Competition continued in the Meadows on the Green on Saturday at the Spruce Meadows 'Continental' Tournament with the $85,000 Talisman Energy Cup 1.50m. Richard Spooner rode Cristallo to victory and was second with Chivas Z. The 'Continental’ CSIO 5* Tournament concludes on Sunday with the $210,000 CP Grand Prix.
There were 55 entries in the competition, and they contested a course set by Anthony D'Ambrosio of the United States. There were just five in the jump-off after a tough first round with a skinny vertical at the end of the ring that caught many horses and riders.
Spooner and Cristallo, a 16-year-old Holsteiner gelding by Caretino x Cicero owned by Show Jumping Syndication Intl, were the first to find the key to a clear round and came back in the jump-off to set the pace. Slithering over each jump and flat-out galloping in between, they showed how it is done by going clear in 33.11 seconds.
McLain Ward (USA) and Dulien van de Smeets were next in, but a rail down in 36.36 seconds left them in fifth place at the end of the class. Richie Moloney (IRL), part of last night's winning Nations Cup team, gave a good try with Equinimity LLC's Alsvid in 35.30 seconds, which slotted into third place.
After an absence from Spruce Meadows last year, Spooner is happy to show here again. As the fourth-ranked rider in the Spruce Meadows Top 20 Prize Money Winners (having now earned $2,348,596), Spooner is a fan favorite as well.
“It feels great being back in the winner's circle,” he remarked. “It feels fantastic to be back at Spruce Meadows. It's a special place, and it's a wonderful place for show jumping with nice, big fields, good footing, and good prize money.”
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