Conyers, Ga.—June 24
Glenn Hartigan of Alpharetta, Ga., and his own Z Coco Cabana brought home the blue ribbon in the $25,000 Sidelines Grand Prix on Saturday night to the roar of the crowd.
“She’s so comfortable in the arena here in Conyers. I bred her mother, and Coco was born in Germany,” he said of the 10-year-old Holsteiner mare (Contendro I—O-Limbana). “I brought her over here as a 5-year-old, and her first show was here in Conyers. It was fun to win in front of this home town crowd who has watched her over the years. A lot of people know her and know how much my wife and I put into it and to have her win was beyond our wildest expectations.
“I’m a very proud breeder,” said Hartigan. “Coco just got a new sister, and she’s in Kentucky. So, we’re going to head there after this show to meet the newest member of the family.”
Glenn Hartigan and Z Coco Cabana. Photo by Alison Hartwell
Hartigan is originally from Canada, but he spent many years in Germany riding at sales barns and furthering his education and career. He achieved the German federation’s professional trainer’s license, or Bereiter FN, during that time. His wife, Stephanie, grew up riding in Germany and focuses on dressage. Together they run EurImports Equestrian out of Alpharetta, Ga.
Hartigan and Aaron Vale of Williston, Fla., were the only two riders to advance to the jump-off round over the course designed by Olympic course designer Steve Stephens. Vale and Thinks Like a Horse Farm’s Bonzini S and Stakko rounded out the roster for the jump-off.
“The course was really challenging but fair,” commented Hartigan. “Steve built a great course, and it asked the riders good questions. There were some half steps in it, so riders needed to decide if they were going to leave those strides out or add. In the last line, you couldn’t leave the stride out, you had to shorten. The jump-off course was really interesting, and he really did a great job.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Vale and Bonzini S were the first to tackle the jump-off round, and they flew through it, fault-free in a time of 38.89 seconds, setting the new time to beat. He and his second mount, Stakko, followed his first ride, and their time of 39.27 seconds put him in the first and second places. Hartigan and Z Coco Cabana were next up.
“Aaron is tough to beat when he comes to town,” said Hartigan. “He won every other major money class. He’s such a professional, and he had both horses in the jump-off go clear, and I thought, ‘With him going clear, I had to take every chance and go faster, or I’m going to finish third.’ ”
Hartigan delivered a clear round in a time of 36.43 seconds and won the class.
“I know my horse, and I trained her all the way up to this level. She’s 10 this year and has enough experience in grand prix competition that I knew if I asked her, she would do it. I left strides out where Aaron didn’t, and I gunned it,” he said. “We went really fast, and it was really fun.
“When I started her [at grand prix] two years ago I probably wouldn’t have gone so fast,” Hartigan added. “Training at that level, I want to protect her big heart. The more experience she gets the more I can ask of her. She is maturing as a grand prix horse, and she won a grand prix in Tryon a few weeks ago and has been second several times, so I can take more chances.”
