An evening of unmatched horsepower
EVENT HITS NEWHEIGHTS
The sun has set, the shadows have lengthened and floodlights are casting a glow on the line of vertical jumps. This is the ATCO Six Bar, a spectator favourite held on Friday night of the Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ tournament.
The event is not about speed, but all about power: the ability of the horse to jump higher and higher, propelled by its massive hindquarters. If a rider clears all the rails, he or she moves on to the next round, where the heights increase. A knock-down spells elimination. No one has beat the final vertical record set in 2004 by Ireland’s Jessica Kurten when she cleared 2.12 metres.
This year, 13 riders competed in the first round, with 11 advancing to the second round. Only six moved on to round three. And only three were successful in that round, with Robert Breul of France on Arsouille du Seigneur calling it a day and taking home third place.
Now it was all up to Great Britain’s Michael Whitaker and Switzerland’s Edwin Smits to duel it out in the fourth and final round. Whitaker went first on Valentin R and was perfect until he clipped the top rail of the final fence: its thud was accompanied by four faults and groans from the packed stands.
So it all came down to Smits on Rouge Pierreville, a grey Selle Francais gelding. The excitement swelled as the pair cleared each obstacle, followed by deafening cheers when they conquered the last fence, set at a daunting 1.95 metres. This was Smits’ jumping debut at the venue.
“It is like a childhood dream come true. It’s the ultimate of my career,” he said. “My horse could have gone higher. He had lots left in the tank.”
The key to winning the ATCO Six Bar, he said, is having a horse that doesn’t want to touch the poles, and wants to jump big and high.
“This horse has so much scope. He is such a powerhouse. This horse has a great, great future.”
Having his trainer and recordholder Jessica Kurten watching and offering advice only added to his glory.
“She said to just go in and fight. Fight and jump it.” And indeed, that is what he did.