Klimach Surges Ahead in Equine Essentials CET Regionals Flat/Gymnastic

Katrina Klimach emerged from the opening Flat/Gymnastics phase of the Equine Essentials CET Regionals a clear leader, posting the only score above 80 and sitting five points ahead of the pack with an 84.

Charlotte Reeve sits second (79), followed by Livia Cox (77) ahead of Saturday’s second Jumping phase, after which scores will be combined (The Flat/Gymnastics and Jumping phases each make up 50% of the score). Following that tally, the top six competitors will return for a “jump off” style course to determine the final placings.

Klimach and her mount Fanta—a former winner of the event in 2022 with Chloe Mache—displayed the polish of a seasoned partnership as they seamlessly navigated the gymnastics tests presented on course, including landing the counter lead and finding a beautiful rhythm to the final triple bar. But Klimach has only been riding the large but superbly balanced 18-hand gelding for two weeks.

“Luckily, [owner Shenae Johnston] let me borrow him for these two weeks,” said Klimach, 20. “He’s just been wonderful, and it was super exciting to step into [the ring] here and have a [partner] that knows what he’s doing.”

From Victoria, Klimach spent her brief time of preparation with Fanta training at home with her coach, Jordan Scott, and building off of information she gained from her first Regionals experience last year.

“We had a lot of flat lessons in the indoor. We schooled probably in the indoor every day,” Klimach shared. “We didn’t really show last week or this week.”  

The best qualifying athletes from the BC region have congregated at tbird for the regional championship; these riders will return in reverse order of Friday’s standings in the Jumping phase. The equitation competition is scored by how judges perceive the athlete as a show jumping rider, and the top four finishers will qualify for the National Finals, set for November in Toronto.

“I’m a little bit nervous now about going last, but I’m excited for the course that Peter [Holmes] is going to set,” Klimach said. “We’re just going to come in and have some fun.”

Equine Essentials CET Regionals Flat/Gymnastic
Horse / Rider / Nationality / Owner / Score

1. Fanta / Katrina Klimach / CAN / Shenae Johnston / 84
2. Corona OS / Charlotte Reeve / CAN / Charlotte Reeve / 79
3. WH Contiago / Livia Cox / CAN / Livia Cox / 77
4. Caprice KDW Z / Bryn Harvey / CAN / Bryn Harvey / 75
5. Indiana II / Sloane Betker / CAN / Samantha Vanderwoude / 73
6. Tintoretto / Lindsay Iacoviello / CAN / Brownwyn Alexander / 67
7. Quibbela Bee / Ava Murray / CAN / Ava Murray / 62
8. Bandagold MLF / Kaia Kochan / CAN / Kaia Kochan  / 60
9. Caramelo / Amryn Takhar / CAN / Amryn Takhar  / 56
10. Diamond Contender VF / Ava Mikkelsen / CAN / Lauren Mercer / 40

Chawke Races Against Himself in CSI2* Winning Round

Langley, BC — In international competition at the BCHJA Fall Finale, James Chawke (IRL) has been trading wins with himself.

On Thursday, he bested the CSI2* Qualifier with Nacara van Berkenbroeck Z. On Friday, he was already on top with that 11-year-old gelding when he did himself one better aboard Daido van’t Ruytershof Z, securing a 1-2 finish.

The winning time was 45.19 seconds. Chawke secured runner-up honors with a time of 47.29 seconds, while Tracey Epp (CAN) finished third with Klasse One—more than three seconds behind Chawke’s slower time (50.92s).

“I was obviously trying to be first and second, so I actually did one more [stride] up the first line on [Daido] than [Nacara], but [Daido] was much tighter turning back [to the next jump],” Chawke shared. “[Nacara] found the footing a little bit slippy when he was turning, whereas [Daido] is a little bit more surefooted, so I’d say that’s why she ended up quicker. She was just a bit better on her turns.”

The Winning Round format is rather unique within show jumping sport. Regardless of score, the top 10 combinations after an initial round of jumping return for a shortened course on a clean slate, meaning riders with as many as 11 faults in what proved to be a challenging first round returned with an equal chance at winning as the first round leader—also Chawke.

