Category: Western Family

The Statesman Makes His Case in Odlum Brown Grand Prix

Posted on by tbirdnews

James Brennan (IRL) and The Statesman—better known around the barn as “Sleepy Joe”—stormed to victory in the $20,000 Odlum Brown Grand Prix at Thunderbird Show Park’s Western Family on Sunday, securing the biggest win yet of their budding partnership.

Seven pairs found a clear path around Ben Townley’s 1.40m course to advanced to the jump-off. Brennan’s strategy was simple: save strides early.

“I think I won it from fence one to two,” said the Irishman. “I saw a couple people do the nine [strides] and I thought that’s one place I could be quicker—do eight there, then the seven [strides up the line] would be easy to give me a tighter turn back to the double,” Brennan explained.

A “bit of a risky turn” to the penultimate jump and eight strides to the final fence clinched the win.

Brennan and the bay gelding stopped the timers in 36.59 seconds, topping a competitive field that included Bryna Closson (USA) aboard Meteoric Rise in second with a time of 37.06 and Laina Summers (USA) riding Greannanstown Max A Million in third on 37.97.

Sunday’s victory marks the first Grand Prix title for the relatively new partnership. Brennan purchased The Statesman from Irish breeder Catriona Fallon last July and sent him to Viktor Daem in Belgium for 90 days to gain exposure at different venues before importing the horse to North America.

Despite their early success, Brennan is playing the long game with the promising 8-year-old by Celtic Hero B Z.

“For me, I’m lucky to have him. I haven’t had a lot of horses anywhere near his talent, in my opinion,” he shared. “He’s capable of jumping bigger right now but I think I’ll just slowly build him and hopefully then you have a horse that peaking when he’s 10.”

The plan is deliberate: “Pick classes that work for him and move him up and down a little bit. And just enjoy it.”

If Sunday’s performance is any indication, the Brennan-Sleepy Joe ticket has only just begun its campaign—and the future looks bright.

Hunter/jumper competition returns to tbird in August with the CSI3* Summer Fort Welcome, Aug 4–9, and CSI3* Summer Fort Classic, Aug 11–16.

$20,000 Odlum Brown Grand Prix 1.40m

Rank Horse Rider Nation Owner Faults/Time
1 THE STATESMAN JAMES BRENNAN IRL JAMES BRENNAN 0 / 0 | 36.59
2 METEORIC RISE BRYNA CLOSSON USA BRYNA CLOSSON 0 / 0 | 37.06
3 GREANNANSTOWN MAX A MILLION LAINA SUMMERS USA BAYVIEW FARM 0 / 0 | 37.97
4 BP LADY MASTERPIECE TRACEY EPP CAN TRACEY EPP 0 / 0 | 39.63
5 MACGYVER LAURA JANE TIDBALL CAN THUNDERBIRD / ATTACHE STABLES 0 / 0 | 40.71
6 CORADINA Z ZOE CONLEE USA ZOE CONLEE 0 / 4 | 39.52
7 BUCKLE UP AYLA MARTINOFF CAN
SAMANTHA BUIRS-DARVILL
0 / 8 | 40.31
8 CALLOWAY AYLA MARTINOFF CAN AYLA MARTINOFF 4 | 70.65
9 CAPRI 111 JENNI WYMER USA JULIET LE DORZE 4 | 73.63
10 HERCULE DE TAMERVILLE BONNEE JAMES CAN BONNEE JAMES 4 | 76.54

Full results here.

Photo credit: Kady Dane Photography

Bourgeois & Brennan Take Top Honours in Crooks Show Jumping Young Horse Classes

Posted on by tbirdnews

The Crooks Show Jumping Young Horse Series continues to be a cornerstone of developing show jumping talent at Thunderbird Show Park, offering breeders, trainers, and prospective buyers a premier showcase of the industry’s most promising prospects.

Since 2019, Crooks Show Jumping—led by Washington-based grand prix rider Lauren Crooks-Brennan and her husband James Brennan—has sponsored the series with a clear mission: to create affordable, competitive classes where young horses can develop against their peers.

