| BY LARRI JO STARKEY, COPY EDITOR 
Hilary Carrel and PRF Hitchn Fora Ride attack the first oxer.
Eight former world champions were among the 15 finalists in open jumping November 16. Only one of them would go clear. In fact, only one horse went clear at all on the difficult Mike Christian-designed course.That was PRF Hitchn Fora Ride, ridden by Hilary Carrel of Sheridan Wyoming, defending her 2007 world championship. Here’s what Hilary had to say about the win. Q: What’s it like to win the second time?
Hilary: It’s better. It’s sweet. The horse was good. It was a very tough course. Q: You had the only clear round.
Hilary: That tells you something about the course. Q: Did you have time to see the other goes and make a plan?
Hilary: I didn’t have time to see the other horses go. I went ninth and then had to go again. I didn’t really get to see anyone go. She’s a good jumper. She’s gone double-clean almost every class she’s gone in. Q: How long have you and "Fora" been together?
Hilary: We got her in training as a 2-year-old as an under-saddle horse, and she didn’t want to do that job. So my mother-in-law, Nancy Carrel, bought her and has supported her, and here she is. We always believed in her. She’s a good jumper. Q: Will she be back next year?
Hilary: Oh, yeah, she’ll be back. Q: What was your game plan attacking the course?
Hilary: To keep on the step and to go clean. Q: What did you expect to be the hardest fence?
Hilary: No. 4, the rollback after that fence. That’s why it came down, because people were already thinking about the turn, and then the purple in-and-out was really tight. The Swedish was big. That line up the middle – that horse was zig-zagging all the way up the middle and the 7-8-9 sequence? Those were tough jumps. The water was easy, and the last line was easy. I didn’t expect that middle line to be so hard, but going away from the gate was tough. I think some people had trouble there where they didn’t expect trouble. It was a tough course. It was pretty big for the horses. Hard to prepare them for this. Fun Fact: Hilary had two horses in the finals, PRF Hitchn Fora Ride and Ike Cadillac Cash. Hilary's husband, Charles, also had two horses in the finals, Celebration Time OQH and No Accident OQH. Charles and No Accident OQH were world champions in open jumping in 2006, making it three years in a row for the folks from Sheridan, Wyoming. Horse name: PRF Hitchn Fora Ride
Pedigree: 2001 chestnut mare by WF Two Thumbs Up x Docs Jocassee by Docs Bodacious
Exhibitor: Hilary Carrel
Owner: Nancy Carrel, Birney, Montana
Trainer: Hilary Carrel Total class entries: 17
Purse: $9,467.30
World Champion Prizes: Custom-designed gold-tone trophy, Montana Silversmiths buckle, neck wreath, gold medallion, Cripple Creek-logo jacket, world champion patch, Tex Tan product, Justin Boots |
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