August 25, 2018 
What broken foot?
France’s Eric Navet was sent on a forced vacation earlier this year after breaking his foot in a riding accident—at the walk, no less. The injury required surgery to repair two broken metatarsal bones and relegated both him and his top mount, Catypso, to the sidelines for the better part of the summer.
The time off doesn’t appear to have slowed them down. The pair returned to the ring this week at Thunderbird Showpark in Langley, BC and jumped straight into the winner’s circle, capturing the $75,000 CSI4*-W Steel-Craft Doors Cup Friday evening.
“[Catypso] didn’t jump a single fence until two weeks ago. I did not expect him to get back in the game quite so fast and win right away, so I am very, very proud of him,” said Navet.
©Cara Grimshaw Photography/tbird
Of the 50 combinations to contest Alan Wade’s 1.50m track, only eight managed to manufacture a clear in the first round. With USA’s Alison Robitaille electing to withdraw Ace, the jump off field was narrowed to seven.
Fourth to return in the order, Navet and the 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding posted a smooth and efficient track. Their gallop to the final vertical stopped the clock in 38.03 seconds to secure the victory.
“I thought I was a little bit slow in my roll back [to the final line]. I wish I could have done one less stride, so I wasn’t sure I’d be fast enough to win,” said Navet. “After the second to last [fence], the oxer, I went full speed to compensate and to save the time that I lost in the rollback. It happened that it was enough to win today!”
Posting the only other double-clear performances of the day, Eve Jobs (USA) and Venue d’Fees des Hazalles took second place in 38.55 seconds and Shawn Casady (USA) and Campitello, third in 41.14 seconds.
Watch Navet and Catypso contest the $145,000 CSI4*-W Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Vancouver, presented by Facet Advisors, live on FEI TV at 2:00pm PDT Sunday!
