The bugler has sounded the call and events are officially underway for the 2022 Silver Oak Jumper Tournament at Flintfields Horse Park. Sunshine and mid-seventy-degree temperatures have blessed the impeccable Traverse City Horse Show grounds, and the forecast appears to predict ever more beautiful weather to come as we continue through the weekend.

Today’s feature sponsored event, a $37,000 1.45m CSI 3* Speed Classic sponsored by the Corcoran Group and Jeremy Greene, delivered all we could have hoped and more for opening day. With only a slight breeze in the air the equine competitors soared over a winding course expertly designed and built by Olaf Peterson Jr., one of Silver Oak’s favorites returning internationally reputed course designers.

He is a favorite for good reason! One particularly exciting moment of each trip was an incredible oxer that led into a left lead rollback to one of the Silver Oak verticals, craftily topped with a skinny white plank, ensured only a short seven strides later by a bright and tricky one-stride vertical-oxer combo. It was a great challenge that brought out a whole new level of finesse that truly brought the cream to the top! And who could ignore the horses’ “favorite” jump on course, the eye-catching triple bar at the far end of the arena courtesy of the Corcoran Group themselves.

Shane Sweetnam, whose riding was the embodiment of “on fire” today, rocketed himself to the lead about halfway through the competition on the elegant Caraghs Quality Lady. Just a few trips later Alex Granato and Carlchen W put in a great effort to beat Sweetnam’s first time by a nail-biting 0.2 seconds. But, with only five trips left in the class, the Olympian again brought the heat aboard his even more familiar partner Alejandro, and the pair impressively shaved off almost another entire second to clench the victory in the end! What a first day of competition!

Tomorrow tune in for the $37,000 GGT Welcome Stakes and ever more action! Also, be sure to keep in the loop with our top three Malvern Bank Leading Riders, each of whom will receive special recognition at the week’s end. Current Malvern Bank standings posted below:

Malvern Bank Leading Men’s Rider:
Shane Sweetnam
Alex Granato
Roberto Teran Tafur

Malvern Bank Leading Women’s Rider:
Lisa Goldman-Smolen
Nicole Shahinian Simpson
Hilary McNerny