Jordan Coyle trusts Dutch blood to take WEF Challenge Cup victory

Jordan Coyle trusts Dutch blood to take WEF Challenge Cup victory
Jordan Coyle, 24, of Ireland followed his younger brother Daniel to Wellington, Florida, in 2017 and loved it so much that he never left. In his first week competing at the 2018 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF), Coyle picked up one of his biggest American wins to date, beating his brother and claiming the victory in the $35,000 Equinimity WEF Challenge Cup Round 1 aboard Andrew Kocher’s Eristov during the first of 12 weeks of competition at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center.

Thirty-five riders challenged Eric Hasbrouck’s course over 13 obstacles with 11 finishing clear and 10 horse-and-rider combinations electing to jump-off. Coyle and the 9-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding were quick and careful over the fences to finish with a clear round and jump-off time of 37.662 seconds. The pair partnered together in October 2017 with Eristov recently returning to the show ring and tackling 1.45m fences for the first time.

Todd Minikus of the United States followed just behind Coyle in a time of 37.999 seconds, riding Plain Bay Sales’ 12-year-old Hanoverian stallion, Victorio 5, to second place

Great Britain’s Emily Mason claimed third place on Explosion W, owned by Poden Farms, with a time of 39.008 seconds. Mason and the 9-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding recently partnered over the summer where they showed internationally throughout the year.