Press release from Spruce Meadows, edited by World of Showjumping

The ATCO Cup 1.50m capped off competition on the International Ring Friday at the 'North American', presented by Rolex. Under beautiful summer skies, forty-seven horse-and-rider combinations took on the track designed by FEI Course Designer Santiago Varela (ESP).

The first-round course featured 13 obstacles (16 efforts), all to be completed clear within the allotted time of 75 seconds. Thirteen riders representing eight nations rose to the challenge and advanced to what would be an exciting jump-off.

The jump-off proved to be every bit as exciting as anticipated, with the name of the game quickly becoming speed. As each rider entered the ring, the times continued to fall, keeping spectators on the edge of their seats. Thanks to a daring inside turn to fence eight, today's victory belonged to Lucy Davis Kennedy (USA) aboard Ben 431 (Sylvain x Quincy Jones). The pair stopped the clock in a blistering 36.52 seconds, producing the fastest fault-free round of the afternoon and securing the top spot on the leaderboard. Second place went to Richard Vogel (GER) and Phenyo van het Keysersbos (Corydon van T&L x Heartbreaker), while Luis Fernando Larrazabal (VEN) and Diaroubet (Diarado x Baloubet du Rouet) finished third. 

“Sometimes you just kind of black out and you're just riding in the moment, and the strategy was hopefully to go clear in the first round, and then I didn't get to watch any of the riders before me in the jump off, but luckily, Conor Swail was at the back gate, and I just asked him, like, what should I do? What are people doing? And he just said, "Run." So that's what I did.” - Lucy Davis Kennedy (USA) on her jump off round.