OTTOWA, Canada--Adrienne Sternlicht’s won the both $35,000 Grand Prix CSI2* and $340,000 Grand Prix CSI5* at the Ottawa International on Sunday, Aug. 17.
Adrienne Sterlicht on Origa vh Zuid Pajottenland (Photo by Ben Radvanyl)Sternlicht on Origa v/h Zuid -Pajottenland had the only clear riound in the three horse jump-off to win the US $340,000 Grand Prix CSI5*.
A total of 24 riders took on the five-star track set by Brazilian course designer Marina Azevedo.
Sternlicht, Great Britain’s Jessica Mendoza and Elena Haas were the only three riders who had clear rounds to advance to the jump-off.
Mendoza was the first to return for the jump-off, setting the early standard with four faults in a time of 38.08 riding Summerhouse.
Haas, who is one of five who will be competing for the U.S. at Spruce Meadows, on Claude also had a rail down in a slower time of 39.02 seconds.
Knowing exactly what she needed to do to win, Sternlicht went slower but was clean to win.
A MEMBER of the U.S. gold medal team at the 2018 World Equestrian Games, it had been just under a year since Sternlicht last competed in a five-star grand prix.
“The track was incredibly difficult and knowing how many top riders there were, you just had to really take it jump by jump,” said Sternlicht who was competing against four of the top 10 riders in the world rankings including her own trainer, McLain Ward, Kent Farrington and Richie Vogel. “It is definitely an emotional win for me. It’s a horse that I’ve always really, really believed in. He has the ability to jump the biggest classes in the world and to feel like I did right by him today is super gratifying.”
Of having won both the two-star and the five-star grands prix on the same day, Sternlicht said, “It definitely took a bit of pressure off knowing I was already really content with my day and excited about my partnership with a new horse.”
In only their second FEI-sanctioned competition together, Sternlicht on Corablue Z won the US $35,000 1.45m Grand Prix CSI2*.
As the final challenger in a six horse jump-off, Sternlicht was clean in 41.80 seconds to win over Ireland’s Daniel Coyle who had held the lead with a time 42.85 seconds riding Caliipso.
Delaney Flynn was third on Namamia.
Daniel Coyle of Ireland on Farrel, clean in 29.52 seconds, won the $32,000 Opener CSI5* on Thursday, Aug. 14.
Canada’s Erynn Ballard on Game Ball BG was second in 30.41 seconds, and Ward on Snapchat van de Broekkant Z, clean in 30.48 was third.
Surprisingly, that was the only top three finish that Ward or Farrington, on Myla, had in Ottowa.
Volpi had her first five-star win on Qannando B&V in the $75,000 Qualifier CSI5* on Friday in a 13 horse jump-off that was half of the starting field.
Ireland’s Darragh Kenny held the lead with a jump-off time of 37.52 seconds when Volpi went.
She was clean in 36.82 seconds to win.
Kenny on Colibelle Hero was second and Sternlicht was third in 38.27 seconds on Origa v/h Zuid -Pajottenland.
