Megan McDermott and Nintendo Reach Next Level in $25,000 U.S. Bank Grand Prix
Megan McDermott is becoming the one to watch out for at Desert Circuit. After a win on Thursday, she came back feeling extra confident in her new desert kingdom and snatched the win in the $25,000 U.S. Bank Grand Prix aboard Nintendo, owned by Counter Balance LLC.
McDermott was one of four to jump clear over Ken Krome’s first-round track. She also had to jump off first of the four, but that was a task she was quite comfortable with aboard this specific horse.
“It was a very good jump-off in that it was hard and it was a course that if you start to slow down it would make it harder, so my plan was to get a big canter and keep on it,” McDermott explained of her strategy going in first. “If I tried to slow down in the turns I would just override my brain and not do that because I thought I’d be more likely to have a rail. I wasn’t as worried about being tight as I was being fast.”
Being fast was plenty to win the class, as she clocked in almost seven seconds faster than the only other double-clear, which was Cameron Trimino aboard Adalberto Audi Scappino, who won the Surrey U25 for the evening. Kyle King and Quidam’s Rose, owned by Greg Tomb, took third with just an unlucky rail down in the jump-off.
McDermott has been partnered with the 10-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Nintender x Chacco-Blue) for about three years, so they know each other well.
“He’s the horse in my barn I’ve had for the longest. I got him as a young 7-year-old and he’s my total heart horse,” she said of Nintendo. “He’s super quirky, he’s super weird, and he’s really spooky and does what you least expect, but I love him so much. He’s such a winner and such a partner. When I first tried him I loved him even though he had a lot of work to be done, but now it feels like he reeds my mind. He loves to jump and he loves to go fast.”
Israel’s Daniel Bluman actually had the horse early on in its career and advised McDermott when the partnership was just blooming. His advice still rings true to how she rides him today.
“I’ve been learning to go with him and stay relaxed in my body,” she explained of how she’s made it work with a more difficult ride. “I’ve also worked with Leo Rauscher who was here teaching the CTAcademy. He worked with us last winter training ways to communicate with him in the flatwork especially. If you think he’s going to spook at something, you should tell him you’re aware so he understands that you see what he sees and he can be okay with it.”
Now three times a winner, twice in feature classes during Desert Circuit 1, DIHP is feeling extra special for McDermott, on top of how much she enjoyed the venue to begin with.
“I was really excited to come here for the winter regardless and this week has been incredible,” she elaborated. “We’ve won three classes and the horses are just flying. They love the footing. To jump under the lights here was incredible. It’s super well lit and the horses really rose to the occasion. The management has also been so nice and clearly wants to make the show horse and rider friendly. It’s beyond comparison.”
Desert Circuit 1 concludes Sunday with the $10,000 Marshall & Sterling 1.40m Open Classic.
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