The $50,000 Lugano Diamonds National Grand Prix was the highlight event of the morning as 26 elite show jumping competitors competed over a challenging track set by FEI Level III course designer Peter Grant (CAN). Erynn Ballard of Canada proved invincible as she piloted Ilan Ferder’s Kristal Brillante (Tangelo Van De Zuuthoeve x Brillante Dansante) to the only double-clean effort.
With a tricky triple combination and several unrelated lines in the first round, only four were able to answer all of the questions to qualify for the returning jump-off.
Ballard was the final athlete to attempt the jump-off track with the hopes of securing the first clean effort on the short course. “I had an advantage being last to go in a four-horse jump-off. The tricky part was that Dorrie [Douglas] was very fast. I basically had first or second because the horse that was currently in second had two down and the third had three down. With a slow effort and one down, I would be second. With a slow clear, I was going to win, so I took my chances, and I was able to make my plan simple – go clear.”
Ballard and the eight-year-old KWPN gelding were strategic, making sure all of the rails stayed in the cups and landed through the timers in 46.149 seconds to secure the top place slot on the leaderboard.
Ballard spoke about Kristal Brillante, “He’s brand-new. He’s an eight-year-old and this was for sure the biggest we have asked of him. We started in the 1.30m a week ago. He has experience from Europe, but he’s shown us his talents. We think he’s the real deal. He’s smart, scopey, he jumped the plank well in both rounds and jumped the triple well. He knows what he’s doing.”
Ballard has had quite the successful two weeks, having earned numerous top finishes with several different horses and captured two $10,000 Buckeye Nutrition Future Prix victories and placed third in last night’s $150,000 Lugano Diamonds Grand Prix CSI3*. “It’s been a pretty spectacular two weeks. Days like this are hard because I am on such an adrenaline high from last night and from the entire experience the past two weeks. My legs felt a little like jelly this morning,” laughed Ballard. “I picked myself up, and mentally prepared for another day because I think I am a little tired, but I got in the zone and went out there and tried to perform my best.”
First-round pathfinder Dorothy Douglas (USA) earned second place honors aboard MTM Farm’s Caepten 2 (Cayton x Rikkirou). Douglas and the 11-year-old Warmblood gelding found blistering fast track in 40.634 seconds but had an unfortunate rail down at the second to last fence.
Gustavo Prato (ARG) rounded out the top three with his own CHE Spectre (Staccato x Stutbuch I). Prato and the eight-year-old Oldenburg gelding put forth their best efforts in 45.048 seconds, but had a pair of rails down in the process.
Ryan Michael Genn and Concenthaga PS earned the $5,000 fastest four-faulter award with a quick first round time of 77.818 seconds with one rail down.
Robert Mendoza received the ‘Luck of the Draw’ award.
$50,000 Lugano Diamonds National Grand Prix Results:
1. Kristal Brillante, Erynn Ballard (CAN), Ilan Ferder: 0 | 0 | 46.149
2. Caepten 2, Dorothy Douglas (USA), MTM Farm: 0 | 4 | 40.634
3. CHE Spectre, Gustavo Prato (ARG), Gustavo Prato: 0 | 8 | 45.048
4. Iisabella Van De Zuuthoeve, Kelli Cruciotti Vanderveen (USA), Serenity Farm: 0 | 12 | 41.229
5. Cabalou, Sharn Wordley (NZL), Della Wordley: 1 | 80.355
6. K-Carla, Tricia O’Connor (USA), Michael Kirby: 1 | 80.515
7. Concenthaga PS, Ryan Michael Genn (USA), Bridlebourne Stables LLC: 4 | 77.818
8. Nuorum Van Bareelhof, Erynn Ballard (CAN), Ilan Ferder: 4 | 77.932
9. MTM McIntosh, Tracy Fenney (USA), Nina Koloseike: 4 | 78.919
10. Thomascourt Legalland, Kevin Mealiff (IRL), Seamus McKeever: 4 | 79.332
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