Delaney Flynn Keeps Her Cool for National Grand Prix Victory in Traverse City
With one horse left to jump behind her, Delaney Flynn of Park City, UT, was all business as she stepped into the Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel International Ring aboard Namamia to win the $30,000 Traverse City National Grand Prix on Saturday of Traverse City Horse Shows opening week.
The Spring Series, presented by Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel, continues through June 29 and features three weeks of FEI jumper competition, weekly hunter derbies, including the International Hunter Derby Regional Championships, in addition to the USHJA Green Hunter Incentive Championships and the Markel/USHJA Platinum & Zone Jumper Team Championships.
Six pairs advanced to the jump-off over course designer Guilherme Jorge’s (BRA) track, but no one could catch Flynn and Namamia, a 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare (Fantomas de Muze x Berlin). Their time of 41.176 seconds bumped Ireland’s David Blake to second on Conblue, owned by Pine Hollow Farm, in 43.408 seconds. Hunter Holloway took third in the irons of Koblenz for owner Sophie Heron by stopping the clock at 44.397 seconds.
When asked about her plan for the short course, Flynn noted, “I was questioning the inside turn to number six because the left lead can be weak, but John and I went over the plan and we stayed right in the air with my eye over number six and she jumped it amazingly. She was definitely tuned in today.
“Namamia’s biggest strength is that she’s dead brave,” continued Flynn, who rides full time for Johnathan and Christine McCrea’s Windsor Show Stables out of East Windsor, CT. “You could point her at anything, and she will jump it. We have a big grass field at home with natural obstacles that she loves popping around—she has a big heart.”
Mia—as the mare is known around the barn—campaigned to four- and five-star level in Europe. After jumping the CSIO5* Dublin Horse Show with Jessica Burke (IRL) in the tack, the mare found her way to Windsor Show Stables through a connection with Jonathan McCrea’s brother. Two years ago, she debuted in America as part of Christine McCrea’s string at the Traverse City Horse Shows.
“I love this horse. She’s my type; I like a smaller, quick ride,” explained Delaney, who took over the ride on Namamia just over a year ago. “She’s very scopey, so this was a nice class for her. I think it was good for her to take a breath and have fun before next week’s four-star.
“This is my favorite horse show,” continued Flynn of her summers spent at Flintfields Horse Park. “Every time we come here the horses feel amazing, they jump amazing and you can do two weeks in a row and they still feel just as good at the end. We are happy to be back—this was a good start for the first week.”
The Traverse City Spring Series opening week concludes on Sunday with the $117,000 Four G Surfaces CSI3* Grand Prix. To see complete results from the $30,000 Traverse City National Grand Prix, click here.
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