WELLINGTON, Fla.--Alex Matz on Junior Kannan won the $200,000 CSI4* Grand Prix, their first international victory together, on Sunday, March 22 at the Winter Equestrian Festival.
Alex Matz on Junior Kannan (Photo by Sportfot)Matz, 29 of Coatesville, Pa., won in a nine-horse jump-off over the course set by Andy Christiansen.
First to go in the jump-off, Ibrahim Barazi of Jordan on Joie De Vigo R.T. was clean in 37.04 seconds to set the time to beat.
That time held up until Matz, with only one to return after him, finished clean in 35.79 seconds.
McKayla Langmeier on Riesling van de Gaathoeve, was the last to go, but she came up short in 36.59 seconds to finish second.
Barazi was third, and Peter Lutz on Katriona, the only other clean in the jump-off, was fourth in 37.78.
Kent Farrington on Descartes SR was fifth with four faults in 35.51, and Brian Moggre on Vivre Le Reve was sixth with four faults in 35.61.
“Junior is feeling phenomenal,” said Matz, who has ridden Junior Kannan for three years. “Today, he jumped even better in the jump-off than in the first round. I felt like I could really give it a go because of how he was jumping."
“THIS SEASON, he’s been very consistent. I haven’t used him a lot because I did a lot with him last year, but I feel like he’s peaking at the right time,” said Matz, who only rode Junior Kannan in two international classes this season, including a top 10 finish during WEF 6.
“It was an advantage to be far down in the order today,” said Matz, son of 1996 U.S. Olympic team silver medalist Michael Matz. “I knew my horse was naturally fast, so I did the normal jump-off numbers and took a little bit of risk. I thought I’d be competitive.”
Since the retirement of his top mount Cashew CR, at the end of last year, Matz has been focused on developing his string.
“Cashew’s retirement has been difficult because he was such a great horse for me," said Matz. "Luckily, I have some nice younger horses, two nice 7-year-olds, an 8-year-old and some that are just stepping up to 1.50m. I think I can hopefully be competitive with them in the upcoming years.”
Ibrahim Barazi (JOR) rode 12-year-old stallion Joie De Vigo R.T. (Vigo d’Arsouilles Stx x Cassini I), owned in partnership between Maarten Driessen, Rene Hazeleger and Sofia Westborg, to third in 37.04 seconds.
