Bryna Closson (USA) composed a winning track aboard Morricone in the 1.25m ‘Seize the Day’ Speed Derby, held in memory of Vicki Gourlay, Sunday at Thunderbird Show Park’s West Coast Classic.
In a tight finish that saw the top three separated by less than a second, Closson and the 9-year-old gelding—who goes by “Ennio” in the barn after the famed Italian composer Ennio Morricone—stopped the timers in 94.01 seconds to claim the victory. Christina Marlin (CAN) and Alouette finished a close second in 94.11 seconds, while Kendall Bourgeois (USA) and Meritage RFB rounded out the podium in third with a time of 94.56 seconds.
Course designer Steffen Buhling set a winding 17-effort track that tested bravery in both horse and rider with a bank into the first of two double combinations, an open water element and natural brush.
“I love speed derbies so much,” Closson said. “I felt like the course designer set a very fun course, but he set it very solid and asked a lot of questions for the bravery of the horse, which I think is incredible because we don’t see that as much as we used to in the sport.”
Still, she admitted to some nerves heading into the class, noting that Morricone, her partner of three years, had only done one speedy derby previously.
“I watched Kendall go and she had a beautiful round. I thought that was going to be hard to beat,” Closson continued. “My strategy was just to try to be quick—that horse is very fast—and trust his bravery. He was wonderful.”
The victory carried added emotional weight for the American rider.
“[Morricone] was actually the last horse my dad and I bought together before he passed away,” she shared, noting that the tribute class made the win all the more meaningful.
“I think it’s so special that the derby is in memory of Vicki,” she added. “After losing my dad, I just think it is really cool to have classes to remember the people that we’ve lost in the sport.”
The ‘Seize the Day’ Speed Derby in memory of Vicki Gourlay returns to tbird on August 7 for the Summer Fort Welcome.
1.25m ‘Seize the Day’ Speed Derby, in memory of Vicki Gourlay
| Rank | Horse | Rider | Nation | Owner | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MORRICONE | Bryna Closson | USA | Bryna Closson | 94.01 |
| 2 | ALOUETTE | Christina Marlin | CAN | Jeanie Marlin | 94.11 |
| 3 | MERITAGE RFB | Kendall Bourgeois | USA | Imagination Lane | 94.56 |
| 4 | KARMINA DE NYZE Z | Jessica Felcan | CAN | Jessica Felcan | 96.38 |
| 5 | GENEVA | Jill Folkestad | USA | Jill Folkestad | 101.51 |
| 6 | ECUADOR WF | Evelyn Thompson | CAN | Payton Roux | 103.18 |
| 7 | KLAIREUSA | Keely Stranahan | USA | Keely Stranahan | 104.63 |
| 8 | HHS SANDY LANE | Hailey Dyck | CAN | Hailey Dyck | 105.43 |
| 9 | INFOSTAR | Georgia Hunt | CAN | Georgia Hunt | 106.75 |
| 10 | CALLA PJ | Robyn Kopala | CAN | Meadow Lane Equine Clinic | 107.46 |
Photo credit: Kady Dane Photography
