Beat Mandli won the $78,000 Speed Final at Washington International

Details: October 28, 2023; By Staff Writers

UPPER MARLBORO, Md--Swiss Olympic team silver medalist Beat Mändli on Chartraine Pre Noir, barn name Sherry, won the $78,000 Speed Final CSI5* over 20 competitors on Friday, Oct. 27, at the Washington International Horse Show.

BeatMandlii on Chartraine Pre Noir Shawn McMillen BeatMandli on Chartraine Pre Noir (Photo by Shawn McMillen)Bernardo Costa Cabral of Portugal with assistant Nick Granat set the speed track, where jumping faults were converted to three second time penalties.

Last year’s World Cup Washington winner, Conor Swail of Ireland on Casturano came close to catching Mändli’s time, finishing in 51.67 seconds to place second

Mändli’s student, Katie Dinan, finished third on Atika des Hauts Vents.

“When we walked the course, I thought it looked a bit bigger than a normal speed class,” said Mändli, who won the World Cup Washington in 2017 and the World Cup Final in 2007. “It wasn’t just a speed class, really. There were also some lines, and the jumps were big enough. Obviously when you go fast, the chance to knock one down is higher. It was a tough class, but it was nice, and obviously when you win it, it's even better.”

“ACTUALLY, I was planning to jump Sherry tomorrow night in the World Cup, but then my other horse, Dsarie, was very fresh yesterday, so I actually switched Sherry this morning to do this class,” said Mändli. “I knew Sherry is in good shape. She likes this place. I would have never thought I would have won the class, to be honest, but sometimes it works out.”

“She’s super chilled,” said Mändli of Sherry who he's ridden for two and a half years and with whom he finished fifth in the 2022 World Cup Washington.

“She’s super nice. I know we always say this, but really, she’s a perfect horse," he said. "She’s nice for everything. She just likes to do her job, and she really tries to do the right thing and always tries to do her best. I don’t think there’s ever a class she lets you down. She really wants to please you. She’s a happy girl.”

The “Jump for TAPS” was a part of the Speed Final, with money donated for every clear over the TAPS jump on course, with $10,000 total donated to benefit Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), the WIHS Official Military Charity since 2010.