Held over five tournaments at tbird—the Spring Festival, Odlum Brown BC Open, Western Family, Summer Fort Welcome, and Summer Fort Classic—the series features two classes per week across 0.90m, 1.0m, 1.10m, 1.20m, and 1.30m sections, with one young horse class offered each day. New this year, all classes in the series are offered with no entry fee for the 2026 season. 

This week, Nicole Bourgeois (USA) delivered a commanding performance in the Crooks Show Jumping 1.30m division, sweeping both the 2 Phase Special and the $3,000 feature class with 7-year-old Westphalian gelding Fifty Cent 14 (Favorit Ask x For Pleasure).  Their winning time on Saturday: 34.04 seconds. Canada’s Samantha Buirs-Darvill and True Diamant finished second in 35.91, while Tracey Epp and BP Lady Masterpiece secured third in 35.94.

(Related aside: Bourgeois also dominated the USEF Young Hunter 3’0-2’9″ Combined division on Co Star, winning three of four classes and placing second in the under saddle.)

In the 1.20m division, Brennan took top honours aboard 6-year-old Selle Français gelding Kymi Grand Prix (Cornet du Lys x Bisquet Balou VD Mispelaere) with a double clear in 36.83 seconds. Shawna Dunn (CAN) and HHS Kentucky took second in a time of 38.01. Naya Mellersh (CAN) and Tanguy van de Leukenakker were third in 38.09.

(Second related aside: Brennan also won Sunday’s Odlum Brown Grand Prix aboard another young horse, 8-year-old The Statesman.)

The Crooks Show Jumping Young Jumper series returns to tbird in August for the Summer Fort Welcome, culminating with the Young Horse Finals in the 1.1m, 1.20m and 1.30m divisions at the Summer Fort Classic. All eyes will be on the future of young horses and riders as they gear up to the series championship.

$3,000 Crooks Show Jumping Young Horse 1.30m
Rank Horse Rider Nation Owner Faults/Time
1st FIFTY CENT 14 NICOLE BOURGEOIS USA IMAGINATION LANE 0/0 | 34.04
2nd TRUE DIAMANT SAMANTHA BUIRS‑DARVILL CAN BRYONY REID 0/0 | 35.91
3rd BP LADY MASTERPIECE TRACEY EPP CAN TRACEY EPP 0/0 | 35.94
4th O’MARLY SERGEY ZAYIKA CAN
PRIMA SHOWJUMPERS INC
0/0 | 37.49
5th APARDIS DEERN ANDREA STRAIN CAN ANDREA STRAIN 4 | 73.47
6th CHAMP TRAVIS ROOT USA LINDSAY WENDT 4 | 76.38 
7th TOTTENHAM Z SAMANTHA BUIRS‑DARVILL CAN SAMANTHA BUIRS‑DARVILL 4 | 77.27
$2,000 Crooks Show Jumping Young Horse 1.20m
Rank Horse Rider Nation Owner Faults/Time
1st KYMI GRAND PRIX JAMES BRENNAN IRL CROOKS SHOW JUMPING, LLC 0 / 0 | 36.82
2nd HHS KENTUCKY SHAWNA DUNN CAN
SOPHIA HALL
0 / 0 | 38.01
3rd TANGUY VAN DE LEUKENAKKER NAYA MELLERSH CAN NAYA MELLERSH 0 / 0 | 38.09
4th CLOVER B SWEET TL TRAVIS ROOT USA LINDSAY WENDT 0 / 4 | 38.70
5th CHACOCO TOM DARVILL CAN JUDY WISE 4 | 76.13
6th CHEERIO BAIE LAINA SUMMERS USA VIOLA MITCHELL 4 | 77.58
7th PLEZANT LYNN MACYK CAN LYNN MACYK 4 | 79.76
8th UR MY MAN EH JENNIFER CLARK CAN JENNIFER CLARK 12 | 77.21

Full results here.

