“He went up the levels pretty quickly, and he’s quite a big horse — gangly — and we just stayed at the three-star level the last two years to get him stronger,” Nicholson commented.
BROMONT, QC - June 6, 2025 - What a way to celebrate a birthday: by taking the lead in yet another division at MARS Bromont CCI. That’s just what Lauren Nicholson did on Friday, dancing to the lead of the CCI4*S division about Ms. Jacqueline Mars’ Landmark’s Jungle Gold with a score of 30.2.
Landmark’s Jungle Gold, a homebred out of Ms. Mars’ Landmark breeding program in Virginia, is stepping back up to the CCI4* level after first competing at it in 2023. Nicholson then opted to spend some time at the 3* level to help the 10-year-old Holsteiner cross gelding develop his body and strength.
Lauren Nicholson with Landmark's Jungle Gold, current leaders in the CCI4*-S at the MARS Bromont CCI. © Cealy Tetley Photo
“He went up the levels pretty quickly, and he’s quite a big horse — gangly — and we just stayed at the three-star level the last two years to get him stronger,” Nicholson commented. “He had all the parts to do the job, but he just sometimes lost coordination at it. So we gave him a couple years to get stronger before bumping him back up to the four-star level.”
Despite some small bobbles in the test, Nicholson achieved the leading score ahead of Saturday’s cross-country. “In his test, he’s usually pretty dependable in the dressage,” Nicholson explained, laughing. “He usually has great changes and everything else, but he really wanted to ham it up for the crowd today!”
Three-time Canadian Olympian Jessica Phoenix is placed second in the CCI4*S aboard Charlotte Schickedanz’s Freedom GS (below), who has already won at this level in 2025 and is coming off of a podium finish in the CCI4*S at Defender Kentucky in April. The pair have just received a Canadian Eventing High Performance grant to represent Team Canada at Aachen this July.
"Bromont is always such a key event in the season for a horse," remarked Phoenix. "Bromont is such a useful event with the terrain, and the course they have built really asks every question. It's going to be a real test, both with the terrain and the complexity of the jumps."
Jessica Phoenix is placed second in the CCI4*S aboard Charlotte Schickedanz’s Freedom GS
Alexandra Knowles is the newly-installed leader of the CCI3*L, which concluded dressage today, leading the way on Katherine O’Brien’s Montpellier Scais (below) with a score of 24.3.
“He’s a super horse. He’s a very special horse. He’s eight now. He’s got all the parts. He’s careful, he’s brave, he’s fancy. The best part about him is his personality. He’s just a genuine creature. He just wants to please. So I feel very privileged to be riding him, and I hope to do him justice tomorrow — educate him and produce him for the future, because tomorrow is not the goal for me — it’s going to be the long road for him. I’m trying to take all the right stepping stones to produce him to the top.”
North Carolina-based Ariel Grald took over the CCI2*L lead today with Annie Eldridge’s Obalix (below), earning a score of 25.3 with the 7-year-old Oldenburg gelding.
Ariel Grald took over the CCI2*L lead today with Annie Eldridge’s Obalix
“I’ve had him a little over a year and a half, and he’s come a long way,” Grald said. “He’s the kind of horse that — if you just stay there with all your aids — you just kind of have to hug him and be there for him. Because he actually wants to be a good boy so bad.”
Grald remarked that bringing horses to MARS Bromont is a key part of her strategy as they develop toward the upper levels.
“I’ve brought several horses here for the two-star and then the three-star — they kind of come up through the level,” she said. “I think it’s really important, from a fitness perspective, that they get fit enough to come run here. Derek [di Grazia, assisted by Jay Hambly] sets a hard track at all levels, but I try to plan their short formats carefully. He’s run at Carolina and done some other shorts this spring that helped prepare him. We’ve made sure to do the fitness. Even a couple weeks ago, the two-star horses ran at Virginia and had to gallop up that big hill. So I feel like once they’re established at the two-star short level, the added piece of fitness is what brings them here."
About Bromont Eventing
Bromont, which has featured top competitions for four decades at the Bromont Olympic Equestrian Park, welcomes some of the best horse-and-rider combinations across three competitions this summer: the MARS Bromont CCI4*, ‘Little Bromont’ and the August Bromont CCI4*.
Located in the beautiful village of Bromont, Quebec, the spectator-friendly venue is within easy driving distance of Montreal, Quebec and Burlington Vermont.
With a venue among the best in the world and cross-country courses designed by Derek DiGrazia (USA) and Jay Hambly (CAN), eventing at Bromont offers a true test for horse and rider in the perfect ‘summer resort’ setting. Brody Robertson (USA) is the show jumping course designer.
The RCMP Musical Ride will perform twice during the 2025 MARS Bromont CCI, the afternoon of Friday June 6 and Saturday June 7. Competition will run all day and the pre-show ahead of the Musical Ride will begin at approximately 5:00pm. Following each performance, the public will be able to “meet and greet” the horses and officers. Thanks to the generous support of the City of Bromont, there will be no charge for admission or parking all weekend.
For more information please visit www.bromonthorsetrials.com.
About MARS EQUESTRIAN™
MARS EQUESTRIAN™ Sponsorship, funded by Mars, Incorporated is the link between these iconic brands and the equestrian community. For generations, Mars has celebrated a rich equestrian heritage, and through purposeful partnerships, MARS EQUESTRIAN Sponsorship is committed to the sport and building an enduring legacy. From world-class competitions across all equestrian disciplines, to stewarding the power of horses on society and sustainability, the MARS EQUESTRIAN Brand is dedicated to our purpose to improve the lives of horses, pets, and the people who love them. For more information please visit www.marsequestrian.com and follow them at @marsequestrian.
The Bromont Horse Trials are made possible in part through a contribution from Sport Canada. The Bromont organizing committee also wishes to thank the Government of Quebec, and the City of Bromont for their support.
Source: Michelle Dunn Media