Traverse City, Michigan, USA – July 15, 2022 – Simon McCarthy (IRL) was done settling for second place in the $37,000 Turnham Green Two Phase CSI 2*. After placing second in the CSI 3* Speed during the first week of the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival (GLEF), presented by CaptiveOne Advisors, McCarthy knew what he was up against and cranked into speed gear. His mare Gotcha, owned by Rock Ridge Farms, was up for the challenge, following him every step of the way around the second phase of the track set by Bernardo Costa Cabral (POR). The pair, 21st in the order of go, blazed through the course, leaving all rails intact, in 22.11 seconds.
“We’ve had a run of second places now and it was starting to annoy me a little bit so I think I gave it everything I had today,” McCarthy remarked.
Second place went to last week’s CSI3* Grand Prix winner Amanda Derbyshire (GBR) with Wonder If, owned by Gochman Sport Horses. Their time of 22.17 in the speed phase was just barely off the pace.
Tanner Korotkin (USA) with the Castlewood Farm Inc.-owned Ideal claimed third place in 23.25 seconds.
“It wasn’t crazy fast before I went in but there were a lot of fast people behind me,” McCarthy commented on his game plan for the course. “I knew I had to do one [stride] less than I had seen everybody else do”. The top three finishers all went back to back in the order of go, and no pair remaining was able to catch the top three times.
“She’s an unbelievable mare,” McCarthy said of the 11-year-old Holsteiner (Stakkato x Cassini I) he’s been paired with since January of 2021. “I did a lot of two-stars with her starting off and last year we did a couple three-stars. She just came from strength to strength throughout the year. She’s very fast, very careful, and she really fights for you.”
“We’re going to aim her now for the Major League [Show Jumping],” McCarthy continued about his plans for the summer. “We’re on Team Helios. I think she’s going to be lethal in those [five-star] classes so I’m really looking forward to that.”
“It’s unbelievable,” he said of Traverse City Horse Shows. “The Morrisseys do an incredible job. The footing in the main ring is brilliant. The courses are always very good and it’s always really competitive here. I love it. Obviously everybody talks about the lake; that’s a big bonus in the evenings and on Mondays. The golf courses here are amazing. It’s an all-around really good horse show and the sport on the weekends is very competitive.”
Competition resumes at the CSI2* level Friday with the $37,000 Honor Hill Farm Welcome Stake CSI 2* and concludes with Sunday’s $73,800 NetJets Grand Prix CSI 2*.
Final Results: $37,000 Turnham Green Two Phase CSI 2*
1) Simon McCarthy (IRL) & Gotcha: 2011 HOLST mare by Stakkato x Cassini I, Rock Ridge Farms: 0/0/22.11
2) Amanda Derbyshire (GBR) & Wonder If: 2012 AES mare by Cevin Z x Bolivar, Gochman Sport Horse LLC: 0/0/22.17
3) Tanner Korotkin (USA) & Ideal: 2012 SWB gelding by Cardento x Cortez, Castlewood Farm Inc. & Sandalwood Farms: 0/0/23.25
4) Cathleen Driscoll (USA) & Magnolia: 2012 KWPN mare by Mylord Carthago x Van Gogh, Plain Bay Sales: 0/0/23.45
5) Mavis Spencer (USA) & Con Calle: 2009 Holst gelding by Contendro II x Cassini II, Georgy Maskrey-Segesman: 0/0/25.48
6) Lacey Gilbertson (USA) & Karlin van’T Vennehof: 2010 BWP mare by Fantomas De Muze x Quasimodo Van De Molendreef, Seabrook LLC: 0/0/25.66
7) Margie Engle (USA) & Cesna M: 2012 OS gelding by Check In x Sandro Boy, Virginia Bartholomay: 0/0/26.28
8) Alec Lawler (USA) & Condalou: 2011 Oldbg gelding by Contendros 2 x Balou Du Rouet, Alec Lawler: 0/0/26.70
9) Nicholas Pongracz (COL) & Voodoo: 2013 SBS mare by Kannan x Kimball, Eye Candy Jumpers: 0/0/27.11
10) Anna Wilks (GBR) & Ma Pomme de Tamerville: 2012 BWP mare by Deauville Van T&L x Contendro II, IN Showjumpers: 0/0/27.25
11) Victoria Ketchum (USA) & Extasy: 2012 HOLST mare by Quadros x Clearway, Copperline Farm LLC: 0/0/28.31
12) Elli Yeager (USA) & Illusion CL: 2013 KWPN stallion by Arezzo VDL x Ukato, Elli Yeager – 0 / 0 – 29.76
Source: Press Release from Traverse City Horse Shows
Photos: © Andrew Ryback Photography
Categories: CSI 2*, Great Lakes Equestrian Festival, Results
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