The Force is Strong with Obi Wan and Aaron Vale in $25,000 Alliant Private Client Grand Prix

The Force is Strong with Obi Wan and Aaron Vale in $25,000 Alliant Private Client Grand Prix

Aaron Vale and Obi Wan. Photo by ESI Photography

Vale was one 20 horse-and-rider combinations to contest Mark McGowan’s first round track but only a quarter of those contenders managed to advance to the short course. Vale qualified two mounts for the jump off in Obi Wan and Eldoranda Z, and put forward two more clean rounds. His short course time of 45.59 seconds on ThinksLikeAHorse’s 12-year-old Oldenburg mare (Eldorado van de Zeshoek), Eldoranda Z, secured a fourth place finish but it was his steady partner Obi Wan that placed him at the top.

Aaron Vale stands for presentation. Photo by ESI Photography

For Obi Wan, winning is a way of life at HITS, and one that keeps Vale coming back for more.

The pair’s winning time of 43.45 seconds was challenged by Adeline Rohrbach who piloted her own 11-year-old Holsteiner gelding (Carinjo), Cooper 211, to an almost-victory with a time of 43.76 seconds. Declan Egan once again found himself in the winner’s circle aboard his own 12-year-old Warmblood gelding (Cheers Cassini), Renkum A’toast, as he rounded out the top three after stopping the clock in 44.88 seconds.

Morgan Ward and Jiran R. Photo by ESI Photography

Jiran R and Morgan Ward kicked off the week’s competition as the winners of the $2,500 Vitaflex Open Welcome Stake. For full results, please visit www.showmanagementsystem.com.

As a participant at a HITS’s USEF recognized competition, you are bound by the U.S. Center for SafeSport Code, USEF Safe Sport Policy, and Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies, also known as the MAAPP. This includes the SafeSport Training requirement for adult members and participants who have regular contact with minor athletes. Additionally, there are reporting obligations. Any concerns that are non-sexual in nature, please use the USEF Safe Sport Incident Reporting Form available on the USEF website. Concerns or suspicions regarding sexual misconduct must be reported to https://safesport.i-sight.com/portal and the authorities if a minor is involved. All of this information can be found in the USEF Safe Sport Policy. You can find comprehensive resources regarding USEF Safe Sport efforts on the new USEF Safe Sport web pages. You can also contact Sarah Gilbert, USEF Safe Sport Program Coordinator, at sgilbert@usef.org for any questions or concerns relating to the USEF Safe Sport program.