Photo credit: Kady Dane Photography

Mc Queen’s Gambit: Win Streak Continues at tbird

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Mc Queen’s gambit paid off. One round, one win—the chestnut KWPN mare followed her blockbuster victory in last week’s Foxstone Stables USHJA International Derby during the West Coast Classic with another triumph at this week’s Western Family, topping Thursday’s tbird Open Canadian Hunter Derby Hunt & Go 3’6″ with a score of 183.

The Hunt & Go format—which blends Classic and Handy hunter rounds into one uninterrupted trip—demands both precision and quick thinking. Mc Queen delivered on both counts, navigating Hailey Rogge’s track with the poise and handiness.

Bourgeois, who admitted she had momentarily forgotten the class was a single round format, praised her partner’s adaptability.

“I kind of forgot it was a [one] round [derby] this week and it’s her only class of the week after her winning the international last week—I was giving her an easy week,” Bourgeois said. “She was really good. After my first line I went inside back to the big vertical—she jumped at the top of the standards. I think she was a little like, ‘What are we doing today? Usually I have a first classic round before I have to go for my handy round!’”

Still, Mc Queen rose to the occasion. Bourgeois opted for the high option through the middle—a skinny, tall fence that few attempted. “It was a little bit ugly looking,” she admitted with a laugh. “But I trust her. She’s pretty careful. So she was great through there.”

The victory continues a remarkable run for the duo, who have now won four derbies in a row.

Mc Queen—a 13-year-old KWPN Warmblood mare by Inshallah de Muze out of Oraya—has been a consistent force in the hunter ring.

Bourgeois recalled their instant connection. “It was pretty much an instant match,” she said. “Three years ago, I brought her here in May—Thunderbird was my first horse show with her. It was pouring rain, and I was like, ‘Oh gosh, how is she gonna be?’ But she’s awesome in the mud and the rain. So I’m very lucky that way.”

Up next for Mc Queen: “Her pasture,” Bourgeois smiled. “Her next show will be August Thunderbird. So she gets to go spend some time out on her green grass pasture and she’ll have a couple easy weeks before we gear back up to come back up here.”

The Canadian Hunter Derby series returns to tbird in August for the Summer Fort Welcome with the Finals taking place at the Harvest Celebration. The Series winner will receive a $5,000 CWD credit. 

$7,500 tbird Open Canadian Hunter Derby Hunt & Go 3’6″

Rank Horse Rider Nation Owner Score
1st MC QUEEN NICOLE BOURGEOIS USA BARB LOVRE 183
2nd SAVE THE DATE SHELLY KERRON USA MEREDITH PLEASANT 179
3rd CASALITO’S BOY RODNEY TULLOCH CAN JACLYN JARRELL 174
4th STOUT NICOLE BOURGEOIS USA HILARY SOSNE 173.5
5th MAJOR CONTENDER CONLAN WHITE CAN SYLVIE HAAS 170
6th GRAFFITI TEIA FENNELL CAN TEIA FENNELL 168.5
7th CONTIKI SYDNEY CHAPMAN CAN SYDNEY CHAPMAN 162.5
8th NAMIDA STEPHANY POWERS CAN STEPHANY POWERS 162
9th HEARTVIT ZH TRACEY EPP CAN TRACEY EPP 161.5
10th OXO VAN DE BIEN GEORGIA HUNT CAN JOANNE DIXON 160.5

Full results here.

Photo credit: Viola Mitchell Photography

Paddington Leaves His Mark in Jr/Am/Green Canadian Hunter Derby

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Georgia Hunt (CAN) and Paddington brought more than the bare necessities to the Jr/Am/Green Canadian Hunter Derby at Thunderbird Show Park’s Western Family on Thursday, posting a commanding score of 193 to secure the win in the 55-horse field.

Katrina Klimach (CAN) and A’int He Special finished second with a score of 187, while Isabella Ferrara (CAN) and Seville rounded out the podium in third with 184.

Hunt, who has yet to finish outside the top five in a derby with Paddington this season, credited the horse’s remarkable rideability for their success.

“He’s just so brave and so easy to turn that the handy options came up nicely for him,” she said.

