Press release from Jump Media
The only thing better than winning once is winning twice, and Ireland’s Daniel Coyle did exactly that on Friday, August 25, at the Major League Show Jumping Ottawa tournament on at Wesley Clover Parks in Ottawa, ON.
Hot off his win in the $38,500 CSI5* Equestrian Digital Winning Round riding Ivory TCS (Falaise de Muze x Ukato) earlier in the day, Coyle returned to the grass grand prix field to claim the $142,500 CSI5* Steel-Craft Door Products Ltd. Welcome riding Quintin (Quaprice Bois Margot x Emilion). Both horses are owned by Canada’s Ariel Grange.
From the starting field of 34 entries contesting the $142,500 CSI5* Steel-Craft Door Products Ltd. Welcome, five produced clear rounds over the track set by Canadian course designer Michel Vaillancourt to advance to a jump-off. Coyle’s older brother, Jordan Coyle, was the first to return and set the standard with a clear round in a time of 38.57 seconds riding Ariso (Casall x Contender) for owner Elan Farm. By the time Daniel galloped onto the field as the final challenger, his brother was still sitting at the top of the leaderboard. There was no mercy, however, as Daniel sliced and diced his way around the shortened jump-off track to stop the timers in 38.41 seconds.
“We’re both brothers and that will always be, but when the helmets are on, we’re just competitors,” said Coyle, 29. “I didn’t see Jordan’s round, but I had assumed it would be very quick and knew he wouldn’t like me beating him. Conor (Swail) helped me a good bit and said he was well within reach, so I didn’t have to do anything silly and thankfully I got away with it and beat him.”
Coyle’s winning mount, Quintin, was purchased by Grange as a six-year-old from the annual VDL auction held in Wellington, FL. Coyle took over the reins on the now 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding in 2022 and has quickly forged a strong partnership. The pair’s victory marked yet another success for Daniel, adding to what is becoming a long list of wins at Wesley Clover Parks.
“I’ve been coming here a long time,” said Daniel, who is based out of Grange’s Lothlorien Farms in Cheltenham, ON. “It’s always been a very lucky show for me. It’s nearly like a local show to Toronto so it’s nice when you do well. It’s been lucky to me, and this year it’s proving to be again.”
The $142,500 CSI5* Steel-Craft Door Products Ltd. Welcome proved to be an Irish affair with riders from the Emerald Isle filling seven of the top 10 placings. Following the Coyle brothers in first and second, fellow Irishman David O’Brien produced the only other double clear round to take third place riding El Balou OLD (Eldorado vd Zeshoek x Balou du Rouet) for owner Chansonette Farm LLC.
Podium from left to right: Jordan Coyle, Daniel Coyle, and David O’Brien, all representing Ireland, are presented as the top three in the $142,500 CSI5* Steel-Craft Door Products Ltd. Welcome by Keean White, Co-Founder of Major League Show Jumping, and Kim Mihalcheon, President of Steel-Craft Door Products Ltd. Photo © Ben Radvanyi Photography.
Ashlee Bond of Israel broke up the Irish party by taking fourth place after incurring four faults in the jump-off in a time of 38.82 seconds to stay ahead of Canadian Olympian Amy Millar of Perth, ON, who rounded out the top five with a four-fault jump-off round in 39.79 seconds aboard Truman for owner Millar Brooke Farm Ltd. & Overlund.
Daniel had celebrated victory earlier on Friday after topping the $38,500 CSI5* Equestrian Digital Winning Round. Held in a format that sees the top 10 riders from the opening round return with a clear scoresheet, Daniel produced the fastest clear round the second time out riding Ivory TCS. His time of 37.67 seconds was well-ahead of runner-up Amanda Derbyshire of Great Britain who stopped the clock in 39.08 seconds aboard Otto BH for owner Gochman Sport Horse LLC. Ashlee Bond rounded out the top three with a clear round riding Elka de la Pomme for Aurora Farms, LLC in a time of 39.93 seconds. Canada’s only top 10 finisher was Ali Ramsay of Victoria, BC, who was clear in a time of 42.13 seconds riding Conrado 12 for fourth place.
The Major League Show Jumping Ottawa tournament runs through Sunday, August 27, 2023, at Wesley Clover Parks in Ottawa, ON. Showcasing the highest level of international show jumping competition with a CSI5* rating from the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), Major League Show Jumping Ottawa also features a CSI2* division to offer a combined total of more than $800,000 in prize money.