It only took one round of jumping to determine the winner of the $145,000  Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Vancouver Grand Prix CSI4*-W. Uma O’Neill (USA) jumped the only clear round aboard Clockwise of Greenhill Z to win the class without a jump-off.

Second to jump the Alan Wade (IRL) designed track, O’Neill’s round held sway as the only faultless performance throughout the remainder of the 29-strong field.

Conor Swail (IRL) & Rubens LS La Silla

Defending champion Conor Swail (IRL) and Rubens La Silla finished second with the fastest 4-fault round (74.26 seconds), knocking only a careful plank vertical that fell often throughout the afternoon.

Juan Jose Zendejas Salgado (MEX) & Tino La Chapelle

Juan Jose Zendejas Salgado (MEX) and Tino la Chapelle (4, 75.87) finished third. O’Neill’s win was her first in a World Cup qualifier.

Uma O’Neill (USA) & Clockwise of Greenhill Z 

“I’m ecstatic,” O’Neill said. “I just went out and gave it everything I could today and asked a little bit extra of myself and my horse, and it really paid off.”

Wade challenged the riders with numerous technical nuances on course. The course designer from the 2018 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final in Paris (FRA) said he never designs with a number of clear rounds in mind.

“There were a lot of little tests out there,” he said. “[The course] was solved very early on— second horse in—so we knew it was solvable. There were a lot of riders with 4 faults that, I believe, felt that if they had a second chance, they would have gone clear. But that’s one of the great things about show jumping: You get one chance, and you have to take it. We got a lot of excitement and anxiety from people knocking polls late [in the class]. It doesn’t all have to be about speed [in a jump-off]. It is showjumping after all. I think it was good sport.”

Results:

1. Uma O’Neill (USA) & Clockwise of Greenhill Z – 0 / 76.90

2. Conor Swail (IRL) & Rubens LS la Silla – 4 / 74.26

3. Juan Jose Zendejas Salgado (MEX) & Tino la Chapelle – 4 / 75.87

4. Vanessa Mannix (CAN) & Valentino d’Elte – 4 / 76.69

5. Zazou Hoffman (USA) & Samson II  – 4 / 76.90

6. Eve Jobs (USA) & Venue d’Fees des Hazalles  – 4 / 77.04

7.  Nayel Nassar (EGY) & Lordan – 4 / 78.26

8.  Lorenza O’Farrill (MEX) & Queens Darling,- 4 / 78.82

9. Carlos Hank Guerreiro (MEX)  & Sunshine – 5 / 79.01

10. Saree Gordon (ISR) & Azuro – 5 79.40

Full results can be viewed here:

Winner’s Circle:

Uma O’Neill (USA) – 1^st

“We call [Clockwise of Greenhill Z] “CW” in the barn. He is 11 this year. We got him when he was a 7-year-old, We actually got him imported as a 7-year-old when we were [at an August show at Thunderbird Showpark]. He is such a good stallion. I just love him.”

Conor Swail (IRL) — 2^nd

“I was very, very pleased with [Rubens La Silla’s] performance today. It was just one of those things. It’s very easy to make a small mistake. I’d say it was more my mistake than his, unfortunately. But it’s fantastic to get second place.”

Juan Manuel Zendejas Salgado (MEX)  — 3^rd

“[Tino la Chapelle] was jumping great. He was amazing, but rails come down very easy. The course was very touchy. I had the second to go last fence, unfortunately.”

“I always think about the time, but my horse is very fast naturally. He could go a little bit in his own rhythm.”

Source: Press Release by Catie Staszak for FEI – Fédération Equestre Internationale

Photos: © FEI / Cara Grimshaw Photography