Las Vegas, Nevada, USA – November 19, 2022 – It had been seven months since Lillie Keenan (USA) had jumped internationally in the United States when she met her stallion Agana van het Gerendal Z for the $150,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Las Vegas CSI 4*-W. She received a warm homecoming when she recorded her first career World Cup victory, besting a six-horse jump-off before a packed crowd Saturday night at the South Point Hotel.
Lillie Keenan (USA) was the last to jump-off over Anderson Lima‘s (BRA) 1.60m short track and caught the leading time that had been set by Daniel Coyle (IRL) and his 9-year-old mount, Ivory TCS.
The winning time was 36.31 seconds while Coyle finished in 36.47 seconds, with 18-year-old Elisa Broz (USA) and Kardenta van’t Meerhof (Cardento 933 x Concorde) rounding out the top three in 36.65 seconds.
“I’ve taught myself when I go later [in the start order] to just walk my course, think about my plan and stick to it. I know Daniel’s really fast. I didn’t need to see him do it to know that I’d have to do everything I could to try to beat him.”- Lillie Keenan (USA)
Coyle, fresh off a World Cup win at Toronto (CAN) with Legacy, set a strong standard in the jump-off, but Keenan gained the advantage with an early gallop up the first line and a particularly tight turn back to the penultimate fence.
“On the approach to [fence] one, I can trust my horse so much to go on a slice,” Keenan said. “For him, he’s so competitive in every kind of class.”
Keenan was on the fence with her Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final aspirations, but she has quickly changed course.
“My idea was, if I was top three here, I would go on to Fort Worth (USA). Obviously, that turned out to be the case, so I will be changing my plans now to do that,” Keenan said. It’s just about making the best plan for each of the horses and giving them their moments to shine.”
The North American League continues at Fort Worth (USA) on 17 December 2022.
Final Results – $150,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Las Vegas CSI 5*-W
1) Lillie Keenan (USA) & Agana van het Gerendal Z – 0 / 0 – 36.31
2) Daniel Coyle (IRL) & Ivory TCS – 0 / 0 – 36.47
3) Eliza Broz (USA) & Kardenta van’t Meerhof – 0 / 0 – 36.65
Source: Press Release (edited) by Catie Staszak / Catie Staszak Media for FEI – Fédération Equestre Internationale
Photos: © FEI / Andrew Ryback Photography
Categories: English, Jumper News USA, Longines FEI World Cup Jumping
