Daniel Coyle and Urville Z Take the $65,000 CSI2* Grand Prix at WEC

Today, fresh off a win with Farrel in Saturday night’s Grand Prix CSI4*, Ireland’s Daniel Coyle returned to the World Equestrian Center (WEC) Grand Arena on Sunday and prevailed once again, this time in the $65,000 FEI Grand Prix CSI2*aboard his new partner, Urville Z, a 13-year-old Zangersheide mare.

Coyle and Urville were second in the Grand Prix Qualifier earlier in the week, missing the win by one-hundredth of a second (0.01). They also took the red ribbon in the $32,000 FEI CSI2* Speed class Thursday morning, 0.26 seconds behind first place.

“My favorite part about her is that she’s always trying to please you, which you don’t always get in a new partnership," said Coyle. "She wants to work with you, and I think that’s going to be her biggest quality.”

It's their second week showing together

Coyle said last week was their first time showing together.

."Last week she jumped the national, and won the Futures Prix. The rider didn’t help much. I was struggling last week and didn’t really know how to ride her, and she still won,” he said. “I am really excited for her. Already, in her first class, she won, in her second class, she was second, and in her third class, which was a ranking class, she was second, and today was my fourth class with her, and she also won. So, she's had a first, two seconds, and a first in her first four classes. I haven’t done that before, so that’s pretty good.”

McKayla Langmeier and the 9-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion Riesling Van De Gaathoeve finished second in the 1.45-meter CSI2* Grand Prix. They finished seventh in the Grand Prix Qualifier.

Rounding out the top three was Václav Stanek aboard Langley, a 12-year-old Canadian Warmblood mare.

Ireland took half of the top six spots.

Nine advanced to the jump-off where five went double clear.

Maya Denis and Callypso de la Hamente Z were the fastest four-faulters in the first round, and finished in 11th place. This pair took third in the CSI2* Grand Prix Qualifier.

Top Six Results

1 Daniel Coyle (Ireland) - URVILLE Z - 0/42.77

2 McKayla Langmeier (USA) - 0/43.26

3 Václav Stanek (Czechoslovakia) - LANGLEY - 0/44.21

4 Zoe Conter (Belgium) - TOMBOLA Z - 0/45.18

5 Alice Wachman (Ireland) - KILLARNEY - 0/51.13

6 Michael Duffy (Ireland) - MR. CORNIKE - 4/44.51

Mainly the quotes are from an edited press release.

Photo credit: Andrew Ryback Photography