Traverse City Horse Show, Alex Granato won the $72,900 Honor Hill Farm 1.50m CSI5* Aboard Carlchen W

Traverse City, Mich. – World class jumper competition continued Friday at the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival (GLEF), presented by CaptiveOne Advisors. Following an exciting first day of classes in Week Two’s kick-off of the inaugural Major League Show Jumping (MLSJ) tour, riders were eager to return for more action and their shot at taking home top honors in the competitive divisions. The newly introduced 2021 Major League Show Jumping tour hosted at North America’s premier equestrian venues will feature eight teams of six high performance show jumping athletes from across the globe, and will offer over $6 million dollars in prize money throughout the ten events. In addition to three events hosted in Traverse City, the Major League Show Jumping tour will travel to Canada, Mexico and California at some of the most renowned venues in North America.
Forty-two horse-and-rider combinations convened to tackle the 16-obstacle track that course designer Marina Azevedo (BRA) fashioned for competitors in the highlight of the day, the $72,900 Honor Hill Farm 1.50m CSI5*. As the first CSI5* event of the week, the order of go saw the sport’s top international riders battle it out for top honors. The technical first round track proved challenging for some pairs, requiring them to accurately adjust their strides between the course’s various double and triple combinations in order to leave all the rails intact and earn a ticket into the jump-off round.
Riders who returned for the shortened track were unable to ride faultlessly until Arturo Parada Vallejo (MEX) and Coachella 4 entered the arena, riding the 8-effort course in 42.6 seconds. Schuyler Riley (USA) and Robin DePonthual took the challenge head on, setting yet a new leading time with a clear effort in 40.36 seconds. Ready to prove his quick foot speed and technical savvy, Alex Granato (USA) and Carlchen W blazed around the course next, taking over the top spot with a clear effort in just 38.69 seconds, two seconds faster than the previous best. While the remaining riders did their best to overcome Granato’s time, none were able to cross the finish with a quicker time and clear effort. Granato took the top prize and a victory gallop at the conclusion of the class, while Riley and Robin De Ponthual took home second place, and Nicolas Pizarro and Oak Grove’s Enkidu finished in third.
RESULTS
$72,900 Honor Hill Farm 1.50m CSI5*
Place / Horse / Rider / Country / Owner / Faults | Time
1. Carlchen W / Alex Granato / USA / The Bright Lights Group / 0 | 74.87 / 0 | 38.69
2. Robin De Ponthual / Schuyler Riley / USA / Katherine Gallagher / 0 | 79.98 / 0 | 40.36
3. Oak Groves Enkidu / Nicolas Pizarro / MEX / Nicolas Pizarro / 0 | 79.66 / 0 | 41.12
4. Coachella 4 / Arturo Parada Vallejo / MEX / Jesus Francisco Orantes Haua / 0 | 77.25 / 0 | 42.60
5. Gakhir / Erynn Ballard / CAN / Ilan Ferder & Esperanza Imports LLC / 0 | 79.57 / 0 | 43.26
6. Ideal / Shane Sweetnam / IRL / Sweet Oak Farm / 0 | 78.78 / 4 | 42.80
7. RMF Chacco Top / Cormac Hanley / IRL / Rushy Marsh Farm LLC / 0 | 79.37 / 4 | 43.15
8. Cat Ninja / Jaqueline Steffens / USA / Eye Candy Jumpers / 0 | 80.29 / 4 | 43.16
9. Royce / Margie Engle / USA / Gladewinds Partners LLC / 0 | 80.51 / 4 | 44.95
10. Chance Ste Hermelle / Natalie Dean / USA / Marigold Sporthorses LLC / 0 | 78.64 / 4 | 45.04
11. Opium Du Soufflet / Nicholas Dello Joio / USA / Rocking D Ranch / 0 | 80.84 / 4 | 45.83
12. Bull Run’s Risen / Kristen Vanderveen / USA / Kristen Vanderveen / 0 | 79.10 / 8 | 47.01
Press Release Traverse City Horse Show | Photo Alex Granato and Carlchan W. Photo courtesy of Andrew Ryback Photography

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