Press release from Traverse City Horse Shows

McKayla Langmeier (USA) isn’t letting the level of international competition intimidate her in Traverse City. Out of 29 entries, she claimed the win with Bahira S in the $37,000 San Marcos Training CSI3* Speed Classic, clocking in two seconds faster than any other clear effort.

Over the past year, McKayla and the 12-year-old Oldenburg mare (by Balou Du Rouet) have been getting to know each other and moving up the ranks in FEI competition. Thursday’s speed class was built for the occasion, providing a preview of the competition to come at the 2022 Great Lakes Equestrian Festival (GLEF), presented by CaptiveOne Advisors. The track, set by Mexico’s Catsy Cruz, featured opportunities for tight inside turns, long lines with options to leave strides out, and several tricky fences that came down frequently as the field whittled down.

Twenty-third in the order of go, Langmeier, a professional rider out of her family’s Kelianda Farm in East Granby, CT, used her mare’s natural footspeed to her advantage. She didn’t take any extreme risks, but her efficient pace and quickness through the air put her in the top spot, setting the Twydil Time to Beat at 61.28 seconds for the field to catch. 

Second to last in the order, Ireland’s Simon McCarthy gave Langmeier a run for her money, but came up just short with Gotcha, owned by Rock Ridge Farms, in a clear effort with a time of 63.45 seconds. Livestream 2 and Lisa Carlsen (CAN) rounded out the top three in 64.78 seconds.