Jordan Coyle takes Saturday Night Lights’ win by a hair’s breadth
Jordan Coyle and For Gold took home the silver in the CSI4* 1.50m Championship Jumper Series Final at the Winter Equestrian Festival [WEF] winning the jump off in 39.69, a time that fellow Irishman Conor Swail and Gamble were primed to better in the 13-strong jump off, when slated to go last.
“I thought Conor [Swail] was for sure going to beat me going to that last jump,” said Jordan after Conor crossed the finish line in 39.84 seconds. “He’s beat me plenty before, but luckily today it’s been the other way around. This is the first Saturday night that I’ve won. I’ve been trying for a while, so it’s pretty nice.”
Conor had been planning this week’s campaign at WEF for some time, having spent the winter, up until now, at the Desert International Horse Park in Thermal, California. “I did fancy him a little bit for this, this week,” said Conor of the 13-year old Dutch Warmblood gelding, the combination having won the FEI 4* 1.45m on the opening day of WEF week 11. “He’s got a little bit more mature about things and so I’m very happy. He’s jumped very well and his owners are here [Nancy and Asta Torokvei] which is a good thing – puts a bit more pressure on me of course.”
Jordan also put the pressure on and was delighted when it paid off. “Winning anything here [at WEF] is pretty good. To be honest, that was one of the only times I ever went into the arena in a big competition and felt like I was one of the favorites,” said Coyle speaking of himself and the 13-year-old Holsteiner owned by Falkirk Farm, taking the International Ring at Wellington International. “He felt very fast tonight, and I have come to know him very well.”
Coyle and For Gold went in the middle of the jump off and set the bar high. Conor knew he had a chance and thought they had pulled it off. When asked if he thought he had done enough, he replied: “I did actually. My guy, he’s such a great horse. You know, he can be slow, but funny enough, the jump off suited me a bit.”
USA’s Abigail Mc Ardle was second to go in the jump off and finally took third place with a time of 40.95 seconds aboard 10-year old Warmblood mare Olympia van het Eikenhof “I’m very happy to be here in this company,” said Abigail. “This is our first night class. We have taken it pretty slow, but she has a great brain, a lot of scope and is easy; everything you want in the horse.”
Going last in the jump off, Conor had time to observe the preceding rides. “Abigail’s round taught me a lot because her horse also has a big step, so it gave me a good indication as to what I could do,” Conor said. “Again, what Gamble does better than most horses is he turns extremely well, and I knew I was able to get inside that vertical up the top after the double of verticals.
“So everything came up well for me, honestly. And I thought I had done enough to get Jordan tonight, but I’m so happy with the horse. It was a great night for us. First would have been better, but Jordan’s got a very quality horse and is a fast rider, it was his night tonight.”
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