A delighted David O’Brien put on a show for his family today, with the Irishman triumphing in the 1.50m Mission:Possible competition at Spruce Meadows aboard Estoril Delle Roane under the grey skies that have so far dominated this summer season.
O’Brien, who is originally from Galway County, got parents Tomas and Frances to fly to Calgary to see him compete at Spruce Meadows for the first time, with the all-too-common rain holding out until after his winning ride this afternoon.
“I was told when coming here that I was coming up against a different beast,” O’Brien, 36, said after his clear round on the vast All Canada Ring course. “It’s hard to describe. There’s nothing like this.
“I never know if I will get here again so I told my parents, if you want to come, come. And to be able to run the class today was great.”
O’Brien’s victory on day one of the ‘Pan American’, presented by Rolex, is the latest in a string of Irish triumphs at the Spruce Meadows Summer Series so far, including Conor Swail nailing two 5* wins, and Daniel Coyle taking one.
Today it was O’Brien’s turn — while three of the four newly-named Team Canada Olympic show jumping squad nipped at his heels, with Amy Millar, Mario Deslauriers and alternate Tiffany Foster coming fourth, sixth and seventh.
“Team Canada are knocking on the door,” O’Brien said. “You can see them coming into form right now. Up here, with the climate, altitude and everything else, you have to be a bit tougher. Everything is so open.
“They’re going to be flying in Paris.”
Second and third place in today’s contest went to Mexico. Antonio Maurer on Aircraft One and Luis Alejandro Plascencia O on Beautiful Red, rounded out the podium finishers on the 1.50m course designed by French mastermind Gregory Bodo.
Complete results here.