Mexico’s Antonio Maurer emerged victorious in Friday’s LaFarge Cup 1.50m during an exciting evening of competition at the Spruce Meadows ‘North American’ Tournament CSI5*, presented by Rolex. Galileo de Laubry, a ten-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding (Cardento I x Askan de Lauzelle), gave Maurer the second win of his career in Spruce Meadows’ famous International Ring after almost a 15-year lull. Earlier in the evening, Daniel Coyle (IRL) also took a win in the renowned arena, topping the Pepsi U25 Challenge aboard Somerset. The ‘North American’ Tournament, presented by Rolex, continues through Sunday, July 10. Highlights include the ATCO Queen Elizabeth II Cup on Saturday and the Enbridge Classic Derby to conclude the week’s competition on Sunday. Twenty-nine entries started over Santiago Varela’s (ESP) course for the LaFarge Cup Friday night with nine clear rounds. Three qualified entries chose not to return for the jump-off, where six continued on, and only two entries jumped double clear. Molly Ashe (USA) and Louisburg Farm’s Cat Ballou set the pace with the first clear round over the short course in 47.94 seconds. They settled for second place when Maurer and Galileo de Laubry raced through the timers in 45.80 seconds, last to go, for the win. Maurer also took third place honors, with one fence down in a very fast time of 43.27 seconds on his first jump-off mount, Fernanda Saad’s Magnus Jaen Mail. Jaclyn Duff (CAN) was close behind, with one rail down in 43.45 seconds to place fourth aboard her own Pater Noster. Commenting on his victory, Maurer stated, “It has been a very good tour, and finishing the tour with the horses jumping like this is really exciting. I have not come into the International Ring in the golf cart as a winner for a very long time, so I am very happy. I can’t remember how long ago, but it has been a good 15 years since I last won here. It feels amazing. I was second yesterday, and I was beat by the last rider, and I almost cried. Today I was lucky, because I was the last one in the jump-off. It helped me. I already had one horse in the jump-off, so I knew the course, and how it rode. When I saw Molly’s time, I knew that I could be a little quieter, and not risk that much with my second one.” Final Results: LaFarge Cup 1.50m 1 GALILEO DE LAUBRY Belgian Warmblood / G / 10 / Cardento I x Askan de Lauzelle ANTONIO MAURER (MEX) Antonio Maurer: 0/0/45.80 2 CAT BALLOU Holsteiner / G / 9 / Cassini II x Lacantus MOLLY ASHE (USA) Louisburg Farm: 0/0/47.94 3 MAGNUS JAEN MAIL Argentine / S / 8 / Unknown x Unknown ANTONIO MAURER (MEX) Fernanda Saad: 0/4/43.27 4 PATER NOSTER Belgian Sport Horse / G / 14 / Parco x Heartbreaker JACLYN DUFF (CAN) Jaclyn Duff: 0/4/43.45 5 HETMAN OF COLOR J Belgian Sport Horse / G / 9 / Calvaro x Querlybet Hero CONOR SWAIL (IRL) Ilan Ferder: 0/4/46.65 6 HANNAH Belgian Warmblood / M / 9 / Dulf van den Bisschop x Kashmir van Schuttershof MARIANO MAGGI (SWE) Jose Pablo Salgado: 0/8/43.58 7 CALIFORNIA 62 Holstein / M / 12 / Cassini I x Galant Vert ANDREW RAMSAY (USA) The California Group: 0/WD 7 SALAMERA DE LA NUTRIA Warmblood / M / 10 / Diamant de Semilly x Voltaire LUIS ALEJANDRO PLACSENSIA (MEX) Luis Gerardo Plascencia: 0/WD 7 WIN FOR LIFE Zangersheide / G / 10 / Winning Mood x Chatman CHRISTINE MCCREA (USA) Candy Tribble: 0/WD 10 LUFTIKUS S Warmblood / G / 12 / Levisto x Kolibri JENNIFER GATES (USA) JKG LLC 1/84.17 11 UTAH Dutch Warmblood / G / 15 / Andiamo x Jus de Pomme LESLIE HOWARD (USA) Utah Group: 4/75.85 12 VENENO Oldenburg / G / 8 / Chacco Blue x Baloubet du Rouet LIUBOV KOCHETOVA (RUS) Liubov Kochetova: 4/78.57
