Calgary, AB, Canada – July 9, 2015 – The 2015 Spruce Meadows Summer Series began its final week of competition, the ‘Pan American’ Tournament CSI 5*, presented by Rolex, with wins for Pablo Barrios (VEN) and Abigail McArdle (USA) on Thursday. The ‘Pan American’ Tournament continues with world-class show jumping through Sunday, July 12.
Pablo Barrios led the victory gallop in the $34,000 Friends of the Meadows Cup 1.50m riding Emanuel Andrade’s Fananka A in the Meadows on the Green. Out of 48 entries, 13 cleared Guilherme Jorge’s (BRA) speed track, and Barrios and Fananka A blazed the winning time of 56.73 seconds. Hardin Towell (USA) and Jennifer Gates’ Lucifer V finished second in 56.91 seconds, and Rodrigo Lambre (BRA) placed third aboard Mario Onate’s Charielle, with a time of 58.09 seconds.
Pablo Barrios and Fananka A lead the round of honor
Barrios has had great results throughout the summer at Spruce Meadows, but this was his first international win of the series. Fananka A, a ten-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare (Chin Chin x Kannan), is a new mount for the rider this summer and he explained that Thursday’s course suited the horse perfectly.
“I am happy that I finally got one victory,” Barrios stated. “I never expected to have it with her because she is just a new ride for me. Emanuel let me ride her because I was a little short on FEI horses. Basically, we trained her to do the derbies. I was a little unlucky in both derby competitions, but she placed in both.”
“Finally, this course was perfect for her,” Barrios continued. “When I walked the course I really liked it for her. It was long lines for a big horse and she has a big step. Two of the tightest turns were to her good side on her left lead. Everything was perfect for her, so I went for it to see if I could win and I was lucky.”
“She has a very different style,” Barrios said of Fananka. “The quality is top; I have never ridden a horse with that much quality, but the rideability is a little tough. You have to place her in a distance that she feels comfortable. Normally, she gets deeper than what you want or she will put herself in a place that you think she is in trouble, but she is so careful and she tries so hard. I do not know how, but she leaves the rails up.”
Pablo Barrios of VEN riding Fananka A
Further detailing his round, Barrios explained, “I was fast in the rollback from number three to the plank. Then I was the only one in the competition who did seven strides to the combination. She has a huge step and she goes a little left, so I planned the seven and it worked perfect. I think I was very quick there; everybody was doing nine or eight strides. Then I was fast in the rollback after the liverpool. Again, she goes left and she turned great, so I made good time there.”
Barrios hopes to continue riding Fananka and thanked the Andrade Family for letting him compete the mare this summer. He also thanked sponsors: Animo, Hagyard Equine Clinic, Devoucoux, Purina, Choice of Champions, Healthy Coat, and Der Dau.
On Friday, Barrios plans to compete ZL Group, Inc.’s Zara Leandra in the $85,000 Ashcor Technologies Cup 1.55m. The mare has been competing very well and he hopes to jump her in Sunday’s $400,000 Pan American Cup, presented by Rolex, to conclude the Summer Series.
McArdle Opens With a Win
International competition at the ‘Pan American’ Tournament got underway in the North American Ring Thursday morning with a win for Abigail McArdle (USA) and David McArdle’s Cosma 20 in the $34,000 Friends of the Meadows Cup 1.45m. Held over a one round speed track set by Anthony D’Ambrosio (USA), the competition saw 50 competitors with 14 clear rounds. McArdle and Cosma 20 clocked in at 65.90 seconds for the win.
Hardin Towell and Jennifer Gates’ New York placed second in 68.46 seconds, and Kent Farrington (USA) finished third with a time of 68.76 seconds aboard Haity McNerney and Amalaya Investments’ Cha Cha Cha 7.
McArdle and Cosma 20 have been a winning team for several years, and the 12-year-old Hanoverian mare (Couleur Rubin x Stakkato) proved why she is a winner on Thursday, speeding through the course and giving a little extra effort at the end.
“I got lucky,” McArdle detailed. “She lost a shoe and she slipped a little bit on the way to the last line, but she still true blue left the ground for me and had a super finish.”
Abigail McArdle of USA riding Cosma 20
Thursday’s win marks the pair’s third victory in the 1.45m division for this year’s Summer Series and McArdle explained that the venue suits her horse well.
“Spruce Meadows is a great venue for her because of the grass fields; she is able to really gallop,” the rider explained. “In today’s course, the way the numbers were, she was able to keep a big stride and a big gallop where the other horses had to steady in the lines. She is also really quick away from the fences.”
“It is important to remember with her that where other people may leave out strides in the lines, I have to not get so focused on that and really try to make it up in the turns and always just stick to my plan,” McArdle added. “We have had a super partnership. I consider her the best 1.45m speed horse there is. She is super careful.”
Competition continues on Friday featuring the $34,000 Friends of the Meadows Cup 1.45m followed by the $85,000 Ashcor Technologies Cup 1.55m.
For a complete tournament schedule and full results, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.