The Hunt & Go Derby format is a single-round competition that seamlessly blends the Classic and Handy hunter rounds into one uninterrupted trip, rewarding handiness, adjustability, and boldness. Hunt and Paddington navigated the winding 13-effort course designed by Hailey Rogge with seamless flow, showcasing smooth inside turns and executing both high options.

Owned by Ellen Brown, the 2018 Canadian-bred gelding by Cool Crack Z out of Elan de la Cour was an unexpected find in Montreal. “We kind of stumbled upon him and couldn’t be more happy with how he’s turning out,” Hunt shared. “He’s so comfortable, he’s so simple.”

Like his namesake, Paddington is a teddy bear in the barn.

“He’s literally the sweetest horse ever,” Hunt said with a laugh, adding that the horse’s original French name translated to “horse of hell” for one that is anything but. “We said that he looks like a little bear, that’s how we got the [new] name. He couldn’t be more sweet and easy.”

When asked about long-term derby plans for the gelding, Hunt remained open-minded. “I guess we’ll have to see as we go. He was bought for his owner, Ellen Brown. So we weren’t really planning to do too much more than the 3′, the 3’3″ with him. But we’ll just take it year by year.”

Over in the Onni Telegraph Trail Arena, Karen Rogers CAN) and Stanley Cup took top honours in the 2’9″ Betker Family Jr/Am Hunt & Handy Derby with a score of 170, followed by Claire Nesbitt (CAN) and Zen (165) in second, and Kailyn Coffman (USA) and Afternoon Tea (158) in third.

The Canadian Hunter Derby returns to tbird in August for the Summer Fort Welcome.

$7,500 Jr/Am Green Canadian Hunter Derby

Rank Horse Rider Nation Owner Score
1 PADDINGTON GEORGIA HUNT CAN ELLEN BROWN 193
2 A’INT HE SPECIAL KATRINA KLIMACH CAN SHENAE JOHNSTON 187
3 SEVILLE ISABELLA FERRARA CAN ISABELLA FERRARA 184
4 EVERMORE V KATRINA KLIMACH CAN FAY VINTCENT 181
5 ROSALITA HAZEL MCLEAN CAN HAZEL MCLEAN 176
6 TRIBECA AUBREY JACKSON USA LOLA SULLIVAN 170.5
7 NALTAIRE LINDSAY IACOVIELLO CAN KAREN IACOVIELLO 169.5
8 BELLINI S LAYKE MORLEY CAN STEPHANY POWERS 169
9 SPECIAL EDITION RW ELIZABETH GINGRAS CAN KAREN ROGERS 168.75
10 ENCANTO HAZEL MCLEAN CAN HAZEL MCLEAN 166

Full results here.

Photo credit: Kady Dane Photography

The Kassidy Keith & Havana Origin Story

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Kassidy Keith and Havana are one of tbird’s most winning combinations.

Developed by Keith since age five, since age five, the now 13-year-old mare is lethal at the 1.40m height with the Langley local in the stirrups, jumping clear at a 59% clip in international competition (Jumpr stats). At the national level, they’ve won no fewer than six 1.40m Grands Prix at tbird since 2023, including back-to-back wins with the Langley Grand Prix at the 2025 West Coast Classic and the Odlum Brown Grand Prix at the Western Family.

Home-field advantage most certainly comes into play, as this pair is as local as they come. Havana lives at Keith’s Keepsake Farms in Langley and is a locally bred mare with ties that stretch across Western Canada, from Victoria to Edmonton.

“Havana was bred by Bruce and Sharon Telford [of Woodlawn Farms in Tofield, Alberta]. She’s Cardento x Judgment,” explained Keith. “[Edmonton-based trainer] Gareth Graves bought her from the Canadian Warmblood Fall Classic Breeders’ Sale auction as a two-year-old with [Victoria’s] Paula Leweke. They owned Havana together. We bought her as a five-year old when Gareth was jumping the age classes in Thermal, CA and started developing her more.”

