Charlotte Jacobs and Playboy JT Z Make Moves in $75,000 Meijer CSI2* Grand Prix
The Great Lakes Equestrian Festival (GLEF) premiere week, presented by B&D Builders, came to a close on Sunday afternoon with the week’s featured $75,000 Meijer CSI2* Grand Prix. Twenty-seven riders took to course designer Ana Catalina Cruz’s (MEX) track, with eight returning for the short course. Proving to be uncatchable over the tie-breaking jump-off was Charlotte Jacobs (USA) and Playboy JT Z .
Jacob’s nine-year old gelding (Presley Boy x Plot Blue) is still developing in the grand prix ranks, but showed great promise at Flintfields Horse Park over the weekend as part of owner North Star’s young horse development program. The pair came in with a target time to beat of 37.06 seconds set by USA’s Cathleen Driscoll, ultimately cutting the timer beam at 36.88 seconds.
Jacobs, who was second in the Meijer Grand Prix in 2023 on Rincoola Milsean, came back for victory on her new mount. “Both horses I jumped today were nine-years-old and I’m still getting to know them,” said Jacobs of her winning mount and her second ride in the class, Instrumental. “I thought this course today was perfect for them. It rode well and you had to ride it properly.”
Jacobs and her team at North Star are stationed in Traverse City for the summer with 12 horses in her string. “This is my fourth summer here,” said Jacobs. “Each year we end up coming back for longer and longer. We’re here for four weeks, take a break in August, then return for the September shows.
I have two of my older horses here, one of which I’ll be aiming at the five-stars in September. Other than that, I have my younger horses here who are just moving up to the three-star level and this is really the perfect place for them to move up.”
Driscoll, who won the class in 2023, piloted Casaletto (Cascadello x Clinton I), owned by Plain Bay Farm, to second place. Taking third was USA’s Samatha Schaefer and James Bond HX (Douglas x Cash), owned by Bonne Chance LLC. The pair came close to Driscoll in a time of 37.13 seconds.
For the win, Jacobs was also presented with the Turnham Green Leading Lady Rider Award. The honor will be awarded each week throughout GLEF to the female rider who posts the best cumulative results in international classes throughout the week.
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