Press release from Spruce Meadows, edited by World of Showjumping

The CSI5* 1.60m $500,000 AON Grand Prix, presented by Rolex was the feature competition for the Spruce Meadows ‘Pan American’ CSI5*, presented by Rolex, as the Spruce Meadows 50th Anniversary-season in Calgary, Canada, continues. 

Twenty-six horse-and-rider combinations stepped through the Clock Tower to challenge Anderson Lima’s (MEX) strong, 1.60m track that featured 14 obstacles and 17 efforts and included the open water and a triple combination towards the end of the course.

Matthew Sampson (GBR) and Daniel (Heartbreaker x San Patrignano Mister) were one of four pairs to advance to the jump off. Ireland’s Daniel Coyle on Incredible (Clinton x Heartbreaker), Jordan Coyle with Chaccolino (Chacco-Blue x Heartbreaker) and Darragh Kenny aboard Diaroubet (Diarado x Baloubet du Rouet) were hoping to see the colours of Ireland atop the flag pole but Sunday was not the day. 

Sampson aboard his grey stallion, Daniel, bested Daniel Coyle’s quick jump-off time of 43.86s  by six one-hundredths of a second, stopping the clock at 43.72s for the victory, while Daniel Coyle and Incredible took the runner-up spot, followed by Jordan Coyle and Chaccolino in third and Kenny on Diaroubet in fourth. 

Sampson’s win in the International Ring for Great Britain comes 35 years to the day since her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II visited Spruce Meadows on June 29, 1990. Next week, Sampson, along with the Coyle-brothers, as well as a host of top showjumpers from around the world, will be looking for a victory in the competition that honours Her Majesty, the ATCO Queen Elizabeth II Cup, the main event of the Spruce Meadows ‘North American’.