owner-rider Kate Chope of Osterville, Mass., was on Hearsay. Hearsay went clean over the abbreviated jump-off course while Ibus Du Logis had four faults. The victory was worth $3,000. Nominee, ridden by owner-rider Pamela Deslauriers of Culpeper, Va., won the Amateur-Owner Jumper, Power and Speed class Sunday night and the $750 first prize. The runner-up was Donzi, owned and ridden by Sophie Sharp of Wilmington, Del. ****BOX HORSE SHOW DATA * What: The 34th Washington International Horse Show. * Where: Capital Centre, Landover. * When: Through Sunday. Classes all day with 7 p.m. start for night shows Sundays and Saturday; 7:30 on other nights. * Prices: Tickets from $6 to $21. * Phone: 202/432-7328 or 301/350-3400, ask for box office. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM