Page 132 - May 2022

2022 CHARIOT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP by Emily Paulk, Photos courtesy of Kira Jo Photography
The 2021-2022 Chariot World Championship was decided on March 27 at the Golden Spike Event Center at the Weber County Fairgrounds in Ogden, Utah. The teams ran in their respective divisions, with the top four teams from the first division competing for the title of World Champion.
The Championship finals consisted
of JRP Racing with horses EC Cartel and Namgispoliticaltease; Jenson, Ropelato & Padgett with Circle Da Wagons and BD
Illusion; Hadley & Elison with TM Daymoney and JB Gray Dawn; Gibson & Wright with Coronado Kiss and Alfred Lee.
The four teams were led to the gates
for the final Championship run with each team breaking well and fighting a close
race throughout. It was Hadley & Elison
in the early lead, but Jenson, Ropelato & Padgett made a driving finish under driver Clay Walker to cross the wire with a head margin of victory to take home the World Championship title, finishing the 400 yards in :22.21.
Hadley & Elison finished second with TM Daymoney (Fast Prize Dash-Cashs Tres, Tres Seis) and JB Gray Dawn (Heza Fast Dash- Skyline Dawn Too TB, Preachinatthebar). Driven and trained by Jordan Hadley, they crossed the wire in :22.26.
Driven by Clay Walker, Circle Da Wagons and BD Illusion win the 2022 American Chariot Racing World Championship.
Third place went to JRP Racing, consisting of EC Cartel (Tinys First Corona-Twayna Too, Zevi TB) and Namgispoliticaltease (Apollitical Jess-Tease Please, Okey Dokey Dale), who finished in :22.27 led by Bruce Jenson for trainer Tony Jenson.
Fourth place went to the Gibson and Wright team of Coronado Kiss (Coronado Cartel-Sixteen Kisses, Maknmoves) and Alfred Lee (FDD Dynasty-Miss Gisele, Buccaneer Beach) driven by Logan Gibson for trainer Gregg Gibson, finishing in :22.63.
The 2022 World Championship Jenson, Ropelato & Padgett team is conditioned by Scott Jenson and driven by Clay Walker. The
winning team included: 8-year-old stallion Circle Da Wagons (PYC Paint Your Wagon- Ima Perry Girl, Mr Jess Perry), a winner by
1 1/2-lengths on the flat track with a career best 82 speed index and lifetime earnings of $5,245 before moving to chariots; and 8-year- old gelding B D Illusion (Bodacious Dash- Effortless Illusion, Special Effort), won two races on the flat track and was second in the Mr Jess Perry Stakes with a career best 92 speed index and cumulative earnings of $35,459 before moving to chariots.
Jenson, Ropelato & Padgett can now add the title of World Champion to their list of accomplishments. Congratulations!
Circle Da Wagons and BD Illusion are joined by the Jenson, Ropelato & Padgett team.
130 SPEEDHORSE May 2022