Final Results: $34,000 Friends of the Meadows Cup 1.50m
1. $8,500 FANANKA A Belgian Warmblood / M / 10 Chin Chin x Kannan
PABLO BARRIOS (VEN) WELLINGTON, FL Emanuel Andrade: 0/56.735
2. $6,800 LUCIFER V Westphalian / G / 9 Lord Pezi x Grandeur
JACK HARDIN TOWELL JR. (USA) CAMDEN, SC Jennifer Gates: 0/56.916
3. $5,100 CHARIELLE Oldenburg / M / 9 Chacco Blue x Argentinus
RODRIGO LAMBRE (BRA) MONTERREY Mario Onate: 0/58.099
4. $3,400 SCOUT DE LA CENSE Selle Francais / G / 9 Easy Boy x Crazyhorse of Coco
MARIO DESLAURIERS (USA) NEW YORK, NY Lisa Deslauriers: 0/58.544
5. $2,380 SF ARIANTHA Dutch Warmblood / M / 10 Corland x Emillion
ANDRES RODRIGUEZ (VEN) WELLINGTON, FL Olivia Cox-Fill: 0/58.605
6. $1,870 ZZ TOP VH SCHAARBROEK Z Zangersheide / G / 14 Zandor Z x Latus I
EMANUEL ANDRADE (VEN) WELLINGTON, FL Emanuel Andrade: 0/60.704
7. $1,360 CAT BALOU Hanoverian / M / 10 Converter x Acord II
TAMIE PHILLIPS (CAN) STRATHMORE AB Tamie Phillips: 0/61.424
8. $1,020 RETIRO Warmblood / G / 10 Rockfeller Z x Play Boy
MCLAIN WARD (USA) BREWSTER, NY Susan Heller & McLain Ward: 0/62.657
9. $1,020 ZIDANE H Dutch Warmblood / S / 11 Diamant de Semilly x Iroko
FRANCOIS ESTEVES (BRA) BRA Victoria Baumgarten: 0/62.815
10. $850 COCQ A DOODLE Warmblood / M / 8 Nolan R x Niagra
MOLLY ASHE (USA) WELLINGTON, FL Nutmeg Group LLC: 0/62.962
11. $850 SRI ALADDIN Dutch Warmblood / G / 10 Quasimodo z x Burggraaf
MEAGAN NUSZ (USA) HOUSTON, TX Amalaya Investments: 0/63.250
12. $850 ORBETELLO Oldenburg / S / 12 Orlando x Landgraf I
BRIANNE GOUTAL (USA) NEW YORK, NY Hampton Farms LLC: 0/64.829
Final Results: $34,000 Friends of the Meadows Cup 1.45m
1. $8,500 COSMA 20 Hanoverian / M / 12 Couleur Rubin x Stakkato
ABIGAIL MCARDLE (USA) WELLINGTON, FL David McArdle: 0/65.905
2. $6,800 NEW YORK Dutch Warmblood / G / 9 verdi x Watzmann
JACK HARDIN TOWELL JR. (USA) CAMDEN, SC Jennifer Gates: 0/68.468
3. $5,100 CHA CHA CHA 7 Oldenburg / M / 10 Chacco Blue x Quick Star
KENT FARRINGTON (USA) WELLINGTON, FL Haity McNerney LLC & Amalaya Investments: 0/68.761
4. $3,400 CLEAR ME Holstein / M / 10 Clearway x Contender
EDUARDO MENEZES (BRA) CARLSBAD, CA Ilan Ferder & Tal Milstein: 0/69.175
5. $2,380 PORTENA Argentine / M / 9 Unknown x Unknown
ANTONIO MAURER (MEX) MEXICO CITY Everardo Colorado: 0/69.632
6. $1,870 ELVIS VAN DE VRUNTE Belgian Warmblood / G / 11 Oleander Van De Herkkant x Altisud
FRANCOIS MATHY (BEL) BELGIUM Francois Mathy: 0/69.907
7. $1,360 AZIBANTOS Warmblood / G / 10 Unknown x Unknown
MCLAIN WARD (USA) BREWSTER, NY Group C LLC: 0/70.119
8. $1,020 ZAPRILIA M Dutch Warmblood / S / 11 Chin Chin x Silvio I
RICHARD SPOONER (USA) AGUA DULCE, CA Maxine & Robert Jack: 0/70.686
9. $1,020 CHADOLAN Oldenburg / G / 8 Chacco Blue x Widolan
LUIS ALEJANDRO PLACENSIA (MEX) LEON Mario Onate: 0/70.977
10. $850 BALLADE VAN HET INDIHOF Belgian Warmblood / M / 14 Thunder Van De Zoothoer x Heartbreaker
BRIANNE GOUTAL (USA) NEW YORK, NY Remarkable Farms LP: 0/71.091
11. $850 WKD DIVA Dutch Warmblood / M / 8 Balourado x T Hors La Loi II
SAMEH EL DAHAN (EGY) BALLYCLARE Joanne Sloan Allen: 0/71.191
12. $850 REVENGE Swedish Warmblood / G / 14 Quite Easy x Robin Z
SHELLEY FELLERS (USA) SHERWOOD, OR Shelley Fellers: 0/74.040
Based in Calgary, Canada, Spruce Meadows is the creation of the Southern family who built a Show Jumping complex at the foothills of the Alberta Rocky Mountains. It was in 1976 that the first Spruce Tournaments were held, with annual spectator attendances reaching over 50,000 by the end of the decade. Today, Spruce Meadows boasts one of the greatest outdoor equestrian venues in the world and offers an incredible experience for riders and fans alike. Spruce Meadows focuses on the organization and hosting of show jumping tournaments of unmatched quality for junior, amateur and professional athletes in a manner that reflects basic family values in a clean, green and welcoming environment that celebrates the horse and encourages the breeding and training of quality sport horses and the teaching and development of athletes. For more information on Spruce Meadows, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.
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