As competition at the American Gold Cup came to an end on Friday, excitement continues to build for Sunday's grand finale, which will play host to the eastern sub-league's second leg of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping North American League. The 2017/2018 season kicked off in August at International Bromont and athletes are already fighting for valuable qualifying points towards the finals, which will be held in Paris, France, in 2018. Friday's feature event on the Grand Prix Field, the CSI4*-W $86,000 American Gold Cup Qualifier, presented by Windsor Show Stables, determined the roster of challengers for Sunday's main event, and it was junior athlete Lucy Deslauriers who bested the international field of veterans to take home the top prize.

A total of 50 athletes competed over course designers Alan Wade and Nigel Jess' technical first round track, but only seven jumped clear to earn a spot in the jump-off.

With only six opting to return for the tie-breaking round, it was Ali Wolff (USA) and Casall (Casall x Capitol I), owned by Blacklick Bend Farm, who set the pace to beat with the first double-clear performance in 40.21 seconds. Yet their conservative time would garner them fifth place in the final standings.

Beezie Madden (USA) and Abigail Wexner's Breitling LS (Quintero x Acord II) followed with another clear round in 38.23 seconds to take over the lead, but their time would only hold for second place honors in the end. Following Friday's competition Madden and Breitling LS were also presented the Horse & Style Magazine Style of Riding award and an embroidered Hermès blanket.

Adrienne Sternlicht (USA) and Toulago (Toulon x Carthago Z), owned by Starlight Farms 1 LLC, also jumped faultlessly around the short course, crossing the finish line in 38.42 seconds, which would be good enough for third place.

Eighteen-year-old Deslauriers and her longtime trusted partner, 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding, Hester (Wandor van de Mispelaere x Palestro vd Begijnakker), owned her mother Lisa, were next to challenge the jump-off and finished with no faults in 37.66 seconds to move into first place.

After Catherine Tyree (USA) piloted Mary and Jospeh Tyree's Enjoy Louis (Coriano x Kannan) to an 8-fault finish for sixth place, it turned into a father-daughter showdown as seasoned international competitor and father to Deslauriers, Mario, representing Canada, looked to catch his daughter's time aboard Bardolina (Clarimo x Landos), owned by Wishing Well Farm LLC. The pair were not fast enough, stopping the timers in 39.95 seconds for fourth place.

Deslauriers, who placed second in the World Cup qualifying class with Hester at the 2016 American Gold Cup, recently began her senior year of high school, and although she is a renowned competitor throughout the big equitation scene, the teenager has decided to focus her efforts in the jumper ring for her final year as a junior.

"It's incredible - to beat Beezie [Madden] out of the jump-off - I don't know how to put it into words," said Deslauriers about her win. "She's someone I've watched since I was very little and even watching her in the first round I was in awe. To compete against her in the jump-off and my father and the other young riders, it was extremely competitive and I'm really happy. Sunday is going to be a lot bigger and more careful so it's going to be a new day. I just have to hope my horse is going well."

Source: Press release from Phelps Media Group, Inc. // Picture © The Book LLC