A packed house at Desert International Horse Park watched as 36 entries took on Saturday night’s first-round track, designed by Colm Quinn. Of the 36 horses, four successfully punched their tickets to the jump-off, including two horses ridden by Cook: Foxy de la Roque and Home-Run.

As the clear pathfinders in the first round, the USA’s Cook and Home-Run were the first to return to the Grand Prix Stadium for the jump-off, and they set the score to beat at four faults in 41.58 seconds. Great Britian’s Jamie Gornall and Clear Heart, owned by Cherokee Show Horses, came next, and an unfortunate rail and a time of 41.86 seconds would eventually earn them fourth place.

Then it was Cook’s turn again, this time aboard the 11-year-old Foxy de la Roque. As the pair flew over the final Premier Equestrian vertical and through the timers in 39.41 seconds, they put the pressure on the final rider to return: Canada’s Tiffany Foster aboard Battlecry.

While Foster and Battlecry, owned by Artisan Farms LLC, had the time – finishing in 38.72 seconds – one rail down would earn them second place and clinch the win for Cook and Foxy de la Roque. Cook then also took home third with Home-Run.

Cook has been partnered with Foxy de la Roque – a Selle Français mare owned by Signe Ostby – for less than a year, and, while Cook says they are still getting to know one another, the duo seems to be coming together quite well this Desert Circuit.

“This has been about building relationship together,” said Cook. “We did the World Cup qualifier two weeks ago, and we were double clear and successful. So, we were trying to build on that. I think there were some bits about my first round that weren’t very good, and I needed to fix. I just rushed a bit too much, and I wasn’t patient enough. Thankfully, we were still clear, and I got a chance to practice the jump-offs…and kind of just further refine how it is that we move in a jump-off.”

Cook continued, “She requires a very patient ride, which is sort of challenging because she’s a very high RPM type of horse. Normally, when they’re high RPM, you ride them as a high RPM horse, but this, you almost have to ride her opposite and be very patient, very soft, a little bit of a gap. It’s a very quiet ride, and it’s super easy to just rush each step. We had a few rubs in the first round and that was because of that. I just wasn’t patient enough in how I was riding.”

While Cook looks to continue to develop his relationship with Foxy de la Roque at Desert International Horse Park, he is also spending time this winter competing in Florida, frequently making the trip back and forth. For the California native, however, the West Coast remains his preference.

“Thermal is great because the facility is just better, from the barns to the ring,” concluded Cook. “It’s so great to bring along all the horses, and also, while I can show in the CSI3*, there are also great national divisions and young horse stuff, so I can do all of the horses. I don’t have two horses here doing FEI while the rest can’t show, so I prefer being here.”