Sean Jobin marks his 34th birthday with a major Grand Prix victory.
Sean Jobin’s (CAN) birthday wish came true Saturday as he piloted Arkuga to the win in the $116,500 B&D Builders CSIO3* Grand Prix to close out week four of the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival, presented by B&D Builders.
Up against 13 jump-off contenders, Jobin knew the task would be a tough one, but thanks to the trust he has in his 15-year-old Anglo-European gelding (Arko x Heartbreaker) he believed he could get it done.
“Arkuga gave me a nice birthday gift today so I’m real happy with him for pulling through,” Jobin said following the win.
The speed started early for Jobin, who jumped the first-round track, built by fellow Canadian Peter Grant, quite a bit faster than most other competitors. Though that isn’t always an indicator of an ultimate winner, Jobin believed the extra speed played well into the jump-off for him.
“The first round I probably clicked a bit faster than I needed to but that suited well for the jump-off because he was already on a blistering pace,” he explained. “I went quick one to [fences] two to three and then steadied off after. I got tight after the triple combination but he tried so well. After that it felt super easy for him.”
Jobin had the task of following Olympian Mclain Ward (USA) and First Lady, who put in an impressive time of 39.85 seconds. The pair looked tough to beat, but Jobin hadn’t seen exactly what he was up against.
“I actually tried not to watch Mclain and Erynn [Ballard] because they go fast but they ride their own horses,” he shared about his jump-off approach. “I made the decision after being at Spruce to try to ride the tracks where I could keep the momentum going as well as I could. I probably did an extra step in a lot of spots but Arkuga is quick in the air and has a fast step so it ended up working out today.”
His time was 39.59 seconds, fast enough to slot into first place but Jobin wasn’t sure it was fast enough to secure the win with many still to come.
“It felt like a fast one,” he reflected. “I did track a lot wider than Mclain to that last oxer so I felt maybe I left that on the table, but you never know. There are fantastic riders and horses here but at the same time he was jumping fantastic today too, so it felt great to me. I would’ve been happy no matter what.”
Ward finished in second aboard First Lady. He celebrated the course building for the occasion, predicting beforehand that the jump-off would be an exciting one.
“It’s a great course, very careful,” Ward said of the track. “At the three-star level they can’t build too much size, but it’s a large field with some very good horses so it’s a technical course. I think [Peter] will have a great jump-off.”
Eva Fisherman (USA) had a great day finishing third with Casallvano, as the only other rider to produce a double-clear effort.
“I’m super excited,” Fisherman remarked after her placing. “I’m so happy with my horse. He’s the best thing in the whole world. I didn’t change my plan from when we walked, just stayed up to pace, rode the lines that we walked, and I was a little slow in a couple of the turns but I’m happy that I kept the jumps up and he jumped great.”
As Jobin goes out for a birthday dinner with quite a bit to celebrate, his team will hit the road Sunday to head back to Canada.
Team Plain Bay Wins $10,000 World Wide Technologies Non Pro Team Jumper Challenge
In the fourth edition of the $10,000 World Wide Technologies Non Pro Team Jumper Challenge, Team Plain Bay earned the win with an impressive score of 8 faults across the two rounds. Team members Dorothy E. Cox, Penelope McConnell, Isla McConnell, and Barney B. Jacob put in strong rounds with their horses to deliver their first win.
McConnell rode to a clear round with Fostyne in round one, which ended up being vital for their team.
“It feels good,” she said of her performance. “My horse was really good. She covered for me a bit in some spots. I got really long into the second jump and she jumped it well and jumped up. She was really good all around.”
Cox recognized the privilege it was to have a class of this format as an adult amateur.
“I think the class is a fun class because it gets a team together in a team environment,” she explained. “Most amateurs and juniors don’t get to do this unless they’re doing Young Riders so it’s fun to compete in this class, get in the big ring, and compete not just for yourself but for the team and a group of friends. And we have fun doing it.”
The four riders ride at the same barn so the camaraderie was high and the cheers were loud. They hope to return for another iteration of the class before GLEF comes to a close.
Next up at Flintfields Horse Park is the $24,999 1.40-1.45m Jumper Classic on Sunday, wrapping up week four of the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival as preparations continue for next week’s FEI North American Youth Championships. Fans and competitors can view full schedules, results, and live updates through the Traverse City Horse Shows Mobile App.
