‘Mad’ Love at Spruce
By Paula Parisi July 8, 2012
Beezie Madden and Simon win the $200,000 Queen Elizabeth II Cup. (Photo courtesy of Spruce Meadows Media Services)
It’s indisputable: with her win yesterday in the $200,000 Queen Elizabeth II Cup, Beezie Madden is the reigning monarch of the Spruce Meadows North American Tournament.
The rider from Cazenovia, NY (whose name is also Elizabeth) has had more top placings in FEI classes than any other rider on the circuit and is far and away the winningest rider at the North American, with $136,900 in regular prize winnings, plus a $50,000 bonus because the Elizabeth Cup is part of the CN Precision Series, bringing her total to $186,900. No other rider comes close.
Her haul of $66,000 Saturday for the win on Simon, and $16,00 for second in the TD Cup aboard Cortes C came on top of a double play in the $50,000 La Farge Cup (a win aboard Mademoiselle and third place on Amadora, good for a total of $24,000).
Riding Simon, she was second in the $35,000 PwC Cup on July 5 ($7,000) and earlier that day placed second and fifth (on Vanilla and Coral Reef Via Volo, respectively) in the $35,000 Progress Energy Cup (for a combined $10,500).
Madden is presented her trophy by Atco Power president John Eli. (Photo courtesy Spruce Meadows Media Services)
On the first day of the meet, July 4, she was second in the 1.60m class of the day, the $35,000 Sun Life Financial “Reach for the Sun” ($7,000); and second in the 1.50m Aon Cup ($6,400).
Out of 16 FEI starts between July 4 and 7 Madden only landed out of the money five times, and her lowest money placing was fourth. “It’s been a great week here for me,” Madden noted.
With two big contests today — the $50,000Akita Drilling Cup 1.50 and the $149,000 Cenovus Energy Classic Derby 1.60 — there’s still gold in them hills! Abigail Wexner, who owns all of Madden’s mounts, with the exception of Coral Reef Via Volo, has to be one very happy sponsor.
Madden and Simon topped a field of 44 horse/rider combinations in the 1.60m Atco Power $200,000 Queen Elizabeth II Cup, the third leg of the CN Precision series.
Only five combinations made it from the second round into the jump off, having covered 38 obstacles over two rounds on a course designed by Michel Vaillancourt (CAN).
Madden and her 13 year old Dutch Warmblood gelding, Simon, had some fierce competition, with two other CN Precision Series winners seeking that $50,000 bonus, including Rich Fellers and Flexible — her teammates for the 2012 Olympics and the only other pair to make it through all three rounds clear.
“It’s excellent having all of the team right here, we’re all able to help each other out, keep everyone in top form,” Madden said of her fellow Olympians. Another U.S. duo, Kent Farrington and Uceko, came in third. Madden has represented the U.S. in three Olympics and is one of only a handful of riders to have amassed a career total of more than $1 million in prize money at Spruce Meadows.
On Friday, Madden and the 15 year old Holsteiner mare Mademoiselle took home the win in the $50,000 LaFarge Cup (1.50m).
It was another member of the Spruce million dollar club, Eric Lamaze (CAN), who won Saturday’s $80,000 TD Cup (1.50m), riding Coriana van Klapscheut.
As of June 30, the most recent Rolex ranking, Madden was No. 13 in the world show jumping standings, with Richard Spooner the highest ranked American rider at 11, although Madden is certain to overtake him when her North American performance is factored into the next tally. Lamaze is No. 3.
Complete results click here.
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