Tag Archives: Daniel Coyle

Competitions, Show Jumping

Irish Flag Flies for Daniel Coyle on Final Day of CSIO4* Competition at WEF

Daniel Coyle & Ivory TCS. Photo © Sportfot.

A blink would have missed Ireland’s Daniel Coyle and Ivory TCS in the $226,000 JTWG, Inc. CSIO4* Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon during the IDA Development sponsored Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) Week 8 at Wellington International. The 28-year-old stole the win mounted on Dutch-bred Ivory TCS, a 10-year-old mare (Falaise de Muze x Ukato) Coyle owns together with Ariel Grange’s Canadian-based Lothlorien Farm.

Four horses battled for blue in a jump-off speed duel over a course designed by Anthony D’Ambrosio (USA). Returning second, Coyle watched Beth Underhill (CAN) pull two rails and was conscious of fellow Americans Lacey Gilbertson and McLain Ward packing a double punch of speed behind him.

“I had to leave very little room, give them something to chase, but not leave very much,” he said before stopping the jump-off clock at 38.06 seconds over the short course. “I think I was beatable but there wasn’t much of a gap, which was my plan. Ivory is a very fast horse in every jump-off. She might take two extra strides than a big horse, but that doesn’t mean she’s necessarily slower because she does it so fast.”

Wellington International
news@wellingtoninternational.com
www.wellingtoninternational.com

Competitions, Equinium Sports Mktg., Show Jumping

Daniel Coyle Delivers Again with Win in $5,000 1.30m Rising Star Classic aboard Jasper

Daniel Coyle and Jasper (Photo by Equinium)

Loxahatchee Groves, FL (February 10, 2023) – Daniel Coyle answered his cousin’s back-to-back Grand Prix victories with back-to-back Rising Star victories. On Wednesday the Irishman piloted Ariel Grange’s Jasper to a wire-to-wire victory, proving untouchable against a field of more than thirty competitors in The Ridge at Wellington Groves’ $5,000 1.30m Rising Star Classic. The win during the first day of Week 5 marks Coyle’s second consecutive victory in the Classic, while his cousin Jordan Coyle marked his second consecutive Grand Prix win at The Ridge during Week 4.

Coyle was the first rider to go in Wednesday’s $5,000 1.30m Rising Star Classic, and his double clear effort and jump-off time of 36.650 seconds stood the entire day despite fierce opposition. The only two riders to come within a second of his time were Lola Head aboard Adelita (37.352s) and Rupert Winklemann aboard Omar van de Hunters (37.508s).

For more, visit www.RidgeShowJumping.com.

Competitions, Equinium Sports Mktg., Show Jumping

Daniel Coyle and Amalia Swoop In to Claim Victory in Week 4’s $5k 1.30m Rising Star Classic

Daniel Coyle and Amalia.

Loxahatchee Groves, FL (February 3, 2023) – Daniel Coyle and the sporty, spotty bay mare Amalia were the last to go and the fastest pair in Wednesday’s $5,000 1.30m Rising Star Classic. The pair edged out two previous jump-offs to win the class, and with just tenths of a second separating the three.

Coyle, an internationally acclaimed show jumper representing Ireland, was contested by Abbygale Funk and Ryan Sassmannshausen over the course designed by Jaime Morillo. Sassmannshausen was an early double clear effort, galloping around the jump-off in 38.814 seconds. His round stood most of the day, until Abbygale Funk and Alastor edged them out by less than a tenth of a second, flying through the timers in 38.806 seconds. Coyle, however, would establish his dominance with the nimble Amalia, taking an amazingly tight inside turn to the final vertical to post a time of 38.039 seconds and win the class.

Coyle and Amalia have been successful up through the FEI level and the Irish rider stated that the course at The Ridge was a great warmup for the future FEI rounds they had planned during their 2023 Wellington show season. Coyle and his cousin, Jordan, have won multiple titles over the years at The Ridge.

Funk, an aspiring U25 Grand Prix rider, is new to The Ridge’s events this year, having discovered them during USEF Equitation Tuesdays in 2022. “I had two great rounds over the lovely course here at The Ridge,” said Funk. “It’s an amazing chance to show at the Grand Prix level while also still being able to develop the horses and prepare for bigger classes.”

For more, visit www.RidgeShowJumping.com.

Championships, FEI, Show Jumping

Ireland Cruises in Canada

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Andrew Bourns (IRL) riding Seatop Blue (FEI/Mackenzie Clark)

As the rain began to fall on course for the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ of Canada, the Irish felt right at home.