In fact, Chawke was the only rider to produce a first round clear—with Daido—and he replicated it over Meghan Rawlins’ (CAN) 1.45m short course.

“I thought it was a nice course. I thought it was enough [when I walked],” Chawke said. “But I think it rode a bit harder.”

In total, Chawke has now recorded eight victories in FEI competition this season at tbird—five of them with Daido. He may not have entered the season with those kind of expectations. In fact, he fractured his knee, separated his shoulder, and nearly tore his groin muscle off the bone in a fall after tbird’s BC Open in May and wasn’t sure he’d be able to compete in August. But he’s been the farthest thing from an also-ran since returning to the saddle.

With Daido in particular, he’s won two CSI3* Grand Prix events, in consecutive weeks at tbird in August. The mare only jumped her first 1.50m class in April; since May 1, Daido van’t Ruytershof Z has averaged just 2.3 faults at 1.45m and 1.50m, finishing among the top five 50 percent of the time, according to Jumpr App.

“It’s been a very good [season],” Chawke said, humbly. “[Daido] just keeps coming out and trying, and she’s always a real fighter and a winner.

“She’s obviously very fast, very blood, very careful,” he added. “She’s needed the miles jumping a bit bigger, and I suppose improving the ride-ability.”

Both of Chawkes’ top mounts will jump in Saturday’s CSI2* Grand Prix before getting some well-earned rest.

“I don’t think they’ll jump [again] before December,” Chawke said. “As of now, my plan is for this to be our last show for the foreseeable future. But they both deserve it.”

CSI2* Winning Round
Horse / Rider / Nationality / Owner / Faults / Time

1. Daido van’t Ruytershof Z / James Chawke / IRL / James Chawke / 0/0 45.19
2. Nacara van Berkenbroeck Z / James Chawke / IRL / Alison Locke / 4/0 47.29
3. Klasse One / Tracey Epp / CAN / Tracey Epp / 4/0 50.92
4. Captain / Shannon Haney / CAN / Shannon Haney / 4/0 51.67
5. Caipirinha de Reve / Alicia Gadban-Lewis / CAN / Alicia Gadban-Lewis / 1/0 51.97
6. Connador / Braden James / CAN / Stump Lake Ranch & Cattle Co Ltd / 1/4 47.69
7. Unique Star / Kyle King / USA / Ritz Fuente LLC / 4/4 49.19
8. Idaho del Maset / Karianne Boyce-Lockhart / USA / Karianne Boyce-Lockhart / 11/4 54.43
9. Roc Zero LF / Rachel Long / USA / Long Farms / 9/8 53.72
10. Iwan / Charlie Jones / GBR / Stone Ridge Farms LLC / 1/12 63.66

Chernoff and Fay Reconnect in MarBill Hill U25 Grand Prix 1.40m

Langley, BC — First to go in an eight-horse jump-off for the MarBill Hill U25 Grand Prix 1.40m, Stella Chernoff (CAN) and Fay decided to play a game of ‘Catch Me If You Can.’

They put the pressure on their competitors with a strong clear effort, crossing the timers of Joey Rycroft’s (CAN) short course in 37.66 seconds.

The wait through seven combinations was lengthy, but Chernoff watched as rider after rider incurred faults—including Sloane Betker (CAN) and Emmeline Adamick, who were on pace to catch her time. Ultimately, no other rider could execute a clear jump-off.

“I definitely did not think the jump-off was as technical as it seemed to ride,” Chernoff shared. “I think with my mare, she’s just so adjustable, [and that] gives me a lot more options. Walking [the course], I thought it seemed like a nice, fun jump-off; I thought everyone was going to be double-clear. Honestly, the fact that I was the only double-clear was very shocking.”

Chernoff’s winning time was 37.66 seconds. Betker and Adamick each finished the jump-off with four faults, finishing second (4/36.14s) and third (4/37.59s), respectively.

“My number one priority [going first] was to [jump] clear, and I honestly just wanted to have a nice round and go out there and set the pace,” Chernoff said.

