It’s great to see long time friend Jennie Brannigan clinch the win aboard Vamor at the Eventing Prix Invitation held today at Southern Cross Equestrian in Ocala! We were recently out to visit Scott and to photograph his clients working on his Wordley Martin surface. Coincidentally while we were there, assistant trainer Stephanie Cauffman hacked over from Jennie Brannigan’s farm on Vamor, aka Toad, for some flat work and we were able to catch him in action. He is one animated horse and we are so excited to see Jennie bring him back to the top of his game with this win!
Jennie Brannigan and Vamor Win $15,000 Eventing Prix Invitational
Everyone loves a good comeback story, and Jennie Brannigan and Vamor’s epic journey back to the show ring makes their victory in today’s $15,000 Eventing Prix Invitational at Southern Cross Equestrian that much sweeter.
Vamor, a 2003 Dutch gelding owned by Patricia Brannigan, successfully campaigned through the CIC3* level with Scott Keach before Jennie took over the ride in 2012. But he’s been battling injuries ever since that have sidelined his eventing career since Millbrook two years ago.
Wanting to give “Toad” all the time he needed to fully mend, Jennie turned him out for a year right here at Southern Cross. With his injuries finally healed, her dedicated team of working students, Stephanie Cauffman, Jordan Crabb, Alexa Lapp, Emma Hartley and Erin Rose, have been legging the horse back up in preparation for his return to competition at The Fork.
“He has been hurt for the majority of the time I’ve owned him, so it’s been a long road for me and my mom. I know she’s in California probably crying right now. To have him go well is a nice kickback for her,” Jennie said. “A lot of other people own different horses for me, but she has been my biggest supporter in the world, and, for her, it means a lot that he went here and did well.”
Jennie takes home $3,000 in prize money for clinching the win with Vamor, who jumped clear and delivered the fastest time in the jump off to seal the deal. After all 31 horses and riders jumped the first round, the top 10 came back for an exciting jump off finale, carrying their faults from the first round.