JUMPER competition during week five of the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival (GLEF) saw a runner-up spot for Gavin Harley in the $36,600 Winning Round CSI3*.

Taking the top prize of the competitive class was Kyle King, who rode Seabright Investments’ Enzo to the fastest, fault-free ride of the day. The 1.45m first-round track tested riders and their mounts through a series of obstacles, including a double and triple combination that served as determining factors in which 10 athletes would advance to the second round.

As the first to enter the arena, Gabriela Reutter (CHI) and Maharees Rock set the precedent for the remaining riders, posting a time of 72.323 with four faults to the scoreboard. Only one round later, Jose Antonio Chedraui Prom (MEX) and Mighty Mouse would become the pathfinder of the first-round track as the first combination to put in a fault-free round in 70.140 seconds.

A total of 17 riders delivered clears, putting themselves in contention for the jump-off. However, only 10 of the fastest clear rounds would be invited back to battle it out for the leading position, including Ireland’s Paul O’Shea and Chancelloress, who had the fastest first-round time of 64.16 seconds.

Jump-off

Bliss Heers (USA) and Goodbye were the first combination to return for the jump-off, tripping the timers in 37.28 seconds with four faults to their names. Second to enter the arena, Catherine Tyree (USA), rode the first clear round aboard her own 15-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, Bokai.

Tyree’s time of 36.45 seconds would place her in the lead, but three trips later, Ireland’s Gavin Harley would bump her down on a clear-round time of 36.41 seconds with Clear Ride LLC’s 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion, Kavalli Di Magico.

Harley’s lead would be short lived, however, as King and Enzo put the pedal to the metal to race through the timers in 35.14 seconds without tipping any rails. The remaining three athletes tried their best to catch King’s time, but none could do it without accruing faults to their scores, ultimately crowning him the winner and leaving Harley in second place while Tyree rounded out the top three.