Chernoff, 19, has been paired with her 14-year-old KWPN mare for the better part of six years, but the partnership hasn’t always been a match made in heaven. Chernoff had to learn to tailor her ride specifically to Fay, riding with a longer rein to keep the sensitive mare working with her. Over the years, the duo has claimed numerous victories in Langley at the U25 level, but getting back in sync with the grey can be challenging when Chernoff returns to competition in the summer from university, which takes her away from horse shows for eight months of the year.

“Going into a class like this, usually I never get nervous with her because I know she has my back all the time, but today it was slightly different. In the U25 speed [class on Friday], we actually stopped at a jump, which was my fault but very uncharacteristic. I feel like I’ve been figuring out the ride with her [again], because she is very different from my other horses, and after being at school for eight months, it’s tricky to re-learn and re-trust with her,” Chernoff shared.

“But today, I feel like everything came together, and it felt like how it used to be and how it should be with her.

“After the first three jumps in the jump-off, I was like, ‘Yeah, I can really go for it,'” Chernoff added. “[I thought], ‘I know she’s not going to touch a rail. [Fay’s] got this.'”

$15,000 MarBill Hill U25 Grand Prix 1.40m
Horse / Rider / Nationality / Owner / Faults / Time

1. Fay / Stella Chernoff / CAN / Stump Lake Ranch & Cattle Co Ltd / 0/0 37.66
2. Canberre 59 / Sloane Betker / CAN / Sloane Betker / 0/4 6.14
3. C’Diam de Ste Anne / Emmeline Adamick / USA / Hawk Hollow Farm / 0/4 37.59
4. Chaccalanda / Olivia Stephenson / CAN / Olivia Stephenson / 0/4 39.2
5. Indy / Georgia Knight / CAN / Georgia Knight / 0/4 40.29
6. Cincinnati Kid 7 / Sierra Geisler / CAN / Sierra Geisler / 0/4 41.83
7. Ielinea JTL / Jayden Stettner / CAN / Jayden Stettner / 0/4 41.88
8. Cassandro B / Locklyn Williamson / CAN / Graham Williamson / 0/4 42.84
9. Indiana II / Sloane Betker / CAN / Samantha Vanderwoude / 4 76.4
10. Fair Play d’Esquelmes / Nyah Chernoff / CAN / Stump Lake Ranch & Cattle Co Ltd / 4 77.25

Foster Finds the Winning Formula in CSI3* Kubota Canada Winning Round

Langley, BC — When Tiffany Foster (CAN) brought Com Es Ta into the Fort Grand Prix Arena for the CSI3* Kubota Canada Winning Round competition, she decided to let the mare loose.

Foster set out to use the Summer Fort Welcome and Summer Fort Classic at tbird to test some new “theories” with the 10-year-old Oldenburg mare. She outfitted Com Es Ta with a new bridle and even changed up her style of riding to best support the mare’s stride and natural speed.

Things came together Saturday evening, as Foster secured her first international victory with the mare. Besting the 10 combinations that returned for Joey Rycroft’s shortened course, the pair’s winning time was 37.82 seconds.

Ben Asselin (CAN) and The Freshman made the best run at the winning duo but came up just short (37.23s). Carly Stevens (CAN) and ESI Jet Set finished third (39.25).

“I was pretty fast to the tbird oxer [midway through the short course],” Foster said. “I didn’t even have to pull my reins to get that turn. I just turned my head and she turned like a little fish. I think that was probably where we got [Asselin].”

In the Winning Round competition, the top 10 combinations advance to a jump-off-like shortened course, all with a clean slate. That opens the door for riders who may incur faults in the first round to advance, so long as they are within the top 10 combinations. But in this case, 12 jumped clear in the first round, meaning two combinations that jumped clear were left on the sidelines. It set the stage for a competitive finish.

“She’s an extremely fast horse—just naturally, her canter stride’s really quick, and she’s quick across the jump. She’s a competitive horse,” Foster said of Com Es Ta. “Her right turn usually isn’t her best turn, but today she was right with me and sort of picked up on all the good [distances].”

Foster and Com Es Ta’s partnership has offered both success and inconsistency. Owners 5 Roosters purchased the mare as an 8-year-old, but shortly thereafter, an injury put her on the sidelines.

