by KatyM, Community News

Spruce Meadows Continental: King rolls to Victory in the CN World Cup Qualifier

After being reunited with the 15 year-old Holsteiner stallion, Capone I last fall, Kyle King set his sights on a victory in the International Ring at Spruce Meadows. That plan almost came true yesterday.  King and Capone I certainly won one of the big classes at Spruce Meadows, the $125,000 CN Performance Grand Prix; it just wasn't in the International Ring. 

Kyle King and Capone I are back in sync. ©moranequinephoto.com

Capone I has come back a long way over the last few months. He had been the subject of an ownership dispute between his current owner, Corrine Super, and Douglas Spink who had been in prison for drug trafficking.  Spink removed Capone from Super's possession when he was paroled a couple of years ago.

While Capone I was in Spink's control, King had given up hope of even seeing the horse again, let alone competing with him at the international level.  

In the extreme see-saw ride that has been the pattern for Capone I, Super was once again able to gain legal possession of the horse when Spink violated his parole and was returned to prison last year.

As a result, King was offered the ride again, and now the pair have moved back up to the international level after some success this winter at Thermal. Yesterday's class showed the pair are back to fighting fitness.

The course was a tough one, appropriate for a World Cup Qualifier. Designed by Bob Ellis of Great Britain, it featured some technical distances and tests of scope.

Seven horse rider combinations progressed to the jump-off. Ian Millar, riding 11 year-old Star Power was the first around in the jump-off. He was clear, but settled for the pathfinder's careful round and had a good placing in third.

Ian Millar and Star Power had a clear round to finish in third.  ©moranequinephoto.com

King followed Millar in the order.   He therefore went early in the jump-off, which is usually seen as a disadvantage, but in this case, King was able to turn it to his benefit.    His quick, clear round caused some of the top riders in the world who followed him in the order to have rails, including McLain Ward and Antares F who finished in fourth place and Richard Spooner with Cristallo who ended in fifth.

McLain Ward and Antares F had the last rail down. ©moranequinephoto.com

Richard Spooner and Cristallo also had a rail down and were 0.09 of a second slower than Ward. ©moranequinephoto.com

Current Rolex world No. 1 rider, Eric Lamaze, riding his Olympic Gold medal partner, Hickstead, also gave it a good shot, but came up 0.51 of a second shy of King and Capone's time.

Lamaze and Hickstead just missed the time and had to settle for second place. ©moranequinephoto.com

Michael Whitaker riding Viking also had four faults for sixth place and niece Ellen Whitaker, riding Equimax Ocolado finished just behind him in seventh.



As sweet as this victory in CN World Cup Qualifier in the Meadows on the Green Arena was for King, now he can look forward to more chances to fulfill his vision of supremacy with Capone I in the International Arena as competition continues at Spruce Meadows this season.