Washington, D.C. – Oct. 27, 2018 – The reigning 2018 FEI World Cup Jumping™ champion gave a masterclass in how she earned her title during Saturday night’s $135,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Washington CSI4*-W for the President’s Cup at the Washington International Horse Show. Besting a four-horse jump-off with her seasoned mount Breitling LS, Madden showcased her horse’s speed and carefulness in the narrow ring at the Capital One Arena with a double clear effort that was two seconds faster than her competitors’ time to take home the lion’s share of the prize money.
Twenty-four athletes competed over Olaf Petersen Jr.’s first round track, but only four were good enough to leave all the fences intact and return for the final tiebreaker. The jump-off included multiple tight rollbacks in the small ring with the crowd right next to the action, as well as a technical double combination.
Lucy Davis was the pathfinder during the first round with Old Oak Farm’s Caracho 14, and she was able to duplicate her clear effort during the second round, setting the target to beat at 33.44 seconds. Katie Dinan was hot on her heels though, and despite losing some speed in one of the turns, she and Grant Road Partners LLC’s Dougie Douglas stopped the clock in 32.93 seconds with a clear round.
Dinan did not have the opportunity to hold on to the lead very long though, with the reigning world cup champion next in the ring. Although they were careful to the first three fences, Madden and Breitling LS, owned by Abigail Wexner, spun through the two rollbacks at each end of the ring to gallop across the finish line in an unbeatable 30.74 seconds with each in its cups. Ireland’s Shane Sweetnam attempted to catch her round with Don’t Touch Du Bois, owned by Sweet Oak Farm, Spy Coast Farm and Paul Tracy, but his quick time of 30.90 seconds came at the expense of a rail to earn the fourth place ribbon. Madden would capture the victory while Dinan and Davis took home the second and third place awards, respectively.
Madden plans to defend her winning title during the 2019 FEI Jumping World Cup™ Finals in Gothenberg, Sweden, but she has not committed to riding Breitling LS. With a deep string of horses, Madden will be waiting to see which horse is in top form following the winter season in Florida. Her next stop with be the 2018 National Horse Show in Lexington, Kentucky, where she will be showing the latest addition to her string, Abigail Wexner’s Chic Hin D Hyrencourt.
Madden is currently ranked fifth in the North American Eastern Sub-League for the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Finals, while Davis is tied for second and Dinan is tied for 10th. All three riders are aiming for the Finals where they hope to represent the United States. The next stop on the road to Gothenburg is the National Horse Show. Stay tuned to Phelps Sports for complete coverage of all of the North American League World Cup Qualifiers.
FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE
Beezie Madden – $135,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Washington CSI4*-W for the President’s Cup Winner
On Breitling LS:
“This was his first indoor event of the year, so it’s nice to see that he’s in form. It kind of just shows why he was good at the World Cup. He walked right in here. He’s clever; he’s rideable. He’s adjustable, careful, and he can handle tight spaces like this.”
On the jump-off:
“I thought the one to two was a little bit of a tough turn to a big jump that fence two, so I didn’t think that that was really the place to win it, so I feel like I was a touch slow there, but then I knew my horse has some natural foot speed, and he’s quite good at turning, so I think I made it up at the turns on both ends, particularly the last turn.”
On the World Cup Finals:
“We’ll just have to see. Last year I didn’t really know which horse I was taking until probably middle of Wellington when this horse showed that he was on great form, so I’ll probably plan on the same thing. I’m trying to make them all eligible. I already have done a class with Darry Lou and with Breitling, and I’m going to take my new horse to Lexington so that hopefully if he completes that grand prix, he’ll be eligible. Then I just have Coach left, and we’ll see which one’s on the best form.”
Katie Dinan – Second Place
On the jump-off
“I have a huge amount of trust and faith in my horse, Dougie Douglas. He’s just absolutely a superstar. I’m so grateful for him. I knew that with him I could take a good shot. I think it was in a way less pressure having Beezie after me because I knew she’d be really fast. I had no choice but to go for it. Last year, I had the fastest time; I had one down in this grand prix. This year, I said, ‘You know what there’s only four.’ I was really happy with him. I’m thrilled.”
Lucy Davis – Third Place
On Caracho:
“He has an amazing brain, so I can keep kind of challenging him at each show. He’s been delivering each time, so I’m super excited. The last two falls, I sort of took a break myself in my riding, so he didn’t get much indoor development, so I was a little bit nervous bringing him here – knowing that it’s extreme indoors and tight. I think he liked not having to work as much. He was fresh, and he again delivered. I’m so grateful that he has that brain.”
RESULTS
$135,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Washington CSI4*-W
Place / Rider / Country / Horse / R1 Faults / R2 Faults | Time
1. Beezie Madden / Breitling LS / USA / 0 / 0 | 30.74
2. Katherine A. Dinan / Dougie Douglas / USA / 0 / 0 | 32.93
3. Lucy Davis / Caracho / USA / 0 / 0 | 33.44
4. Shane Sweetnam / Don’t Touch du Bois / IRL / 0 / 4 | 30.90
5. Laura Kraut / Confu / USA / 4 | 64.74
6. Erynn Ballard / Catoki’s Son Z / CAN / 4 | 65.04
7. McLain Ward / HH Gigi’s Girl / USA / 4 | 65.71
8. Devin Ryan / Eddie Blue / USA / 4 | 65.87
9. Kelli Cruciotti / Chamonix H / USA / 4 | 66.62
10. Cormac Hanley / Alma Z / IRL / 4 | 66.65
11. Catherine Tyree / Bokai / USA / 4 | 67.06
12. Mattias Tromp / Quinta / USA / 4 | 67.31