“This is our first big win, and she is such a competitive horse,” said Ballard.
Traverse City, MI – July 11, 2025—Canadian Olympian Erynn Ballard topped an all-female podium riding Kandide Chavannaise in Friday’s $32,000 MacAllister CIS3* Welcome Stake during the second week of the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival (GLEF), presented by B&D Builders.
The 11th season of GLEF features six weeks of FEI competition running through August 10, showcasing an FEI Nations Cup CSIO3*, the FEI North American Youth Championships and the return of Major League Show Jumping CSI5* competition to Traverse City. Highlights also include the $100,000 USHJA World Championship Hunter Rider Central Spectacular and weekly qualifiers for the all-new $150,000 Traverse City Equitation Championships debuting in September.
Erynn Ballard & Kandide Chavannaise. Photo © Megan Giese Media / TCHS
With an unbeatable jump-off time, Ballard and her 9-year-old Anglo-European mare (Cicero Z Van Paemel x Graf Sponeck) owned by Ilan Ferder, bested the seven who qualified for course designer Meghan Rawlins’ (CAN) tie-breaker.
Kandide Chavannaise broke the final timers in 34.25 seconds, ahead of 16-year-old Olivia Sweetnam (USA) riding Epic, owned by Sweet Oak Farm (35.39 seconds). Margie Goldstein-Engle rounded out the podium with Jackofhearts in 38.23 seconds for third.
The mare is a new one for Ballard, after being formerly produced by Switzerland's Janika Sprunger. “I actually watched her develop with Janika as an eight-year-old and it was love at first sight when she came my way,” said Ballard. “She’s a strong personality, but she's a fighter.
Erynn Ballard & Kandide Chavannaise are presented as winners of the $32,000 MacAllister CIS3* Welcome Stake by Bradley Bowns of Traverse City Horse Shows. Photo © Megan Giese Media / TCHS
“This is our first big win, and she is such a competitive horse,” continued Ballard. “When it's your time, it's your time and I was going so fast today. But, a fast horse has to be fast in between the jumps and in the air. My horse for sure had the advantage today.”
Ballard missed GLEF last year as she was competing for Canada at the Olympic Games in Paris. Coming off an appearance at CHIO Aachen last week, she is pleased to be back, saying, “I have the right horses and I’m certainly glad to be here.”
Sweetnam followed Ballard in the ring and the Olympian admitted that she actually drew some inspiration from the next generation. “She gave me a pretty good run and it’s fun to see kids that you watch do ponies now competing alongside you,” she said. “I know it’s a challenge and an inspiration just like if Laura Kraut goes ahead of me in a jump-off; I want to be as good as her or better. If she beats me next time, I’ll be happy for her as well.”
Podium finishers in the $10,000 World Wide Technology Non Pro Team Jumper Challenge. Photo © Megan Giese Media / TCHS
International competition comes to a peak on Sunday at Flintfields Horse Park with the $117,000 Southern Arches CSI3* Grand Prix. Complete results from the $32,000 MacAllister CIS3* Welcome Stake can be found here.
Action in the Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel International Ring wrapped up on Friday with the $10,000 World Wide Technology Non Pro Team Jumper Challenge. Seven teams took to the stage, but one rose above the rest. Team Seal Team Six stood atop the podium after conquering both rounds, and a tie-breaking jump-off on zero faults. In the jump-off for gold, Anika Spaeth, of Aiken, SC, and her own Tic Tac de la Pomme Z beat out three other riders, securing gold for Seal Team Six with a winning time of 34.016 seconds.
Spaeth stood atop the podium with fellow team members Harley Hott, Sydney Chmel, and Brooklyn Webb.
For full results of the $10,000 World Wide Technology Non Pro Team Jumper Challenge, click here.
Source: Traverse City Horse Shows