East Dorset, Vermont, USA – July 13, 2019 – New Zealand Olympian Kirk Webby’s win in the $30,000 Battenkill Grand Prix, presented by Hampton Inn & Suites Manchester, on Saturday, July 13, secured him and Brando du Rouet back-to-back grand prix victories at the Vermont Summer Festival, running for six consecutive weeks through August 11 at Harold Beebe Farm in East Dorset, VT.

2018 World Equestrian Games (WEG) course designer Alan Wade of Tipperary, Ireland, set a challenging course with only three riders advancing to a tie-breaking jump-off from a starting field of 32 horses. Ireland’s Kevin Mealiff (IRL) led off over the short course riding Nuca 2 for owner Maarten Huygens. A single rail fell in a time of 35.72 seconds, leaving the door wide open for Webby.

Kevin McCarthy (IRL) & Catch A Star HSS

Quick and clear, Webby and Brando du Rouet broke the timers at 33.01 seconds with only Irish rider Kevin McCarthy (IRL) and Catch A Star HSS left to come. Coming off a win in Thursday’s Welcome Stake, presented by Manchester Designer Outlets, McCarthy and his fast mare had the time but pulled a rail coming into the combination to finish runners up in 32.33 seconds and leaving Mealiff in third.

Saturday’s victory went to Webby, and it wasn’t the first time he made McCarthy settle for second best this week.

“I played him in golf yesterday at The Equinox and beat him 17 holes to one, so I knew I was already in his head,” joked Webby. “He beat me easily in the Welcome, and both he and the other Kevin are two very fast riders, so I got a bit lucky today. You always need that luck at some point.”

Webby has found a seasoned partner in Brando du Rouet after competing on the gelding for the past four years. Of their consistency together, Webby noted, “He’s just a great horse. He jumped five classes here [in Vermont], won three and was second in the other two.

Kirk Webby (NZL) & Brando du Rouet are presented as the winners of the $30,000 Battenkill Grand Prix by (from left to right) Dan Duvernoy, Steve Nichols, and Susan Dionne of Hampton Inn & Suites Manchester; Zachary Webby, and Robin Webby

“I plan to ride this wave for as long as he’s feeling really healthy and jumping fantastic,” continued Webby of his future plans for Brando du Rouet, a 15-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Baloubet du Rouet x Caretano Z) owned by Tolleshunt Investment Group. “As long as I can keep him fresh, he always has a shot.”

In recognition of his victory, Webby was awarded a crystal trophy by Dan Duvernoy, Susan Dionne, and Steve Nichols of Hampton Inn & Suites Manchester, as well as a show scrim from Mona’s Monograms.

Webby’s wife, Robin, and son, Zachary, took on the tall order of grooming responsibilities for his three mounts during the Battenkill Grand Prix. As a result, Zachary was presented with the weekly Grand Prix Groom Award in honor of his hard work preparing the Brando du Rouet for grand prix competition. He was presented with a monogrammed jacket and coolerette from sponsor Glenn Geary of Horsewatch.

Rounding out the other top placings in Saturday’s feature event, Kirk was fractions of a second away from having two horses in the jump-off and finished fourth riding Jumanji, owned by Navy Stables, with a single time fault in the opening round. David Raposa of Clinton, New York, USA, capped the top five by riding Iliona to the fastest four-fault round.

The second week of show jumping competition at the Vermont Summer Festival continues with Classics for adult, children, and junior and amateur-owner jumper riders in the Grand Prix Ring on Sunday, July 14.

Now in its 26th year, the Vermont Summer Festival offers a dynamic competition schedule while also giving competitors an opportunity to enjoy the wide variety of entertainment, recreation, shopping, and dining options offered in Dorset, Manchester, and the surrounding area. A recent study conducted by the Center for Rural Studies at the University of Vermont cited that the total direct spending of visitors frequenting Vermont for equine-related activities is estimated at nearly $15.5 million annually.

Competition at the 2019 Vermont Summer Festival runs weekly from Wednesday through Sunday, beginning each day at 8 a.m. Admission is $5 for adults and children from Wednesday through Friday. On Saturday and Sunday, admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children with 100 percent of all gate proceeds benefiting Dorset Equine Rescue, The Dorset School, and Manchester Community Library.

The Vermont Summer Festival is a proud member of the Show Jumping Hall of Fame, the Marshall & Sterling League, and the North American League (NAL). For more information on the Vermont Summer Festival, please visit http://www.vt-summerfestival.com.

Results – $30,000 Battenkill Grand Prix Presented by Hampton Inn & Suites Manchester – Saturday, July 13, 2019

 Place / Rider / Country /  Horse / R1 Penalties / Jump-off Penalties / Time
1. Kirk Webby (NZL) & Brando du Rouet – 0 / 0 – 33.01
2. Kevin McCarthy (IRL) & Catch A Star HSS – 0 / 4 – 32.33
3. Kevin Mealiff (IRL) & Nuca 2 – 0 / 4 – 35.72
4. Kirk Webby (NZL) & Jumanji – 1 – 81.30
5. David Raposa (USA) & Iliona – 4 – 75.80
6. Kim Farlinger (CAN) & Free Style – 4 – 77.38
7. Kevin Mealiff (IRL) & Forman de Virton – 4 – 78.85
8. Carly Campbell-Cooper (CAN) & Cascaya L – 4 – 78.97
9. Kevin McCarthy (IRL) & Easton – 4 – 79.41
10. Kim Farlinger (CAN) & Maharees Rock – 4 – 80.10
11. Katia Manuel-Adams (USA) & E.R.P. van http://www.Olland.biz – 4 – 80.32
12. Carolina Villanueva Suarez (USA) & Think Big van TL – 6 – 82.51

Source: Press release from Jump Media for Vermont Summer Festival

Photos: © Andrew Ryback Photography