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Crooks Steals $25,000 Tommy Bahama Grand Prix

Washington Rider Gives Rich Fellers a Run for the Money

August 22, 2008

Langley, BC --- Fourty-one competitors traded in their jackets for island wear in Friday night’s $25,000 Tommy Bahama Grand Prix, but the sun seemed to shine only for Washington’s, Lauren Crooks. Rich Fellers and his mount, Flexible delivered two clear rounds, but in an exciting finish, Lauren Crooks snatched victory from him and earned the right to lead the top eight finishers on a very colourful victory gallop.

Taking third place after Crooks and Fellers was Darrin Dlin. The Alberta native rocketed onto the Canadian show jumping scene in 2007 and impressive results during the winter circuit in his hometown of Wellington, Florida, inspired him to spend the summer season in Canada. In July, he led the victory gallop in the $70,000 World Cup Grand Prix Jumping du Quebec in Blainville, Quebec, and one month later, claimed the $100,000 Caledon Equestrian Park Grand Prix in Palgrave, ON. With an invitation to the World Cup Final in Goteborg, Sweden, he made his debut riding for Canada in international competition. His horse, Catwalk, was bred in Canada.

Dlin was the first to post a clear round and by the halfway point, had been joined by Christopher Lowe, Rich Fellers and Flexible and Andrea Strain. The course, created by International Course Designer, Peter Holmes, contained 16 jumping efforts, including a tight triple combination that Holmes described as having ‘character’. While many tried, only three more advanced to the jump off – Lauren Crooks, Rich Fellers again, this time on McGuinness and Washington’s Jennifer Crooks.

Getting the jump off underway with a clear round and a time of 43.43, challenging Rich Fellers and Flexible who took an inside turn, jumping an unrequired element and posting a faster time of 42.87 to take the lead. Andrea Strain had one rail, putting her out of the race for first.

Lauren Crooks wowed the crowd by taking a page out of Fellers book and taking a similar track through the bush. Leaving a stride out going into the last fence, she was able to shave more than a second off his time and steal first with 41.09. Bringing McGuinness into the ring next, Fellers tried to answer the challenge, but had the first rail down. Jennifer Crooks also took the first rail and after a stop at fence two, opted to retire her horse.

Riders in the Thunderbird Show Park Grand Prix came from across North America. Locals from Vancouver, Burnaby and Langley went up against those from Alberta, Montana, California, Oregon, Washington and even Florida. For spectators it was a chance to see the number two-ranked hose-rider team in the world, Rich Fellers and Flexible.

This is Thunderbird’s 35th anniversary. George & Dianne Tidball welcomed their first horse and rider into the original Park grounds that now house the Colossus Theatre in 1973. Eight years ago they moved to the current 85-acre facility. During the six annual tournaments, the Park runs six hunter and jumper competition rings, including one of North America’s best Grand Prix fields.

Visitors to Thunderbird are treated to world-class show jumping in a warm and inclusive environment that respects tradition, history, competition and entrepreneurial spirit that inspired George Tidball to bring MacDonald’s to Canada and found the Keg restaurant chain.

The Summer Festival Tournament wraps up on Sunday with the $75,000 Keg Steakhouse & Bar Grand Prix on Sunday, August 24th at 2pm. Many of the riders in today’s class will stay on until the Keg Grand Prix, which welcomes 2008 Canadian Olympian, Jonathan Asselin, back from Beijing and into the line up.

For more information, please visit our site at www.thunderbirdshowpark.com. Thunderbird offers grandstand seating and complimentary parking and admission.

For further information on visiting the park or conducting in-person or telephone interviews with organizers, sponsors or riders, contact Pamela Saunders at Mark My Words PR via phone at 604-833-3372 or by email at pam@markmywordspr.com. 

$25,000 Thunderbird Show Park Grand Prix TOP 8
1. Lauren Crooks (Washington)		Porrado			clear		41.09
2. Rich Fellers	(Oregon)		Flexible			clear		42.87 
3. Darrin Dlin	(Florida)		Catwalk			clear		43.43
4. Rich Fellers (Oregon)			McGuinness		4 faults		46.23
5. Andrea Strain (Langley,BC)		Luigi			4 faults		47.31	
6. Jennifer Crooks (Washington)		SF Shakira		retired
7. Christopher Lowe (Burnaby)		Jackpot			retired
8. Allen Kruger				Pleasure Time		1 time

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