The 2015 Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament CSIO 5* hosted its second day of competition with the world’s best horses and riders Thursday. Belgium’s Gregory Wathelet celebrated his 35th birthday as well as his first trip ever to Spruce Meadows with a win in the $126,000 CANA Cup 1.60m riding Algorhythem. Earlier in the afternoon, Canada’s Eric Lamaze rode to victory in the $35,000 ATCO Structures and Logistics Cup 1.50m for the second year in a row aboard Fine Lady 5.
The ‘Masters’ Tournament features five days of competition through Sunday, September 13, with highlights including Saturday’s $300,000 BMO Nations’ Cup and Sunday’s $1.5 Million CP International, presented by Rolex. One of the most prestigious grand prix events in the world, the CP International is part of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping, where Scott Brash (GBR) will attempt to become the first rider to ever take the Grand Slam title. Brash already made history by winning two consecutive legs of the challenge with victories at CHI Geneva in December followed by a second victory at CHIO Aachen a few months later. An unprecedented €1 million in bonus money is on offer to any rider who can win all three grand prix events in succession.
On Thursday, the $126,000 CANA Cup was the feature event, shown over a 1.60m track set by Venezuela’s Leopoldo Palacios. Forty-seven entries contested the first round course, which yielded 14 clear rounds. Six entries were also able to clear the jump-off track without fault. Of the entries that were not able to clear the short course, two had refusals. An imposing wall set on a tight rollback turn became the bogey fence for the rest, dropping for six different pairs.