Langley, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada – August 15, 2024 – Simon Nizri (MEX) found himself in a two-horse race for victory Thursday in the YETI Challenge CSI 3* at Thunderbird Show Park.
Though there was little time to spare in his warm-up, he made sure to watch Ayla Martinoff‘s (CAN) round before him. And then he capitalized on his advantage as the final rider to contest Joey Rycroft‘s (CAN) 1.40m short track, executing an accurate, yet conservative plan.
He and his 8-year-old Zangersheide mare, Chianti di Fer Z, produced the only double-clear effort on the day to claim the victory—the grey mare’s first international win in open company—with a winning time of 48.55 seconds. Martinoff and her homebred Calloway finished second (4/42.21s), followed by Eve Jobs (USA) and Ingmar, who jumped a clear first round but elected to withdraw from the jump-off.
“I had an advantage, because I did see [Martinoff] have [a] rail, and then I took advantage of that,” Nizri said. “You have to balance it out, and you kind of know your horses: If you have a quick horse that you know that even with four faults, you can beat [your competitor], then you go for it, but in my case, I just knew that [my horse] was very, very careful. I knew that if I took my time and did it correctly, I was going to go clear.”
Nizri entered the YETI Challenge with the goal of building confidence for his mare, who didn’t have her best round when stepping up to Wednesday’s George & Dianne Tidball Legacy Welcome CSI 3*- 1.45m.
“Yesterday I made a mistake, because I stepped her up too early to a class where she was not probably ready for. And, we didn’t have a great answer,” he shared. “[Today] was a confidence-building round. I never thought I was going to end up winning it, but it’s a very good big surprise.”
Nizri has been partnered with the grey for two years, having begun riding Chianti di Fer Z during her 6-year-old season.
“She’s a princess. We call her a ‘Barbie,’ [because] she’s always in a good mood,” Nizri said. “She’s very friendly, very nice—a lovely, lovely mare.”
Nizri is fully immersed in a Barbie world. His next objective for his mare is in Sacramento, CA, as he continues her development.
“She has all the quality,” he said. “I love her.”
Final Results – Yeti Challenge CSI 3*
1) Simon Nizri (MEX) & Chianti di Fer Z / Simon Nizri – 0 / 0 – 48.55
2) Ayla Martinoff (CAN) & Calloway / Ayla Martinoff – 0 / 4 – 42.21
3) Eve Jobs (USA) & Ingmar / Eve Jobs – 0 / WD
Source: Press Release from Thunderbird Show Park
Photos: © Tbird / Kim Gaudry
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Categories: CSI 3*, English, Jumper News Mexico
