US Riders Reign at Spruce

By Staff Report July 5, 2012

U.S. riders Rich Fellers, Richard Spooner and Reed Kessler rocked day one of the Spruce Meadows North American, winning three big classes at the event, which kicked off July 4 and runs through July 8 in Calgary.

On July 5  it was countryman McLain Ward and Rothchild that won the $35,000 1.60m PwC Cup, while Stanford, CA-based Nayel Nassar, who rides for Egypt, triumphed in the 1.50m $35,000 Energy Cup, riding Raging Bull Vangelis S to the only double clear. Day two provided a spectacular showcase for Cazenovia NY-based Beezie Madden, who claimed three of the top four slots in those two big classes.

With the sun setting on the International Ring on the fourth of July,  Fellers and Flexible made it to a four-horse jump-off, ultimately beating second -placed Madden and Cortes C by more than two seconds. Fellers and Flexible had the only double-clear round in the 1.60m$35,000 Sun Life Financial FEI Grand Prix. The duo topped a field of 25, mastering a tough course designed by Canada’s Michel Villancourt.

In true form, the 16 year old Irish bred stallion Flexible was unbeatable over 14 jumping efforts and 480 meters of track. This win adds to the pair’s perfect score at Spruce Meadows this season, winning 3 of 3 competitions entered. Despite all the success recently, including taking home the FEI Rolex World Cup Championship in April, Fellers isn’t letting it get to his head. “People ask me, how many wins, how much prize money, but none of that really matters to me,” Fellers said yesterday after his win in the International ring. “I just take it day by day, and focus on moving forward.”

Sun Life Financial “Reach For the Sun” (1.60m)
1-	Rich Fellers	USA	Flexible
2-	Beezie Madden	USA	Cortes C
3-	Yann Candele	CAN	Carlotta Singular la Magnifica
4-	McLain Ward	USA	Rothchild
5-	Kent Farrington	USA	Uceko
6-	Richard Spooner	USA	Cristallo
7-	Lauren Tisbo	USA	King Kolibri
8-	Ashlee Bond	USA	Cadett 7
9-	Jonathan Asselin	CAN	Showgirl
10-	Samantha Buirs	CAN	Total Touch

For complete results, click here.

The celebration of the red, white and blue continued in the 1.50 meter AON Cup, featuring 14 jumping efforts stretched over 475 meters of track. With 45 horse/rider combinations competing over the Villancourt track. Nineteen combinations returned to the jump off, and the top five finishers were all USA riders who cleared the jump-off course in under 40 seconds, in the end, nobody could catch Spooner and his 13-year-old Warmblood gelding, Apache.

Spooner is back on track to defend his title in the 2012 Spruce Meadows North American Championship, with four FEI victories at Spruce Meadows this season alone.

$32,000 Aon Cup (1.50m)
1- Richard Spooner USA Apache
2- Beezie Madden USA Mademoiselle
3- Katie Prudent USA V
4- Alec Lawler USA Glen Devon
5- Charlie Jayne USA Urbanus
6- Eric Lamaze CAN Hunters Scendix
7 McLain Ward USA Pjotter Van De Zonnehoeve
8- Meagan Nusz USA Dynamo
9- Kent Farrington USA Voyeur
10- Rodrigo Lambre BRA Chepepe La Escondida

For complete results, click here.

In the first big class of the day, 17-year-old Reed Kessler started the USA’s winning streak with her 13-year-old Warmblood mare Onisha. The duo  bested a field of 76 horse/rider combinations over a 1.45m course with 14 jumping efforts. Kessler also came in 17th, with just two time faults, on her mare Cylana.

The Lexington, KY-based teen is celebrating not only her 3rd FEI win at Spruce Meadows this summer, but also became the youngest U.S. rider to land a slot on the Olympic show jumping team. She heads to London next month, a few weeks after her 18th birthday.

$32,000 Suncast Cup (1.45m)
1- Reed Kessler USA Onisha
2- Andres Rodriguez VEN Caballito
3- Eric Lamaze CAN Take Off
4- Christine McCrea USA Romantovich Take One
5- Shane Sweetnam IRL Siri
6- Michelle Parker USA Xel Ha
7- Darragh Kerins IRL Hot Wheels
8- Nayel Nassar EGY Lordan
9- Darragh Kerrins IRL S L Zepplin
10- Todd Gregory NZL Condendro

For complete results, click here.

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