Spencer Smith and Fantasia vd Vrombautshoeve Z, winners of the CSI2* 1.45m Land Rover Grand Prix at the inaugural Highlands Cup. Photo © Megan Giese.
Press release from Highlands Horse Show, edited by World of Showjumping
Spencer Smith (USA) has a new weapon in his arsenal, and she’s a 9-year-old mare named Fantasia vd Vrombautshoeve Z. A newer partnership but an already lethal one, Smith and Fantasia took the win in Sunday’s $40,000 CSI2* 1.45m Land Rover Grand Prix to close out international action at the inaugural Highlands Cup.
Highland Horse Show featured two weeks of elite show jumping and immersive entertainment in the idyllic Hudson Valley of New York. The Silo Ridge Masters 3* ran through October 1-5 before the Highlands Cup—featuring Major League Show Jumping—took center stage October 8 through 12. Learn more at HighlandsHorseShow.com.
“She's incredible,” Smith said of the Zangersheide mare (Verelst Flamenco de Semilly x Wandor van de Mispelaere) that carried him to victory. “I think she’s one of the best horses I've ever ridden. I owe a lot to Ilan Ferder; he told me I needed to have this horse and I had to listen to him. He was totally right. We have big, big expectations for this mare.”
Spencer Smith, Alex Matz and Jessica Mendoza atop the podium. Photo © Megan Giese.
Up against a strong field of horses and riders in Sunday’s feature class, Smith ended up as one of just two double-clear efforts, besting the eight pairs in the jump-off.
The margin of victory was only a tenth of a second, but Smith was very pleased with the result and the mare’s performance. “She’s still 9 and green so I didn’t go too much, but just a little more than my friend Alex Matz (USA),” Smith joked. “He's my best friend so it’s nice to beat him every once in a while. It worked out today.”
Matz took second place as the only other double-clear effort aboard Clarimo (Comilfo Plus Z x Polydor), while Jessica Mendoza (GBR) took third with I-Cap CL Z (I'm Special de Muze x Air Jordan Z).
Smith believes they’re just getting started with Fantasia and that she’s headed for great things. “She has jumped 10 clear rounds in a row,” he said. “I’m lucky I have great support to get it done.”
Taking a victory at the inaugural Highlands Cup was just icing on the cake of a great week spent in the Hudson Valley for Smith and his team.
“This is one of the best shows I’ve been to all year,” he remarked of Highlands Horse Show and the venue. “I think this is going to be the new standard for what people expect at great shows.”
Then