Amanda Gomez gets her win in $30,000 Msrshall & Sterling 1.40M Open Classics

Amanda Gomez has had several podium finishes since Desert Circuit started, but on Sunday of Desert Circuit 2, presented by Adequan®, she finally got her win. Aboard Charly-Ann, owned by Rising Star Equestrian, she sped to victory in Sunday’s $30,000 Marshall & Sterling 1.40m Open Classic.

“I’m so thrilled,” Gomez reflected on her win. “The mare has been fantastic over these two weeks. James Chawke and I have been going back and forth and I’ve been following him a lot in second last week. I was second to Skylar [Wireman] at the beginning of the week in the Welcome. It feels fantastic to finally have a win down here, especially in a competitive class like this; it just makes it even better.”

James Chawke was still in the top ribbons, and early in the jump-off he had some thinking he would take the win again, as he had the week prior. This time around, he scored second with Nacara van Berkenbroeck Z, owned by Alison Locke. Mariano Maggi and Cassio Pleasure took third place.

The 13-year-old Holsteiner mare (L.B. Companiero x Favory AA) is still a newer ride for Gomez, who is a young professional working out of Rising Star Equestrian in Norco, CA.

“I acquired her about six months ago from a good friend,” Gomez said of Charly-Ann. “The mare has always been fantastic but we weren’t really sure what she had in her scope range. The more I jump her the more I find talent, so I’m really excited and I think she’s going to be a really serious horse for me in the near future.”

Gomez knows the power of hard work, finding talent in horses where she can and developing them up to the highest levels. Finding horses like Charly-Ann inspires her for the future and assures the hard work she puts in on a daily basis.

“I’m just 20 years old so I’m grinding my way up,” she shared about her professional career, still at a young age. “I try to do everything the least expensive way possible and finding horses that way is definitely difficult so I’m extra grateful that I found this one. She’s really special to me so to have this win with her means a lot.”

The 1.40m and 1.35m classes have been extremely helpful for Gomez as she brings her horses to the desert to help them develop into higher-level competitors.

“[This class has] been a huge help for me,” Gomez said of the 1.40m Classic on Sundays. “Especially for a mare like I jumped today, she’s not quite ready for the solid 1.50m, so to have this class to jump Sunday is fantastic. It’s just one step down and a big confidence boost. It gives you an opportunity to develop these horses in the correct way and not push them too hard. My horses have really come around these two weeks thanks to classes like this.”

For her horses and herself, Gomez’s goals are lofty, but one day at a time, she’s proving she can accomplish them.

“I have big goals for myself; I think everybody does and everybody should. I have two competitive 1.40-1.45m horses right now and a couple 1.35m horses at home,” she explained. “This mare is a mare for the future for me, maybe a 1.50m horse that I can jump in the National grand prixs here soon. I’m just continuing to build off what I have now, most of mine are pretty young. Next generation and continue to build the string up. I’m so happy to be here and it’s a fabulous job they’ve done with this horse show.”

Press release Desert Corcuit | Amanda Gomez and Charly-Ann. Photo by High Desert Sport Photo