While moviegoers are flocking to theaters to watch the epic tale of The Odyssey, Kyle King wrote his own heroic story on Saturday, piloting Odysseus to victory in the $62,500 CSI2* Grand Prix 1.45m at Thunderbird Show Park’s BCHJA Fall Finale.
The 15-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding was absent from start lists this past winter, returning to the international competition in May — and dominating at tbird this week. The pair haven’t finished outside the top two in the three CSI2* classes they’ve contested.
“I was second in the other two [ranking] classes. Honestly, he feels better than ever,” King said of the horse owned by Patricia Vasey. “I was just telling Patty I don’t know if he’s ever felt better.”
Twelve combinations advanced to Peter Holmes’ short course. Perennial favorites Kassidy Keith and Havana (fifth to return) set an efficient standard, stopping the timers at 40 seconds flat. King and the ever-speedy Odysseus shaved nearly a second and a half off that time, crossing the finish line in 38.67 seconds.
Braden James and Hermes des Carmilles, winners of Friday’s CSI2* 1.45m Winning Round, came closest to catching the leader. The pair stopped the clock just three-tenths of a second slower at 38.96, settling for second place, while Keith held on for third.
“They’re pretty hungry,” King said of his competitors. “I think Kassidy showed some good experience and laid down a really solid trip, and I had to go chase her. But I was ready and in the position today to go catch her. I did it right away at the beginning, first to second jump.
“I think [James] added a one [stride] at the second to last jump, which probably cost him that half a second, but he was right there,” King added. “Those kids are young and hungry and fast.”
Saturday’s Grand Prix concluded the international season at tbird.
$62,500 CSI2* Grand Prix 1.45m Top 10
Rank / Horse / Rider / Nation / Owner / Faults-Time
1. Odysseus, Kyle King (CAN) Patricia Vasey 0/0-38.67
2. Hermes des Carmilles, Braden James (CAN) Stump Lake Ranch and Cattle Co Ltd 0/0-38.96
3. Havana, Kassidy Keith (CAN) Kassidy Keith 0/00-40.00
4. Steadfast, Tiffany Foster (CAN) Artisan Farms LLC 0/00-40.89
5. Clan de Nyze Z, Reagan Tomb (USA) Ashley Papalia 0/0-45.23
Full results here.
Braden James and Hermes des Carmilles. (Kady Dane Photography)
Braden James & Hermes des Carmilles Take CSI2* Winning Round
In fantasy football, a championship season often comes down to drafting the right sleeper pick. Braden James knows the feeling. The British Columbia native and fantasy football enthusiast (he recently drafted Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams) found his own hidden gem in the equestrian world—nine-year-old Selle Français gelding Hermes des Carmilles.
On Friday at Thunderbird Show Park’s BCHJA Fall Finale, James and Hermes des Carmilles took top honors in the CSI2* Winning Round 1.45m. The pair bested a field of 10 returning combinations, stopping the clock on Peter Holmes’ short course at 42.9 seconds.
“Everything turned up today, which was really nice,” said James. “We got the nine [stride] easy and then from the oxer to the green tbird oxer we had a great shot coming out, and I was able to really slice the last two verticals and full on gas to the last.”
James discovered the Kannan-sired gelding through a friend in France, and the partnership has been carefully cultivated at tbird over the past two years. The methodical approach has paid dividends.
“Last year he did a lot of 1.30m, 1.35m classes, because he’s definitely on the greener side,” James explained. “We jogged [for FEI] for the first time in May at tbird and directly out of the gate, he was second in two of the ranking classes. He spent the whole Summer Series doing some 1.30m, 1.40m, and now he’s stepping back up into the ranking [classes]. I think he’s one for the future for us here at Stump Lake Ranch.”
Friday’s 1.45m victory marks the career-best finish for the duo.
Kyle King and Ninja BF came closest to catching James’s time, ultimately slotting into second with a clear round in 43.54 seconds. Ayla Martinoff and Calloway finished third in 46.6 seconds.
The winner was quick to credit his partner’s personality and the team behind him. “He’s awesome. He’s pretty chill. He has a little bit of ADD, so he’s always moving, always fidgeting, but he has a great character, easy to work with,” James said with a smile. “He doesn’t love his baths, but luckily he’s found his person in [groom] Paige Mathison, who does an awesome job.”
