Richard Spooner and Lyjanair Light It Up

Veteran show jumper Richard Spooner (USA) proved he's still got the magic touch, piloting Lyjanair to a thrilling win in the $117,000 Four G Surfaces CSI3* Grand Prix to close out opening week of the Traverse City Spring Series.

In a nine-horse jump-off packed with international talent, Spooner and the 11-year-old Holsteiner gelding (Lyjanero x Coriano),delivered a trademark slick and savvy round in 36.97 seconds—just fast enough to edge out Daisy Farish (USA) and her lightning-quick mount Quala vd Rollebeek, who stopped the clock in 37.40 seconds.

Designed by Olympic course builder Guilherme Jorge (BRA), the test demanded precision and efficiency, and Spooner delivered both with style. It was a textbook Spooner performance: smooth, sharp, and unshakable under pressure.

Farish wasn’t far off the mark, guiding her 9-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare, to a brilliant second-place finish. Rounding out the podium was Spain’s Francisco Goyoaga Mollet, fresh off an earlier win in the week, this time riding PST de Muze for Sigma Stables in a quick 37.80 seconds.

Spooner, a 15-time FEI World Cup™ Finalist, has made it clear he’s not slowing down anytime soon. With Traverse City as a summer base and eyes on some CSI5* action later this season—including the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ in Traverse City—this win could be just the beginning of another major run.