Ireland’s Jordan Coyle and Ariso scored a wire-to-wire victory in the 13-horse jump-off in the $73,000 Upperville Welcome Stake CSI4*, presented by Rivers Edge Farm and Bikoff Equestrian. Fellow Irishman Nicky Galligan scored the second-place award with Javas Miss Jordan, Alex Matz (USA) and Cashew CR rounded out the top three, while Coyle also claimed the fourth-place honors with his second mount Centriko Volo.
Sixteen of 42 starters qualified for the tiebreaker after mastering Marina Azevedo’s (BRA) first round track, which featured a triple bar, a triple combination and a double combination. Only 13 riders opted to return for the jump-off, which included multiple inside options and a long gallop to the final oxer.Coyle was the first to return for the final test, blazing around the first inside turn and leaving strides out in every line. He set an unbeatable pace in a clear 34.41 seconds with Elan Farm’s Ariso, a 10-year-old Hanoverian gelding by Casall La Silla. His Irish teammate Galligan came the closest to catching the winner with his own Javas Miss Jordan, a 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare; the pair cleared the course within a time of 35.02 seconds.
Holsteiner gelding Cashew CR for the third-place honors. Midway through the jump off, Coyle returned with his second horse Centriko Volo, a 9-year-old Oldenburg gelding owned by Celtic Park LLC. He was once again fast and clear with a time of 36.09 seconds that would be good enough for fourth place.Coyle was confident his lead would hold up with Ariso despite the top riders coming behind him. Every fence came up perfectly out of stride, allowing Coyle to push the naturally fast and careful gelding all the way to the finish line. The winning combination now has their eye on the biggest purse of the week, planning to compete in Sunday’s $213,300 Upperville Jumper Classic CSI4*.