Langley, British Columbia’s Thunderbird Show Park hosted six teams for the final leg of the North and Central America and Caribbean division of the Nations Cup series, but none could put enough pressure on the four-man squad of Daniel Coyle (Legacy), Shane Sweetnam (James Kann Cruz), Andrew Bourns, and Conor Swail (Count Me In). Led by Chef d’Equipe Michael Blake, the group finished on just five faults. It was a closer race for the remaining podium placings, as Mexico rallied for second (13 faults) ahead of Australia (22).

“You’ve got to be careful — for me anyway — in the Nations Cup not to get too complacent in the second round. We had a great first round, but a lot of other teams got stronger in the second round. We had to come back just as strong,” said Bourns.

Peter Holmes’ technical 1.60m track offered little breathing room, which led to rails falling throughout his winding course. As other teams struggled to crack the code to a clear round, Ireland quickly pulled ahead, finishing the first round with just four faults against them and two rails in hand. The group would only draw off in the second round, as Coyle improved upon a four-fault score to jump clear and Bourns produced one of just two double-clear efforts on the day aboard Seatop Blue. When Sweetnam added just a single time fault aboard his exciting 9-year-old James Kann Cruz, it clinched the win for the team. Team anchor and World No. 5 Swail did not even need to jump a second round with his partner from the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Finals, Count Me In, despite Mexico adding just 1 fault to their total in Round 2.

“Obviously we have got good depth, and I’m so lucky to have such a good bunch of people,” Blake said. “It’s very easy to drive a good car, and we’ve got one here.”

Ireland has made the podium in every Nations Cup event at the venue since 2017, including a 2018 victory. Swail and Coyle were on that squad and bookended their teammates, who delivered with meaningful mounts. James Kann Cruz excelled in the Irish Sport Horse gelding’s Nations Cup debut, while Bourns recorded his first Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ victory with a horse that his parents picked out as a foal.

“My father is here, so it’s a real family affair,” Bourns said. “I have to say, [Seatop Blue] is just as part of the family as I am.”

FULL RESULTS

By Catie Staszak

FEI Media Contact:

Shannon Gibbons
Manager Press Relations
shannon.gibbons@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 46

Competitions, HITS, Show Jumping

Daniel Coyle and Legacy Dominate Great American $500k Grand Prix at HITS Ocala

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Daniel Coyle and Legacy.

Ocala, Fla. – March 27, 2022 – Crowds filled the stands at the HITS Ocala Stadium on Sunday afternoon to watch the world’s top athletes compete in the Great American $500,000 Grand Prix, featuring the biggest show jumping purse in the United States. The day concluded with a thrilling 10-horse jump-off featuring athletes from representing six countries. In the end, it was Ireland’s Daniel Coyle and Legacy who out raced the other riders, claiming the biggest check in the country. Kristen Vanderveen (USA) and Bull Run’s Risen earned the second-place prize, while Rowan Willis (AUS) and Billy Guilder placed third.

“I did my first ever five-star Nations Cup here many years ago, so I always have a good feeling about [HITS Ocala],” expressed Coyle. “Today I showed that. It’s an amazing big arena, with nice jumps, prize money and people come. It’s as good as [anywhere in the world]. My other horses weren’t going to plan [in Wellington] so I decided not to use Legacy. Jordan [Coyle] said there’s a very good class in Ocala, so I decided, ‘Perfect; I’ll go there,’ and luckily I won!”

Course designer Marina Azevedo (BRA) built a large and technical track that used the expansive HITS Stadium to challenge horse and rider combinations from start to finish. Rails fell throughout the course, including through a yellow and white oxer-vertical-oxer triple combination with a bending ling to a triple bar and a delicate vertical. Athletes finished over the final line that featured two of the biggest oxers of the course before they galloped to the tall vertical towards the gate.

“It was a very good group,” noted Azevedo. “I was expecting eight clear, but the footing was so good and the horses were jumping so well. This ring is very nice because it’s very level, so we don’t have to go up and down, which is very good for everybody.”

The field of 46 starters was whittled down to just 10 to return for the tiebreaker. The jump-off featured two tight rollbacks, a vertical-oxer double from the original triple combination and a long gallop to the final oxer. Jordan Coyle (IRL) was the second to return and set the Great American time to beat with Ariso, after leaving all the rails intact and breaking the beam in 39.998 seconds.

