Samuel Parot (CHI) and Atlantis jumped to the top of the leaderboard in the $86,000 Tryon Resort Grand Prix CSI 2* at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC), marking the first “Saturday Night Lights” victory of the 2017 show season. The duo finished the two-horse jump-off with a time of 47.851 seconds for the win, ahead of Leslie Howard (USA) and Gentille van Spieveld, who were the only other combination to advance to the jump-off. Howard and Gentille van Spieveld finished the short track in 50.042 seconds, while Ignacio Maurin (ARG) and Thriller P collected third place, as the fastest combination in the class with a time fault and completing the first round track in 90.79 seconds. Parot and his talented mount Atlantis secured an early spot in the jump-off round and were only matched by veteran U.S. rider Leslie Howard and Gentille van Spieveld. Thirty-four combinations contested the course designed by Richard Jeffery (GBR). Three pairs collected a single time fault as they navigated the track, while majority of the class finished with four faults or more spread throughout the technical course. The established pair of Parot and Atlantis, a 2003 Zangersheide gelding (Andiamo x Royal Bravour L) owned by Parot, have competed around the globe and are mainstays at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) during the winter circuit, as well as at TIEC during FEI weeks in the summer and fall over the past few years. The duo have picked up a number of quality wins together and today Parot proved once again why he and Atlantis remain one of the toughest combinations to beat.
