Text © World of Showjumping

“I have no words,” Nina Mallevaey (FRA) smiled after she and the 10-year-old mare My Clementine (O.B.O.S. Quality 004 x Kashmir van Schuttershof) took their second big win in just as many days at the Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ 2025 in Calgary, Canada, when topping Friday’s CSIO5* 1.60m Tourmaline Oil Cup as the only double clear pair. “I was surprised. The course was big and hard, but there was also a lot of good horses and riders, so I didn’t think I would be the only clear. I think Clementine deserved to win; she gave everything today.”

“When I walked the course, I thought ‘wow, this is a big course’,” Mallevaey explained. “Clementine never jumped that big, and if you would have told me one year ago that she would jump 1.60m in Calgary, I would have not believed it. Today she showed to everyone how good she is. She has a heart bigger than her, she gives everything, and I think she can enjoy it. I am just so proud of her. She got a lot of confidence during last year and she proved to everyone that she is more than we thought – I am just so proud of her. She is done for this weekend, she is going to have some holidays, really well deserved.”

Andreas Schou (DEN) and Napoli vd Nederassenthof (President x Quasimodo Z) took the runner-up spot with a time fault in the first round, while Willem Greve (NED) and Grandorado TN N.O.P. (Eldorado vd Zeshoek x Carolus II) finished third – also with a single time penalty, fractions behind Schou. With his second horse in the class, Billy Matador (Billy Mexico x Animo), Schou finished fourth after picking two time penalties, while Steve Guerdat (SUI) and Albführen’s Iashin Sitte (Bamako de Muze x Tinka’s Boy) finished fifth as the fastest four-faulters.

“I am very happy today,” Schou said. “Yesterday I was not so happy, my horses really needed to learn this ring. Definitely coming here, not knowing the ring, with a very short time allowed, it also took me a little bit of time to figure out everything. Luckily, everything came together today, and both horses jumped fantastic. When I went in with Napoli, I knew I was qualified for the Grand Prix with Billy, so it was about getting a nice rhythm with Napoli so that he is ready for Sunday. I had a great feeling, so high hopes for Sunday.”

“When I walked it, I found it very big,” Schou said about the course. “Luckily Billy [going] first, he is a small horse, but he is a really big fighter. The first days he was very impressed with the rings and today he came out more relaxed. I knew that I might risk a time fault with him, but took that risk. Napoli, everything came together today. I didn’t want the time fault, I got it – now I know for Sunday, I need to sharpen up a lot more. Of course, with two top placements, I am very happy.”