Strong North American Contingent Heading to Le Lion d’Angers

Liz Halliday-Sharp and Cooley Quicksilver. Phoyo by Jenni Autry.

The sport’s top 6-year-olds and 7-year-olds will take on the FEI World Breeding Eventing Championships at Le Lion d’Angers on Oct. 18-21, and the U.S. and Canada have a strong contingent heading to France.

The U.S. has two horses in the 7-year-old World Championships in what will serve as a highly anticipated rematch. Liz Halliday-Sharp and Cooley Quicksilver last faced-off against Doug Payne and Quantum Leap in the Ocala CCI2* in April, with Cooley Quicksilver taking the win on 31.4 and Quantum Leap finishing second on 35.3.

Cooley Quicksilver, an Irish Sport Horse gelding (Womanizer X Kylemore Crystal, by Creggan Diamond) owned by the The Monster Partnership of Rob Desino, Chris Desino, Renee Lane and Debby Halliday, has finished outside the top 10 only once this season in his international runs.

Doug Payne and Quantum Leap. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

Susan Drillock’s Quantum Leap, a 7-year-old RPSI gelding (Quite Capitol X Report to Sloopy, by Corporate Report) bred in Maryland by Didi Callahan, received the Holekamp/Turner Grant to compete at Le Lion. The grant, founded by Tim and Cheryl Holekamp and Christine Turner, enables the highest scorer of the USEA Young Event Horse 5-year-old Championship to travel to Le Lion as a 7-year-old if the horse obtains the proper CCI2* qualifications.

The U.S. and Canada have two apiece slated to compete in the 6-year-old World Championships, and Mexico also has an entry heading to France.

Tiana Coudray and Happenstance, a KWPN mare (Quality Time X Mermus R) owned by Annabelle James and Kyrle Arscott, finished ninth in the CCIYH* at Tattersalls in June.

Tiana Coudray and Happenstance. Photo by Radka Preislerova.

Liz Halliday-Sharp and Debby Halliday’s Cooley Moonshine, an Irish Sport Horse gelding (Cobra X Kilpatrick Duchess, by Kings Master), have two CIC* wins on their record this season at Brightling Park and Ardingly.

Rebecca Howard has two rides in the 6-year-old World Championships for Canada. Cooley Convinced, an Irish Sport Horse mare (Diarado X BLM Clover Diamond, by Clover Echo) owned by Kelly McCarthy-Maine, most recently finished 25th in the Ardingly CIC*. Trebor, a British-bred gelding (Mighty Magic X Trevilder, by Fleetwater Opposition) owned by Kelly McCarthy-Maine, finished 14th at Ardingly CIC*.

Mexico’s Pedro Gutierrez and his own California Mail, a 6-year-old Selle Francais mare (Quite Easy X Varnalisa Mail, by Kalaska de Semilly), have completed CIC* competitions at  Haras du Pin and Waregem this season.

Click here to view entries for the 6-year-old World Championships.

Click here to view entries for the 7-year-old World Championships.

[Le Lion d’Angers Website]