Spruce Meadows National Gets Underway

Conor Swail Wins the Bantrel Cup

The Bantrel Cup kicked off competition in the International Ring at Spruce Meadows for the 2022 tournament season. Over 50 entries tackled the track laid down by FEI course designer Anthony D’Ambrosio (USA) in the one-round competition. The world’s #5 ranked rider, Ireland’s Conor Swail riding Nadal Hero & DB, could not be caught. The pair laid down an unbeatable time of 68.36 seconds – over two seconds faster than Manuel Gonzalez Dufrane (MEX) who posted a time of 70.32. It was the first trip around the International Ring for Swail’s nine-year-old stallion and he handled it brilliantly.

Top Canadian in this 1.50m opening class was Eric Krawitt aboard his own Cactus de Cosniere, who placed 4th. As a member of the top five riders from this competition, he has qualified for Saturday’s RBC Grand Prix.

Conor Swail (IRL) and Nadal Hero & DB wins the Bantrel Cup. (© Spruce Meadows Media/Dave Chidley)

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Patricio Pasquel (MEX) Wins the PwC Cup

A well-rounded field of top international athletes stepped through the iconic Spruce Meadows Clock Tower onto the International Ring for Thursday’s feature event, the PwC Cup 1.55m. Thirty-eight horse/rider combinations representing seven countries were tested over D’Ambrosio’s track. Ten jumped clear and returned for the jump-off against the clock, where Patricio Pasquel (MEX) guided his veteran partner Babel to the fastest clear to defeat Nayel Nassar (EGY) and Mario Deslauriers (CAN).

Pasquel was ecstatic to return to the winner’s circle at Spruce Meadows with his 15-year-old homebred gelding. “We [Team Mexico] are using the ‘National’ Tournament to select our team for the World [Championships],” he explained. “There is no better place to prepare your horses for a championship.”

The top five riders from this competition also qualified for the RBC Grand Prix on Saturday.

Sam Walker Wins Recon Metal Cup

The North American Ring at Spruce Meadows facilitated over 200 rounds of show jumping between four competitions on day one of the Spruce Meadows National. It was an early start for riders in the Recon Metal Cup, where over 55 horse/rider combinations navigated the one-round course set by FEI course designer Peter Grant (CAN). Young Canadian rider Sam Walker would best the field, posting the fastest clear round with a time of 67.43 seconds. Top-five finishers in this competition qualify for Saturday’s AON Winning Round.

Jordan Coyle (IRL) aboard Ballyoskill Big Bucks laid down the fastest clear round in the 1.45m Mercer Cup with a time of 70.95. This class was a qualifier for Sunday’s ATCO CSI2* Grand Prix, with the top five advancing.

To round out the day in the North American Ring, large fields competed in a pair of 1.30m classes. Juan Jose Zendejas aboard Hector V.D Papendijk was the fastest clear ride in the Friends of the Meadows and Matthew Sampson riding Evora BJX won the Moore & Co.

More information and results here.

~ with files from Spruce Meadows Media