Joie Gatlin (USA) and Koddac van het Indhof. Photo ©tbird/Quinn Saunders
Joie Gatlin (USA) knows 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding Koddac van het Indihof well, but until earlier this month, it had been more than a year since they’d been partnered as a horse-and-rider combination.
Gatlin is enjoying getting reacquainted with the veteran gelding, and everything came together for her with a win in the CSI3* tbird 1.35m.
The pair were more than three seconds best over Anderson Lima’s (BRA) jump-off track. Katie Kruger (CAN) and Chic Bonita 7 finished second (43.91 seconds), with Braden James (CAN) and GK Caamp third (44.36) in the five-horse jump-off.
“I got a good pace to the first jump and kept going to the second, bent out a little to the third [jump] and to the fourth vertical” Gatlin said. “I think my favorite part was my turn to the vertical-vertical double. He was right there with me. I landed and I just felt him there. I was super tight, and he really paid attention and jumped that good and then just stayed so smooth.”
Gatlin first scouted Koddac for U25 rider Chandler Meadows (USA) in 2020, and the pair jumped to success at the international level up to 1.50m. But as Meadows’ string grew and she began to travel more, she thought Koddac would be better suited with a west coast base, with Gatlin.
“Rob [Chandler’s father] and Chandler pow-wowed, and then we all decided that he’d come back out west [from Wellington, FL], and I would take the ride on him and see what we could do,” Gatlin said. “I think ultimately he would be for sale, but for now we’re just getting him in gear and jumping around and having some fun. He was awesome.”
Gatlin plans to remain at tbird for next week’s Summer Fort Festival CSI2* and appreciated the opportunity to have the international 1.35m division added to the show schedule.
“It’s super that they have the extra FEI divisions,” she said. “I think it’s really good for horses and riders to practice FEI and get their feet wet in the 1.35m. For us, it’s fortunate, because we’re kind of getting to know each other and rebuilding and getting some miles together. It’s a perfect division [for that].”
Joie Gatlin (USA) and Koddac van het Indhof stand for the winner’s presentation. Photo ©tbird/Quinn Saunders
$1500 tbird 1.35m
Kodacc van het Indihof / Joie Gatlin / USA / Chandler Meadows / 0/0 40.68
Chic Bonita 7/ Katie Kruger / CAN / Caledonia Stables / 0/0 43.91
GK Caamp / Braden James / CAN / Stump Lake Ranch and Cattle Co Ltd / 0/0 44.36
WH Contiago / Madison Sproule / CAN / Madison Sproule / 0/0 47.41
Quibbela Bee / Jenna Brownjohn / CAN / Natasha Muckova / 0/4 47.67
Cameron Diaz 5 / Guillermo Obligado / ARG /Milberry Farm LLC / 1 82.05
Quidamo F / Kara Chad / CAN / Kara Chad / 3 84.63
Zamira Z / Isauro Flores / CAN / Isauro Flores / 4 79.82
Nixon vd Bisschop / Bonnee James / CAN / Bonnee James / 4 80.5
Cooper GT / Katrina Montinola / USA / Katrina Montinola / 8 78.08
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