Jordan’s brother Daniel was next in the ring with Legacy, and after watching his brother’s round he knew exactly what he needed to do to win. Leaving out a stride in the first line and taking a tight roll back to the next vertical, he then headed home, slicing the Great American vertical before racing to the final oxer on the course. He never touched a rail and crossed the finish line in a speedy 38.526 seconds to go straight to the top of the leaderboard.

“I would say I had a big advantage today,” said Daniel. “I was third in the jump off, but already Jordan had as good a round as you probably could have, so that put pressure on me to go as fast as I could. Thankfully that paid off because if he hadn’t done that, I maybe wouldn’t have put as much pressure on myself!”

Vanderveen produced the next clear round with Bull Run’s Risen, attempting to catch Daniel’s time with a very direct approach to the Great American vertical, but she was less than a second shy of top spot, stopping the clock at 39.148 seconds for the second-place position.

“I didn’t get to see [Daniel] go, but I did see his time,” said Vanderveen. “The jump off was really nice with the amount of open running, which works for the big horse that I have, and also a nice left turn and right turn. It’s great to have it on both sides, so I tried to use it to my advantage, and it worked out.”

Willis stepped into the HITS Stadium with Billy Guilder and also had his eye on the top of the leaderboard. He made a smooth and tight rollback after the second fence and galloped quickly to the oxer after the double combination, but his time was not quite good enough to catch the leaders. He left all the rails in their cups, but his time of 39.520 would rank third, just ahead of Jordan. The remaining riders were unable to top the four leaders, and it was Daniel who returned to the ring to lead the lap of honor.

“Going behind [Daniel and Kristen], there wasn’t much left to do, just pray and hope,” admitted Willis. “I managed to beat one Coyle brother, but not the other! I was really happy with my horse. He tried his heart out and went as fast as he possibly could today. It was a great course, always a good competition here, great jumping, and I am looking forward to the next one.”

Daniel and Legacy, a 12-year-old Zangersheide mare owned by Ariel Grange, are already looking ahead for 2022, aiming to represent Ireland at the 2022 World Equestrian Games.

“Legacy has been an amazing horse for me and has done all of the divisions,” he noted. “I did European Championships last year with a top ten finish. I’ve only jumped three, maybe four, bigger classes this year. I haven’t been saving her, but I’m trying not to use everything in the start of the year. I’m hoping that she goes to the World Equestrian Games and hopefully she does something there.”

For more results and information, visit HitsShows.com.

Competitions, Show Jumping, Tryon

Daniel Coyle and Legacy Leap to $137,000 ESI Footing Grand Prix CSI 3* Win

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Daniel Coyle and Legacy ©TIEC/Natalie Suto.

Mill Spring, NC – October 23, 2021 – Daniel Coyle (IRL) and Legacy danced across the Tryon Stadium to a victory in the $137,000 ESI Footing Grand Prix CSI 3* at Tryon International Equestrian Center & Resort (TIEC). Following close behind in second place with a jump-off time of 35.676 seconds was Ali Wolff (USA) and Casall, the 2005 Holsteiner gelding (Casall x Capitol l) owned by Blacklick Bend Farm. Santiago Lambre (BRA) and Comtess 202, his own 2011 Westphalian mare (Comme II Faut 5 x Pilot), finished with third place honors with a clear round and a time of 35.956 seconds in the second round.

Thirty-nine riders tackled the Olaf Petersen Jr. (GER) course design, with 11 riders qualifying for the shortened second round. Coyle and the 2010 Zangersheide mare (Chippendale Z x Bon Ami) co-owned by Coyle and Ariel Grange stopped the second-round clock at 34.684 seconds to earn their win. As one of the last riders to compete in the jump-off, Coyle knew he had to be speedy to top Wolff’s leading time.

He noted, “Ali was fast, and when I saw Santiago didn’t beat her, I thought, ‘She’s very fast!’ My plan was to try and do all the numbers correctly without going wild. From the first line, everything showed up really well for me. If there was a big risk tonight [to win], I wasn’t going to take it, so thankfully everything came up smoothly for me.”

Two years ago, Coyle and Legacy won the $73,000 Lugano Diamonds Grand Prix 2* at TIEC while the mare was still quite green to international competition, and they have only improved since then. “Legacy has done a lot since we were last here,” Coyle recapped. “I always thought she was a championship horse, [even when we were here] the last time and she was a little green.”

After competing in Europe over the summer, the duo was prepared to take on the stiff competition during the 2021 Tryon Fall Series. “Sure, this is a step down from the Europeans, but tonight wasn’t easy, and the jump-off was pretty fast,” he acknowledged.

