U.S. Olympian Margie Engle (USA) jumped Jackofhearts to a win in Saturday’s $32,000 CSI4* Two-Phase in the Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel International Ring during the second week of the Traverse City Spring Series.
The Traverse City Spring Series, presented by Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel, continues through June 29 and features three weeks of FEI jumper competition, weekly hunter derbies, including the International Hunter Derby Regional Championships, in addition to the USHJA Green Hunter Incentive Championships and the Markel/USHJA Platinum & Zone Jumper Team Championships.
Nine pairs jumped double-clear over Peter Grant’s (CAN) course, but none could catch Goldstein-Engle on her 13-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding (Heartbeat x Baloubet du Rouet) owned by Gladewinds Partners.
“I watched a couple that took a shot [at the win], so I decided to give it a go and see how it worked out,” said the Show Jumping Hall of Fame member. “This is the height that Jack is most comfortable at; he’s very careful and he reacts very quickly off your leg. He wants to try and be a good horse for you.
“He has his own style,” continued Goldstein-Engle, who has over 55 international victories to her credit. “He’s built like a giraffe—that he can’t help—but he tries whatever he can to miss the jumps with tons of heart, which is an important aspect.”
Less than a second separated the top four with Ireland’s Mark Kinsella piloting Bogano to second in a time of 34.46, and Colombia’s Mark Bluman rounded out the podium placings in 34.58 seconds riding Kenya RM, owned by Armando Torrado Martinez. Friday’s victor in the GFL Environmental CSI4* Welcome Stake, Katilin Campbell, was fourth in 34.82 seconds aboard Karius for owner Mirasol Equestrian.
Goldstein-Engle and her string are coming off a break that allowed for several months of rest. After the retirement of her famed mount Royce—now focused on breeding—Goldstein-Engle is pacing the show schedule of her smaller group of mounts. “This is probably the longest I haven’t shown without being hurt, so they’re all nice and fresh,” she said.
International competition comes to a peak at Flintfields Horse Park on Sunday with the $182,000 Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel CSI4* Grand Prix. In that event, Goldstein-Engle’s Dicas will make his 2025 debut at Traverse City Horse Shows. To see complete results from the $32,000 CSI4* Two-Phase, click here.
