Easy (Boy) Does It

Last week, Kara Chad (CAN) and Easy Boy d’Aubey Z captured the first win of their burgeoning international career with the CSI3* Winning Round at Thunderbird Show Park. As the final pair to return in the second round, they “knew what they needed to do to give the win a go.”

On Wednesday, Chad and the nine-year-old gelding again lead the victory gallop in the Fort Grand Prix Arena, capturing the CSI3* George & Dianne Tidball Legacy Speed. Only this time, they set the time to beat from the start—and simply couldn’t be caught.

“Every round, he just amazes me. Any position he’s in, any speed class, jump-off class, 1.50m, 1.45m, whatever it is, he seems to rise to the occasion. That’s probably one of the biggest classes he’s jumped and he wins, so he knows what he’s doing, that’s for sure,” said Chad.

“I think he’s a horse for the top sport, definitely, and he’s already proving that.”

Twenty-eight starters contested Peter Holmes’ 1.45m course. Second in the ring, Chad and Easy Boy d’Aubey Z set the standard early in 62.89 seconds. While ten pairs managed to duplicate their clear effort, none could catch their time. Colombia’s John Perez and Gigi Carmen came closest, stopping the clock almost a second slower at 63.71s. Robert Blanchette (IRL) and Chardonnay took third in 63.94s.

“I think [the first three fences were] really important—to get the correct numbers there, to do the leave-out. And then once he was on that tempo, he was kind of set for the rest of the course,” Chad said. 

“When you open up his stride, he just goes. By the end [of the course], I was having to slow him down. He was raring to go!”

Previously campaigned by Mexico’s Nicolas Pizarro, Easy Boy appears to have an easy time jumping clear. The gelding made seven FEI appearances earlier this year with Pizarro and averaged just 1.33 faults at 1.40m, jumping to a 71% overall clear round average, according to Jumpr App.

With Chad for only three months, he’s moved up to the 1.45m height and has jumped clear in their last four consecutive rounds at the height, collecting two wins in the process.

“He definitely gives you a lot of confidence,” said Chad. “He has loads of ability. I’m lucky to be riding him at the minute.”