Edited Press Release
Santiago Lambre’s trip back to Traverse City for the Tournament of Champions is paying off. He’s found himself champion in two major classes so far during the first week. As one of the final pairs on course, the Brazilian rider took top honors in the $30,000 Traverse City National Grand Prix aboard Pampero, owned by Mario Onate.
Michel Vaillancourt (CAN) set the track for national athletes Saturday morning, and the course was welcoming while still presenting challenges for up-and-coming horses and riders. The first round saw nine clear to advance to the jump-off, where Lambre challenged the tiebreaker close to the end of the order.
Chris Ewanouski, with two qualified for the short course, set the pace early at 38.030 seconds aboard Condor du Valdecie, owned by Polo Jump LLC. No one could catch his time and keep the rails up, until Lambre set foot in the ring. With the 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Chacco Blue x Nekton), he left out strides and carried the pace around the entirety of the Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel International Ring and jumped to a time of 37.109 seconds.
Ewanouski returned with his second mount, Echo vh Gerendal Z, owned by Sky Group, putting in another clear effort and slotting into fourth, while Tanner Korotkin took third aboard the Sandalwood Farms entry Orwell SCF.
Lambre has had the ride on Pampero since early 2022 and is keen on the horse as a CSI5* prospect for the future. “He’s done very well this summer in the two-star grand prixs,” he remarked. “I jumped him in the national Grand Prix to prepare him next week for the [Silver Oak Jumper Tournament] three-star.”
Unlike his win Thursday in the CSI3* Speed, where he was first in the ring, Lambre had some time to see what others were doing and knew exactly what was required for the win Saturday morning. He was 12th in the starting order and third to last to come back for the jump-off, moving up in the order while Ewanouski warmed up his final horse. “I was at the end of the jump-off so I knew what to do,” Lambre continued. “I think from [fences] two to three I was quite fast. Number five, the oxer, was a nice angle and fast, and to the last, the turn was not too short but smooth and forward.”
Lambre has several mounts owned by Mario Onate that he thinks will perform at the top level, and Pampero was clearly a crowd favorite as the spectators cheered on his victory. “He was doing very well in Europe,” he said of Pampero. “The idea is to move him up to the five-star. It’s a sweet horse. I think it’s probably an option for the [American] Gold Cup.”
Final Results: $30,000 Traverse City National Grand Prix
1. Pampero / Santiago Lambre / Mario Onate / 0/0/37.109
2. Condor du Valdecie / Chris Ewanouski / Polo Jump LLC / 0/0/38.030
3. Orwell SCF / Tanner Korotkin / Sandalwood Farms / 0/0/39.259
4. Echo vh Gerendal Z / Chris Ewanouski / Sky Group / 0/0/42.840
5. ERP van www.olland.biz / Katia Manuel-Adams / Joan Van Gorkum / 0/4/38.189
6. Aquiles del Caribe Z / Nikko Ritter / Nikko Ritter / 4/38.702
7. Copycat / Lorcan Gallagher / Lost Lake Farm LLC / 0/4/40.568
8. Koblenz van de Vinusakker / Samuel Parot / Samuel Parot / 0/8/35.848
9. Nanking vd Donkhoeve / Filip de Wandel / Five Way Farm LLC / 0/19/62.011
10. Casey / Santiago Lambre / Mario Onate / 1/72.144
11. Irandole du Flot / Shane Sweetnam / Sweet Oak Farm / 4/69.165
12. Ennio de Lezellec / Hilary McNerney / Hilary McNerney / 5/72.445
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