If there’s a horse in the field that could win the award for “Most Likely to Snoop for Polos in Your Pocket,” it’s Grantstown Jackson. But don’t let the cuddly exterior fool you: this is one tough competitor across the country. At last year’s Badminton, “Jacky” posted the third fastest cross country time of the day, climbing from 42nd to 5th before five rails on Sunday dropped them just outside the top 15. Still, to finish 17th on your Badminton debut? No small feat.
The 2023 Europeans cemented this pair’s reputation for speed and grit — Sarah was pathfinder for the Irish team at Haras du Pin, and Jacky romped around in seriously tough conditions to finish 14th individually. The cross country is undoubtedly this pair’s strength, and if the jumping phases come together, they could be surprise contenders again. The dressage remains their most work-in-progress phase, and show jumping can be unpredictable (five down at Badminton, but often fewer elsewhere), but with Sarah in the tack, they’re always one bold round away from climbing into the mix.
They retired on cross country at Burghley last fall after a tough day, so they’ll be coming back here with redemption in mind — and a full bag of polos waiting on the other side.
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Last 3 Results:
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Fun Fact:
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Sarah was Ireland’s highest-placed individual rider at the 2018 World Equestrian Games (5th), and part of the silver-medal winning team.
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Did You Know?
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According to Sarah, “cross country would be his strongest phase; he gallops like there’s no tomorrow.”
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Watch For:
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A blazing-fast cross country trip — if Jacky channels his best Badminton form, they’ll be shooting up the leaderboard come Saturday afternoon.