Samuel Parot of CHI riding Couscous van Orti during the ATCO Energy Solutions Cup at the Spruce Meadows North American show jumping tournament.
Continuing Wednesday’s competition at Spruce Meadows, the $34,000 ATCO Energy Solutions Cup saw 38 entries compete over a 1.50m speed track set by course designer Santiago Varela. In his first trip ever to Spruce Meadows, Chile’s Samuel Parot jumped to victory aboard his own Couscous van Orti, a 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding (Nabab de Reve x Cash).
The course saw twelve clear rounds in total, and the times got faster and faster. Shane Sweetnam (IRL) jumped an early clear round in 66.10 seconds with Sweet Oak Farm’s Easy Contact Humlan to eventually place third. Several rounds later, Conor Swail (IRL) upped the pace in 65.62 seconds with Ilan Ferder’s Viva Colombia to ultimately finish second. Richard Spooner (USA) was fast and clear with Show Jumping Syndication Intl’s Cristallo in 66.39 seconds to jump into fourth. Quentin Judge and Double H Farm’s HH Quator had a great round in 68.51 seconds to take fifth place. Parot immediately followed, speeding through the timers in 63.92 seconds for the win aboard Couscous van Orti.
“I think Spruce Meadows and Aachen are the most important shows in the world and a win here is important,” Parot continued. “Here, you have the top riders in the world. A win is a win, but here it is very important.”
“This is the first time I have come to Spruce Meadows and my first victory here,” Parot smiled after his win. “The first week (of the Summer Series) I had third place, fourth place, fifth place, and then I broke my clavicle on the last day of the first week. The second week I tried to jump, but it was not possible, the pain was too much. I waited two weeks and began again last week. It still hurt a little bit last week, but this week it was better.”
“It is super to win here. This is an unbelievable place- the people, the organization.”
Parot is based in Wellington, FL, for six months of the year and normally spends the rest of the year competing in Europe, but with the Pan American Games coming up in Toronto in July, he chose to make his first trip to Calgary. Parot has been named to the team that will compete for Chile in the Games, and Couscous is a horse that he bought as a possible mount just one month ago. Belgium’s Pieter Devos previously rode the gelding to great success and Parot looks forward to getting to know his new mount further in the coming weeks.
Source: Spruce Meadows
Final Results: $34,000 ATCO Energy Solutions Cup 1.50m
1. $8,500 COUSCOUS VAN ORTI Belgian Warmblood / G / 13 Nabab de Reve x Cash
SAMUEL PAROT (CHI) WELLINGTON, FL Samuel Parot: 0/63.925
2. $6,800 VIVA COLOMBIA Oldenburg / M / 10 Couleur Rubin x Landor S
CONOR SWAIL (IRL) DARRAGH CROSS DOWN Ilan Ferder: 0/65.621
3. $5,100 EASY CONTACT HUMLAN Swedish Warmblood / G / 12 Unknown x Unknown
SHANE SWEETNAM (IRL) WELLINGTON, FL Sweet Oak Farm: 0/66.104
4. $3,400 CRISTALLO Holstein / G / 17 Caretino x Cicero
RICHARD SPOONER (USA) AGUA DULCE, CA Show Jumping Syndication Intl: 0/66.397
5. $2,380 HH QUATOUR Selle Francais / G / 11 Col Canto x Rosire
QUENTIN JUDGE (USA) WELLINGTON, FL Double H Farm: 0/68.511
6. $1,870 CARISSIMO Holstein / G / 15 Calando I x Silvester
JORGE MATTE CAPDEVILA (CHI) SANTIAGO, CHI Jorge Matte Capdevila: 0/68.731
7. $1,360 FLEUR IV Belgian Warmblood / M / 10 Chatman x Darco
REBECCA MCGOLDRICK (CAN) WEST TISBURY, MA Rebecca McGoldrick: 0/68.981
8. $1,020 GITANO Zangersheide / G / 14 Caretano Z x Concorde
FEDERICO FERNANDEZ (MEX) MEXICO CITY Federico Fernandez: 0/69.041
9. $1,020 FORTIN Zangersheide / G / 10 Unknown x Unknown
ANTONIO CHEDRAUI (MEX) MEXICO DF Antonio Chedraui: 0/70.717
10. $850 DISARONNO VT Belgian Warmblood / G / 11 Emilion x Unknown
CARLOS MILTHALER (CHI) WELLINGTON, FL Jennifer Santana: 0/72.071
11. $850 WISE GUY Warmblood / G / 12 Numero Uno x Goodwill
ANTONIO CHEDRAUI JR (MEX) MEXICO CITY Gerardo De La Torre: 0/72.580
12. $850 CASALL Holstein / G / 10 Casall x Capitol I
ALI WOLFF (USA) NEW ALBANY, OH Blacklick Bend Farm: 0/76.521