Daniel Coyle (IRL) and Oak Grove's Carlyle. Photo by tbird/Cealy Tetley
Langley, BC – As the 12 combinations took on the jump-off of the CSIO5* tbird Cup Saturday at Thunderbird Show Park, the standard got faster and faster.
But Daniel Coyle (IRL) admitted, his mount Oak Grove's Carlyle isn't always a fan of picking up the pace.
"He doesn't like to go fast. He's a strange horse that way," he said. "You kind of have to not ask him to go too fast too soon."
So, he waited to hit the gas until after the second element of Peter Holmes' (CAN) shortened 1.50m track. And he never looked back.
Coyle and Ariel Grange's 14-year-old Holsteiner gelding topped a swift standard set by Tanner Korotkin (USA) and Ideal to take the win in the program feature of the Odlum Brown BC Open's penultimate day of competition. The pair crossed the finish timers in 37.16 seconds; Korotkin settled for second (37.29), with Mario Deslauriers (CAN) and Emerson, third (37.98).
"In one year, I've had more ranking class placings on him than any horse I've had," Coyle said.
Coyle, who for the past several years has spent his summer seasons working under the tutelage of Olympic, World Equestrian Games and European Championships individual gold medalist Jeroen Dubbeldam (NED), acquired Oak Grove's Carlyle at the recommendation of Dubbeldam last summer. The pair topped Saturday's jump-off with two exceptionally tight turns, one back to an oxer midway through the shortened track and the other to the final vertical. The track was so efficient, Coyle didn't even attempt a forward leave-out taken by his competitors in the penultimate line.
With plenty of scope in reserve, the gelding is not phased or bothered by much; he simply prefers a more casual approach, both on course and in the barn.
"I thought maybe I [could] train him a little faster at home on the gallops," Coyle said. "He just doesn't like it. He loves treats. He loves going easy and being played with.
"I [ask him to go faster] nicely," he said. "Then you can be really tight to jumps."
Photo by tbird/Quinn Saunders
$37,200 CSIO5* tbird Cup
Place / Horse / Rider / Team / Nationality / Owner / Faults / Time / Jump-Off Time
1. Oak Grove's Carlyle / Daniel Coyle / IRL / Ariel Grange 0/0 37.16
2. Ideal / Tanner Korotkin / USA / Castlewood Farm, Inc. & Sandalwood Farms / 0/0 37.29
3. Emerson / Mario Deslauriers / CAN / Wishing Well Farm, LLC / 0/0 37.98
4. Cherokee / Emma Marlowe / USA / Trelawny Farm, LLC / 0/0 38.03
5. Chardonnay / Robert Blanchette / IRL / RTS, LLC / 0/0 40.63
6. Vienna / Tiffany Foster / CAN / Artisan Farms, LLC / 0/0 42.95
7. Beneficial / Alicia Gadban-Lewis / CAN / Alicia Gadban-Lewis / 0/0 43.58
8. Holliewood / Shane Sweetnam / IRL / Triple S Group / 0/4 38.60
9. Enzo / Kyle King / USA / Seabright Investment Consultants, Inc. / 0/4 39.47
10. Brighton / Tiffany Foster / CAN / Artisan Farms, LLC / 0/4 40.27