“I’m pretty sure this is definitely the nicest horse that I’ve ridden in my career when it comes to carefulness and agility,” said Potter of the 10-year-old Zangersheide mare, owned by Karl Cook. “She is just showing me all of this amazing ability, and really, we have become such a pair. I feel like I am getting to know her so well, and she knows me.”

Potter and Kalimera van de Nethe Z’s partnership has been developing over the past roughly seven months, and Potter’s careful work put into the mare in that time has begun to pay off in spades this season at the Desert International Horse Park. On Saturday night, the duo were one of eight entries from the 32-horse starting field to navigate the Alan Wade-designed course without fault.

“Toward the end of the courses on this mare, sometimes she gets a little rogue and the rideability disappears a little bit,” said Potter. “I knew that could happen, and in this case, that would be hard because the end of the course seemed to be the most challenging part. Somehow, we pulled it off and came out with a clear round!”

From there, it was on to the jump-off, where Ireland’s Conor Swail and Casturano set Potter’s time to beat at 36.93 seconds. She and Kalimera van de Nethe Z soon made short work of that time, blazing over the final Spotlight 29 oxer in 35.82 seconds to take home the win.

Swail and his own Casturano finished in second, and third place with a time of 41.49 seconds went to Katherine Huffstutler and her own Eothymm De Kergane.

“From one to two, Conor did nine strides, and I did eight,” said Potter of what secured her the victory in the jump-off. “[Kalimera van de Nethe Z] covers the ground so quickly, and her feet move so fast. Conor’s horse spends a little more time in the air I think than she does. I’ve just never ridden anything as powerful and quick and catty as this horse before. She just really gives me 100 percent every time we go in the ring.”

To view complete results of the $117,000 CSI3* Grand Prix, click here.