After Chawke’s pathfinding clear round in the Grand Prix Stadium at Desert International Horse Park, 12 additional entries from the 45-horse field joined him in qualifying for the jump-off. There, Chawke and Daido van’t Ruytershof Z again showed the rest of the field how it was done, stopping the clock in 36.05 seconds.

“I thought she was really good,” said Chawke of his 12-year-old Zangersheide mare. “She’s always so fast, so you can kind of stick to your plan and do it well. She’s always going to be there or thereabouts.”

Chawke continued, “I thought I was quite good the first half [of the jump-off], and then I thought I was a little bit slow to the second to last and to the last. So, I was a bit wondering if someone would catch me there, but thankfully, it was enough for today.”

Coming the closest to catching Chawke – on two separate occasions – was fellow Irishman, Conor Swail. Swail first cleared the short course in 37.53 seconds aboard Mannon Farm’s Theo 160 (Christian x Calando IV) to eventually take third place. He then returned on Clonterm Obolensky (Cornet Obolensky x Lux Z), owned by Oliver Raymond Glancy, to do even slightly better, crossing the finish in 36.94 seconds for second place.

For Chawke, he was particularly pleased with the outcome, as he had viewed the Thursday afternoon class as a bit of a fact-finding mission.

“I actually tried some different back boots on her today, so it was a bit of a trial day with her,” explained Chawke. “I’ve been a bit unlucky in a few classes; we’ve had a jump down behind. Yesterday, she had the fastest time in the [$32,000 CSI3* 1.45m Welcome Speed with one rail down], so I just decided to change them, and she was really good.”

Chawke will likely stick with those same back boots as he looks toward his next test with Daido van’t Ruytershof Z: Saturday morning’s $117,000 Marshall+Sterling CSI3* Grand Prix.

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