At the time, Keith was riding with another local trainer, Richard Keller, who also trained Graves. “He said there’s this really lovely young horse and Karen Erickson also pressed my mom to try her—she was like, ‘Even if you don’t really have the money, find it.’ So a client bought Havana for us and then we ended up buying her from him probably four years later.

“We always thought she was going to be a Grand Prix horse. She showed a lot of scope and a lot people wanted to buy her as a young horse, but we just kept turning it down, kept turning down. In her six-year old year she had a baby, so that I would say put us like a little bit behind and then she stepped right back up. I started showing FEI and she’s been so consistent.”

Havana and Keith have jumped to 10 international podiums to date and are currently competing on show jumping’s biggest stage, 5* competition at the 1.60m height. It’s a local success story that continues to be written—and for which the next volume is already in production. With a little help from the locals, of course.

“I have one other baby out of her. He’s three and is getting started. He’s out of Fenelon WF and Havana. So the Telford’s bred both of them.”

Martinoff Makes It a Winning Weekend With Odlum Brown Ltd Grand Prix 1.40m

Posted on by tbirdnews

Langley, BC — It was a winning weekend at the Western Family for Ayla Martinoff (CAN). Hot off a win in Friday’s Highland Farms Ltd Welcome and a pair of second place finishes in the YETI Welcome and the Langley Grand Prix the week prior at tbird, the 34-year old is riding a streak.

And it showed on Sunday.

Aboard Calloway, her winning partner from Friday, Martinoff topped a nine-horse jump-off in the 1.40m Odlum Brown Ltd Grand Prix—and definitively. The pair shaved more than two seconds off the time to beat to stop the clock in 40.81 seconds and take over the lead. Last week’s double winner Kassidy Keith and veteran partner Havana finished second in 43.17 seconds and Georgia Knight and Ecolano vs Romano third in 43.88.

The lead changed hands with nearly every combination over Peter Holmes’s winding jump off track. Locklyn Williamson was first to post a double clear, crossing the timers in 48.87. Sloane Betker and Kristalstar shaved three seconds off, finishing in 45.78. Jamie Ackerman and Driek, winners of last week’s Jr/Am Jumper Classic 1.30m, took it down to 45.04 only for Knight and Ecolano vs Romano to drop it to 43.88 one round later and Keith to 43.17 one more after that.

But none came close to Martinoff and Calloway.

The pair set a speedy standard from the start, galloping to the first and using Calloway’s natural foot speed and cat-like agility to blaze through the timers two and half seconds fastest.

“Everyone had gone clear and reasonably fast. So I thought, well, you either have to go clear really fast or you have four faults and be [the equivalent] of a slow clear anyways [on the leaderboard],” said Martinoff.

Homebred and developed by Martinoff, the 10-year-old grey has only grown in competitiveness over the years.

“He’s gotten so good. I’ve known him his whole life, so we’ve grown up together in the ring. Since he was seven, I’ve been able to go fast as long as I know he’s comfortable. But lately, he knows my every move before I do. He’s so smart.

“He really locks onto the jumps and wants to give me his all. “

Martinoff, a 2023 George & Dianne Tidball Scholarship winner, credits her time in the ring at tbird last season for the success she’s currently experiencing with Calloway and his full sister, A Crown Royale.

“It was really great to get to compete in these classes last year without having to worry about winning the prize money back. I had two down almost every time,” she laughed, “but I got to practice a lot and it’s paying off now.”

Calloway is himself a payoff of sorts and one that’s less a product of careful pairing than he is a happy fluke, said Martinoff—albeit one from two very well-bred horses. Ten years ago, Martinoff was riding for Fairway Farms and was given his dam, A Little Bit, in exchange for construction work by her father. When the Martinoff decided to breed her, another client stepped up.

“I was also working for the owner of [the stallion] Capone and she sent me home with measuring cups full of semen,” shared Martinoff.

The result: two national Grand Prix horses that Martinoff will step up to international ring next month at tbird’s Summer Fort Welcome and Summer Fort Classic.

In the meantime, however, Calloway will enjoy a well-earned week off.

