Nine pairs jumped double-clear over Peter Grant’s (CAN) course, but none could catch Goldstein-Engle on her 13-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding Jackofhearts (Heartbeat x Baloubet du Rouet) owned by Gladewinds Partners.

“I watched a couple that took a shot [at the win], so I decided to give it a go and see how it worked out,” said the Show Jumping Hall of Fame member. “This is the height that Jack is most comfortable at; he’s very careful and he reacts very quickly off your leg. He wants to try and be a good horse for you."  

“He has his own style,” continued Goldstein-Engle, who has over 55 international victories to her credit. “He’s built like a giraffe—that he can’t help—but he tries whatever he can to miss the jumps with tons of heart, which is an important aspect.”

Less than a second separated the top four with Ireland’s Mark Kinsella piloting Bogano (Ogano Sitte x Voltaire) to second in a time of 34.46, and Colombia’s Mark Bluman rounded out the podium placings in 34.58 seconds riding Kenya RM (Kannan GFE x Diamant de Semilly), owned by Armando Torrado Martinez. Friday’s victor in the GFL Environmental CSI4* Welcome Stake, Katilin Campbell, was fourth in 34.82 seconds aboard Karius (Van Gogh x Drossan) for owner Mirasol Equestrian.

Goldstein-Engle and her string are coming off a break that allowed for several months of rest. After the retirement of her famed mount Royce—now focused on breeding—Goldstein-Engle is pacing the show schedule of her smaller group of mounts. “This is probably the longest I haven’t shown without being hurt, so they’re all nice and fresh,” she said.

International competition comes to a peak at Flintfields Horse Park on Sunday with the $182,000 Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel CSI4* Grand Prix. In that event, Goldstein-Engle’s Dicas will make his 2025 debut at Traverse City Horse Shows. 

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