One-Two Finish for Jay Hayes & All Canadium Podium in the $100,000 Hagyard Equine Medical Institute Grand Prix CSI 3*

By Jumper News on 2026-09-28

Lexington, Kentucky – September 27, 2026 – The Split Rock Jumping Tour‘s (SRJT) Fall Classic CSI 3* brought cooler weather and changing leaves, but it was the maple leaf on full display as an all-Canadian podium – aboard all mares, to boot – swept the $100,000 Grand Prix CSI 3*, presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, to culminate the tour’s two weeks in Kentucky and the final East Coast stop of the 2026 season.

Jumping the only two double-clear rounds, it was Jay Hayes (USA) in his first visit to Kentucky who took the top two spots and led the way for Canada with the 1994 Holdings-owned mares, Hope VA (Cornet Obolensky x Casall ASK), in first place and Quinet-K Van’t Kattenheye (Vagabond de la Pomme x Lord Z) in second.

Chris Pratt (CAN) and Paulien Dwerse Hagen (Cornet Obolensky x Casall ASK), the mare co-owned by Sweet Oak Farm and Take The High Road, LLC, continued their super form to round out the podium in third.

Bernardo Costa Cabral (POR) designed a 16-effort first-round track that produced seven clear rounds, with three pairs only withheld from the jump-off by the 73-second time-allowed.

**Chris Pratt** (CAN) & **Paulien Dwerse Hagen**

Pratt led the way for round two, piloting an impressive finish time of 39.33 seconds, and although it came at the cost of one rail down, it put the pressure on what was possible for the remaining competitors.

Hayes followed next with his first of two rides, Hope VA, giving a moderate and careful effort, ultimately earning the coveted double-clear in a time of 42.54 seconds.

**Jay Hayes** (CAN) & **Quinet-K Van’t Kattenheye**

Meghan Kaupp (USA) and Peter Petschenig (AUT), both proved Hayes’ time was beatable, but with eight and four-fault finishes, respectively, Hayes maintained his lead until he returned as the final contender aboard his second mount, Quinet-K Van’t Kattenheye. With the win already in hand, Hayes gave the mare a nice and conservative round to capture a clear jump-off finish in 45.45 seconds that would earn him second place in addition to his win, pushing Pratt into third. Petschenig finished fourth while Kaupp earned fifth place honors.

“Who does not love Kentucky?,” Hayes asked rheotrically. “It’s a beautiful facility, beautiful weather and the [Split Rock] organization is fantastic. This is my first time and I’ll definitely be coming back.”

The podium encompassed a strong group that shared an abundance of similarities. Beyond their gender, bay coloring, and Canadian riders, all three mares jumped clear on Friday in the $35,000 C. Jarvis Insurance Welcome CSI 3* – 1.45m, where Pratt and Paulien Dwerse Hagen finished in second place. Hope VA and Paulien Dwerse Hagen also share the same renowned sire and damsire in Cornet Obolensky and Casall ASK.

SRJT heads next to the West Coast for its final stop of the year in Los Angeles, California, featuring the Santa Anita CSI3*, November 11-15, and Santa Anita CSI 5*-W, November 18-22, which hosts FEI Jumping World Cup™ qualifying competition.