“I’m driving home and I’m going to go put him out in the field with his brother for a week. I won’t really ride him other than maybe bareback to the pub for lunch or something,” said Martinoff, noting that the local restaurant has a paddock for horses.

“I’ll start flatting him next week and then start amping up for Thunderbird in August.”

Odlum Brown Ltd Grand Prix 1.40m
Horse / Rider / Nationality / Owner / Faults / Time

1. Calloway / Ayla Martinoff / CAN / Ayla Martinoff / 0/0 40.81
2. Havana / Kassidy Keith / CAN / Kassidy Keith / 0/0 43.17
3. Ecolano VS Romano / Georgia Kinght / CAN / Georgia Knight / 0/0 43.88
4. Driek / Jaimie Ackermann / CAN / Jaimie Ackerman / 0/0 45.04
5. Kristalstar / Sloane Betker / CAN / Betker Horse Park / 0/0 45.78
6. Cassandro / Locklyn Williamson / CAN /  Graham Williamson / 0/0 48.87
7. Canberre 59 / Sloane Betker / CAN / Sloane Betker / 0/4 44.27
8. Hatari / Sierra Geisler / USA / Sierra Geisler / 0/4 46.05
9. Almquist / Locklyn Williamson / CAN / Locklyn Williamson / 0/4 52.65
10. Ero Del Pierire / Georgia Knight / CAN / Georgia Knight / 2 92.27

Bohlin Saves Best for Last in Betker Family Jr/Am Hunt & Handy 2’6″/2’9″

Posted on by Catie Staszak

Langley, BC — Elizabeth Bohlin (USA) was the final rider to enter the ring for the Betker Family Jr/Am Hunt & Handy 2’6″/2’9″ Friday evening at Thunderbird Show Park.

It was a long wait through the class of 34 combinations through the multi-phase, single round competition. But Bohlin hadn’t paid much attention to how the class was trending. She determined to stay in the moment and focus on her own plan.

That plan would prove best on the day. Bohlin and her 11-year-old mare Idea-K were commanding winners with a 178 total score. Erin Baldry (CAN) and November Rain—who held the lead for almost the entirety of the class—finished second (169), with Calisto and Kaia Hanna (CAN) third (167). Bohlin and Idea-K received base scores of 86 and 84 from the two judging panels, with 8 high option points added.

“I try to stay really present, so I can just do what I need to do. That’s why I don’t like to really follow the class. I just stick to my plan,” Bohlin said. “My trainer told me to make sure that I stayed kind of to the left of an oxer so I could make this one inside turn that the person before me hadn’t made. My horse got a little wild at that point, but it worked!”

In the Betker Family Jr/Am Hunt & Handy, the first half of the course is meant to be ridden as a Classic round, with the second half ridden as a handy test. Both phases are jumped consecutively, with both a 2’9″ and 2’6″ height option. Creating more derby opportunities for riders competing at smaller heights, the competition is open to junior and amateur riders who do not compete at heights above 2’9″ at the show; riders must jump the highest height at which they’ve been competing.

“It’s a super great program,” Bohlin expressed. “My horse is 19 and I moved her down [in fence height], so this gives us something to do that’s still challenging.”

Bohlin felt her partner rise to the occasion, as the special class raised the atmosphere at the Dina Happy Hunter Arena. She and Idea-K have been paired for five years.

“She came from the Czech Republic. She used to do the 1.20m and 1.30m jumpers, and now she’s doing the Adult Eq and hunters with me,” Bohlin said.

The pair has now won their last two derby outings. They plan to return to tbird in August to attempt a three-peat.

“We’re [also] going to do the PCA 2’9″ Jr/Amateur Medal Finals at the Oaks. It’s another stretch-thing to challenge us as we’re getting old,” Bohlin chuckled. “Fingers crossed!”

