Ocala, Florida, USA – February 25, 2024 – Competition continued early Sunday morning with a fresh set of top-notch horse-and-rider combinations from 10 different nations vying for top honors in the $50,000 Golden Ocala National Grand Prix. Irishman Daniel Coyle (IRL) capped off his week with yet another spectacular win, claiming first and second with two remarkable mounts, Jasper and Lena VDL, both owned by Ariel Grange.
Peter Grant (CAN) set the challenging tracks that allowed eight combinations to qualify for the jump-off, but only three were able to achieve a double clear effort.
Daniel Coyle (IRL) once again piloted both of his mounts to the second round but led the way aboard Jasper (Falaise De Muze x Fleur), a 10-year-old Royal Dutch Sport Horse – Dutch Warmblood (KPWN) gelding. “We planned this class for Jasper, but honestly, we had low expectations because he really hasn’t competed since the summer of last year due to some gut issues. But Ariel and the team took some time and got him back in top shape.”
“Jasper was brilliant in the first round. My jump-off plan was simple, go as fast as I could without over doing it. I don’t know him that well in jump-offs, so I just wanted to take it one jump at a time, and I was actually a lot faster on him that I anticipated,” laughed Coyle. “I didn’t even walk the jump-off because I didn’t expect to be in it on either horse!”
The pair clocked in an unbeatable clear ride in 38.706 seconds to ultimately take home yet another top title.
Coyle’s victory didn’t stop there. He piloted his brand-new partner Lena VDL, an eight-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare, to a double-clear effort, just a second slower than Jasper in 39.747 seconds, securing second place honors.
“’Lena’ is brand-new. It’s actually a funny story, we didn’t really mean to do this class. The plan was the Futures Prix yesterday, but she wasn’t on the list. I asked Ariel, and she said, ‘You wanted her in the big grand prix,’ and at that point I only jumped her in a 1.30m, but Ariel said ‘Everything happens for a reason, just leave her in’,” he continued. “So, we decided to warm her up and see how she felt. She ended up going really well. So, we decided to go in and if she didn’t feel up for it, then I would just come out, no big deal. Then we jumped clear!”
Maya Denis (MEX) was the only other athlete to find a double-clear effort. Denis guided Mille Fleurs’ nine-year-old Holsteiner gelding Caleo S (Cachas x U-Toskana) to an efficient round, keeping all rails in their cups to stop the clock at 42.926 seconds for third place. Denis also secured the fastest four faulter award aboard her other mount Schugga Tschei with a time of 71.469 seconds in the first round with one rail down.
Kimberley Bird (NZL) received the ‘Luck of the Draw’ award.
Final Results – $50,000 Golden Ocala National Grand Prix
1) Daniel Coyle (IRL) & Jasper, Ariel Grange: 0 | 0 | 38.706
2) Daniel Coyle (IRL) & Lena VDL, Ariel Grange: 0 | 0 | 39.747
3) Maya Denis (MEX) & Caleo S, Mille Fleurs: 0 | 0 | 42.926
4) Sharn Wordley (NZL) & Valentine Car, Fernando Cardenas: 0 | 4 | 38.093
5) Sharn Wordley (NZL) & Hagelin, Della Wordley: 0 | 4 | 41.825
6) Sharn Wordley (NZL) & Conto Blanco 4, Della Wordley: 0 | 4 | 44.700
7) Camille Maynard (USA) & Jack Straw, M&M Sporthorses: 0 | 4 | 46.272
8) Richard Spooner (USA) & Halcon, Molly Ohrstrom: 0 | RT
9) Rodrigo Lambre (BRA) & J’adore Van Het Klinkhof, Ilan Ferder: 1 | 75.493
10) Maya Denis (MEX) & Schugga Tschei, Maya Denis: 4 | 71.469
Source: Press Release from the World Equestrian Center
Photos: © WEC / Andrew Ryback Photography
Discover more from JUMPER NEWS
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Categories: CSN, English, Jumper News Ireland