Coyle will stay at TIEC for the Washington International Horse Show presented by MARS Equestrian next week to close out his competition season. Ending his show year on a high note, Coyle expressed his gratitude to his team and to TIEC. “It’s a great facility and a great place,” he said with a smile. “It’s also a good place to finish the year.”

For more info and results, visit www.Tryon.com.

Championships, Competitions, Hunter/Equitation, Kentucky Horse Shows, Show Jumping

Daniel Coyle and Legacy Win $137k Hagyard Lexington Grand Prix CSI3*

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Lexington, KY – May 15, 2021 – The penultimate day of the kick-off week to the 2021 Kentucky Horse Shows series welcomed international show jumping competitors to the famed Rolex Arena Saturday, May 15. As the highly anticipated event of the Kentucky Spring Horse Show (KSHS), the $137,00 Hagyard Lexington Grand Prix CSI3* invited a field of 43 international horse-and-rider combinations to vie for the lion’s share of the purse. The competitive field of experienced contenders gathered with their sights set on closing out the evening with a win. It was a fight for a double-clear finish, but it was ultimately Ireland’s Daniel Coyle and Ariel Grange’s Legacy to notch yet another first place during their trip to Lexington to claim the coveted spot in the winner’s circle.

Mythical Carries Becky Gochman To Grand Amateur-Owner Hunter Champion

Amateur-Owner riders took to the StoneLea Ring Saturday morning at the Kentucky Horse Park to vie for the title of Grand Amateur-Owner Hunter Champion. Awarded to the competitor with the most points accumulated in the Amateur-Owner 3’6”, Amateur-Owner 3’3” 18-35, and the Amateur-Owner 3’3” 36+ Hunter divisions, Becky Gochman and Mythical were the pair to come out on top to be crowned Grand Amateur-Owner Hunter Champion.

For more information, please visit www.kentuckyhorseshows.com.

Competitions, Show Jumping, Wellington Turf Tour

Coyle Cousins Capture Turf Tour 11 Grand Prix

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Wellington, FL (March 21, 2021) – Two Irish cousins made impressive work of Friday’s $15,000 1.40m Turf Tour Grand Prix jump-off, executing a number of tight rollback turns and angled jumps in an attempt to get through the timers before the clock read 30 seconds. Jordan Coyle and Centriko Volo were the ultimate winners, delivering in 29.587 seconds. His cousin from the Emerald Isle, Daniel Coyle, was hot on his heels aboard Lisaniska Cool Quality, finishing on 30.315. As the final event of the year set on Black Watch’s beautiful grass field, Turf Tour 11’s St. Patrick’s week proved to be a fantastic event for show jumpers of all levels.

Black Watch’s Grand Prix course on Friday included a triple bar, blue arched wall, oxer to skinny combination, triple combination, and a few bending lines and rollbacks that encouraged riders to turn quick and shave off seconds at the risk of dropping rails. The jump-off was similar, with the triple bar to oxer line to start, followed by a roll back to the prestige vertical, long gallops to another few oxer vertical combinations, and a final roll back and gallop to the final vertical. The first double clear by Alex Granato and Disco Superfly ended at 32.986, Jordan Coyle’s 29.587 second jump-off was hotly contested, with his cousin Daniel, Ashlee Bond, Mark Reid, Chloe Reid, Kim Farlinger, and Wednesday’s Rising Star winner, Kayla Savard, all attempting to catch him. However, Jordan’s time prevailed, and as a long-time rider on the Turf Tour, he regularly brings multiple horses to show and train at The Ridge’s various beautiful weekly venues.

For full results, visit www.HorseShowing.com.

For more info, visit www.RidgeShowJumping.com.

*Featured/Spotlights, FEI, Show Jumping

Coyle Bookends 2019/2020 North American League with Wins in Ocala

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Daniel Coyle (IRL) and Farrel. (FEI/Shannon Brinkman)

Daniel Coyle (IRL) finished the 2019/2020 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ North American League the same way he started it — with a victory.

After beginning the season with a win in Vancouver (CAN), Coyle rode Farrel to the top of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Ocala (USA), besting an eight-horse jump-off. The duo crossed the timers of Olaf Petersen, Jr.’s (GER) shortened course in 37.05 seconds. Margie Engle (USA) and Dicas finished second with a 37.37-second time, while Adrienne Sternlicht (USA) and Cristalline finished third in 37.96 seconds.

