There was a bit of déjà vu at Flintfields Horse Park on Friday as Charlotte Jacobs (USA) and Rincoola Milsean (Aldatus Z x Cruising), owned by North Star, won their second international competition in as many days during the Silver Oak Jumper Tournament as part of opening week at the Traverse City Tournament of Champions. The duo topped the $32,000 GGT Footing CSI3* Welcome from a field of 36, ultimately claiming the tricolor and earning a spot in Sunday’s grand prix.
“Roy [Rincoola Milsean] loves Traverse City,” said Jacobs of the 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding. The pair will now focus on Sunday’s $120,000 Agero CSI3* Grand Prix. “This win feels great. I had a great July here, then gave myself and the horses the month of August off so it feels great to come back and win straight out of the gate like this.”
Jacobs and Rincoola Milsean returned to the winner’s circle hot of a victory in Thursday’s $32,000 Stud Tree CSI3* Two-Phase to open the week’s international schedule.
The pair was first to go in the Guilherme Jorge (BRA) designed short course and was focused on leaving no room for error by laying down an early lead in 35.08 seconds. After mentioning the gelding’s natural talent for speed after Thursday’s win, Jacobs proved herself right yet again.
“The numbers were pretty straightforward,” said Jacobs of Jorge’s course. “I trusted that he was quick through the air and across the ground. He’s super handy; he landed in the turns and immediately locked to the next fence. That makes my job easier in the jump-off.”
Jacobs was the only female representative on the podium as USA’s Kent Farrington and Alex Granato followed behind. Farrington piloted his gold medal mount from the 2023 Pan American Games, Landon (Comilfo Plus Z x Quadrillo) to second place. He and the Haity Mc Nerney-owned gelding were just fractions behind the lead in 35.98 seconds. Granato and EL Diablo du Nord (Durrant x Irco Mena), owned by The Bright Lights Group, closed out the podium on a clear in 37.32 seconds for third.
Heading into Sunday’s Grand Prix, Jacobs had one thing to say about Rincoola Milsean, “Roy’s the best. We love Roy.”
National jumper action started the day in the Turtle Creek Hotel and Casino International Ring on Friday with the $5,000 Davis McCullough Foundation 1.40m Jumper. The USA’s Adam Prudent and Darius du Reel, sired by Norton D’Eole and owned by Plain Bay Sales, took the win after laying down a double-clear round in the immediate jump-off class. Their jump-off time was 38.023 seconds over Kent Farrington on Grass de Mars (38.541 seconds). Less than a second separated the top three with Jacob Pope taking third aboard Highway FBH in 38.845 seconds.
U.S. rider success continued in the Yorkfield Stables 1.30m Jumper with Callie Schott earning the blue atop Teddy Z. The Candillo Z son owned by Southern Arches, LLC, beat out fellow competitors by just fractions of a second in the immediate jump-off round. Their time of 36.204 seconds topped Caroline McLeese aboard Dana de Kerglenn, who stopped the clock at 36.422 seconds for second. Brooke Kemper rounded out the top three in the irons of Bayra with a time of 37.249 seconds.
Highlighting Friday competition in the Polk Family Jumper Ring, the Brook Ledge Horse Transportation 1.20m Jumper pinned its champion for the week. The tricolor went to Conajita, sired by Ublesco and owned by Dorothy Cox. Trent McGee (USA) guided the nine-year-old Belgian Sport Horse mare to top call in the final day of the division to take the champion honor.
Flintfields Horse Park is excited to host the Tournament of Champions from September 4 to September 22, featuring world-class show jumping as the pinnacle of the 2024 season in Northern Michigan. The centerpiece of the three-week series is the $340,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ of Traverse City on September 15. This premier event will attract the attention of the global equestrian community, including top riders and Olympians fresh from their performances in Paris.
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