Cathleen Driscoll Can’t Stop Winning in Traverse City

Cathleen Driscoll Can’t Stop Winning in Traverse City

Cathleen Driscoll (USA) continued her fierce winning streak in international competition Friday afternoon at the Silver Oak Jumper Tournament, winning the $38,700 GGT CSI3* Welcome Stake and further solidifying her lead on the Open Jumper Rider Leaderboard at Flintfields Horse Park.

With Arome, a 13-year-old Selle Français gelding (Norway De La Lande x Attila III), Driscoll bested an 11-horse jump-off with over a second to spare over second-place finisher Francisco Goyoaga Mollet (ESP) with Icarus. Grace Debney (GBR) and Jesprit H.S. finished just a hair behind Goyoaga Mollet to finish third. Driscoll’s gutsy slice to the Silver Oak Jumper Tournament oxer in the jump-off helped save precious time and secure the win as the class came to a close. 

“I’ve been with Arome for about two years now and we’ve built a great partnership together,” she said of the horse owned by Plain Bay Farm. “I’ve jumped five-stars and Nations Cup competitions on him, and we’ve learned a lot together. I can call on him and trust that he’ll do right by me. He is becoming a super competitive horse. In the beginning he wasn’t so fast but now he’s learning to be fast and tidy.” 

Arome certainly came through for Driscoll Friday when asked to take on a challenging slice, but it’s actually a move Driscoll practices quite often at home so she can execute in the show ring.

“I have a background in eventing, so I’m very comfortable on the slice,” Driscoll said of her past working for several eventing stables near her home base in Maryland. “That’s something we school a lot with the event horses and I’ve carried over into my training with the show jumpers. You see [fences to slice] so often in the jump-offs and I find it’s a place where you can make up a lot of time if you have a horse that’s good on the slice.”

Though eventing left its mark on Driscoll and made her braver to the jumps and more willing to take risks, once she headed into the show jumping world, she never looked back. “I always wanted to jump, but at the time [eventing] fell into my lap,” she explained of her time in eventing. “I grew up in an area that was rich with eventers so that’s where my path took me at that time. In the end, it led me to the Prudents at Plain Bay Farm so I can’t be upset about tha

Driscoll typically aims Arome for CSI5* classes, and she isn’t making an exception for the CSI5* American Gold Cup at the Traverse City Horse Shows, set for Sunday, September 17. The win Friday is a great step toward their next goal of a top finish in a CSI5* grand prix.

“This is a super confidence builder,” she continued. “We love it here in Michigan. We had a great summer so I’m coming off those good results as well. It’s nice to have good performances in the ring the week leading up to [a big event]. He feels super and I think he’s due a good result in these bigger classes. I hope it’s coming soon.”

Cathleen Driscoll and Magnolia Stay on Winning Form in Stud Tree 1.30m

Driscoll was on winning form earlier Friday as well, speeding Magnolia to the win in the Stud Tree 1.30m out of 33 entries. Magnolia, owned by Plain Bay Farm, has won grand prix at the national and CSI2* level, but is dipping her toe back into action following a short break after her last victory.

“Magnolia is a fantastic mare. I’ve had a lot of success with her,” Driscoll said of the 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare. “We’re gearing her up for the two-star here next week so I wanted to let her come in and jump a couple nice rounds in the 1.30m division. She’s so competitive and so fast, I don’t even really have to do that much. I can just use her footspeed and turning.”

Further proving Magnolia and Driscoll are a duo to watch out for. They were nearly two seconds faster than any other combination and with big wins under their belts in Traverse City, Driscoll feels the mare is ready to keep moving up the ranks.

“I’ll be doing the Major League (Major League Show Jumping) competitions this fall, so I think she’s going to tag along with my string of five-star horses and we’re looking to start moving her up into the 1.50m this fall. I think she’s ready; she’s in fantastic form,” she explained.

As a previous competitor at the Silver Oak Jumper Tournament, Driscoll knows how impactful the show is and she appreciates the extra mile the management goes to celebrate her wins.

“This is a very special show,” she said. “It’s fabulous the support they give the Kevin Babington Foundation. The management does a fantastic job of making it feel special this week. The presentations are top notch, the prizes are super, and it’s always fun to have a show that puts importance on the sponsors and makes a good show for the p