Uma O鈥橬eill held her breath as the final horses jumped the first round of the $145,000 CSI4*-W Longines FEI Jumping World Cup in 91原创, presented by Facet Advisors, and she did not exhale until final competitor Eduardo Menezes (BRA) pulled a rail. Then, she was exuberant.
O鈥橬eill, 23, from the U.S.A. and Clockwise of Greenhill Z won the class as the only pair to produce a clear first round. She and the 11-year-old Zangersheide stallion did not have to jump-off and recorded the first World Cup qualifying victory of their respective careers Sunday.
鈥淚鈥檓 ecstatic,鈥� O鈥橬eill said. 鈥淚 just went out and gave it everything I could today, and asked a little bit extra of myself and my horse, and it really paid off.鈥�
Defending champion Conor Swail of Ireland and Rubens La Silla, who also won Thursday鈥檚 $75,000 CSI4*-W Maui Jim Welcome, finished second. Juan Jose Zendejas Salgado of Mexico and Tino la Chapelle finished third.
O鈥橬eill excelled with a superior effort from her mount, who fought through the challenging Longines triple combination and a six-strided line to an oxer that followed. She and her mount jumped second in the field of 30, and their clear round held鈥攁lbeit with some anxiety for the rider鈥攖hroughout the remainder of the class.
O鈥橬eill was especially emotional to record her win at tbird, which was where she was when her winning partner was imported four years ago.
鈥淲e got him as a seven-year-old,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e actually got him imported as when we were (at a tbird show) in August. He is such a good stallion. I just love him.鈥�
The emotion was similarly felt by Thunderbird President Jane Tidball, who hosted the World Cup event for the fourth time.
鈥淚t鈥檚 our 45th anniversary,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 think my mom and dad, George and Dianne Tidball would be incredibly pleased to have a World Cup event here at Thunderbird鈥攚hich, we鈥檝e had a very successful one. I always think of them when things go well. I鈥檓 sure they are all keeping an eye us down here.鈥�
The North American League continues with the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup New York on Sept. 30.