“So, it took me a little bit to kind of get going with her, [but] I had a good run with her in Florida this year,” Foster shared. “She was third in one of those big 1.50m classes [at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL], and then we kind of hit a little bit of a rough spot. I really wanted to use Thunderbird of try some new theories, new bridle, new way of riding her. I think she likes it.”

After representing Canada at the Paris Olympic Games, Foster is planning and placing the younger and up-and-coming horses in her string for the future. For Com Es Ta, there’s infinite possibility.

“I think one of her best qualities is how competitive she is. I think she’s also very scopey, but I think she’s a super fast horse,” Foster shared. “I’d like to see where she ends up, but I think I’m going to slot her in as a bit of a speedster for a little bit. I think that will just grow confidence for both of us, and hopefully we can go that fast over big jumps, too.”

$10,000 USD CSI3* Kubota Canada Winning Round
Horse / Rider / Nationality / Owner / Faults / Time

1. Com Es Ta / Tiffany Foster / CAN / 5 Roosters / 0/0 37.82
2. The Freshman / Ben Asselin / CAN / Attache Stables / 0/0 38.23
3. Esi Jet Set / Carly Stevens / CAN / Susan Stevens / 0/0 39.25
4. Carmela Z / Vanessa Mannix / CAN / Vanessa Mannix /  0/0 39.82
5. Almquist / Locklyn Williamson / CAN / Graham Williamson / 0/0 42.94
6. Caipirinha de Reve / Alicia Gadban-Lewis / CAN / Alicia Lewis / 0/0 47.22
7. Montserrat OS / Charlie Jones / GBR / Stone Ridge Farms LLC /  0/5 37.46
8. Connador / Stella Chernoff / CAN / Stump Lake Ranch and Cattle Co Ltd / 0/8 40.14
9. Nadja V/H Dingenshof / Lauren Meyes / USA / Myers Group Investments LLC / 0/8 40.99
10. Maria 111 / Samantha Buirs-Darvill / CAN / Bryony Reid / 0/12 38.61

No Stirrup, No Problem for Chawke in CSI3* The Keg Qualifier

Langley, BC — As James Chawke (IRL) went over his plan for the jump-off with Nacara van Berkenbroek Z in the CSI3* The Keg Qualifier 1.50m, his peers surmised that the winner would do eight strides to the final fence.

Then Chawke lost a stirrup.

Working with Conor Swail (IRL), known for his own frequent acrobatics on course, it’s no surprise that Chawke could navigate his plan with one less iron on course—and his time proved good enough to claim a third international victory in the last two weeks at tbird.

What’s more impressive is that Chawke managed to win with one stirrup while on the mend from a myriad of serious injuries, including one to his groin.

“I tore my groin in January, and I was managing it for a while. And then after [tbird’s Canadian Premier and Odlum Brown BC Open] in May, I went back to Calgary, and I had a fall on a different horse and fractured my knee and separated my shoulder,” Chawke revealed. “Then I MRI’d my groin and found out that it was tearing off the bone.”

Chawke stepped away from the saddle for eight weeks before returning to competition last week. So far, he’s holding up well, with superior results helping make up for lost time.

And he certainly lost no time in Friday’s jump-off, besting the 11 other combinations that advanced to Joey Rycroft’s (CAN) short course; the winning time was 30.08 seconds. Last to go, Katie Laurie (AUS) came closest with Cera Caruso (30.51s), followed by Tiffany Foster (CAN) and Battlecry (30.86s). The top three were separated by less than a second.

“Tiffany and Katie are both fast, and both of [their] horses are quick,” Chawke said. “I was second the other day to [Laurie], I figured if she did the same [strides] as me it would be tight.”

Friday’s victory marks the first FEI win at 1.50m for the 11-year-old Nacara, who is owned by Alison Locke, a friend of his wife, Jacqueline. Chawke has been riding the gelding for the better part of the last two years but only began trying bigger fences over the course of the winter season.

“I was never sure how big he could jump, so in January we decided to see if he would jump 1.40m and then since then he’s won a couple of 1.45m [classes],” Chawke shared. “He won at the four-star level [at the Odlum Brown BC Open], and he won a $100,000 [Grand Prix] at Del Mar.”

A three-star Grand Prix start might be next for the bay, as Chawke plans to enter him in Sunday’s CSI3* ATCO Cup.

