Thermal, California, USA – December 02, 2023 – Last time Karl Cook (USA) competed his newest mare Caracole de La Roque was representing the United States at the Pan American Games. While it wasn’t their best outing so far, Cook is always a student of the sport, and he took valuable lessons that he implemented and is already back in winning form, topping Saturday’s $40,000 Marshall & Sterling National Grand Prix.

Only five of the original 59 entries jumped clear over Alan Wade’s (IRL) course, and Cook was towards the tail end, knowing he had intense speed with the 11-year-old Selle Français gelding he sat on. He blazed through the course in double-clear fashion, and the final pair couldn’t catch him, putting him in the winner’s circle, a very familiar place for him this year.

“We had some work to do after the Pan Ams,” Cook admitted. “One of the most apparent changes is that we put her in the hackamore that Julien [Epaillard] originally had her in. I’ve only shown her in it once in a 1.40m class but we tried it again and it seems to be working. It still feels rusty because she feels so different in it. I’m getting used to that. A lot of good things, not just double clear – that’s a bonus – but the rideability and everything is significantly different in a way that I think we can really build on.”

Basing out west in California, DIHP is like returning home for Cook. In 2023, he spent much of the winter on the East Coast, making it back for the final leg of the MLSJ tour.

“I spent the entire year away so it’s always great to come back to a place where you don’t feel bad showing your horses and where the show management puts in such an effort to really put on a good show for the horses and fans and makes you want to ride,” he reflected on returning to the park.

There’s still one week remaining for Cook to place his two stellar mares. “The most likely option [for Caracole] is to do the team class with her next week, but there’s also an option to do the [CSI5*] Grand Prix, so that’s what we’re shooting for,” he explained. “If it goes really well with Kalinka [van’t Zorgvliet] tonight we’ll probably just leave it there. She hasn’t shown since Barcelona so it’s been a long break, so she’s fresh. But by the same token, next year is a long year so if we do well tonight we’ll probably leave it there.”

Cook plans to spend more time in his home state this coming winter, knowing it’s less taxing on the horses to be close to home and to be competing at a venue like DIHP.

“[We’ll spend] much more time here and less time in Florida, so I’m excited about that,” he shared. “They put in more FEI and honestly that helps me justify staying here. It’s a good thing for the other horses to have a calmer preparation for the rest of the year because once we leave here it will be more intense. We can get everything set and ready. A four-star is no joke and we’re excited for that.”

Final Results – $40,000 Marshall & Sterling National Grand Prix

1) Karl Cook (USA) & Caracole de La Roque – 0 / 0 – 35.843

2) Ben Asselin (CAN) & Baton Rouge – 0 / 0 – 39.970

3) Conor Swail (IRL) & Gamble – 0 / 4 – 38.130

Source: Press Release from Desert International Horse Park

Photos: © DIHP / High Desert Photo

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