Lauren Nicholson the Bridesmaid No More at MARS Bromont CCI
Lauren Nicholson, as she puts it, has “been the bridesmaid” more times than she can count at the CCI4*L level, but despite her tenure in the sport, she’s never caught the win before. That changed on Sunday at MARS Bromont CCI, riding Ms. Jacqueline Mars’ Larcot Z to the victory thanks to a flawless double clear show jumping round. Nicholson’s was the sole double clear round on a challenging course set by USA-based designer Brody Robertson. She finishes the weekend on a score of 41.9.
“It’s funny – I’ve been trying to win a four-long for a very long time,” Nicholson said. “This is actually my first. I’ve been second at a lot of things. And honestly, after yesterday, I’d a little bit resigned myself [that], if it went well, I’d be a bridesmaid again. I was like, ‘Probably gonna be second again!’”
For Nicholson, the win and receipt of the MARS Equestrian Trophy is a special one in many ways. Ms. Jacqueline Mars was in attendance this weekend to watch her horses run and support the event, and Nicholson was able to deliver this milestone win in front of her biggest supporter. She’s also partnered with a horse that she describes as very special, and the patience she’s used to produce him to this point has paid off well this weekend.
“I’ve always preferred producing my own, because I do always feel it’s really hard to pick up other people’s rides,” Nicholson elaborated. “Even when we get a new horse, even if you get on great and have some great results, it really takes two years before you feel like you know them and they feel like yours. And that’s if you get on really well. I always feel like if I get [a horse] that’s already been started, it’s my responsibility to take my time and tick each box so I make sure there’s not a missing piece before I get to the level.”
New Zealand’s Hayley Frielick moved into second place with her own Sportsfield Lumiere, lowering just one rail to finish on a score of 48.2. Sophia Middlebrook and Christa Schmidt’s Prontissimo round out the top three, finishing on a score of 57.5.
Canada topped the leaderboard in the CCI4*S with Jessica Phoenix taking home the win on Charlotte Schickedanz’s Freedom GS (above, and victory gallop at the bottom). Despite one rail lowered today (no pairs in this division collected double clear rounds), she completed the win on a score of 48.7. Phoenix is traveling to Germany next month to compete at CHIO Aachen, and notes that this win will prepare her well for a first trip to compete at the prestigious equestrian festival.
“I was so proud of her in show jumping,” Phoenix said. “Bromont is such a huge fitness test. There is nothing like Bromont anywhere in the world. So for her to come in and just show all of her heart and jump as well as she did [was amazing]. I just got a little close to the liverpool and was maybe a touch flat, but the rest of the course, she just was a superstar. I was so proud.”
“A huge shout out to our Canadian Eventing High Performance Group for having the vision to send us [to Aachen],” Phoenix continued. “And a huge thank you to our entire community for the fundraising efforts that they’ve put in into getting us this grant because it’s just fantastic that we have the opportunity prior to the World Championships for our entire team management to get there and just see the lay of the land, see how it runs, get confident and comfortable with everything. It’s something we’re really looking forward to and really thankful for our entire community for the opportunity.”
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