King and the 9-year-old Belgian Warmblood (Vannan x Narew XX) made their CSIO4* Grand Prix debut at the Odlum Brown BC Open. Friday’s feature class saw riders from Canada, United States, Mexico, New Zealand, Australia, Ireland, Great Britain, and Uruguay come forward to contest Peter Holmes 1.55m track. Just six charted a clear path to advance to the jump off.

First to return for the short course, Mexico’s Tanimara Macari and Dax 68 (Dinken x Corrado I) stopped the clock at in 39.74 seconds to set a speedy standard—and King’s expectations.

“I didn’t know how fast Tanimara would go” said King, who immediately followed her in the jump-off. “I hadn’t seen her ride that horse and she kind of laid it down, so I said, Oh boy, there is something to beat.”

Always a speed threat, King, 51, knew he had to roll the dice with “Heyde,” but thought he’d lost the class at the second-last fence.

“I had a nice roll back, went across the middle, got the steps I wanted, and then I got in a little trouble at the second-last jump. From what I walked, there was one less [stride] and I got stuck. I thought I lost the class right there, but Heyde found a way to crawl his way over that and twist and try.”

The pair crossed the timers in 39.57 seconds, narrowly pipping Macari to the post, and then had to wait to see if the remaining four could catch it. Canadian Olympian Amy Millar came closest in 39.98 seconds on 10-year-old Gaiete d’Elle (Vagabond de la Pomme x Mylord Carthago), while Uma O’Neill (NZL) and Luigi d’Eclipse (Catoki x Calato) looked like they’d done enough, but ultimately stopped the clock a second slower in 40.51.

“I thought Uma had me for sure,” admitted King. “Heyde is so fast across the ground. He’s got Thoroughbred blood and it comes into play.”

In the end, just four-tenths of a second separated the top three. King took the win. Macari slotted into second, and Millar, third.

The victory was a trifecta of firsts for the speedy gelding: his first 1.55m competition, his first four-star start, and his first Grand Prix win.



It was also one that nearly didn’t come to pass. King admitted he initially passed on the chance to purchase the horse.

“Kirsten Rombouts had been riding him and told me he’s the horse that I wanted. I went and saw him and I didn’t like him at first. I didn’t like that he has a little breathing issue and he’s a Thoroughbred horse, which I didn’t go all the way to Belgium to buy,” he said.

Two months later, Rombouts urged him to try the horse again. “I told her I wasn’t gonna buy him. And as soon as I jumped my very first jump, I knew he was my horse.”

Heyde has been proving the both right ever since.

“He’s a winner. He’s been a winner in every level. He’s the horse that I just really believe in,” smiled King, adding that he has a particular soft spot for Heyde. “He’s my total pet. He is just so comfortable—he’s light, narrow, he is easy on my old body. I just love him to death.”

Four-star competition at the Odlum Brown BC Open continues with the 1.50m on Saturday and the Nations Cup on Sunday. 

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