“He has a nice character. He can be a little bit nervous, which you can even see when you ride him,” Chawke described. “That’s a little bit the type he is, but he’s very easy to deal with…He’s been great.”

$31,100 USD CSI3* The Keg Qualifier 1.50m
Horse / Rider / Nationality / Owner / Faults / Time

1. Nacara Van Berkenbroeck Z / James Chawke / IRL / Alison Locke / 0/0 30.08
2. Cera Caruso / Katie Laurie / AUS / Carissa McCall / 0/0 30.51
3. Battlecry / Tiffany Foster / CAN / Artisan Farms LLC / 0/0 30.86
4. Capitale 6 / Charlie Jones / GBR / Morning Star Sporthorses LLC / 0/0 31.55
5. Rhapsody / Sarah Lottis / CAN / Kevin Lottis / 0/0 32
6. Luikan Q / Ben Asselin / CAN / Attache Stables / 0/0 32.73
7. Chic D Emma Z / Samantha Buirs-Darvill / CAN / Samantha Buirs-Darvill / 0/0 33.16
8. Kingston / Vanessa Mannix / CAN / Vanessa Mannix / 0/0 35.04
9. Cunningham 4 / Christopher Lowe / CAN / Christopher Lowe / 0/0 35.16
10. Django II / Katie Laurie / AUS / Katie Laurie / 0/4 30.95

Horse Profile: Northern Light Is Stepping into Big Shoes

In June, Tiffany Foster (CAN) announced the retirement of her longtime partner, Artisan Farm’s Brighton, celebrating the gelding’s remarkable career with a beautiful ceremony at the Odlum Brown BC Open.

“There will never be another horse like Brighty for me. Anyone who knows him knows how special he is,” Foster shared in a heartfelt Instagram post.

To find a successor to Brighton—while not a championship mount, a superior speed and 1.50m horse—might seem like an impossible task, but Foster already has a successor in mind. And the 13-year-old Swedish Warmblood mare Northern Light has quickly understood her assignment, topping the CSI3* Heavy Metal Equipment 1.50m at the Summer Fort Welcome.

“We have some of these younger horses moving up, so we’ve kind of made a decision with her owners, Andy and Carlene Ziegler, to kind of slot her a little bit more in this 1.50m role, just because it’s very easy for her,” Foster shared. “And with Brighton retiring, you know…When you bring Nora into a class like this, you’re bringing a gun to a knife fight.”

To imply that “Nora” is the next Brighton is high praise. But Brighty didn’t win a five-star Grand Prix, either. Northern Light gave Foster her first win at the level when they topped the CSI5* MLSJ Grand Prix—fittingly, at tbird—in 2023.

“She’s been an incredible horse for me,” Foster said. “She’s jumped a lot of clear rounds and five star Grands Prix, [but] she kind of tells me sometimes that she would rather jump a little smaller.”

According to Jumpr App, the numbers are in line with a comparison to one of Foster’s most successful horses. Like Brighton, Northern Light’s best rounds have been achieved at 1.45m and 1.50m.

Nora has averaged just 3.1 faults at 1.45m in her career and is jumping clear 42% of the time at both 1.45m and 1.50m. Brighton, remarkably, averaged just 1.7 faults from 94 career rounds at 1.45m. His best clear round rate came at 1.50m, when he jumped clear 63% of the time in 100 rounds at the level.

If there were a Hall of Fame for speed horses, Brighton would be at the top of the class, so there is still work to be done for his heir apparent. But Northern Light is unquestionably trending upward. In 2024, Nora is averaging just 0.8 faults from five rounds at 1.50m, jumping clear at an impressive 80% clip.

“The cool thing with Nora is she’s experienced. You know, she’s 13 years old. I’ve had her for five years now,” Foster said. “So we know each other really well, and I know that you can come on a really blind angle with her.”

Look for Nora to take more of those as she finds a more permanent place in ranking classes.

“She knows. She’s a girl,” Foster said. “She’s so smart. She’s very intuitive.”

Confidence Builds for Stephenson in MarBill Hill U25 1.40m

Langley, BC —After breaking through with a victory in the MarBill Hill U25 Grand Prix at the Summer Fort Welcome, Olivia Stephenson (CAN) is riding a win streak.

