Aust rider leads US World Cup rankings | Horsetalk

Australian showjumper Harley Brown is leading the FEI World Cup Jumping (USA West Coast) rankings after a top performance at Thermal, California, last weekend.

Harley Brown and Cassiato.
On February 22 Brown completed a double-clear round on Cassiato, securing second place in the $50,000 FEI World Cup Qualifier Grand Prix. Ashlee Bond piloted Little Valley Farm's Cadett 7 to the blue ribbon.

Brown has now taken the outright lead of the FEI World Cup standings (USA West Coast) on 89 points, with Mandy Porter second on 80 points. There are only two qualifiers remaining before the final in Las Vegas in April so barring any unfortunate circumstances, it seems Brown has secured his berth to the finals.

Brown has been a very consistent performer with one win, a second placing and three third placings in the last six starts. He incurred just four faults over these six World Cup classes on Cassiato.

Brown, who moved to the US in 2003, has built a very successful business in a tough market. With Olivia Dawson-Grove, he runs a training and sales business called Harley Brown Equestrian Inc on the Central Coast of California in a San Luis Obispo. They have about 35 horses in training - jumpers, hunters and equitation horses. About half of these horses are sales and horses for them to ride and the other half are owned by clients who they train.