DERRY’s Daniel Coyle kept the Irish flag flying high in the air as he clocked up a series of top results on his adopted home soil at the Canadian Show Jumping Tournament CSI2*.
On the final day, in spectacular fashion, Coyle took the win in the feature CSI2* $50,000 Caledon Grand Prix aboard Ariel Grange’s Legacy.
Speaking after the win, a delighted Daniel Coyle said: “I was second to go in the jump-off, which isn’t the best place to be when there are 11 in it.”
Legacy, an eight-year-old Zangersheide mare (Chippendale Z x Bon Ami) is owned by leading Canadian owner Ariel Grange. “I hadn’t really gone that fast with her all week and today I went a bit faster. She’s an amazing horse. Ariel just bought her after Florida this year. We know she’s incredibly talented and to see her showing it in the ring today makes it even more real,” added Daniel Coyle.
As for winning all three phases of the Caledon Cup on two different horses, Coyle noted, “My horses are incredible and I know them well. I have two good horses and if one doesn’t win, the other one usually does.”
At the conclusion of all three phases, there was a tie in the points standings for the Caledon Cup.
Using a format that rewards consistency of both horse and rider, Coyle riding Farrel, Bot with Cool Down 3, and Underhill with Count Me In, had all accumulated a total of 40 points. When the tie was broken using class placings, 22-year-old Bot and Cool Down 3 were crowned the overall winners of the 2018 Caledon Cup.
In total of 11 combinations proceed to the jump-off, which was set by Portuguese course designer Bernardo Cabral.
As the second rider against the clock, Coyle set the time to beat of 38.60 seconds. Veronica Bot of Burlington, who had earlier finished second to Coyle, once again came the closest to demoting him, but and clear aboard Cool Down 3 in 39.19, saw her take the runner-up spot. Cool Down 3 is an 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding (Chacco-Blue x Lysander).
Canadian Beth Underhill, who was riding Sandy Lupton’s 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, Count Me In, didn’t hang about, but their time of 39.44, saw them take third place in the line-up. Underhill was also awarded a $1,000 bonus by HEP as the highest-placed rider, sporting a HEP-branded saddle pad.
Hyde Moffatt and Granturo slotted into fourth place, ahead of Jonathon Millar and Bonzay. Hyde Moffatt partnered another of Ariel Grange’s horses, Grafton, into sixth.
EARLIER WINS
Coyle got to a good start at Caledon when he took the win on last Thursday’s Phase 1 Caledon Cup $10,000 Speed aboard Farrel. The combination held off the challenge from Ian Millar and Dixson. In third place was Beth Underhill and Count me In. Not content with the win, Coyle also took fourth with Legacy.
Last Friday, Coyle returned to the winners’ enclosure when he lodged the winning round with Farrell in the Phase 2 Caledon Cup $35,500 Open Welcome class and in doing so, picked up $8,875 for his efforts.
Taking the runner-up spot were Veronica Bot and Cool Down 3, ahead of Ian Millar and Truman.
Earlier at the venue, Coyle had slotted into third with Khaleesi in the 1.25m class and picked up a fifth place with Madison in the 1.35m. He added to this tally as he took second place in the $10,000 U25 Young Rider Development class, having been beaten by Sabrina Lefebvre and Alaska.