Christina Vinios & Folkestone Win St. Georges To Take Lead in USA Intermediate Championship
10 years ago StraightArrow Comments Off on Christina Vinios & Folkestone Win St. Georges To Take Lead in USA Intermediate Championship
WELLINGTON, Florida, Dec.9, 2015–Christina Vinios rode Folkestone to victory in the Prix St. Georges Wednesday for a successful start to her campaign for the United States Intermediaire Championships presented by The Dutta Corp.
Christina of Wellington and her nine-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Fidertanz x Rubenstein) were awarded 70.632 per cent by the five-member international panel in her first appearance at the United States Festival of Champions.
The result came after the duo’s first year at small tour that ended with a sweep of the three CDI1* classes at Devon, Pennsylvania in September and shortly after her marriage to a polo player.
Shelly Francis of Loxahatchee, Florida on Rubinio was second on 69.868 per cent with Jane Karol of Concord, Massachusetts on Sunshine Tour third on 68.421 per cent.
The success on Folkestone vindicated Christina’s decision continue with dressage rather than return to sow jumping and to compete the horse herself after training for two and half years with Steffen Peters in San Diego, California before moving back to Florida 18 months ago.
“At one point, we considered leaving the horse with Steffen to compete,” the 32-year-old Christina said. “We really wanted to give the horse the best chance we could if it was going to be an Olympic horse. Maybe he would be further along if we’d left him with Steffen but luckily my parents decided to leave the horse with me.
“He’s schooling the Grand Prix but we want to have him for a long time so we don’t want to push him too hard.”
Christina said that Steffen follows Folkestone’s progress and visits them when he is in Florida.
Results:
