(SPRUCE MEADOWS, Calgary, AB): It was a night of Winning Rounds at the Spruce Meadows “North American” as Richard Spooner won his second major event of the Tournament, the Lafarge Cup (1.50m), aboard his tried and true partner, Robinson. It was Spooner’s tenth win to date over the five-week Summer Tour that began with the “National” at the beginning of June.
The Winning Round format is different than a conventional one-round Show Jumping event because despite the fact that they may have accumulated faults, the top eight horse/rider combinations get to wipe their slate clean and come back for a second round. In the second round, Spooner watched fellow competitor Federico Fernandez from Mexico, gauging what he needed to do to win the competition.
“I knew if I could match Federico’s time I could win it,” says Spooner. “He was going at about 90% speed, because he didn’t want to take the risk, so I went about 95%.”Spooner and Robinson’s partnership has been one of the most successful ones in Spruce Meadows’ history, but the 18-year-old Hannoverian gelding is set to retire next year.
“It’s hard to put in to words what it means to me to win on that horse.” In the first Winning Round event of the evening - the Pepsi Challenge (1.45m) - riders and their up and coming horses were put to the test and Jonathan Asselin and Rosita Fly met the challenge head on.
“I’ve been working patiently on this horse for years,” says Asselin. “This was her first real 1.45m test and she was just fantastic.”
First to go in the first round, Asselin had the advantage of coming back last in the Winning Round of final eight as they came back in reverse order and they had posted the quickest clear. While he was waiting, he phoned his wife for an impromptu strategy meeting.
“She gave me the winning strategy,” says Asselin. “She said ‘Go for it”. “And I did, perhaps dangerously so when I left out a stride going to fence #2 . . . we were lucky.”
Asselin finished his round clear with a time of 35.52. Mark Armstrong (GBR) came in second on Rex with a time of 36.87 and Katherine Bardis (USA) rounded out third on her mount, Pariska.
Join us Saturday at Spruce Meadows in saluting the families of our brave soldiers who have sacrificed so much for our country. The day will be a very special military celebration featuring a Royal Command Performance of the Lord Strathcona’s ‘Feu de Joie” and the RCMP Musical Ride preceding the ATCO Power Queen Elizabeth II Cup. Show Jumping action begins at 11:00am in the International Ring with the Canada Post Cup followed by the ATCO Power Queen Elizabeth II Cup starting at 2:00 pm.
For more information visit www.sprucemeadows.com
Pepsi Challenge 1.45m
1. Jonathan Asselin / Rosita Fly / Calgary, AB / 0 – 35.52
2. Mark Armstrong / Rex / Headly, GBR / 0 – 36.87
3. Katherine Bardis / Pariska / Pebble Beach / 0 – 37.21
4. Norman Dello Joio / Popeye / Wellington, FL / 0 – 45.29
5. Cody Auer/ Okido / Fairfield, CT / 4 – 35.95
Lafarge Cup 1.50m
1. Richard Spooner / Robinson / Agua Dulce, CA / 0 – 44.96
2. Federico Fernandez / Garibaldi / Mexico City, MEX / 0 – 45.79
3. Beezie Madden / Integrity / Cazenovia, NY / 0 – 46.07
4. Kyle King / Estival / Mobile, AL / 4 – 44.31
5. Rich Fellers / Gyro / Wilsonville, OR / 4 – 45.64
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