Betker Family Jr/Am Hunt & Handy 2’6″/2’9″
Horse / Rider / Nationality / Owner / Score

1. Idea-K / Elizabeth Bohlin / USA / Elizabeth Bohlin / 178
2. November Rain / Erin Baldry / CAN / Erin Baldry / 169
3. Calisto / Kaia Hanna / CAN / Megan Dalton / 167
4. Stonecountry’s Rolls Royce / Isabella van der Werf / CAN / Isabella van der Werf / 164
5. Almost Famous / Samantha McFadyen / CAN / Lily Grynspan / 162
6. Delight / Trinity Hall / CAN / Meghan Rawlins / 160
7. Kilkenny Winston / Emily Bongers / CAN / Yuli Arad / 154
8. Hermes van’t Goovahof / Elliette Kirby / CAN / Elliette Kirby / 153
9. In Your Dreams / Eloise Clark / CAN / Stephanie Clark / 150
10. Erek / Hannah Cossey / CAN / Summer Cossey / 149

Martinoff Flies to First in Highland Farms Ltd Welcome 1.40m

Posted on by Catie Staszak

Langley, BC — A week ago at Thunderbird Show Park’s West Coast Classic, Ayla Martinoff (CAN) brought home a lot of blue rosettes, finishing second in both the YETI Welcome and the Langley Grand Prix.

So when she felt the win within her grasp in the Highland Farms Ltd Welcome Friday at the Western Family, she left nothing to chance.

Aboard her homebred Calloway, she bested a 10-horse jump-off in positively flying form. The pair crossed the timers of Peter Holmes’ (CAN) shortened 1.40m track in 36.93 seconds. Last to go, they relegated Sarah Lottis (CAN) and Rhapsody to second (38.09s). Martinoff also finished third with A Crown Royale (39.64s).

“I was second constantly last week. It’s really nice to finally win one!” Martinoff exclaimed.

Martinoff had strength in numbers, executing a clear first round aboard both of her mounts. And after Lottis bettered her time aboard A Crown Royale, Martinoff was determined to use the knowledge gained from her first ride to her advantage.

“[Fellow competitor Kassidy Keith] said, ‘It’s got [to be won] from [fences] one to two,” Martinoff shared. “So, I really sliced No.1 and really pushed it to the second [jump]. I was really fast to the orange Kubota [Canada] oxer, and then I found a really nice one to the last jump.”

Martinoff did not shy away from risk-taking, jumping nearly every jump at an angle and taking a bold canter to the ATCO oxer midway through the course. She tossed her reins away to the last fence, trusting her partner at a full gallop.

“He’s starting to be so confident,” she shared. “I can take those risks now, whereas usually I’d get a little closer [to the base of the jump] than that.”

Martinoff bred both Calloway and A Crown Royale, and the two horses are full siblings, by Capone and out of the mare A Little Bit, by Lloyds. Calloway is 10, while A Crown Royale is two years younger.

“I bred him, and I broke him and his sister,” she said. “I have a co-owner with his sister, but he’s all mine. He’s my second homebred.

“He’s the kindest, cuddliest horse,” added Martinoff, who runs her training business alongside her sister Kaylie out of Langley. “My lesson kids call him, ‘Snuggly Horse.'”

As Martinoff continues to trend upward with her horses, she aims to compete internationally later this summer.

“We’re going to be here in August,” she said. “I would love to do a couple FEI classes with both of them.”

Highland Farms Ltd Welcome 1.40m
Horse / Rider / Nationality / Owner / Faults / Time

1. Calloway / Ayla Martinoff / CAN / Ayla Martinoff / 0/0 36.93
2. Rhapsody / Sarah Lottis / CAN / Kevin Lottis / 0/0 38.09
3. A Crown Royale / Ayla Martinoff / CAN / Ayla Martinoff / / 0/0 39.64
4. Kristalstar / Sloane Betker / CAN / Betker Horse Park / 0/0 39.86
5. Alouette / Christina Marlin / CAN / Jeanie Marlin / 0/0 39.87
6. Ero del Pierre / Georgia Kinght / CAN / Georgia Knight / 0/0 47.27
7. Havana / Kassidy Keith / CAN / Kassidy Keith / 0/4 37.93
8. Coeur de Riccerole VG Z / Kennedy Ellingson / CAN / Kennedy Ellingson / 0/8 44.57
9. Jillz / Natalie Popham / CAN / Natalie Popham / 0/12 41.93
10. Lestat OLD / Ashley Arnoldt / CAN / Jennifer Arnoldt / 0/20 44.85

Garner Unveils a Star in Team Obsidian Hunt & Go Derby 3’6″/3’3″

Posted on by Catie Staszak

Langley, BC — Each time Lindsay Garner enters the ring with Kate Churchfield’s Coralina, she is left with fewer questions and more answers.