“I think everything was going really well until the last turn. I had a little slip there, and I thought everything was going great until that point. I thought, ‘Have I lost it?’” Coyle detailed. “When I went through the finish and [saw] that I was able to catch the [leaders] — both of them have fantastic horses and are fantastic riders as well — I was delighted to beat them!”

Last to go and Engle to beat, Coyle executed a very different plan than the then-leader. Engle used Dicas’ massive stride to her advantage, while Coyle relied on Farrel’s swift turning, along with a sheer will to win.

“[Farrel] is a very small horse. He doesn’t have as big a jump as most horses, but he just believes he’s one of the best. Belief always overdoes talent, and he obviously has loads of that as well, but it’s his way, and he can do things that other horses can’t do.” — Daniel Coyle (IRL)

The victory secured Coyle a place in the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final, which will take place in Las Vegas (USA), 15-19 April 2020. The appearance would mark Coyle’s first in a championship.

“In the middle of last year, [my team] decided to try and aim for the [Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final]. Until today, it seemed we didn’t have enough points. It’ll be my first World Cup Final, and I’m really looking forward to it.”

Sternlicht finishes the season atop the east coast standings with 61 points, one more than Elizabeth “Beezie” Madden (USA) with 60 points. Brian Moggre (USA) is third in the standings with 56 points.

Karl Cook (USA) sits atop the west coast standings with 59 points. Jenni McAllister (USA), who finished seventh in Ocala, moved into second with 40 points, one ahead of Alex Granato (USA), who has 39 points.

FULL RESULTS

By Catie Staszak

FEI Media Contact:

Shannon Gibbons
Manager Press Relations
shannon.gibbons@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 46

Competitions, Show Jumping, Tryon

Daniel Coyle and Legacy Shine in the $72,000 Lugano Diamonds Grand Prix CSI 2*

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Daniel Coyle and Legacy ©Sportfot.

Mill Spring, NC – October 26, 2019 – Daniel Coyle (IRL) and Legacy claimed the $72,000 Lugano Diamonds Grand Prix CSI 2* at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) at Tryon Resort, stopping the jump-off timers in a time of 35.34 seconds. Richie Moloney (IRL) and Equinimity LLC’s Rocksy Music, a 2008 Irish Sport Horse gelding (Ars Vivendi x Diamond Serpent), sped around the short course in a time of 36.024 seconds to earn second, with Mark Bluman (COL) and Cartouche, a 2007 Silla Argentina stallion (unknown x unknown) owned by Daniel Bluman and Over the Top Stables LLC, rounding out the podium on a time of 36.374 seconds.

The Anthony D’Ambrosio (USA) course design saw 56 pairs contest the first round, with 15 entries challenging the jump-off. “It was a very good course. It was challenging enough, and it wasn’t very simple,” Coyle detailed. “There were lots of places to make errors, and it was a good track. Although there were lots of clear rounds, it didn’t walk that way, and I didn’t think it would have that many.

“I watched the first few go in the jump-off, and I had already planned seven strides from one to two, which was far away and very big, but she has a very big stride,” Coyle said of the 2010 Zangersheide mare (Chippendale Z x Bon Ami) owned by Ariel Grange. “You didn’t want to be too tight back to the liverpool, and then the last three jumps were really just off your eye, so it was the beginning of the course and the related distances where I probably made up the most time.”

Although Legacy is still green, Coyle shared that he has very high hopes for her and has been bringing her along to the higher levels this year. “This horse is very, very special and I think she’s a real contender for the Olympics next year. Ariel [Grange] and I made the decision a few years ago to buy her for the top, top level, and every time we ask her to do something, she proves herself. Next year we’re hoping is going to be a big year for her.”

The pair has had success at Spruce Meadows and in young horse competition at Dublin, and Coyle noted that he’s been “saving her” for fall and winter competition culminating in her win in Tryon Stadium:

“She hasn’t done much this year – our biggest achievement was jumping at The Masters at Spruce Meadows as my second horse, but still, that’s very big jumping there! She didn’t do much since then until now, but we’ve been saving her a little bit for next year. I don’t want to do too much this year. Every time we ask her to do it, she does it,” Coyle emphasized. “Next year is a big year, and we’re going to ask her to step up to a big level. We’ll start doing bigger classes and CSI 5*s in Florida this winter. But I’m happy we’ve given her this time this year to produce and come to this level on her own.”

To learn more, visit www.Tryon.com.