A wide-open jump-off in the $35,000 Tractorland Royal West International Championship Phase 3 1.45 m was won in a heart-stopper by Samuel Parot of Chile aboard Atlantis.
As it was the night before, Saturday’s jump-off was a very competitive field, seeing ten riders vying for the coveted top three spots. In the tightly contested field, however, two riders, Canadian Keean White and Samuel Parot — winners in the 1.45 m on Thursday and Friday, respectively — came looking to win on Saturday.
Parot would have taken two mounts into the jump-off but his mount Couscous van Orti clipped the last bar to miss out. But the veteran Chilean then doubled down on the drama, riding Atlantis — the mount he rode to take the Sacramento leg of the west coast jumping league — into the jump-off. There he took the spot, coming dramatically close to colliding with one of the jumps as he wheeled Atlantis around to the final jump for a winning time of 40.40 seconds.
“It’s already a very fast course,” Parot said afterward. “I didn’t have to look for a lot of speed. It was in the course to begin with, and Atlantis was very good on the turns.”
White made a valiant effort to unseat Parot, gunning for consecutive wins in the 1.45 m. He pushed For Freedom Z to a scintillating time of 40.97 seconds, just behind Parot. “My younger horses were not so experienced and it showed in the first round,” White noted. “But For Freedom Z is my top horse, he can handle the tight corners and the indoors. He really came through.”
The second-to-last rider of the evening, Erynn Ballard put on an exhilarating chase as she gunned for Parot and White’s top marks. She fell just short and took the third spot. She finished the course aboard Appy Cara in 42.25 seconds. She said the atmosphere was a factor. “The atmosphere was the best tonight,” she remarked. “The energy was in the building. I knew how fast Samuel can be and so I’m pleased with where I finished.”
Bringing up the rest of the field in the jump-off were, in order, were Chris Sorenson on Bobby in fourth, Tracey Epp, John Anderson, James Chawke, Laura Jane Tidball, Ali Ramsay, and Ostmeyer.
Seven of the jump-off contestants were Canadians along with three international riders, Chile’s Parot, Ireland’s Chawke, and Germany’s Ortmeyer.
After three phases, the standings for the overall Royal West International showed Royal West president John Anderson winning gold, Parot taking silver and Ballard took bronze. “The overall is about consistency over all the competitions and my horse Terrific was very steady in every phase,” said Anderson. “I owe it to him.”
Earlier in the day, the $3,000 Jump Alberta Royal West Canadian Championship PHASE 3 1.30 m was taken by Ortmeyer aboard Beau Soleil. She was followed by Savannah Manac’h on Jarratelle Z and in third came Chelsea Walsh aboard Phlush.
In the $2,400 Jump Alberta Royal West Canadian Championship 1.20 m, Elizabeth Gingras placed first aboard Floreen SFN in 68.21 seconds. She was followed by Susan Latif on Le Grand Star with a time of 70.21 seconds and in third place by Walsh aboard Mercury with a time of 71.74 seconds.
In the $1,800 Jump Alberta Royal West Canadian Championship Phase 3 1.15 m Jenny Graham took the top spot riding Casimira to a time of 67.46 seconds. Following her came Madison Hilderman on Kenzo in 70.45 seconds and in third Shawna Dunn on Almandine in 72.61 seconds.
The $1,400 Jump Alberta Royal West Canadian Championship Phase 3 1.10 m was won by Cassie Gorsline aboard Magic Man with a time of 65.41 seconds, taking second was Julia Prather on Belladonna to a time of 66.69 seconds, and in third Colten Powell rode WH Matador in 67.23 seconds.
The Royal West now heads into Week Two, culminating in the $126,000 Longines FEI World Cup™ Calgary Jumping event. Anderson is pleased with how Royal West has started with dramatic wins all three nights so far. “We’ve built some good momentum for next week and the Longines. We’re just need to keep getting the message out about the great riders here. I’m pleased.”
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