The 10-year-old mare only began her career in the hunter ring this summer after being imported from Germany. Thursday’s Team Obsidian Hunt & Go Derby was the mare’s third ever derby start.

Inexperience was not a factor. Garner and Coralina topped the class, which combined competitors at both the 3’6″ and 3’3″ heights, with a total score of 183. Laina Summers (USA) finished second with Timeless Romance (177.5), and Rodney Tulloch (CAN) was third with Fleetwood (176).

Coralina, who competed at the 3’3″ height, was the only horse to receive marks above 90 in both the classic and handy portions of the class, which brought some new natural jump elements to the Grand Hunter Arena.

“It was fun to have some different natural jumps. I think the hay bales at the beginning of the course presented a challenge, but where they were set off a nice, wide turn was really fair to the horses,” Garner explained. “My horse is new at doing this, so when she came around the corner and jumped that well, I knew we were kind of set.”

Garner felt her mount relax more and more as the course went on, and as she began the handy portion of the test, she felt confident enough to try some tighter turns.

“This is the third derby she’s done, and every time she goes in, she gets a little bit more relaxed,” Garner said. “She’s also starting to get very smart about looking through the turn, so I really felt like I could be handier with her.”

Coralina was put on Garner’s radar through agent Jett Martin, but initially—at least on paper—she wasn’t what Garner was seeking for Churchfield, who was looking for a young horse to bring along as she got back into the show ring. Churchfield specifically wanted a gelding, but Martin insisted.

“We’d already found the gelding we wanted, and [Coralina] was the last [horse] we went to see, four hours away,” Garner recalled. “She was a mare. We were like, ‘Why are we doing this trip?’ And we saw her and we said, ‘Oh my gosh, she’s perfect.'”

Coralina has taken immediately to her new job. In addition to showing an early mastery of derby competition, the mare is also already winning in the Adult Amateur Hunters with Churchfield.

“She is such a natural hunter. She always jumps beautifully. She’s very quiet. She’s very brave. She loves the hunter ring,” Garner gushed. “I don’t think I’ve ever had a horse that I’ve imported take to its job so quickly here. She just settled right in. And she’s a very, very, very, very stoic mare.”

Derbies will remain a focus for Coralina, but Garner also expects the mare and her owner to move up quickly into the Amateur-Owner divisions.

Team Obsidian Hunt & Go Derby 3’6″/3’3″
Horse / Rider / Nationality / Owner / Classic Score / Handy Score / Total Score

1. Coralina / Lindsey Garner / USA / Kate Churchfield / 92 / 91 / 183
2. Timeless Romance / Laina Summers / USA / Katherine Martell / 88 / 89.5 / 177.5
3. Fleetwood / Rodney Tulloch / CAN / Christine Maclean / 86 / 90 / 176
4. Maestro / Stephany Powers / CAN / Guiliana Bregliano / 87 / 87 / 174
5. Velocity / Ruby Wall / CAN / Ruby Wall / 88 / 85 / 173
6. Cynergy Z / Donna Wnuk / CAN / Megan Hoodspith / 82.5 / 86.5 / 169
7. Freida M / Lindsay Linford / CAN / Julia Norman / 81.5 / 87 / 168.5
8. Carnet / Emily Cake / CAN / Emily Cake / 85 / 82 / 167
9. Cornet de Prinz / Ellie Kurtz / USA / Lauren Brummett / 90 / 76 / 166
10. Cavendish / Jessa Rae Girard / CAN / Jessa Rae Girard / 82 / 83 / 165

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