Canada’s Harold Chopping is 11th aboard Fantom
Sharn Wordley (NZL) and his own Gatsby raced to a 36.033-second win in the $72,000 Nutrena® Grand Prix CSI 2* at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC). Adam Prudent (USA) and Romeo de Villaret, the 2005 Selle Francais stallion (Mr. Blue (NL) x If de Merze) owned by Plain Bay Sales, claimed second-place honors, halting the jump-off timers with a time of 36.242 seconds. Abigail McArdle (USA) and Victorio 5, a 2006 Hanoverian stallion (Uccello x Graf Top) owned by Victorio Equine Group LLC, rounded out the podium with their 36.609-second performance in the short course.
Bernardo Costa Cabral (POR) had 42 pairs challenge his first-round course, with seven returning to compete in the jump-off. “He [Cabral] did a really good job,” emphasized Wordley. “He made the course tricky enough that it was hard to jump. I think the height was perfect, and the time was just right that you had to go quick enough, which caused some problems, but without making it too difficult for people. So, I think he nailed it. He did such a good course.”
Wordley piloted two horses through the first-round track, and explained that tonight was Gatsby’s time to shine. “My second horse, [Any], didn’t have a very good warm-up, so it just wasn’t her night, but Gatsby was awesome.”