U.S. rider Kent Farrington and Gazelle were the big winners in Saturday’s $375,000 Pan American Cup in a fast and competitive seven-horse jump-off at Spruce Meadows. Conor Swail (Ireland) and Grafton finished second, and Andrew Ramsay, also of the United States, and California 62 placed third.

Kent Farrington and Gazelle. Photo by Spruce Meadows Media Services. 

The CIBC Cup was also featured on Saturday with a historic first international victory at Spruce Meadows for the country of Japan, as Karen Polle and With Wings took top honors. The ‘Pan American’ Tournament CSI***** concluded on Sunday, July 3.

Ireland’s Alan Wade set the course for 34 competitors in Saturday’s highlight Pan American Cup, presented by Rolex. Held in the Meadows on the Green, the competition saw seven entries move on to the jump-off, and five clear over the short course.

Ramsay was first to jump clear in Round 2 with The California Group’s California 62, setting a fast pace in 37.59 seconds to eventually finish third. Farrington and Gazelle raced through the timers in 35.78 seconds. Last to go, Conor Swail and Susan and Ariel Grange’s Grafton jumped into second place with their time 36.17 seconds. 

Gazelle, a 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare owned by Farrington and Robin Parsky, has had a fantastic season that includes multiple wins over the last few months. Farrington bought the mare when she was 7 and feels that she is really progressing this year.

“I am very grateful that I have a super group of people behind my career, Robin Parsky being one of them,” Farrington said. “They are really passionate about show jumping, and that is what all of us need today in order to compete at this level. I have taken my time bringing this horse up, and she has found her way at the higher level. I had her in Florida this winter, and she was struggling a little bit in the big grand prix [classes], so I dropped her down for awhile and then brought her back up, and she seems to be finding her form.”

Speaking of his winning round, Farrington stated, “In the jump-off today, we got great competition. Andrew laid down a very fast track. He had the unenviable spot of going early, so that is certainly not an advantage when you have all of us coming after. I also do not like Conor coming after me; that’s not my favorite spot either, but I thought I put enough of a run down that he was going to really have to try if he could catch me. I was very pleased with my horse.”

Kent Farrington accepting the trophy from Tom Heathcott. Photo by Spruce Meadows Media Services.

Farrington also commented on Alan Wade’s first round track, praising the course designer on a great competition.

“I think Alan is one of the best course designers, if not the best course designer, in modern show jumping. I think he really understands horses,” Farrington said. “It is a very fair test, and he ends up with the perfect number in the jump-off. That shows that he knows what he is doing, so I think that all of us as riders applaud his work.”

Conor Swail was aboard a young mount in Grafton, a 10-year-old Selle Francais stallion that he got as a 7-year-old as well.

“He is a super horse,” Swail said. “Myself and Barry O’Connor sold him to Sue Grange and Lothlorien, who have been great backers for me. He has done some very good things. He jumped on two Nations’ Cup teams for Ireland, both times double clear. He has been a little bit the same [as Gazelle for Kent], up and down a little bit with the grand prix classes. Sometimes it takes him a little bit to find his feet, but once he gets to be comfortable at this height, he really excels. He is very scopey, and he has a big step. He was a little slower than Kent’s horse unfortunately today, but I was absolutely delighted with how he went.”

As Farrington noted, Ramsay had a tough position going early in the order with very fast riders to follow in the jump-off, but Ramsay was very happy with his finish on California 62. The 12-year-old Holsteiner mare also placed third in the ‘Continental’ Tournament’s $375,000 CP Grand Prix.

“California is a new mare for us. I got her just before Wellington this winter, so I have just been trying to get to know her,” Ramsay said. “It took a little bit of time in the beginning, but we are getting on track. I am starting to figure out how we need to ride the course and set her up. I was really pleased with the jump-off today compared to two weeks ago when I had one down. 

“I was thrilled with her today and quite happy with the jump-off,” Ramsay continued. “There were some very fast people coming behind me, and we tried to do the best we could. We have a bit more learning to figure out, but we are making good headway, and I am thrilled to be here.”

Course designer Alan Wade also weighed in on Saturday’s competition and was pleased with his result.
“I have a great team around me. When you come to an event, you have to trust the people around you, and with Peter Grant and Joey Rycroft as my assistants I got a lot of guidance,” Wade said. “I was very pleased with the start list. As course designers, we are really only here to facilitate. These are the athletes that bring their horses out for the great sport of show jumping. We are only here to allow them to show their best, and I think we had very good sport today.”

Polle Earns Historic First Win For Japan at Spruce Meadows

The CIBC Cup 1.50-meter was the first FEI competition held in the Meadows on the Green Saturday afternoon with a historic first international victory at Spruce Meadows for the country of Japan. Rider Karen Polle represented the nation as she guided her own 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding With Wings to an exciting first place finish.

Karen Polle and With Wings. Photo by Spruce Meadows Media Services.

Wade set the track for 26 starters in the CIBC Cup with six advancing to the jump-off. Polle and With Wings earned the win with the fastest round over the short course in 30.71 seconds. They edged out Tiffany Foster (Canada) and Artisan Farm’s Cadalora P.

Commenting on her victory, Polle smiled, “I am so excited. To win here where the riders and horses are the best in the world is just so special. Especially to win on Wings, who I have had for a long time, is really fun. I have always dreamed of winning a competition here, so it is really nice.”

Polle, 23, has owned With Wings for six years and knows the gelding well. In 2015, the pair earned their biggest win together in the $250,000 Hampton Classic Grand Prix CSI**** in New York.

Speaking of her winning mount, Polle stated, “He is just perfect. He has a big stride, and he always tries his best. He is very spunky, so he has a lot of power and lots of energy. I like when a horse has energy and a lot of power and blood, so he is perfect for me.”

This summer, Polle tapped the training expertise of 10-time Olympian Ian Millar of Canada. With Millar’s guidance, the young rider was able to use her longtime experience with her horse to an advantage in both rounds.

“I thought the first round course was very nice. For my horse, I just had to sit still in all of the lines and give him a little bit of room, and he took care of the rest,” Polle explained. “The course was pretty careful, especially towards the end, but for me it rode really well.

“In the jump-off, with all of these amazing riders that are always really fast, it is a lot of pressure to have to go for it,” she added. “I was a little nervous that they would catch me in the end, but I am really happy that they didn’t.”

Polle has one semester at Yale University (Conn.) to complete in the fall and then hopes to focus on her riding full-time. Her more immediate plans are to qualify With Wings for next week’s grand prix to conclude the summer at Spruce Meadows.