JAN. 4, 2025
By KENNETH J. BRADDICK
Geñay Vaughn and Gino logged a personal best score for the second straight day to win the Thermal World Cup Grand Prix Saturday and vault the California rider into second ranking in North America for the championship Final in April. The combinations also posted the first qualifying score in the inaugural event of the year-long $250,000 US Open dressage series.
Geñay of Elk Grove, California and the 14-year-old KWPN gelding scored 75.150% for the win, a day after notching a personal best in the Grand Prix for the pair’s first Big Tour Grand Prix score above 70%. The double victory continued the duo’s success with a similar result at Thermal almost two months ago.
The result was the pair’s second World Cup victory and gives the them 40 points with one more qualifier in California, in Del Mar Feb. 13-16, that could assure Genay and Gino of one of the three places set aside for North America in the staring Final lineup in Basel, Switzerland in April.
Kevin Kohmann of Wellington, Florida on Duenensee is atop the North American standings, with Geñay and Gino now ranked second. Devon Kane is ranked third with scores from two different horses.
The standings could change this coming week in Wellington where Adrienne Lyle is scheduled to ride Helix in their second World Cup event.
Kristina Harrison-Antell of Los Angeles and Finley, 15-year-old KWPN gelding, scored 72.715% for the musical performance and the same place as in the Grand Prix. The Freestyle score also was also a qualifying result, the first of the six best to qualify for the final to be held at these same California show grounds and 100 miles from where Olympic equestrian events are proposed for 2028.
Geñay has competed in three North American Youth Championships 2009 through 2012 and in Under-25 competitions in Europe in 2015.
“A lot of determination,” was how she explained significant improvement in scores on Gino and being coached at CDIs by the “very positive and supportive” Kathleen Raine plus advise and tips over the Internet from Germany’s Wolfram Wittig as well as daily training from her mother, Michele.
Plus, she said, “being home at Starr Vaughn Equestrian has been really nice for me and the horses. They have 12×24 stalls, turnout all day, and the walker so it’s made them really happy that they get to stick to their normal routine.”
“I have been really focusing on the fundamentals and enjoying the journey,” she said. “I added 5 a.m. workouts to my fitness routine and that’s really helped me.”
Geñay plans to stay in California for the winter, and not go to Florida as she often does.
Results:
