James Chawke and Daido van’t Ruytershof Z entered the Fort Grand Prix Arena with a slightly new look on Sunday, but they produced the same result as the week prior—a Grand Prix victory.
In a King Edward-esque tack modification, the pair were absent a brow band from their bridle in the CSI3* ATCO Cup. Chawke said it was game day experiment for the developing partnership.
“She’s not liking something,” he explained. “She didn’t like the bonnet, so we took that off, and we’re just playing around with things to see what she likes the most.”
The results suggests she likes to win—almost as much as Chawke.
Five pairs found a clear path around Joey Rycroft’s first round 1.50m track to advance to the jump off.
First to return for the short course, Canadian Olympian Tiffany Foster and Battlecry set a quick standard in 31.4 seconds. It held until the final pair entered the ring. Chawke and Daido van’t Ruytershof Z, winners of last Sunday’s CSI3* Steel-Craft Doors Grand Prix, shaved nearly a second off to stop the clock at 30.69 and claim their second Grand Prix title in as many weeks at tbird.
“I thought if I did roughly the same steps as [Tiffany], I should be close,” said Chawke. “My horse is very quick across the ground and probably has a smaller stride.”
Foster and Battlecry were relegated to second. USA’s Kyle King and SIG Chiari finished third in 31.44, just four hundredths of a second behind.
“She was incredible,” continued Chawke. “She’s been so good, very consistent. She tries so hard.”
It’s a partnership that has come together quickly. Chawke picked up the ride on the 10-year-old Zangersheide mare in the spring. In 15 FEI starts, they’ve jumped to five podium finishes, including their back-to-back Grand Prix wins at tbird this August. But ask Chawke what the secret to their early success has been and he’ll simply say “she’s just very good.”
“She’s a lot of quality. She’s very quick. She wants to do the right thing. So I mean, that’s why—she’s a very good animal.”
Also good is Chawke’s consistency. The Irishman has finished on the podium in every international class he entered at this week’s Summer Fort Classic. In addition to the Grand Prix, he was second in the CSI3* George & Dianne Tidball Legacy Welcome and won the CSI3* The Keg Qualifier with Nacara Van Berkenbroeck Z.
$75,000 USD CSI3* ATCO Cup
Horse / Rider / Nationality / Owner / Faults / Time
1. Daido van’t Ruytershof Z / James Chawke / IRL / James Chawke / 0/0 30.69
2. Battlecry / Tiffany Foster / CAN / Artisan Farms LLC / 0/0 31.4
3. SIG Chiari / Kyle King / USA / The Chi Group / 0/0 31.44
4. Rhapsody / Sarah Lottis / CAN / Kevin Lottis / 0/4 33.37
5. Hamilton / Tiffany Foster / CAN / The Hamilton Group / 0/4 37.32
6. Luikan Q / Ben Asselin / CAN / Attache Stables / 4 76.57
7. Odysseus / Kyle King / USA / Patricia Vasey / 4 77.66
8. Cera Caruso / Katie Laurie / AUS / Carissa McCall / 4 78.19
9. Bloom Du Plessis / Zazou Hoffman / USA / Zazou Hoffman / 4 79.62
10. Chic D Emma Z / Samantha Buirs-Darvill / CAN / Samantha Buirs-Darvill / 4 79.89
