The final Grand Prix of the Spruce Meadows Summer Tournaments saw twenty-seven horse/rider combinations take on the 615m track designed by FEI Course Designer Santiago Varela.

The top twelve placed riders from the first round then challenged a second track in hopes a combined score would leave them at the top or force a jump-off.

Amongst the top twelve returning for the second round were some of the week’s previous winners, Kyle King (USA), Daniel Coyle and Jordan Coyle – who won the AKITA Drilling Cup earlier in the day.

They were joined by Abdulrahman Alrajhi (KSA) who also finished on zero faults over the two rounds to create a four horse jump-off.

Coyle’s big win

Daniel Coyle was ready for a big win. After two rounds of jumping, a jump-off was required to determine the winner.

Jordan Coyle held the lead briefly with a clear jump off time of 35.86 seconds but younger brother Daniel piloting the brilliant, Incredible, crossed the finish line clear in a time of 35.21 seconds.

American Kyle King came close to topping Daniel’s time but finished second with a clear round time of 35.29 seconds. A rail in the jump-off kept Alrajhi off the podium.

A delighted Daniel Coyle spoke after his major win, stating:

“I like to come here for the summer because every horse gets a little better, even the horses at the top of the game. But not only that, we also have some six, some seven year-olds here, and, they are the future, so we have to bring them along as well.”

Ireland’s Paul O’Shea was tenth with Imerald Van’T Voorhof.

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Irish riders wasted no time in the International Competitions in the Main Arena and won all three International events on the opening day of the Show.

It was an Irish 1-5 in The Speed Stakes with Michael Pender and HHS Fortune leading the parade. The former Hickstead Derby-winner rider saw off his fellow countrymen as Jordan Coyle (Picador) took the runner-up spot, Denis Lynch and GC Chopin’s Bushi were third, Daniel Coyle with KEC Dorian came fourth, while Comdt Geoff Curran and MHS Gabhran completed the first five places in the class.

The early afternoon Minerva Stakes went the way of Richard Howley and Fame with a clear round in a time of 49.38 seconds. The Sligo-native took the winner’s €3,300 ahead of Germany-based Tipperary man Denis Lynch with Rubens LS La Silla.

The opening day feature competition in the Main Arena, The Sport Ireland Classic, was won by the experienced Paul O’Shea from Limerick with his Longines Nations Cup horse, Skara Glen’s Machu Picchu.

On Thursday, the Main Arena will host the The Speed Derby at 1.25pm, with the Anglesea Stakes beginning at 3.30pm.

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A total of 31 combinations qualified for the two round $500,000 Grand Prix, with only the top 12 advancing to the second round of the class.

The Limerick rider and Imerald Van’t Voorhof posted one of only seven clears in the opening round of the class. They finished the competition as the only combination not to lower a fence over the two rounds, as they picked up just a time fault in the second round.

Mexican riders Eugenio Garza Perez and Patricio Pasquel both carried four faults into round two, but clear second rounds put them in second and third places respectively.

“He’s a great water jumper (Imerald Van’t Voorhof) and very brave. I had a feeling if I brought him here he would excel.” Paul O’Shea on bringing his horse to Spruce Meadows for the first time.

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