As the 12 combinations took on the jump-off of the CSIO5* tbird Cup Saturday at Thunderbird Show Park, the standard got faster and faster.

But Daniel Coyle (IRL) admitted, his mount Oak Grove’s Carlyle isn’t always a fan of picking up the pace.

“He doesn’t like to go fast. He’s a strange horse that way,” he said. “You kind of have to not ask him to go too fast too soon.”

So, he waited to hit the gas until after the second element of Peter Holmes’ (CAN) shortened 1.50m track. And he never looked back.

Coyle and Ariel Grange’s 14-year-old Holsteiner gelding topped a swift standard set by Tanner Korotkin (USA) and Ideal to take the win in the program feature of the Odlum Brown BC Open’s penultimate day of competition. The pair crossed the finish timers in 37.16 seconds; Korotkin settled for second (37.29), with Mario Deslauriers (CAN) and Emerson, third (37.98).

“In one year, I’ve had more ranking class placings on him than any horse I’ve had,” Coyle said.

Coyle, who for the past several years has spent his summer seasons working under the tutelage of Olympic, World Equestrian Games and European Championships individual gold medalist Jeroen Dubbeldam (NED), acquired Oak Grove’s Carlyle at the recommendation of Dubbeldam last summer. The pair topped Saturday’s jump-off with two exceptionally tight turns, one back to an oxer midway through the shortened track and the other to the final vertical. The track was so efficient, Coyle didn’t even attempt a forward leave-out taken by his competitors in the penultimate line.

With plenty of scope in reserve, the gelding is not phased or bothered by much; he simply prefers a more casual approach, both on course and in the barn.

“I thought maybe I [could] train him a little faster at home on the gallops,” Coyle said. “He just doesn’t like it. He loves treats. He loves going easy and being played with.

“I [ask him to go faster] nicely,” he said. “Then you can be really tight to jumps.”

$37,200 CSIO5* tbird Cup
Place / Horse / Rider / Team / Nationality / Owner / Faults / Time / Jump-Off Time

1. Oak Grove’s Carlyle / Daniel Coyle / IRL / Ariel Grange 0/0 37.16
2. Ideal / Tanner Korotkin / USA / Castlewood Farm, Inc. & Sandalwood Farms / 0/0 37.29
3. Emerson / Mario Deslauriers / CAN / Wishing Well Farm, LLC / 0/0 37.98
4. Cherokee / Emma Marlowe / USA / Trelawny Farm, LLC / 0/0 38.03
5. Chardonnay / Robert Blanchette / IRL / RTS, LLC / 0/0 40.63
6. Vienna / Tiffany Foster / CAN / Artisan Farms, LLC / 0/0 42.95
7. Beneficial / Alicia Gadban-Lewis / CAN / Alicia Gadban-Lewis / 0/0 43.58
8. Holliewood / Shane Sweetnam / IRL / Triple S Group / 0/4 38.60
9. Enzo / Kyle King / USA / Seabright Investment Consultants, Inc. / 0/4 39.47
10. Brighton / Tiffany Foster / CAN / Artisan Farms, LLC / 0/4 40.27

Teddy Z Takes a “Schott” at CSI2* tbird Grand Prix

Callie Schott (USA) has taken some time to get to know Teddy Z—not because she and the 11-year-old Zangersheide gelding weren’t initially seeing eye to eye.

Instead, the established professional—a longtime assistant to Olympic gold medalist Beezie Madden (USA) before taking up the job as professional at Southern Arches—was dealing with injury. Schott was out for nearly six months while recovering from shoulder surgery to repair her labrum, a chronic issue that came to a head during routine activity at her home.

“We got him in December, [and] then I had my surgery in March, so we hadn’t had him that long and then we had a little lull,” Schott said. “And then I think [during] the circuit in Florida, we became a good team together.”

The duo carried their forward momentum to tbird after some top 10 placings in three-star competition in Wellington (USA) in April, achieving the first Grand Prix victory of their partnership in the $37,200 CSI2* tbird Grand Prix. Ali Ramsay (CAN) and exciting 9-year-old Conrado finished second, with fellow Canadian and birthday girl Vanessa Mannix (CAN) and Catinka 25 third.

“I just feel like the more we get to know each other, [the more] we’re starting to be able to trust each other to really go for it.”

