German Olympian Richard Vogel, currently seventh on the Longines World Rankings, staked his claim on the $170,000 Mad Barn Big Ben Challenge aboard rising star Levi Noesar on Thursday, November 7, at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto, ON.
At only eight years old, Levi Noesar turned heads in the Coca-Cola Coliseum while carrying Vogel to victory in a six-horse jump-off over courses designed by Oscar Soberon of the United States. Vogel was the pathfinder in round one and set an immediate time to chase over the short course. After foot-perfect rollbacks, he broke the timers in a blistering 37.87 seconds aboard the Dutch Warmblood stallion (Zirocco Blue x Baloubet du Rouet), owned by MP Sporthorses GmbH.
Irish Olympian Daniel Coyle made a valiant effort riding Incredible, but despite a daring pace across the ground, their turns were not quite tight enough to catch Vogel’s time. Befitting its name, Incredible is an 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Clinton x Heartbreaker) owned in partnership with Ariel Grange. The pair would ultimately finish second in a time of 38.16 seconds.
Returning last, American Lillie Keenan laid it all on the line and eclipsed Vogel’s time by almost a full second but at the expense of having a rail down. She and Kick On, a 10-year-old stallion (Warrior x Caretino Glory) owned by Chansonette Farm, rounded out the podium in third with a time of 37.07 seconds.
When asked about the pressure of returning first for the jump-off, Vogel noted, “It’s not the easiest task, but the strategy was to put enough pressure on the following competitors so they had to risk something, and either be too slow or risk too much and catch a rail.
“Levi is an amazing horse, but he’s only eight which is why I had to compromise and not risk everything,” continued Vogel, 27. “He’s green but with the way he performed in the jump-off tonight, you can see his abilities and his will to give everything in the ring.”
Vogel got the ride on Levi Noesar earlier this year when the stallion was just coming out of the young horse ranks.
“We had high expectations because he jumped great as a seven-year-old,” said Vogel. “I tried him at the end of his seven-year-old year but decided to leave him a little longer. He came to me in April, and I was counting down the days until he arrived.”
Vogel has spent a significant amount of time competing throughout North America this year and bases with six-time U.S. Olympian Mclain Ward in Brewster, NY, when he is State-side. He is making his debut at the storied Royal Horse Show having heard rave reviews about the event from fellow athletes.
“A lot of people told me that I was going to like this show, and it has exceeded all those expectations,” Vogel confirmed. “It’s a unique show and you can feel the history.”
Earlier in the day, two-star competition made its debut at the Royal Horse Show with Coyle winning the $20,400 CSI2* Speed Challenge riding Langley for owner Ariel Grange and her Lothlorien Farm based in Cheltenham, ON.
The CSI5*-W division’s afternoon competition, the $43,860 Brickenden Trophy, served as a prelude to the Mad Barn Big Ben Challenge with Great Britain’s Jessica Mendoza being welcomed to the winner’s circle aboard I-Cap CL Z, a horse she owns together with Sarah Mendoza. At last year’s Royal Horse Show, the pair placed second in the $272,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Toronto and are hoping to go one better on Saturday night.
For more information on the Royal Horse Show, including daily schedules and to purchase tickets, visit www.royalfair.org/royalhorseshow.
$170,000 Mad Barn Big Ben Challenge
Thursday, November 7, 2024
Rider / Nation / Horse / Faults / Time
1. Richard Vogel / GER / Levi Noesar / 0:0 / 37.87
2. Daniel Coyle / IRL / Incredible / 0:0 / 38.16
3. Lillie Keenan / USA / Kick On / 0:4 / 37.07
4. Abdel Saïd / BEL / Arpege du Ru / 0:4 / 37.16
5. Jessica Mendoza / GBR / In the Air / 0:4 / 38.45
6. Jacqueline Steffens Daly / CAN / Freaky / 0:12 / 40.23
7. Alex Matz / USA / Ikigai / 4
8. Aaron Vale / USA / Gray’s Inn / 4
9. Rene Dittmer / GER / Corsica X / 4
10. Daniel Bluman / ISR / Gemma W / 4
$43,860 Brickenden Trophy
Thursday, November 7, 2024
Rider / Nation / Horse / Faults / Time
1. Jessica Mendoza / GBR / I-Cap CL Z / 0:0 / 34.06
2. Daniel Bluman / ISR / Hummer Z / 0:0 / 34.48
3. Sean Jobin / CAN / Coquelicot vh Heuvelland Z / 0:0 / 35.13
4. Vanessa Mannix / CAN / Lehar / 2
5. Lillie Keenan / USA / Argan de Beliard / 3
6. Nicole Walker / CAN / Panter JVH / 4
7. Jad Dana / LEB / Itchcock des Dames / 4
8. Jordan Coyle / IRL / King Kannan GP / 8
9. Tiffany Foster / CAN / Jumper d’Oase / 9
10. Antonia Pettersson Häggström / SWE / Tom Hanks / 10
Full results here.
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