Irishman Coyle beats No.1 rider in Bantrel Cup
Kent Farrington is sitting No. 1 in FEI rankings for a reason, and all the riders in Wednesday’s Bantrel Cup competition knew it.
So, when Ireland’s Daniel Coyle and his horse Cita stepped into the International Ring at Spruce Meadows — trying to follow Farrington’s jump-off performance, a flawless and fast ride aboard Sherkan Damaury — he kept it simple. Very simple. "I just planned to go as fast as I could and tried to leave the jumps up,” a deadpanning Coyle said.
Stripping show jumping down to its basics, the 22-year-old squeezed past the No. 1 rider on the planet to capture a first-place finish by the smallest of margins.
Coyle’s clear and blazingly fast performance of 38.27 seconds beat Farrington’s 38.73-second round and bested 14 other horse-rider combinations.
Wednesday’s Bantrel Cup — and the simplicity of Coyle’s approach — showcased the beauty of show jumping. Even the best riders in the world can be humbled on any given day.
“Nothing changes for me in terms of my approach,” Farrington said,. “My focus is on my horses and managing them well. Every competition is a new day. You don’t want to dwell on past results. I’m always looking to the future and what can I improve.
“I think that’s what our sport is all about … I’m happy to be No. 1 … but in my mind, I’m onto the next thing and what I can do better.”
Of course, a show-jumper is only as good as his horse, and Farrington’s horse, Sherkan Damaury, performed admirably in the second-place performance.
The 11-year-old Selle Francais gelding is not one of his main mounts, but Farrington feels she is rounding into fine form after recovering from a serious surgery.
Meanwhile, Coyle’s horse, Cita, struck a perfect balance of steadiness and speed Wednesday.
“She jumped the last Grand Prix in Wellington and was double clear, and hasn’t knocked down a fence since,” Coyle said. “She’s jumped maybe 10 International classes from 1.45 (metres) and up. She hasn’t knocked a fence down. If she knocks one down, it’s not intentionally.
“So, if I ride her correctly, she usually won’t make a mistake. I knew I had a chance.”
Coyle’s jump-off performance also bumped out Sameh El Dahan and his 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse named Sumas Zorro, who looked like they were firmly holding to the second-place position with a 39.64-second trip.
Like Coyle, El Dahan knew he had to be quick to compete with Farrington.
“Everyone knows how fast Kent is,” El Dahan said with a chuckle. “I didn’t even see his ( jump-off round), to be honest. But I know Kent goes really fast all the time.
“I knew I had to go in and do my thing ... I tried to keep my focus and tried to get there as fast as I could.”
Beezie Madden and Brietling LS had a clear 44.26-second performance for fourth.
Canadian legend Eric Lamaze qualified for the jump-off with two horses, Fine Lady 5 and Chacco Kid, but had a single jumping fault in both performances.
The 16-rider jump-off was whittled down from 42 horse-rider combinations in the first round of the 1.55-metre class, a qualifier for Saturday’s RBC Grand Prix competition. The Bantrel Cup also kicked off the Spruce Meadows National Tournament on Wednesday.
Competition continues through Sunday.