CSI2* Winning Round 1.45m Top 10
Rank Horse Rider Nation Owner Faults Time
1. Hermes des Carmilles, Braden James (CAN) Stump Lake Ranch and Cattle Co Ltd 0/0-42.9
2. Ninja BF, Kyle King (CAN) Richard Kirby 0/0-43.54
3. Calloway, Ayla Martinoff (CAN) Ayla Martinoff 4/0-46.6
4. Beneficial, Alicia Gadban-Henaut (CAN) Alicia Gadban-Henaut 4/0-48.04
5. Earthquake MXL Z, Jamie Gornall (GBR) Cherokee Show Horses Inc 0/0-49.34
Full results here.
Payton Betker and Canberre 59. (Kady Dane Photography)
Betker and “Perfect Princess” Take CET Medal Regional Final
They call her “perfect princess” in the barn, and on Saturday at tbird, Canberre 59 lived up to the name.
Payton Betker rode 15-year-old Hanoverian mare to victory in the CET Medal Regional Final, sponsored by Equi-Products, edging a talented field of young riders to punch her ticket to the National Final. Just two penalty points separated the top two finishers, with Betker and Canberre 59 taking the win on a combined score of 258.
Shenae Johnston and Fanta finished second on a score of 256, followed closely by Ellie Boon and Cynergy Z, who rounded out the podium in third on 248. Teia Fennell and Graffiti completed the top four with a score of 241.5.
The CET Medal Regional Final, sponsored by Equi-Products, is a qualifier for the National Final held in November at the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto, Ontario. Open to the top 20 riders in the BC region up to age 21, the Regional Final featured a flat/gymnastics phase on Friday, counting for 50 per cent of the combined score, with Saturday’s jumping phase making up the other half. The top six after both phases return for a ride off and the top four advance to the Final.
Saturday’s ride-off featured nine jumping efforts, a water tray and a one-stride combination. Betker leveraged the mare’s jumper background to their advantage and her instinct for pace and tidy turns proved decisive.
“Since she’s a jumper, I committed a little more to speed and I rode it a little more like a jump off,” she said. “And from doing the jumpers, our turns are a little slick.”
Betker credited Johnston with pushing her to the limit. “[Shenae and I] are both pretty equal, so it just comes down to what the judges want,” she said. “She had a beautiful round too.”
Betker took over the ride on Canberre 59 from her sister Sloane earlier this year and found instant success together. “We call her perfect princess. She’s just so perfect in the barn,” Betker said. “And you put her in the ring and she’s just perfect. We took her from the jumper ring here to see how she’d do [in equitation] and she was perfect. She’s so versatile.”
Asked what her trainer Cheryl Keith told her before the ride, Betker kept it simple: “Be calm, relax. Take your time in the corners and don’t rush it.”
In the CET Mini Medal, sponsored by BCHJA and held earlier in the afternoon, Quinn Haggins and SSE Slow Motion jumped to the top of the podium with a combined score of 239 with Tiffany Chen and Cassi just half a point behind on 238.5. Diana Li and Horseware Diadini finished third on 235.
The top four riders in the CET Medal Regional Final now advance to the National Final at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair.
CET Medal Regional Final, sponsored by Equi-Products, Phase II Top 8
Rank | Horse | Rider | Nation | Owner | R1 | R2 | R3 | Total Score
1. Canberre 59 | Payton Betker | CAN | Sloane Betker | 84 | 86 | 88 | 258
2. Fanta | Shenae Johnston | CAN | Shenae Johnston | 88 | 81 | 87 | 256
3. Cynergy Z | Ellie Boon | CAN | Ellie Boon | 82 | 80 | 86 | 248
4. Graffiti | Teia Fennell | CAN | Teia Fennell | 82.5 | 78 | 81 | 241.5
5. Diamir 4 | Isla Moldenhauer | CAN | Ashin Colburn | 72 | 84 | 54 | 210
6. Heartline | Stephanie Lu | CAN | Stephanie Lu | 50 | 64 | 80 | 194
7. Cool Wodka | Elizabeth Perkins | CAN | Audrey Cole | 77 | 35 | – | 112
8. Chacco’La | Katherine Zhang | CAN | Jamie Ackerman | 35 | 60 | – | 95
Results here.
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