Canada’s Keean White had back-to-back clear rounds in the RBC Grand Prix at Spruce Meadows but was not fast enough in the jump off to steal a victory from Mexico’s Patricio Pasquel.
Pasquel was flawless aboard his gelding Babel to collect the biggest win of his career with a jump-off time of 43.44 seconds in the 1.60-metre event.
Canadian Keean White has a clean ride but isn’t quite fast enough to beat Mexico’s Patricio Pasquel in the jump off https://t.co/W0MXRQaWstpic.twitter.com/Oz1S9pByGb
White and For Freedom Z also finished the competition without any faults but trailed Pasquel in 46.55 seconds.
“I felt very prepared for this competition and though the weather didn’t quite hold up, I felt my horse was ready for the conditions after Thursday evening,” White said.
“My horse had never really jumped in the extreme conditions like that before.”
On Thursday, White from Rockwood, Ont., finished third after a seven-horse jump off on the 1.55-metre course.
Mannix also makes jump off
Canadian Vanessa Mannix reached the jump off but dropped a single rail to finish third overall ahead of Spain’s Paola Amilibia Puig.
Pasquel, who is ranked 112th in the world, benefited from several top riders taking uncharacteristic faults in the opening round. Canada’s Eric Lamaze, who finished fifth, had an early rail as did the top-two ranked riders — Americans Kent Farrington and McLain Ward.
Watch live action from Spruce Meadows on CBCSports.ca continuing Sunday at 2 p.m. ET as some of the world’s best equestrian athletes compete in the ATCO Classic.
