Ocala, FL – March 16, 2018 – Devin Ryan had no one to beat but himself when he entered the arena on his second ride of Friday’s$35,000 CSI3* Longines World Ranking Class at Live Oak International, but he still managed to deliver an improved performance, stealing the top spot with his own Cooper on a time of 65.76.
Cooper beat his stablemate by less than a second, but Ll Show Jumpers’ Eddie Blue’s time of 66.53 was still good enough for second place.
Beating performance by less than a second, Ryan’s first ride Eddie Blue had a time of 66.53 seconds, which was still good enough for second place.
“It’s deceiving. He’s such a naturally quick horse. I’m not surprised that he did it, but I wouldn’t be surprised if I matched the time or was slightly under,” Ryan admitted of Cooper. “Eddie is really a massive-strided horse. Cooper has a big stride, but he’s a better adder and he’s quick with his legs.”
“For Eddie, I based my plan on the Longines FEI World Cup™ Final. They start out with speed as the first leg and then move on to jump-off rounds. I didn’t want to go crazy here, but I want quick enough to prep for World Cup Finals,” he continued.
Lauren Tisbo (USA) & Coriandolo di Ribano
Lauren Tisbo piloted the speedy Coriandolo di Ribano, owned by Tequestrian Farms, to a third place finish with a clear round in 67.41 seconds.
“He tends to be a little bit of an exuberant jumper, so it benefits him to carry a more prompt pace the first day. That’s a better preparation for him than some other horses. That was his relaxed round,” she commented.
Catherine Tyree (USA) sped to fourth place aboard Mary Tyree’s Bokai, managing a time of 68.29 with no poles down.
“Bokai is very good at working up to pace. That’s when he relaxes the most,” she explained. “I really just wanted to go in and have a nice relaxed round. I didn’t want to make him feel pressured in any way, and he jumped great.”
Ryan, Tisbo and Tyree are all in the running for the upcoming Longines FEI World Cup™ Final, April 11-15, in Paris, France. Sunday’s $100,000 Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Qualifier Grand Prix will make the final determination as it is the last qualifying opportunity.
This year’s riders are competing across brand new sand-fiber footing, a new addition to Live Oak International installed this year after the traditional grass arena was damaged by Hurricane Irma last fall. “I thought the footing was great,” Ryan commented. “Walking the course, people were wondering, ‘is it too soft?’ but the horses got off the ground great at every jump. I don’t think you’ll hear a complaint about it after the class.” Ahead of Live Oak International’s 2019 competition, grass will be seeded on top of the sand-fiber mixture ensuring riders and drivers will always compete on world-class ground.
Live Oak International is also hosting five USEF Combined Driving National Championships including Four-in-Hand, Intermediate Pair Horse, Intermediate Single Horse, Intermediate Pair Pony, and Intermediate Single Pony divisions. Drivers will take on the exciting marathon phase Saturday starting at 8:00 a.m., before the nail-biting Obstacles finale on Sunday.
Show jumping continues Saturday with the $35,000 CSI3* Longines World Ranking Competition at 1:30 p.m. before culminating on Sunday with the $100,000 Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Qualifier Grand Prix.
Live Oak International is the only show in the United States that offers both combined driving and show jumping, attracting some of the country’s most talented riders and drivers. General admission tickets are available online and at the gate for $10. Children under 12 receive free admission. Parking for the competition is also free. For those who cannot attend this year’s event, all competition can be seen live at www.liveoakinternational.com/watch-live/.
About Live Oak International
Started in 1992 by Chester Weber when he was only 18-years-old, the Live Oak International has grown each year. Now run by Co-Presidents Chester Weber and his sister, Juliet W. Reid, the show is a world-class equestrian event and is the only show in the United States that offers both Combined Driving and Show Jumping. The show is home to seven USEF National Driving Championships and is the final leg of the 2018 Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping North American League. Live Oak Plantation is also home to Chester Weber’s training program.
For information about the event, email info@liveoakinternational.com or visit www.liveoakinternational.com.
Full Results here.
Source: Press Release by Marty Bauman / Classic Communications for Live Oak International
Photos: © Erin Gilmore Photography by Erin Gilmore
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Categories: CSI 3*