The Calgary native—who turns 18 next week—topped Friday’s MarBill Hill U25 1.40m speed competition with her partner of two years, Deister Z.

The winning time was 61.89 seconds—nearly five seconds faster than runners-up Nyah Chernoff (CAN) and Fair Play d’Esquelmes (66.07s). Early leaders Kylie Martens (CAN) and Nico finished third (61.89s). The top three were the only combinations to jump clear in the field of 15.

Stephenson impressed over Joey Rycroft’s (CAN) course. Not only did she catch eyes with her margin of victory, but her second win in as many weeks came on a different horse, after winning last week with Chaccalanda.

“[Deister Z] just has a huge canter stride, so it’s easy to keep covering ground and not have to stop and start,” said Stephenson, who identified at least three lines where she left out a stride on course. “The course today definitely was suited fairly well for him, too.”

Stephenson has cited efficiency and track between the lines as areas she’s work on improving in her riding, and the results of those efforts have paid dividends. In addition to producing quicker times, the change in approach to the fences has helped her better manage her horse’s stride.

“Track always helps, especially with [Deister Z], because it keeps him on his toes, rather than just getting strung out and long [in his canter],” she explained.

Stephenson has now made the podium in four of her last five classes in the MarBill Hill U25 division at tbird—and she only narrowly missed it in Wednesday’s MarBill Hill U25 1.35m, finishing fourth.

“Definitely mentally, [my confidence has been boosted],” Stephenson said. “I’ve had [Deister Z] for two years now. We’ve done this division since I got him, so he’s also super confident in these classes.”

Stephenson has used the MarBill Hill U25 division as both a way to bridge the gap between junior and senior show jumping competition and build a community with her peers.

“It’s such a competitive division, where I feel like we are all at the same experience level,” she said. “It makes it super fun, because a lot of us are friends, and we all know each other. For experience, being able to show on a nice big grass field like the Grand Prix horses [is nice, too].”

$5,000 MarBill Hill U25 1.40m
Horse / Rider / Nationality / Owner / Faults / Time

1. Deister Z / Olivia Stephenson / CAN / Olivia Stephenson / 0 61.89
2. Fair Play d’Esquelmes / Nyah Chernoff / CAN / Stump Lake Ranch & Cattle Co Ltd / 0 66.07
3. Nico 1427 / Kylie Martens / CAN / Kylie Martens / 0 70.47
4. Fuego / Isabel Coxe / USA / 5 Roosters / 4 64.12
5. C’Diam de Ste Anne / Emmeline Adamick / Hawk Hollow Farm / 4 64.69
6. Parabell Jmen / Eric Krawitt / CAN / Claire Wen / 4 66.53
7. Ielinea JTL / Jayden Stettner / CAN / Jayden Stettner / 4 67.76
8. Indiana II / Sloane Betker / CAN / Samantha Vanderwoude / 4 68.94
9. Cincinnati Kid 7 / Sierra Geisler / CAN / Sierra Geisler / 4 72.14
10. Laviata / Cashelle Levasseur / CAN / Gerard Developments / 4 73.44

Kendall & Nicole Bourgeois Divide and Conquer at Imagination Lane

For Kendall and Nicole Bourgeois, Thunderbird Show Park is their home away from home.

The sisters, who together run Imagination Lane out of West Linn, OR, have been competing in Langley since they were in grade school. With both girls exhibiting talent in the saddle from an early age, family and friends planted the seed and encouraged the idea of a sister-sister show stable.

“I went to college and graduated and everyone had told us all along to do it,” Nicole recalled. “I had a real job for a little bit, and then we decided to give it a go and navigated our way to starting a business.”

Over the years, Nicole has become known as the hunter rider, while Kendall has come to focus on the jumpers in the stable—though from time to time, they’re known to make a switch. While part of the specialization is personal preference, the separation has coincided with the growth of their stable. Nicole and Kendall may have their strengths, but logistically, dividing and conquering the horse show has helped their business thrive.

“There are so many rings to cover. It’s hard to show in the hunters, and jumpers and make all the course walks and under saddles. Logistically, it can’t be done,” Kendall explained. “That’s more where we divided and conquered.”