In a jump-off where risk didn’t often come with reward, Schott’s well calculated plan paid off with efficiency, a well executed inside turn, and a committed gallop to the last. The 13-horse jump-off produced just four double-clear efforts, with Schott’s the best of the lot.

“Beezie was watching the other [riders] and she was like, ‘You can do 10 [strides] to the last,’ and so I went for it.

“It feels unbelievable.”

$37,200 CSI2* tbird Grand Prix
Place / Horse / Rider / Nationality / Owner / Faults / Time

1. Teddy Z / Callie Schott / USA / Southern Arches LLC / 0/0 39.67
2. Conrado / Ali Ramsay / CAN / David Sport Horses Inc. Ramsay Equestrian Inc. / 0/0 41.48
3. Catinka / Vanessa Mannix / CAN / Vanessa Mannix / 0/0 42.48
4. Battlecry / Tiffany Foster / CAN / Artisan Farms LLC, Kent Farrington LLC / 0/0 42.64
5. Picador / Jordan Coyle / IRL / Elan Farm / 0/4 36.74
6. Jiminy Cricket / Nayel Nassar / EGY / Evergate Stables LLC / 0/4 37.84
7. Contefina LVF / Ashlee Bond / ISR / Ashlee Bond Showjumping LP / 0/4 38.00
8. Cunningham / Christopher Lowe / CAN / Christopher Lowe / 0/4 44.61
9. H-Lucky Retto / Antonio Chedraui / MEX / P Dolfsma / 0/4 45.20
10. Scato van de Molenbrug Z / Jennifer Waxman / USA / Daniel Bluman, The Scato Group LLC / 0/8 41.01

 

Team Mexico. (tbird/Quinn Saunders photo)

Mexico Shows Mature Poise in CSIOJ* Junior Nations Cup

Heading into the second round of the CSIOJ Nations Cup, Team Mexico needed a rally. The four-rider squad of Sofia Michel, Ana Sofia Legorreta Hernandez, Federica Fernandez and Xaviera Maurer Buch sat behind both Canada and the United States on a score of 9, and Chef d’Equipe Mark Laskin needed to keep his squad focused.

“I was always told when I started riding Nations Cup that no matter what happened [in] the first round, the goal is to improve your score,” said the newly appointed Mexican Chef d’Equipe, who formerly held the same role for Canada.

So that’s what his riders did—emphatically. Showing a poise beyond their years, Michel, Legorreta Hernandez and Fernandez all produced clear efforts in the second round to finish the competition on their first round total and take a notable victory. Maurer Buch, who contributed a 1-fault score in Round 1 did not need to jump again in Round 2 as Mexico relegated the Canadians to second (12 faults), with the United States finishing third (16).

“There’s a lot of great team spirit [within Team Mexico],” Laskin said. “All of the senior riders are here to watch and support this morning, so I like that.”

They cheered on a historic squad, as the group was the first all-female team to ever represent Mexico in Nations Cup competition.

“I’m starting to get very familiar with everyone in Mexico,” he said. “I feel comfortable about it, and there are a lot of good riders. It’s kind of like Canada: They ride by the seat of their pants a little bit, but they also have a sprinkling of structure and good, good, solid foundation.”

Complete results here.

$4,250 CSIOJ* Junior Nations Cup
Place / Horse / Rider / Nationality / Owner / Faults / Time

1. BP First Editions / Sofia Michel / MEX / Sport Horses Sanchez-Cozar / 8/0
1. Yoga Santa Rosa / Ana Sofia Legorreta Hernandez / MEX / 0/0
1. Seltique / Federica Fernandez / MEX / Federico Fernandez / 8/0
1. Con Rouet / Xaviera Maurer Buch / MEX / Salvador Onate Barron / 1/DNS

2. Fay / Stella Chernoff / CAN / Stump Lake Ranch & Cattle Co. / 0/0
2. Dammam O.L. / Ava Wong / CAN / Highland Farms / 4/4
2. Decimus / Brooklyn Deacon / CAN / Brooklyn Deacon / 24/EL
2. Chicago CM / Eric Krawitt / CAN / Eric Krawitt / 0/4

3. Matahari HI / Leila Diab / USA / Leila Diab / 4/0
3. George Z.G. / Andrew Lopez / USA / Andrew Lopez / 4/8
3. Fast Lucca / Sahana Ganesan / USA / Sahana Ganesan / 9/12
3. Carlsson / Alexa Leong / USA / Alexa Leong / 0/0

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