Yann Candele Captures Victory in the Cargill Cup
Canadian National Team member Yann Candele captured a thrilling victory aboard the 11 year-old Oldenburg gelding Chaventyno, for day one of FEI competitions at the ‘Pan American’ Tournament, presented by Rolex.
It was an impressive international starting list of 56 athletes, who took to the stunning Meadows on the Green Ring for a great afternoon of top sport. The Cargill Cup 1.50m competition, set by Canadian Course designer Peter Grant, presented a test challenging both scope and efficiency from start to finish. With 17 notable combinations qualifying on clean score cards for the jump off, it was no doubt that an exhilarating second round against the clock was soon to follow.
With the advantage of going later in the jump off, Yann Candele found the winning track untouched by his opponents, stopping the clock at 44.43 seconds. Candele remarked “I made my plan for the inside turn when I first walked the jump off course, I came off of 11A,B with a lot of speed and got very close to the oxer – which ended up making for a bit of a funny turn but I got back in line and just kept going. When I first walked out of the ring I wasn’t sure that I would be all that much faster but after speaking with a few other riders it turned out to be a huge advantage.”
After a great start to the Spruce Meadows Summer Series on HH Callas, McLain Ward(USA) early to go in the jump off, set the time to beat on this impressive mare. With Candele’s unmatched inside track, Ward’s time to beat fell behind to finish 1.17 seconds from the win.
Ward commented “I was very pleased with Callas today. I think she jumped two spectacular rounds. I went early in the jump off – which I don’t always find to be a disadvantage – you ride your plan.” Ward went on, “I originally thought that number fence two would come out so I didn’t look at that turn until I went in the ring. I thought about it for a stride and decided against it – I thought it would be too much start and stop. But Yann pulled it off and in the end it was a good 10 or 12 strides faster – which is significant.”
Last to go and finishing third in the Cargill Cup 1.50m was Kevin Babington(IRL) aboard Mark Q, a 15 year-old Irish Warmblood gelding. The pair finished the jump off test just 0.28 second off the pace of Ward. Babington stated, “going last in the jump off I had heard that Yann made the turn – but that it wasn’t easy. I jumped through the double and in the air I was thinking about it.” Kevin continued, “ I had to put on a little leg on the out of the combination so I knew my arc would be too far to make it happen – I just chickened out a little bit.”
For full results, click here.
McLain Ward Pilots HH Carlos to Triumph in the Mercer Cup 1.45m
The master from the USA scored yet another victory aboard the fantastic HH Carlos in this evening’s dramatic Mercer Cup at the ‘Pan American’ Tournament, presented by Rolex.
The riders came to play en masse today in this evening’s competition against the clock with nearly 90 athletes coming through the in-gate.
With such a vast entry it was incredibly impressive to see young Adrienne Sternlicht(USA), a student of Ward’s, hold on to the leading time from the top of the competitions order – only to be beaten by her trainer entering the ring as one of the final few riders.
Ward said following the win, “Carlos is probably one of the fastest horses I’ve ever had the pleasure of riding.” He laughed, “Of course it’s nice to be at the end of the order – my student Adrienne was winning – and I guess I just had to make sure she came back for a few lessons!”
Adrienne Sternlicht finished off in second place with that solid time of 64.93, which ended up being a 3.69 seconds behind first place.
Finishing in third was Jaime Azcarraga(MEX) aboard his stallion For Fashion, an 11 year-old Dutch Warmblood by For Pleasure. Azcarraga, was the fastest finisher next to the American pair, crossing the timers on a clear score card and a time of 65.64 seconds.
For full results, click here.
Mckayla Langmeier Takes a Win in the U25 Canadian Utilities Winning Round
McKayla Langmeier (USA) made her mark at Spruce Meadows today as the Under-25 champion against 35 horse/rider combinations in the U25 Canadian Utilities Winning Round.
It was a great start to Thursday on the Meadows on the green turf with the up and coming stars of show jumping taking on the FEI test designed by Canada’s Peter Grant. The impressive entry of riders were representing countries from around the globe including Japan, Mexico, Ireland, USA and Canada.
The Spruce Meadows U25 Series has been scheduled throughout the Summer Series of Tournaments seeing top level competition in each event at each of the CSI 5* Tournaments. This morning’s event was no different, with a larger roster of athletes than ever before featured on the order of go.
Finishing on top for this week’s edition at the ‘Pan American’ tournament, presented by Rolex was McKayla Langmeier(USA), on only her second trip ever to Spruce Meadows. Langmeier competed aboard the big 9 year old chestnut gelding, Iliano Vant Dabelendreet, a partnership that only came together earlier this year.
Langmeier commented “He is a brand-new partner for me. I got him at the beginning of the Winter Equestrian Festival this year, so we’ve just been playing around and getting used to each other. With a new partner it’s always a learning curve especially when it comes to finding the perfect balance of tack. This was a very big win for me – everything just sort of came together today. I’ve been showing him in FEI competition since the beginning in the 1.45m. I tried bumping him up to the 1.50m during the ‘Continental’ Tournament, but we moved back down for this week so I’m not sure whether this will change things – I’ll have to wait and see.”
Following behind in second and third, also representing the Stars and Stripes were Lucy Deslauriers and Alex Matz. Deslauriers, no stranger to the Spruce Meadows champion’s podium, rode top mount Hester to the second-place finish with a great round just 0.5 seconds behind the winning time. Following close behind for third was first time visitor to the Spruce Meadows Summer Series, Alex Matz, who will undoubtedly be back in the Spruce Meadows spotlight soon after such an impressive performance.
For full results, click here.