Press release from Spruce Meadows, edited by World of Showjumping

Thursday's CSI5* 1.55m Jayman BUILT Cup at the CSI5* Spruce Meadows ‘North American’ 2025 in Calgary, Canada, had 40 competitors step through the Clock Tower to challenge Santiago Varela's (ESP) track. As the lone qualifier for the weekend’s $1,000,000 ATCO Queen Elizabeth II Cup, athletes hoping to compete for the grand purse needed to complete the course with at least one horse.

Nine athletes advanced to the jump-off, but the victory belonged to Kyle King of the United States, riding Kayenne Z (Kannan x Kanezaro). King has been competing at Spruce Meadows since he was 16-years-old and now brings not only a strong string of horses for himself, but a  keen group of students hoping to build their own Spruce Meadows story. 

“Horses grow here. And, you know, the first class I did with Kayenne Z, I thought I was going to be all cool to that first little jump, and we had a miscommunication. She stopped. I almost fell off. It was actually blessing in disguise. That was the only bobble she's had all season, but it taught me and made me realize I need to put my leg on out there in that ring." 

Matthew Sampson (GBR) and Ebolensky (Clinton x Heartbreaker) took the runner-up spot, followed by King on Odysseus (Osilvis x Riverman) in third, Darragh Kenny (IRL) on Zero K (Kannan x Robin Z) in fourth and Sameh El Dahan (GBR) aboard Oscar-A (Harley x Cardento 933) in fifth.