Tanner Korotkin and Volo's Diamond make their debut in Traverse City. Photo by Andrew Ryback Photography.
Young professional Tanner Korotkin entered the Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel International Ring for opening day of the 2021 Great Lakes Equestrian Festival with a new mount.
Aboard the 10-year-old Volo's Diamond, Korotkin, 19, navigated an easy clear in the 1.30m in Traverse City. Korotkin has officially acquired the ride on the talented grey gelding (Stakkatol x Baloubet du Rouet) for Sandalwood Farms. The duo will make their international debut in CSI2* competition at the Traverse City venue during GLEF II.
"I'm really excited. He's exactly the type of ride I like. He's forward—not necessarily a hotter type, but he likes to take you to the jump," Korotkin said. "He has all the scope in the world, and he's experienced but also somewhat of a younger horse."
Korotkin's employer Shane Sweetnam, set to represent Ireland at the upcoming Olympic Games in Tokyo, acquired Volo's Diamond last December for Triple S Farms and campaigned the grey with success up to the five-star level at the 2021 Winter Equestrian Festival. Before Sweetnam, Volo's Diamond was the ride of Poland's Przemyslaw Konopacki; the pair finished third in the World Cup Grand Prix at Olomouc in 2020.
"Shane was riding him throughout WEF, and he did him in some of the bigger classes with some good results," Korotkin said. "I had sold [former top mount] Country Boy and was looking for the next horse. We got a few sale horses to produce and sell, and then Shane thought [Volo's Diamond] might be a good match."
Korotkin had a career-best winter season in Wellington, recording top results at the Winter Equestrian Festival, including a win in the FEI Hermes U25 Welcome at WEF with Castlewood Farm's Deauville S. Deauville S remains a part of Korotkin's string; the speed specialist finished third in the CSI3* 1.45m at the Kentucky Spring Classic in May.
Korotkin used the early part of his summer to focus on developing some younger horses, including the 8-year-old Lyon and recent import Labalou. He now looks forward to getting to know Volo's Diamond and returning to international grand prix competition.
"I got so much valuable experience in the bigger classes with [Country Boy], and now I'm ready to confidently do more in those classes with a horse like Volo's Diamond," Korotkin said. "We haven't done much yet, but I'm hoping this is the right horse to achieve some new goals."