September 7, 2023 (Spruce Meadows) – The CANA Cup (1.55m) capped off competitions for Thursday of the Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’. Over 40 athletes stepped through the Clock Tower in hopes on adding their name to the historic CANA trophy – a piece of the Spruce Meadows Trophy Collection that has names dating back to 1977.
FEI Course Designer Leopoldo Palacios (VEN) built today’s track to be completed in a time of 72 seconds or less. The course utilized a few of the permanent obstacles on course including the open water and dry ditch.
Some of the best in the world are competing this week, and the results backed that up with fifteen jumping clear and advancing to the jump off.
Three of the fifteen qualified for the jump off elected to save their horses for another day. Today’s winner would still have to be clear and quick in order to make it to the winner’s circle.
The jump off clear rounds kept getting faster, but it was Richard Vogel (GER) aboard United Touch S who posted the fastest clear round in a time of 43.07s. Natalie Dean (USA) and Hans-Dieter Dreher (GER) rounded out the top three.
“They (the horses) come, through the clock tower, and they love it. They get taller and you know, they like to be in the arena. And luckily that was how United was today. He felt so great.” – Richard Vogel (GER) on his first time at Spruce Meadows and stepping through the Clock Tower.
