Twin Rivers 4* Goes to Amber Levine & Cinzano
“Too plain” is not a description that fits today’s wire-to-wire winner of the Spring International’s inaugural CCI4-L. But that’s what Amber Levine heard five years ago after importing the now 10-year-old Holsteiner as a sales prospect. So, she kept him. His long-delayed debut at the 4-L level proved the wisdom of that decision.
“By far, he exceeded my every expectation this week,” said Levine, whose relatively new focus with her own business, Cellar Farm, is sales horses. “He was 100 percent with me every step of the way, in every phase.” He’s a talented jumper, but unlucky rails and “training moments” were obstacles the last few years. “Today, it felt like everything really came together.”
Winning the inaugural CCI 4*-L was sweetened by having Cinzano be the first horse to receive the McKinlaigh Cup, donated by long-time eventing supporter Thom Schulz. Schulz and his late wife, Laura, owned the Irish Sporthorse who partnered with Gina Miles in 2008 Olympic individual silver for the United States. McKinlaigh was developed and lived out his retired life at the couple’s Rainbow Ranch in nearby Creston.
Of his motivation for boosting the 4-L prize money and donating the McKinlaigh Cup, Schulz referenced his long-time friendship with and appreciation for the Baxter family who owns Twin Rivers Ranch. Pointing to 5 eventer Andrea Baxter, he said, “I started riding with this kid. I was 49 and she was 10, I think. Laura and I supported what the family was doing with Twin Rivers then and it has become such a wonderful venue for us to have. Laura would have been tickled to be part of this Four-Star.”
And McKinlaigh? “Oh, he would have loved it!” Schulz said of the horse who enjoyed 10 years of green pasture retirement before passing last January. Schulz explained that the Cup is an actual trophy won by Laura at the Forum National Horse Show in the 1970s.
As is typical of upper-level West Coast eventing in general, the FEI divisions were light compared to East Coast competitions. The inaugural Spring International CCI4*-L was all set for a big launch last year until the pandemic. This year, reshuffled schedules and general uncertainly likely contributed to a lower than usual turn-out. Quantity, however, can’t be confused with quality.
Exhibitors and officials expressed universal praise for all aspects of the competition. Hosting nearly 500 horses from 4*-L through Beginner Novice put things back on pre-pandemic turf and it’s predicted the ripple effect of everybody’s good experience will help the numbers next year.
A large contingent came from the Northwest, where snow was still on the ground in some places earlier this week. At Twin Rivers’ rolling, green 500 acres, cool mornings gave way to high-70s/low-80s temperatures, blue skies and pleasant breezes.
With only four contenders after a fifth withdrew during Thursday’s jog, the 4*-L field still faced the level’s normal big challenges. Second-place finisher Campari FFF, campaigned by Marc Grandia, was the only one among the four horses who’d run the level before, but all gave solid performances that bode well for the future.
Levine and Cinzano added only .8 time faults to their dressage score to finish on a 32.3. Grandia and Campari picked up two time penalties over Marc Donovan’s technical and turny show jump, holding their runner-up position on a 38.3. Technically, it’s the first 4-L completion for Campari. A wrong fence at the second-to-last jump on the 4-L course at Galway Downs in the Fall didn’t count as an official debut, but it proved Campari’s capabilities at the level. Working toward this goal since December, the “aggressive horse” horse finally had a funnel for his pent-up preparedness. “I think he felt great to finally get to run and get a little bit tired,” Grandia said. “That’s the kind of horse he is.” Favorite elements included the white-painted Race Track Rails and the Ruin complex. After prepping around the track these last several weeks, Campari “pricked his ears at those and was given a little pause,” Grandia said. None of which prevented him from finishing seven seconds under the time on cross-country.
The Washington-based professional has been designing Twin Rivers’ lower-level cross-country courses since he started wintering here four years ago. In that role and as a rider, he’s impressed by how “everybody has been uplifted by the commitment the Baxters have made to everything: the decorations, the jumps, the footing. Everything.”
Bec Brailting explained that Twin Rivers’ Flag Ring, at 160′ x 300′, is a relatively small space, into which Donovan packed jumps that came up quick, especially for a big horse like Arnell Sporthorses’ Caravaggio II. One rail and 1.6 time faults held their third position on a 52. More than holding her own against the veterans, 20-year-old professional Madison Temkin had a very respectable finish with the Thoroughbred Dr. Hart, with whom she’s moved up the levels over five years.