Even still, Imagination Lane has three additional assistant trainers on its staff to allow Kendall and Nicole to make the ultimate juggle as professional riders and trainers for their stable of 30-plus. And in 2022, Kendall’s daughter Alison added two more important roles to the equation: motherhood and aunthood.

“Being an aunt is the best!” Nicole exclaimed. “My sister and I stay in the RV together [at tbird], so Ali is with us a lot. I hang out with her quite a bit, and our mom is at the show and watches her. It’s super fun. We’re all very close.”

It’s been a particularly successful summer for the Bourgeois sisters, as Kendall finished second in the CSI3* JustWorld International Winning Round competition at the Summer Fort Welcome, while Nicole won both sections of the Amy Brettebo Real Estate Derby. Over the last few years, Kendall has jumped her first five-star classes, and while she was pregnant, Nicole took the ride aboard her sister’s top mount Flinton M for her own debut Grand Prix start.

“The nice thing is, at the end of the day, we have the same idea, the same style of coaching and riding, and we like the same [type of] horses. We’re not on different pages, so it makes everything easier,” Nicole said. “[The messaging] is consistent. It might be said in a different way, but we usually have same eye for things. It helps our horses a lot.”

Feature image: ©Anasofia Vazquez Photography 

Tic Tac Toe Tops Foxstone Stable USHJA International Hunter Derby

Langley, BC — The seasoned 17-year-old gelding Tic Tac Toe has mostly been competing at the 3′ and 3’3″ heights as he’s entered his late teens. But Thursday at Thunderbird Show Park, the striking bay gelding emphatically stated that he’s happy to step back up when asked.

Kendall Bourgeois and her sister Nicole—who won both the 3’/3’3″ and 3’6″ sections of last week’s Amy Brattebo Real Estate Derby—specifically targeted the USHJA International Hunter Derby at the Summer Fort Classic as a special class in which to showcase Amy Bean’s classy gelding. Kendall piloted the bay to a gate-to-wire victory, receiving scores of 183 and 191 over the course of the two rounds for a 374 winning total.

It was ultimately a spread-out field. Dustin Goodwin (CAN) and Reputation finished 10 points back in second (364), followed by Chelsea Brittner (USA) and Uriko Blue (331).

“We picked this class to ramp him back up, and he obviously performed,” Bourgeois said. “He’s perfectly capable of jumping the height, but he’s special, and we want him to last. It’s more taxing on their bodies to prepare for these classes, so we pick and choose [the occasions] to step him up.”

It’s not too often the Bourgeois sisters compete against each other these days, as Nicole has come to specialize in the hunter ring, while Kendall has focused on campaigning jumpers for their Imagination Lane operation, based out of West Linn, OR. Tic Tac Toe, however, has been a horse that the sisters have both shared with Bean, who rides him in the Adult Amateur Hunters.

“He’s right there with you, every step of the way. He’s scopey, athletic, smart, and light on his feet. He’s the perfect horse,” Kendall said. “[Nicole] could just as easily have swung a leg over and produced the same result on him. That’s what makes him nice.”

While Kendall has spent less time at the hunter ring, making the switch between disciplines comes as second nature. Collecting input from her sister—who identified similar trends in the course from the USHJA National Hunter Derby earlier in the day—Kendall was equipped with a plan for success. Then in the handy round, she was prepared to take more risk.

“We had a little rub halfway through [the handy]. Dustin [Goodwin] was behind me and got great scores, so the pressure was there, and after the rub, I knew I better go for it!” Kendall shared. “So, I made a slick turn to the combination and really bent the two-stride.

“For the hand gallop to the last, I’m known for overdoing it, so I tried to make sure I really showed off without going too fast,” she continued. “It was a bit of a dogleg to the last jump, the high option. It was a really blind turn there, but [Tic Tac Toe] is so seasoned. He locked on and made it look so smooth.”

