Nicky Galligan Takes Big Bite out of $40,000 Pyranha Grand Prix

Nicky Galligan (IRE) and his own Javas Miss Jordan continued their West Coast success on Sunday, winning the $40,000 Pyranha Grand Prix with an unbeatable jump-off time of 27.977 seconds. Alessandra Volpi (USA) and her own Foster 39 (For Editions x Adlanta) were awarded second place for their time of 28.865 seconds and Karrie Ruffer (USA) and Morning Star Sporthorses LLC’s Mr. Europe (Mr. Blue x Z-livia RV) finished off the top three with their time of 29.472 seconds. Canada’s Lisa Carlsen placed 4th with Livestream 2, and Jaclyn Duff was 8th aboard Venus du Gue. Duff also placed third with the 11-year-old SF mare in the $5,000 Open Classic 1.40m.

Thirty-three starters challenge the course, designed by Michael Roy Curtis (USA), and eight pairs returned for the jump-off. “My thought process going into [the first round] was to try and take as few steps as possible so we didn’t run out of oxygen or air and get fatigued by the end of the course,” revealed Galligan. “I actually made an inside turn after fence six, before the triple bar in the first round, to take away a few steps which worked out quite favorably for us.”

When it came to the jump-off, Galligan only wanted to have fun: “Honestly, my plan was to have fun. I trust my horse to no end, I love her to pieces, she is absolutely my partner. The last thing we said walking into the ring was ‘let’s just have some fun’. She is quick over the ground and I just thought, lets go.”

Galligan has been paired with the 2009 Irish Sport Horse Mare (Luidam x Alley Angel) since she was four years old. “I don’t know where to start, she is just so special to me. She loves her job; she has a heart of gold. She absolutely wants to do 110% every time she goes in the ring,” Galligan shared about ‘Jordan’. “She is quite enjoying the West Coast and the desert at the moment. I am just so pleased with her today, she felt phenomenal.”

Currently calling New York home, Galligan only planned on being on the West Coast for one month. Now having been here for six weeks, he will continue his West Coast stay through Desert Holiday Week II. “We are really enjoying our time here. The horses are really happy. They are enjoying the climate. Especially for Miss Jordan; no humidity is a big factor to her way of going and to her breathing,” noted Galligan.

“She will have a couple easy days now and then jump again next Sunday [in the $100,000 Grand Prix] and we will hope for some more good luck and some fun. After that, it is a little bit up in the air. I really want to stay for the winter circuit out here and the addition of some FEI is really appealing to us.”

Complete results here.