Edited press release from Spruce Meadows

At Spruce Meadows, the sun was out for the final day of the 2023 ‘Pan American’ presented by Rolex. The West Canadian Cup, presented by WCD, was the lone competition on the International Ring and 35 riders – representing 11 nations – who had qualified earlier in the week were ready to step through the clock tower in hopes of making it to the winner’s circle.

The West Canadian Cup was a CSI5* 1.45m jump-off competition with tracks designed by FEI course designer Gregory Bodo (FRA). Nine riders, representing seven nations, answered all the questions asked by Bodo in the first round. Matthew Sampson (GBR) has been knocking at the door for a big win and he had been saving his bay mare Elisa BJX (Eldorado vd Zeshoek x Quilot Z) all week for this competition.

The pair had to hunt down Conor Swail (IRL) and Gamble (Vingino x Indoctro) who posted a fast clear round in the jump-off with a time of 40.21s and with a push over the final fence Sampson stopped the clock at 39.48s, taking the victory. The third place went to Nayel Nassar (EGY) and Dorado de Riverland (Untouchable x Argentinus) with a time of 41.08s in the jump-off.

“Coming into this year I didn’t have the horses in quite as good of form as I could have, but they’re getting there now. That’s the great part about this place (Spruce Meadows) to bring the horses on and have them grow,” Matthew Sampson said about his second summer season at Spruce Meadows.

The CSI5* 1.50m Friends of the Meadows was the final five-star competition of the ‘Pan American’, presented by Rolex, and 27 competitors took on the jump-off class over the track designed by FEI course designer Anthony d’Ambrosio (USA). 

Six combinations passed all the first round tests, but it was Ireland’s Conor Swail riding Count Me In  (Count Grannus x Sherlock Holmes) who posted the fastest clear round in the jump-off with a time of 34.10s to take the victory. Stopping the clock at 35.46, Amanda Derbyshire (GBR) and Otto BH  (Norton d'Eole x Toulon) finished second, followed by Santiago Lambre (BRA) and J'Adore van het Klinkhof (Thunder vd Zuuthoeve x Alcatraz) in third in 36.20 seconds.