$25,000 Foxstone Stable USHJA International Hunter Derby
Horse / Rider / Nationality / Owner / R1 Score / R2 Score / Total Score

1. Tic Tac Toe / Kendall Bourgeois / USA / Amy Bean / 183 / 191 / 374
2. Reputation / Dustin Goodwin / CAN / Kalli Heffner Gay / 176 / 188 / 364
3. Uriko Blue / Chelsea Brittner / USA / Susanne Fernald / 150 / 181 / 331
4. Vingo Bianco / Nicole Bourgeois / USA / Hilary Sosne / 158 / 172 / 330
5. Folklore / Olivia Aul / USA / Olivia Aul / 157 / 159.5 / 316.5
6. Jafanola / Chelsea Brittner / USA / Janaya Torres / 149 / 167 / 316
7. Cuba LIbre Z / Quinn Partridge / USA / Brooke Tupper / 152 / 163 / 315
8. The Lucky One / Olivia Brandon / USA / Olivia Brandon / 144 / 161 / 305
9. Coralina / Lindsey Paton-Garner / USA / Kate Churchfield / 165 / 139 / 304
10. Navigator / Raymond Texel / USA / Phillipa Melski / 181 / 98 / 279

Nizri Gets the Advantage in CSI3* YETI Challenge

Langley, BC — Simon Nizri (MEX) found himself in a two-horse race for victory Thursday in the CSI3* YETI Challenge at Thunderbird Show Park.

Though there was little time to spare in his warm-up, he made sure to watch Ayla Martinoff’s (CAN) round before him. And then he capitalized on his advantage as the final rider to contest Joey Rycroft’s (CAN) 1.40m short track, executing an accurate, yet conservative plan.

He and his 8-year-old Zangersheide Chianti di Fer Z produced the only double-clear effort on the day to claim the victory—the grey mare’s first international win in open company—with a winning time of 48.55s. Martinoff and her homebred Calloway finished second (4/42.21s), followed by Eve Jobs (USA) and Ingmar, who jumped a clear first round but elected to withdraw from the jump-off.

“I had an advantage, because I did see [Martinoff] have [a] rail, and then I took advantage of that,” Nizri said. “You have to balance it out, and you kind of know your horses: If you have a quick horse that you know that even with four faults, you can beat [your competitor], then you go for it, but in my case, I just knew that [my horse] was very, very careful. I knew that if I took my time and did it correctly, I was going to go clear.”

Nizri entered the YETI Challenge with the goal of building confidence for his mare, who didn’t have her best round when stepping up to Wednesday’s CSI3* George & Dianne Tidball Legacy Welcome 1.45m.

“Yesterday I made a mistake, because I stepped her up too early to a class where she was not probably ready for. And, we didn’t have a great answer,” he shared. “[Today] was a confidence-building round. I never thought I was going to end up winning it, but it’s a very good big surprise.”

Nizri has been partnered with the grey for two years, having begun riding Chianti di Fer Z during her 6-year-old season.

“She’s a princess. We call her a ‘Barbie,’ [because] she’s always in a good mood,” Nizri said. “She’s very friendly, very nice—a lovely, lovely mare.”

Nizri is fully immersed in a Barbie world. His next objective for his mare is in Sacramento, CA, as he continues her development.

“She has all the quality,” he said. “I love her.”

$6,820 USD CSI3* YETI Challenge
Horse / Rider / Nationality / Owner / Faults / Time

1. Chianti Di Fer Z / Simon Nizri / MEX / Simon Nizri / 0/0 48.55
2. Calloway / Ayla Martinoff / CAN / Ayla Martinoff / 0/4 42.21
3. Ingmar / Eve Jobs / USA / Eve Jobs / 0 WD
4. A Crown Royale / Ayla Martinoff / CAN / Ayla Martinoff / 4 67.28
5. Maria 111 / Samantha Buirs-Darvill / CAN / Bryony Reid / 4 69.03
6. Iwan / Bretton Chad / CAN / Stone Ridge Farms LLC / 4 69.9
7. Esi Jet Set / Carly Stevens / Susan Stevens / 4 70.16
8. Hatari / Sierra Geisler / USA / Sierra Geisler / 4 70.17
9. Kart Blanche / Jaclyn Duff / CAN / Windermere Stables Ltd / 4 70.5
10. Connador / Stella Chernoff / CAN / Stump Lake Ranch and Cattle Co Ltd / 4 72.56

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