Lillie Keenan and the 8-year-old Chagrin d’Amour won Saturday's Sparkassen Youngster Cup Final. All photos © Jenny Abrahamsson for World of Showjumping.
Text © World of Showjumping
The Americans continued their immaculate form at CHIO Aachen on Saturday, with Lillie Keenan (USA) and the 8-year-old Chagrin d’Amour (Candy de Nantuel x Stakkato) winning the Sparkassen Youngster Cup Final.
Over two competitions in Aachen, the 30 best 7- and 8-year-old horses had qualified for Saturday’s final – where 13 horse-and-rider combinations cleared their way into the deciding jump-off.
As the penultimate pair in the ring, Keenan and Chagrin d’Amour were chasing the leading time of 36.83 seconds, posted by Ben Maher (GBR) and the 8-year-old Maddox VH Haringvliet Z (Monte Bellini x Ogano Sitte). Jumping the penultimate vertical on an angle, Keenan committed in her rollback towards the final fence – and Chagrin d’Amour played along, clearing it and crossing the finish line in 36.61 seconds. When the last man out, Olivier Perreau (FRA) and the 8-year-old Leopard Des Joanis Z (L’Arc de Triomphe Bois Margot x Quick Star) stopped the clock on 38.23 – slotting into fifth – the victory belonged to Keenan.
“He landed from the red and thought we were done, and he did his little buck and play, and saw the gate – but he is the kind of horse that if you tell him to go and jump, he will go, and he was right there with me, I never questioned him,” Keenan said about her commitment to the last.
Ben Maher had to settle for the runner-up spot behind Keenan, while Cian O’Connor (IRL) and the 7-year-old Pegasus (K.I Checkter x Stolzenberg) placed third, followed by Denis Lynch (IRL) and Shogun STS (Comme Il Faut 5 x Diamant de Semilly) in fourth and Perreau in fifth.
Chagrin d'Amour was also the best horse overall after three days of competition in the youngster tour, and as per tradition in Aachen he won Keenan a foal; a stallion by Chaloubino PS OLD out of a Balou du Rouet-mare, bred by Carmen and Heike Zimmermann.
“Virginie Casterman, who works for McLain Ward, found him for me,” Keenan shared about her journey with Chagrin d’Amour. “She watched him as a 6-year-old and kept telling me I should try him. I tried him as a 7-year-old with Francois Mathy, and I bought him right away, but left him in Europe. I left him here because I felt like since he was a stallion, I would have missed some time in the 7-year-old year if I brought him to America,. Therefore, Francois’ rider Joao showed him a bit in the youngster classes. Then, I brought him to America and started showing him in Wellington – so I haven’t had an abundance of time with him.”
“Mentally, he is like a seasoned horse; he just so quickly figured out what the job is,” Keenan said. “I have not gone quick that many times with him, so that was definitely a step forward today. He is just a genius – I don’t think I have ever ridden a horse that is so easy going. It is like he knows what I will ask him before I even ask a question. He is playful, but when you give him a challenge, he rises to the occasion.”
Chagrin d'Amour was also the best horse overall after three days of competition in the youngster tour, and as per tradition in Aachen he won Keenan a foal; a colt by Chaloubino PS OLD out of a Balou du Rouet-mare, bred by Carmen and Heike Zimmermann.
Then