Coco Fath & Harley D. Photo ©Sportfot.
Press release from Wellington International
Coco Fath (USA) is good at saving the best for last. Not only did she return last to win the $62,500 BrainJava CSI2* Grand Prix, she also has big plans for the last week of the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). Her win on Saturday of WEF 11 came aboard Harley D, owned by Hillside Farm, LLC, out of a competitive field of two-star competitors.
“It means a lot,” Fath said of her grand prix win. “It’s been a long time coming. He’s had a great season this year so it means a lot to finish it out strong, especially for a horse we’ve had since he was 7. I feel like as a team we’ve really developed.”
Fath admits it wasn’t an easy start with Harley D, but six years into their partnership they have figured each other out. “We both grew up a little,” she said of how she and the now 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Spartacus TN x Grandilot) learned to work as a team. “When I got him, I was 18 and going to college [Cornell University]. I hadn’t developed as a rider and he was a silly young horse; a little bit of a punk. We developed together which really helps. Now we appreciate each other for what we are.”
Coco Fath & Harley D are presented as winners of the $62,500 BrainJava CSI2* Grand Prix by Lisa Ellis, CEO and CMO of BrainJuice. Photo ©Sportfot.
Their victory was hard earned, jumping one of only seven clear rounds over Andy Christiansen’s (ECU) course. Coming back last in the order, she edged out Delaney Flynn (USA) who held the lead but ended up second with Namamia (Fantomas de Muze x Berlin), owned by Windsor Show Stables. Beat Mändli (SUI) and Kay Grey (Vigo d'Arsouilles x Corland), owned by Grant Road Partners, were third.
According to Fath, what helps her most in jump-offs with Harley D are, “Left turns. We have a hard time turning right,” she laughed. “Anything with a left turn, he’s really quick.”
Fath will next focus on the $750,000 Rolex US Equestrian Open CSI5* Grand Prix to cap the season before giving Harley D some down time.
“Day to day he’s quite lazy,” she remarked of his normal program. “I spend a lot of time on the flat at home. We jump maybe a course before we come to the show and we try to leave as many jumps as we can out there. Most of all we keep him happy. He does enjoy his paddock time and time with other horses for sure.”
Then