Hayley Mercer has had nearly a decade with Crown Royal, and it’s apparent when watching them together. The pair effortlessly jumped one of only two clear rounds in Sunday’s MarBill Hill U25 1.40m, powered by Solaris Equestrian and protected by Western Pacific Emergency Response, to close out the Canadian Premier.
She sealed the deal in the jump-off doing what she knows works best with the Canadian Sport Horse gelding—let him gallop.
“He’s in his prime so it was really just using his stride to our advantage,” she explained. “He’s a big guy so he has a big stride and we’re on this big open field so I just tried to use his gallop and be efficient. I really let his stride do the work for me.”
Mercer crossed the timers in 42.42 seconds to place ahead of Friday’s U25 winners Reagan Tomb and Marble Bridge B, the only other clear round over the first course. Olivia Stephenson and Lovejoy JK SR took third on just two time faults.
Crown Royal, aka Gavin, is now 14, and came into Mercer’s string almost by accident. She was horse shopping in Calgary when she stopped at Shauna Cook’s Carousel Ridge and purchased the horse as a 5-year-old sales prospect.
“We weren’t even meant to try him,” she elaborated. “He was supposed to be a flip. We were going to sell him after a year and he just kept getting better and better. He had so much potential. My coaches said, ‘You can’t sell him; he’s just too good.’ Now we’re here. He’s mine forever now.”
For the first two years of his career, Mercer showed Gavin in the equitation, then progressed into the jumpers and eventually moved up into the U25 and FEI divisions.
“I was 16 when I got him, so we’ve grown together and he’s just said yes to everything I’ve asked him to do. He’s been the best partner ever. He’s my soulmate,” she said of Crown Royal.
Though they’ve already jumped into the international levels, taking ribbons in CSI3* competition, this season Mercer, 24, is focused on the U25 division as she’s about to age out. She aims to put her best foot forward to capture top results since she has such faith in her partnership with Gavin.
“I have him in such a good spot, so the past few years I focused on getting faster and more competitive down in Wellington and on the east coast,” she explained. “I wanted to come back up here to my hometown, my favourite venue, and really focus on being competitive on him.”
Competing all across the continent has allowed Mercer to refine her mental approach.
“I’d say this sport is more of a mental game,” she said. “It’s something I always work on. I have to take a step back and get a different perspective when things are going wrong because it’s so easy to get tunnel vision. It’s all you do all, six days a week. I have to remember why I love the sport, which is because of this horse.”
$15,000 MarBill Hill U25 1.40m
Horse / Rider / Nationality / Owner / Faults/Time
- Crown Royal / Hayley Mercer / CAN / Hayley Mercer / 0/4/42.42
- Marble Bridge B / Reagan Tomb / USA / Greg Tomb / 0/14/64.88
- Lovejoy JK SR / Olivia Stephenson / CAN / Olivia Stephenson / 2/81.58
- Connecticut / Amanda Sinnett / CAN / Amanda Sinnett / 2/81.67
- WH Foxxy Cleopatra RC / Jessica Raiwet / CAN / Jessica Raiwet / 4/74.02
- Nijinsky 10 / Reagan Tomb / USA / Greg Tomb / 4/77.76
- Kamikaze / Patricio Pasquel Jr / MEX / Patricio Pasquel / 4/77.88
- Ground Breaker / Addison Durrett / Addison Durrett / 4/79.79
- Coralissa / Ashley McKissock / CAN / MarBill Hill Farm / 8/83.56
- Ierdita / Zoe Brown / AUS / E V Equestrian LLC / 12/79.03
- Etalon / Brylee Dickey / USA / Brylee Dickey / 13/84.87
- Quidam’s Rose / Brylee Dickey / USA / Brylee Dickey / 14/81.34
