Switzerland’s Martin Fuchs and his mount, Faberlys, owned by SPCS, topped a 39-horse field to win the $50,000 CaptiveOne Advisors 1.50m Grand Prix on Saturday afternoon in the International Ring.
Of those 39 entries, six navigated the first round, Steve Stephens-designed track without fault to advance to the jump-off, where Fuchs had what he considered the advantage of returning second to last. With the time to beat set at 44.14 seconds by Canada’s Tiffany Foster and Caipiranja, owned by Artisan Farms, LLC, Fuchs elected to go for it, shaving nearly two seconds off of Foster’s time to finish in 42.22 seconds for the win. Foster’s time held up for second place, while third place with a time of 44.77 seconds went to David Blake of Ireland riding Keoki for owner Pine Hollow Farm.
Martin Fuchs and Faberlys. Photo © Sportfot.
“I didn’t really know how quick Adrienne Sternlicht after me would be,” said Fuchs, who is currently ranked 11th in the world. “I thought, ‘Okay, I’ll go for it.’ I tried not only to beat the first one, but also to take some seconds off of them.”
Fuchs’s plan proved a success, garnering Faberlys another top result in a string of recent successes, including a third-place finish in Thursday’s $25,000 ProElite® 1.45m Jumper Classic.
“He’s just stepping up into the bigger level, so that’s obviously a very nice feeling,” said Fuchs of the nine-year-old gelding by Cornet Obolensky, the same sire as Fuchs’s top mount, Clooney. “Since he’s been over here in America, he’s jumped one clear after another. He won at The Ridge, the national grand prix there; he was fifth place in the last national grand prix [at WEF] on the derby field, and he won today!”
Fuchs has had the ride on Faberlys for only eight months but is excited for the future with the young horse, particularly following the gelding’s continued success at WEF.
“We meshed quick enough, but it really clicked when I brought him over here,” said Fuchs. “It’s been really good for him, especially because you get to show as much as you want and in whatever classes you want to. I started him the first week in the 1.35m and realized right away he’s good. Then the next class he won already; I kept stepping him up.
Martin Fuchs and Faberlys joined by Laura Southard of CaptiveOne Advisors and ringmaster Steve Rector. Photo © Sportfot
“It was a pretty big course today, especially for a national class, but we could expect it already after Thursday which was a tough class,” continued Fuchs. “Today was even bigger and more money in it, so I kind of knew what was waiting for us, so that’s why I’m even happier to bring such a young horse that’s inexperienced in this level and to win in front of good riders like McLain. Now [Faberlys] is going to have a break for two weeks. Then I come back for Week 11 and 12, and we’re here showing again.”
Final Results: $50,000 CaptiveOne Advisors 1.50m Grand Prix
1 FABERLYS: 2010 gelding by Cornet Obolensky
MARTIN FUCHS (SUI), SPCS: 0/0/42.22
2 CAIPIRANJA: 2008 Belgian Warmblood mare by Taran dl Pomme x Darco
TIFFANY FOSTER (CAN), Artisan Farms, LLC: 0/0/44.14
3 KEOKI: 2009 Holsteiner gelding by Catoki x Cassini I
DAVID BLAKE (IRL), Pine Hollow Farm: 0/0/44.77
4 OASIS SPIRIT: 2010 Irish Sport Horse mare by Cobra
AMANDA DERBYSHIRE (GBR), Amanda Derbyshire: 0/0/45.13
5 RAPIDASH: 2010 Zangersheide gelding by Chaqui Z x Lancelot
MCLAIN WARD (USA), McLain Ward: 0/4/44.87
6 CADANS Z: 2009 Zangersheide mare by Carosso VDL x Navarone
ADRIENNE STERNLICHT (USA), Starlight Farms 1, LLC: 0/16/61.48
7 TOY BOY: 2008 BCP gelding
JORGE MATTE CAPDEVILA (CHI), Jorge Matte Capdevila: 3/76.55
8 SX HIDALGO VG: 2007 Belgian Warmblood gelding by Quadrillo x Andiamo
LORENZO DE LUCA (ITA), Stephex Stables: 4/67.01
9 COLUMBCILLE DE REVE: 2008 Irish Sport Horse mare by Hermes de Reve x Errigal Flight
NICHOLAS DELLO JOIO (USA), Crooks Show Jumping LLC: 4/70.92
10 FIREWALL: 2010 KWPN gelding by Lexicon x Padinus
THEO GENN (USA), Eduardo Leon: 4/71.40
11 A TOUTE VITESSE: 2010 KWPN gelding by Arthos R x Lancelot
PAIGE JARDINE (AUS), FJ Equine, LLC: 4/71.98
12 FARRERO: 2010 gelding by Boss x Indorado
RODRIGO PESSOA (BRA), Hillside Farm, LLC: 4/72.39