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Through several different leagues, riders from all over the world have the opportunity to qualify for the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Final. However, even if a rider manages to qualify, it is not always an easy task to actually be able to attend. During the 2023-edition of the final in Omaha, it was Australia’s Samuel Overton and Oaks Cassanova (EGO Casablanca x Dollar de la Pierre – bred by Oaks Sporthorses) that probably had to make the biggest effort to make their participation possible.

WoSJ had a talk with Sam Overton and his wife Carly about their efforts and learned how they have made the most out of their long trip. “Our main goal was to actually get to Omaha with a healthy and sound horse, and we made it,” Sam smiled.

“Coming to Omaha was amazing. The best was improving myself, and trying to take the next step,” Sam said. “Obviously, I have watched videos of these riders and horses, but that’s nothing compared to real life. The riders competing at the World Cup final were so fast and so committed, and they do this week in and week out.”

“Back in Australia, Oaks Cassanova has been awesome – he is careful, has a lot of scope and doesn’t really have any trouble with the tracks we have there. Coming to Omaha though – seeing what the other riders were doing and trying to do it myself – you see how much jump and power these other horses have; it is amazing, so cool!” Sam continued. “I always thought that Cassanova had a big stride, since we have never had any problems with the distances between the jumps before, but at the final… The jumps were bigger and wider, and the distances much tougher, and in such a small arena.” 

“It was just so cool to make it and to be able to compete amongst so many fantastic riders and horses. The World Cup series in Australia is one thing, but coming to Omaha was a totally different world. I have learnt so much, just being involved. Cassanova got me there, which is amazing and I’m so thankful for that,” Samuel said.

Sam and the Australian-bred Oaks Cassanova have made the full journey together, and it all started when the gelding was five. “We have had him for nine years, and he will be 15 later this year,” Samuel told. “I have ridden since I was a teenager, but have really only been more serious in showjumping the last five years. Cassanova and I have together worked our way up through the heights, all the way to the final. I had never competed in a World Cup qualifier until 1.5 years ago with Cassanova. Last year, I completed the whole series with him and won it. To begin with, it was way beyond my comfort zone to compete in the World Cup classes – but we just took the next step again and again. Towards the end of the season, we were jumping it comfortably, and having fun also.” 

It was quite a journey for Oaks Cassanova to get to the World Cup Final in Omaha. “We first had a 24-hour drive to Melbourne, where we did our last show in Australia before leaving. Then he got an easy week at our friend’s place before he went on the plane to New York. Landing at JFK airport, Cassanova had seven days of quarantine,” Carly explained. 

“When the quarantine was done, he was trucked another 12 hours to David Beisel Stables in Wilmington, Ohio. There we started to build him up again and jumped some shows at the World Equestrian Center in Ohio at national level. We did a 1.40m Grand Prix, and the week before going to Omaha, we set a 1.50m training course. It was good to get some training indoors, since we only have a few indoor shows in Australia,” Sam said. “We had no problem finding transportation from New York to Wilmington, but we couldn’t find anyone able to take Cassanova from Wilmington to Omaha. In the end, David Beisel loaned us his truck, so we drove up there in his six-horse trailer with only one horse,” Sam laughed. “David is such a generous person and has helped us so much,” Carly added. 

Before the World Cup Final in Omaha, Oaks Cassanova had been in the US for about a month. “We wanted to have a bit time there before the final because of his long travel, all up he travelled over 17,000 miles to get there,” Carly explained. 

Despite the long trip and all the new impressions, Oaks Cassanova handled the travel surprisingly well. The big concerns for the Overtons came when arriving at the venue in Omaha. “The biggest factor for Cassanova was when we first arrived,” Carly said. “He’s seen a lot of shows and plenty of different stable environments, but with that stabling inside the one building, with the open roof, with the lightning and all the noise and activity – it was something new for him. He was fine to ride but was quite stressed in the stable. After about 36 hours he became his normal self again.”

“At home, Cassanova is like a pet, he is such a cool horse, and he is incredibly intelligent. He can freak out about things, but when he understands and accepts what it is he calms straight away. We have known him for 9-10 years, so we were concerned to see him so anxious,” Sam explained. 

“If you look around at the horses who were there, this is what they do week in and week out. We were stabled next to United Touch and when he first arrived, he went in, had a drink and something to eat, and then laid down for a sleep – like a true professional,” Carly smiled. 

“Getting back to Australia will take even longer,” Sam explained about the return trip. “First, he will have to do two weeks of quarantine in the US and then another two weeks of quarantine when arriving in Australia. During the first quarantine we can ride him and move him as normal, and when back in Australia he will be out in a paddock during the two weeks.”

“We are aware of the time it has taken us to do the final, and the costs that have come with it. We have ten horses and our family and a business at home, and we left to the US with just one horse and the rest is on hold,” Carly said. 

“Before I won the World Cup-series in Australia, people asked me if I would be going to the World Cup Final if I had the chance,” Samuel added. “My first reaction was ‘probably not’. I was extending myself just doing the series in Australia, so the whole thing of planning this and getting to the US made it seem crazy to even consider. But after I won the series, so many people – many that have been to the finals themselves – really started to encourage me, saying that this might be a once-in-a-life-time experience and that I might never have another go at it. So, in the end we decided to go and just packed everything up in really big suitcases!”

“It was obviously a fairly big effort to get to the US, so after Omaha we decided to stay a little and do a few more shows. First, Cassanova went to Kady Abrahamson’s stable in Kentucky, where he finally could go out on the field and be a horse again,” Samuel said. “At home, he is out in the field all day,” Carly continued. “However, when arriving to America before the final, we felt we didn’t want to risk anything, so it was a lot of hand-walking and grazing instead. Now we can finally let him run free again.” 

After some time out in the field, Sam and Cassanova jumped at the Kentucky Spring Show in preparation for a trip to Thunderbird, in Vancouver, Canada, in late May. “Cassanova is now back in form and feels great! Both Cassanova and I did our first Nations Cup in Vancouver and I’m very happy with his performance. Our plan was to compete at Spruce Meadows, but we all got ill in Covid-19. Instead, Oaks Cassanova has now started his way back to Australia,” Samuel closed off. 

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