Charlie Jones scores the biggest win of his career with a CSI4* Grand Prix victory at the Canadian Premier with Capitale 6
Monday 26 May 2025
Charlie Jones charged to victory in the CSI4* Grand Prix with partner Captiale 6 on the final day of the Canadian Premier at Thunderbird Show Park, topping an impressive field to take the top spot.
“This is my first four-star Grand Prix win! To be honest, I can’t believe it, I’m feeling a lot of emotions – super-excited, super-thankful and very happy with my horse,” said Charlie, 26, who has been establishing a rapport with Morning Star Sporthorses’ Capitale 6 since 2023.
Six of the original 21 competitors mastered the first round course to go forward into the jump-off and all but one provided double clears – it was all about the clock. Ireland’s Conor Swail had set the pace with Theo 160, but penultimate drawn Charlie was confident with his jump-off plan with the agile, athletic Capitale 6.
“I watched Conor and he didn’t go all guns blazing. My horse is really fast so I knew if I just kept to my lines, I would be there or thereabouts. I planned to take one less stride than Conor up the first line – Conor took eight and I went seven – so that set me in a good rhythm, and I left one stride out to the last as well; I think that’s where I made up most of the time,” said Charlie, who set sail with an incredible gallop to the final oxer to flash through the timers to win with impressive 2.38 seconds to spare.
The fairy tale story with Capitale 6 (aka Pete) and Charlie began two years ago at Thunderbird Show Park when owner Karrie Rufer couldn’t compete when suffering problems with her vision. Charlie volunteered to ride in her place.
“I jumped him in a 1.30m and a week later, jogged him in a three-star and he was second in a 1.50m,” said Charlie, on his first two weeks with the 14-year-old Holsteiner stallion (San Patrignano Cassini x For Pleasure). “I said, ‘Please let me buy this horse.’ I loved him. Karrie came back to me and said, ‘You don’t have to buy him, let’s just carry on.’”
Karrie is thrilled with the partnership: “I like the idea of allowing the horse to achieve the most they possibly can and when I saw their chemistry, I thought, ‘I can’t stop this.’ Charlie is one of the nicest people I’ve ever met, he’s always doing the right thing for the horse – and they love each other.”
Pete handed Charlie his first 2* Grand Prix win last year at Del Mar Horse Park, and this 4* win marked a new personal best.
“It’s changed my life,” continued Charlie, on the partnership that has since ventured into five-star competition and World Cup-qualifying action. “I’m so grateful to Karrie and everyone at Morning Star for allowing me to do this, and Karrie is so optimistic and so encouraging, she’s a pleasure to ride for.”
Pete is not only talented, but an eager, enthusiastic partner – “When I jumped him big for the first time, I was like, ‘Wow, this horse has so much go,’ and I just loved him from that point. He’s the most incredible character, he’s like a dog, just awesome. I’m so grateful to this horse, he’s changed my life, so everything goes to him.”
Charlie will now give his horses a week off before starting at the Spruce Meadows Summer series, but Thunderbird holds a special place in his heart – “This is my favourite show, I love it so much, they are so accommodating here, and the footing is always great.”
Millie Allen is in flying form at the three-star in Peelbergen
Millie Allen was star Brit at the EEF CSIO3* meeting at Peelbergen in The Netherlands, scoring a win and taking second in the 3* Grand Prix as well as providing a vital double clear for Britain in the Nations Cup.
Millie steered Karel Cox Horses’ talented Clearround Il Mondo Z – her partner in the Nations Cup – into the runner-up spot over a big, imposing 13-fence 1.55m track designed by Belgium’s Bart Vonck. The 59 starters were reduced to 10 for the jump-off. Six went clear again, Millie and the Comme Il Fau x Clearway nine-year-old finishing 1.35 seconds behind the winner, Brazil’s Luciana Diniz on Vertigo Du Desert.
Millie was a winner on day one, taking the 3* 1.45m speed and Grand Prix qualifier with more than two seconds in hand on the speedy nine-year-old Quick Diamant HR (Diamant De Semilly x Quidam De Revel).
Olli Fletcher missed out on a win by 1.21 seconds in the Prestige Renaissance 1* Grand Prix in a nine-horse jump-off riding the Diamant De Semilly x Heartbreaker nine-year-old mare Love.
Rachel Proudley conjures up a winning double in Mullingar
Rachel Proudley gave the Irish a run for their money at their home show in Mullingar in the Republic of Ireland with a victory double, including the feature Grand Prix.
Fifty riders faced Spanish course-designer Javier Trenor’s 13-fence, 16-effort 1.45m track in the concluding 2* Grand Prix with nine returning for the race against the clock. It was no easy task as the Irish were determined to keep victory on home ground, but Rachel’s sizzling round in the jump-off left no doubt as she urged HK Horses’ OBOS Quality 004 x Lux Z 14-year-old Quality Street into a 1.83 second win.
Rachel was also top of the podium in the hotly contended 2* 1.40m two-phase, outpacing 52 rivals by the tiny margin of 0.02 seconds on the eight-year-old Happy Du Thot (Andain Du Thalie x Le Tot De Semilly).
Matt Sampson is in the money in France with a new ride
Matt Sampson missed out on a podium place twice at Canteleu in France, with new ride of three weeks Un Secreto Z.
Matt finished fourth in an early 4* 1.50m as 20 of the 81 starters reached the jump-off and 10 supplied double clears, the 10-year-old stallion Un Secreto Z finishing 2.64 seconds behind the winner, France’s speed King Julien Epaillard on Dontello D’Auge.
The result was mirrored in the 4* 1.55m Grand Prix as 13 of the original 50-entry returned for the jump-off under the 25% rules, three carrying time faults. Julien and Donatello D’Auge again claimed the winning spot with Matt and Un Secreto Z in fourth place a little over three seconds in arrears.
Image: tbird & Kim Gaudry Photography
