Langley’s Martinoff makes it happen in Emily Sandhack Open Classic at tbird

Langley’s Ayla Martinoff wore many hats in winning the Emily Sandhack Open Classic 1.35m at Thunderbird Show Park on Saturday, April 22.

With two mounts in the class, she was not just the rider, trainer and owner. She also bred both horses, including her winning mount, nine-year-old Calloway.

In Calloway’s first show since October, the small-but-mighty 16-hand grey Holsteiner geldingshowed little rust in besting a five-horse jump-off.

READ ALSO: Langley riders win gold

Their winning time was 39.8 seconds. Sarah Lottis and Zaza Z finished second (39.91 seconds), with Jaehee Jeon and Bless You BFE third (42.51 seconds).

“I didn’t take him to California [this winter], so it was nice to bring him out and get going like that!” Martinoff exclaimed.

“I went first in the jump-off, and my friend Sarah [Lottis] was just behind me,” she added. “I knew I had to go fast with her in the class!”

Calloway’s full sister, seven-year-old A Crown Royale, also jumped the class, with just a single rail down in the mare’s first ever 1.35m competition.

Betker Bests Elders in DIHP Canadian Hunter Derby Open

Youth prevailed in the Desert International Horse Park (DIHP) Canadian Hunter Derby Open 3’6” Saturday afternoon at Thunderbird Show Park’s April Season Opener, with 10th grader Sloane Betker from Kelowna besting a group of professionals aboard her longtime partner, Kensington.

Held in a one-round format, Canadian Hunter Derby judges award a base score for the round; a high performance bonus and handy bonus—each up to 10 points—are then added to that number to comprise the final score for the round.

READ ALSO: A free ride, courtesy of Langley’s Thunderbird Show Park

“It was a really fun course today. It flowed really well,” Betker said.

Betker, who trains with Eliza Hunt, added Kensington to her string more than three years ago. At the time, the chestnut was competing in the jumper ring but made a quick transition to his new division.

“He did the six-year-old [young] jumpers then,” Betker said. “He didn’t really like going fast!”

Betker and Kensington finished on a winning total of 100 points.

Langley rider Ashley Arnoldt, a 2018 recipient of the Dianne Tidball Legacy Foundation Riding Scholarship, rode Light My Fire to runner-up honors (98 points), with Vancouver’s Chloe Mache and St Martin’s Lane third (91).