Coyle earns biggest paycheck of career
Irish rider wins in steady downpour, picks up $126,720.
Daniel Coyle WELLINGTON — of Ireland picked up his biggest career paycheck in the $384,000 Douglas Elliman Real Estate Grand Prix CSI5 “Saturday Night Lights” featured event at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center.
Riding in a steady downpour, Coy le ,23, and his 12- year-old Holstein er
mare, Cit a, had the only double-clear round to win the five-star event with a
42.51- second jump-offff and pocket $126,720.
“I suppose I had a bi g advantage tonight ,” said Coyle of his second-to-last position in the jump- off. “My plan was to be clear no matter what because there weren’t any at that time, so it worked out well for me.
“It’s really exciting. It probably hasn’t sunk in yet, but I think this is my fifirst grand prix fifive- star win. There’s nowhere better to do it.”
It was Coyle’s second victory of the week at WEF. He and his mount, Tienna, won on Wednesday in the $35,000 Douglas Elliman 1.45-meter Classic with double clears and a jump-offff of 28.508 seconds. He pocketed $11,550. He is 41st in the latest World Rankings.
Irish show jumping team manager Rodrigo Pessoa and 10-year-old Oldenburg Chaganus were second in Saturday’s fifififififive-star event with four faults in 39.594, the fastest round of the six-rider jumpoff. The duo had a rail down in the double combination.
“Going in the beginning of the jump-off, you kind of have to risk a little bit because there are still really good riders to come,” Pessoa said. “This is a fence that I’ve had a little bit of problems with him. I thought that was a little bit dangerous, but I had to risk it and try not to leave the door open.”
Pessoa will head to Europe next month with the Irish team as it begins the European Nations Cup in Slovakia.
The rain started early on Saturday night and never let up during the entire class. Unlike several riders who retired during the competition, Coyle didn’t seem distracted by the wet weather.
“It’s di ff ff ff ff ff ff er en tc on di ti ons, but when you go in the ring, you kind of forget it,” Coyle said. “You have to forget about the rain, forget about the conditions and try to get on with the job.”
On Sunday, Canadian Tiffany Foster and Brighton won the $70,000 Hollow Creek Farm 1.50-meter Classic with the fastest round of 63.36 seconds and earned $23,100. Francisco Jose Mesquita Musa and Sharapova Imperio Egipicio won the $50,000 Rose Hill Farm Grand Prix CSI2 with double clear rounds and jumpoffff in 37.017 for $16,500 in prize money.
Danielle Goldstein of Team Israel was named the Martha Jolicoeur Leading Lady
Rider for the week. In early-week events:
■ Olympic gold medalist McLain Ward is 3 for 3 in the five-star $132,000 Equinimity WEF Challenge Cup. On Thursday, Ward and 11-year-old BWP mare, Hija van Strokepelleken, won the 13-rider jump-offff with the fastest clear round of 39.37 seconds. It was the pair’s second WEF Challenge Cup win of the season.
■ On Friday, Ward won again with Bellefleur PS Z in the $35,000 Bainbridge 1.45-meter Classic CSI5. It was the reigning FEI World Cup champion’ s second fivestar victory in two days. Ward and the 9-year-old Zangersheide won in 54.80.