Victorious Reunion for Sampson and Curraghgraigue Obos Flight
Matt Sampson (GBR) couldn’t quite call his partner in the CSI3* tbird Challenge a “catch ride.”
But it had been a while since he’d shown the 11-year-old Curraghgraigue Obos Flight. Flying in from Europe for the Summer Fort Classic CSI3*, Sampson reunited with the gelding for a win in Thursday’s CSI3* tbird Challenge.
The pair crossed the timers of Peter Holmes’ (CAN) short track in 40.53 seconds. Bretton Chad (CAN) and CSF Princess Blue finished second (40.86s), with Katie Kruger (CAN) and Goodwill VB third (43.43s).
Matt Sampson (GBR) and Curraghgraigue Obos Flight. (tbird/Kim Gaudry photo)
It’s been a busy year since Sampson first visited Thunderbird Show Park last August, winning three international classes. This year, he’s spent more time in Europe, while Kara Chad (CAN)—his partner in both business and life—took the reins on “Jack.” But while Chad had three horses of her own in FEI this week at tbird, Sampson had just one, so she lent back the ride.
“I’ve had him since he was seven. So I know him inside out. I rode him completely until April this year, and then Kara took him over,” Sampson explained. “She was great [on him]. He won a few really good classes in Spruce at the summer series. Kara has got three horses already in the three star this week, so we [said], ‘Well, while I’m here, I’ll jump him again.’ She’s going to ride him again after this week.”
Sampson showed off the confidence he has in the gelding, getting out of the tack and hunting across ring to the second fence, where he did two fewer strides than the runners-up. He shaved more seconds off his time to the penultimate fence, a lengthy gallop lane to a vertical.
“He’s so fast, just naturally,” Sampson said, “and he kind of knows. He knows his job. Kara has been riding him for a few months, so she’s done the hard work. I just jumped on him and enjoyed it.”
A year ago, Sampson was hoping to gain entry into more five-star shows. Now, he’s won three five-star Grand Prix events. According to Jumpr App, he’s jumping clear 61 percent of the time when jumping 1.40m in 2023, across all horses.
“Coming [to North America] last year was one of the best things I’ve ever done. Obviously for me from coming from England, it’s a massive financial risk and an output to bring all the horses here. But luckily it really paid off,” Sampson said. “I had a great bunch of horses and owners and all the horses went from strength to strength. Luckily that made it possible to be able to get into more shows this year.”
CSI3* tbird Challenge 1.40m
Horse / Rider / Nationality / Owner / Faults / Time
1. Curraghgraigue Obos Light / Matthew Sampson / GBR / Matthew Sampson / 0/0 40.53
2. CSF Princess Blue / Bretton Chad / CAN / Stone Ridge Farms LLC / 0/0 40.86
3. Goodwill VB / Katie Kruger / CAN / Caledonia Stables / 0/0 43.43
4. Castros / Meredith Ellis / CAN / Meredith Ellis / 0/4 44.66
5. Luikan Q / Brian Morton / CAN / Attache Stables / 0 74.3
Stella Chernoff (CAN) and Fay. (tbird/Kim Gaudry photo)
Chernoff is Champion of MarBill Hill U25 1.35m
Stella Chernoff has been partnered with Stump Lake Ranch and Cattle Co’s Fay for more than five years.
But they don’t get to spend much time together.
Chernoff, 19, studies at Queen’s University in Ontario, and for eight months of the year, she steps away from the saddle to focus entirely on school. But she’s making the most of her summer. She topped the MarBill Hill U25 1.35m at her final show before returning to campus.
Besting a seven horse jump-off, Chernoff and Fay crossed the timers of Peter Holmes’ (CAN) short track in 35.52 seconds. Georgia Knight (CAN) and Ecolano vs Robano finished close behind in second (35.71s), with Kassidy Keith (CAN) and Fenelon WF third (35.84s).
“I was like, ‘I’m just going to give it my all,’” Chernoff said, “and she gave it right back to me, and she was so good. Down to the last jump, I was like, ‘You know what? We’re clear so far, I’m just going to gallop up.’ And then I sat her down two strides out, and she jumped it so good.”
Chernoff admits, getting to know the now 13-year-old KWPN mare has been a process. The particular grey doesn’t like a bit in her mouth and prefers to be ridden with a long rein—that is, when she is ridden. It turns out, the fact that Chernoff doesn’t have much time to ride suits Fay just fine.
“She doesn’t get ridden at home at all unless we’re jump schooling, so she just lunges. I don’t ride her at the show at all unless we’re warming up for the class or trail riding,” Chernoff said. “After we put those things together, everything came together.”
Chernoff has been repeatedly rewarded for tailoring her program around her mare’s needs. The pair has averaged just 3.08 faults at 1.35m, according to Jumpr App.
“We figured it out now, and honestly, there’s nothing better than like going in the ring with her. It’s just so amazing,” she said. “I trust her 100 percent, and I can tell she trusts me, and there’s just no better feeling than that.”
MarBill Hill U25 1.35m
Horse / Rider / Nationality / Owner / Faults / Time
1. Fay / Stella Chernoff / CAN / Stump Lake Ranch and Cattle Co Ltd. / 0/0 35.52
2. Ecolano VS Romano / Georgia Knight / CAN / Georgia Knight / 0/0 35.71
3. Fenelon WF / Kassidy Keith / CAN / Kassidy Keith / 0/0 35.84
4. Connecticut / Makenna Lemstra / CAN / Makenna Lemstra / 0/0 38.77
5. Ielinea JTL / Jaydan Stettner / CAN / Jaydan Stettner / 0/4 34.16
Betker Bests Pros in Foxstone Stables USHJA International Hunter Derby
Sixteen-year-old Sloane Betker (CAN) recorded the biggest win of her young career Thursday at Thunderbird Show Park, besting the Foxstone Stables USHJA International Hunter Derby.
The teenager—fresh off representing her country in the North American Youth Championships (USA)—rode her own Crack to victory with a final score of 343. Nicole Bourgeois (USA) finished second with Wayfinder (343), with Travis Root (USA) and Kadalora third (317).
Betker set herself apart with a tremendous Handy Round, impressing with a bold hand gallop that shot her to the top of the leaderboard. She sat second after the Classic Round.
“I just went for it. I knew that I wasn’t winning, so I had to put the pressure on the rest of them and go for it,” she said.
Betker has been paired with Crack for a year and a half. Originally leasing the gelding, her family purchased the chestnut by the end of the lease. The pair specializes in the equitation divisions and hunter derbies.
“I was looking for an eq horse, and I ended up leasing him at the start of last year. And then we bought him at the end of the year,” Betker said. “When he’s in the ring, he’s perfect. But outside the ring, he’s definitely special.”
Foxstone Stables USHJA International Hunter Derby
Horse / Rider / Nationality / Owner / Score
1. Crack / Sloane Betker / CAN / Sloane Betker / 347
2. Wayfinder / Nicole Bourgeois / USA / Hilary Sosne / 343
3. Kadalora / Travis Root / USA / Tanya Hardy / 317
4. Old Times LS / Samantha Smith / USA / Red Gate Farm LLC / 316
5. The Great Gatsby / Rodney Tulloch / CAN / Paige Brusatore / 305
Competition at the Summer Fort Classic CSI3* continues Friday with the CSI3* Paladin Cup 1.50m.
All classes in the Fort Grand Prix Arena stream live on tbird.ca.
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