Charlie Jones and Casirado 3 claim their first international win together with a four-star victory in Canada
Tuesday 26 May 2026
Charlie Jones jumped to victory in the 4* Winning Round with Casirado 3 at Thunderbird [tbird] Horse Show in Langley, Canada, marking the partnership’s first international win.
After taking second in the 25-strong Happy Welcome 1.40m speed 0.59 seconds off the pace, Charlie and Casirado went one better in the 4* Winning Round.
Ten of the original field of 17 qualified for the second round over course-designer Gregory Bodo’s 1.45m track, but clear rounds proved much harder to come by second time out. Only Charlie managed to repeat the feat with the Holsteiner 11-year-old Casirado (Casall x Diarado) to post a commanding win. Canadian Olympian Amy Millar proved a lightning-quick three seconds faster, but a rail on the floor dropped Christiano into second.
Charlie stuck to his original plan, using his horse’s stride to make up for his lofty jump and slower speed.
“My strategy was to do my own plan. He’s a really good jumper, very, very careful and you just got to do right by him and put him in the right place, and I knew he’s jump clear,” said Charlie. “He wouldn’t be the quickest naturally, but you’ve got to jump the jumps to win, haven’t you?”
Despite challenges, no-one managed to match their flawless round.
“I turned quick enough back to the third fence and that put a little bit of pressure on – a lot had that back rail down,” Charlie added, after marking the partnership’s first international win.
The pair only made their international debut in March at Florida’s Ocala Winter series in The USA. This was their third international competition together, and Charlie predicts it won’t be their last.
“Mandy Porter and Beth Bolan have been very generous in giving me the opportunity to work with him. He honestly jumps so many clear rounds. I’m super excited for the future with him,” he continued. “He’s got all the scope; he’s very careful. So, if we can just keep working on in-between the jumps, I think he’s going to get there.”
John Whitaker is on the 4* Grand Prix podium in France
John Whitaker and Equine America Unick Du Francport have quickly bounced back to form following John’s hernia operation and clinched second place in the Macon Chaintre 4* Grand Prix in France.
A field of 50 contended the 4* 1.55m course but only nine mastered the set track to go forward into the jump-off. Only three clears could be found second time out, John using his skill and experience to guide the French-bred 18-year-old ‘Frank’ (Zandor Z x Helio De La Cour II) into second. Speedy Frenchman Gregory Cotard proved 3.63 seconds quicker for victory on Hold Up De Valeme.
John and Frank had given a preview of their intentions on day one, taking second place in the 4* 1.50m. Fifteen of the original 56 starters qualified for the jump-off, John easing into second spot 1.36 seconds off the pace.
Joe Whitaker joined his uncle John in the Grand Prix jump-off, but two rails down dropped Hulahupe JR to eighth. However, he scored a win in the Seven-year-old Final with the Highway TN x VDL Indoctro mare Oorone. The 41 starters were reduced to seven for the jump-off, Joe striding ahead to win with more than two seconds in hand.
Holly Smith is a winner in Denmark
Holly Smith steered Sing Z into victory in CSIO3* Martofte in Denmark.
Forty-three competitors came forward in this 1.40m speed class, but no-one was a match for Holly as she guided the Copycat Z x Contact VD Heffinck eight-year-old into the top spot by 0.90 seconds.
Chloe Winchester slipped ABC Saving Grace into second in the 3* 1.45m speed, the Kannan x Cruising 10-year-old mare beaten to the top spot by 3.14 seconds.
Robert Murphy is smooth and quick to take a Grand Prix win at Sentower Park
Robert Murphy scored a handsome win in the feature world ranking 2* Grand Prix at Sentower Park, Belgium, with Hulde G.
Fifty-nine competitors set off over course-designer Luc Verboven’s 13-fence. 16-effort 1.45m track with 13 achieving their initial clear round aims to contest the jump-off. Robert had the win sewn up on this experienced Vigo D’Arsouilles x Warrant 14-year-old mare, smoothly coming home with 2.72 seconds to spare.
Jasmin Clark galloped to the top in a competitive 2* 1.35m with NPS Java, the 10-year-old mare seizing the win by only 0.03 seconds. Alice Weightman was also a winner, claiming victory in the 1* 1.25m by 1.58 seconds on the seven-year-old Balou’s Bobby.
Sameh El Dahan pulls off a spectacular Mullingar Grand Prix victory
Sameh El Dahan snatched victory in the late stages with a spectacular round on Sycamore Farm and Joanne Sloan Allen’s home-bred WKD Balou Breeze in the Karlswood Stables Grand Prix in Mullingar, Ireland.
Only six of the original 46 competitors mastered the 13-fence, 16-effort 2* 1.45m track to access the jump-off. Sameh used his penultimate draw to slice and scythe the corners on the 12-year-old Balou Du Rouet x Cavalier Royale mare to clinch the win by 1.42 seconds.
Amanda Derbyshire is in the money in Tryon
Amanda Derbyshire claimed two podium places with seasoned favourite Cornwall in Tryon, USA.
The pair picked up third in the $32,000 2* Welcome Stakes as 14 from a field of 56 contended the jump-off, finishing two seconds behind the pace.
They went one better in the $70,000 2* Grand Prix. Forty-eight riders came forward over course-designer Anthony D’Ambrosio’s 1.45m track with 14 providing initial clear rounds to access the jump-off. Amanda and the Holsteiner 18-year-old Cornwall slotting into the runner-up position 1.14 seconds behind the winner, France’s Samuel Parot on Chrystal Blue.
Image: Kady Dane Photography
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