Adrienne Sternlicht & Cristalline. ph: Meghan Bacso for NF.
What do you get when you mix Adrienne Sternlicht, superstar mare Cristalline (Cristallo 1 x Caretello B), and World No. 3 McLain Ward? One thrilling idea for a jump-off!
On the night of Saturday, January 27, 2018, at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida, Sternlicht and the ten-year-old mare were one of seven jump-off combinations in the $132,000 Adequan® Grand Prix CSI3*.
To save time from fence two in a rollback to fence three, Sternlicht did what no other rider chose to do: jump the decorative hedge.
“We actually didn’t plan that when we walked,” the 24-year-old rider noted. “McLain told me that at two Olympics, he should have jumped the hedge and didn’t, so surely I could risk it in a three-star grand prix. So I did! It was a unique experience for me and for my horse. She’s super brave. She actually responded better than I anticipated. We have to keep learning together.”
The pair, partners on the rated circuit since September 2016, rode a faultless round to finish 3rd in 39.363s.
To see the full rundown of Saturday Night’s $132,000 Adequan® Grand Prix CSI3*, click here.