Marilyn Little and Clearwater maintained their winning streak for the week, this time in the $132,000 Horseware Ireland Grand Prix CSI 3* to highlight Tryon Summer IV competition, blazing through the short-course timers in 45.818 seconds last week.

Fernando Cardenas Jr. and Quincy Car, the 2004 Oldenburg stallion, claimed second after clearing the timers in 49.463 seconds, while Sydney Shulman and Villamoura, a 2009 Warmblood mare owned by Jill Shulman, finished third on a fast 43.939 second jump-off round with just the last rail down.

“He was really on fire in the first round,” Little said of the 2007 Holsteiner gelding, owned by Karen O’Connor. “He was very aggressive. He had a very fast class on Thursday, and as I said, I’ve just got him really strong and really fit coming in here and he was on fire tonight. He loves showing at night and he is a great night horse. He felt the energy and was totally amped when he walked in there, so I had a lot of horse on my hands.”

Following her win in the $35,000 1.50m Welcome Stake last week, Little credited Clearwater’s technical skill for their success and said that the same talent helped them prevail tonight.

“As I said the other day, my horse is really great at the technical aspect of things and he was just on this week and fresh and ready to go. What a fun week it was with him!”

Little, a multi-discipline athlete who is also preparing for September’s FEI World Equestrian Games Tryon 2018 as a member of the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team, revealed that continuing Clearwater’s jumping career is critical to her preparation. 

“I only have one eventing horse, so this is really how I stay sharp and all of my horses are my support team for the Eventing as well. I have to keep going with him and I need him, but I’m starting to find the balance for what’s right for him and it’s really paying off.” 

For full results from the $132,000 Horseware Ireland Grand Prix CSI 3*, people may visit tryon.coth.com.

– Submitted by Tryon International Equestrian Center