"I'm absolutely thrilled," Coleman said. "I think Eddie enjoyed his Royal experience as much as I am. We had a blast in there tonight."
Will Coleman (USA) demonstrated why he is the world's third-ranked eventing rider Saturday night in the Coca-Cola Coliseum, confidently cruising to victory in the Mad Barn Indoor Eventing Challenge.
After topping Friday's first round with 8-year-old Box Como, Coleman returned Saturday night with the utmost pressure, as athletes came forward in reverse order of standing based on their first round scores. He and "Eddie" produced another swift clear effort over Jay Hambly's (CAN) 17-element course. After cumulative scores and times were tallied across the two rounds, Coleman was named a decisive winner with a faultless score and total time of 179.21 seconds.
Photo at Right: Will Coleman & Box Como. All photos by Ben Radvanyi Photography
Jessica Phoenix (CAN) and ESI Nixon also completed the two rounds over two days without fault, securing runner-up honors with a cumulative time of 191.68 seconds. Colleen Loach (CAN) finished third with Clover (0/197.06s).
"I'm absolutely thrilled," Coleman said. "I think Eddie enjoyed his Royal experience as much as I am. We had a blast in there tonight."
Coleman first attended the Royal Horse Show for the inaugural Indoor Eventing Challenge in 2006, but he had not been back since. A guest rider invitation was an added incentive for him to return in 2026, and he made the most of the opportunity.
Hambly's winding second round course gave riders options in track; a longer route allowed for a more open gallop, while a shorter path allowed riders to shave time off the clock with a tight rollback turn. Coleman opted for the more expedient route, making the more technical track look effortless.
"I thought I had a pretty good plan for what I wanted to do," Coleman shared. "My whole goal was just to go in there and have fun and give the lines a go—try to be quick, because that's what it's all about [and] give the crowd a good show."
Hank, Meg, and Molly Pellegrini's Box Como was ready for the assignment, shining in his indoor debut and competing like a seasoned veteran.
"I's nice to see that he's not bothered by much!" Coleman said. "It is a very different experience being indoors with Clydesdales and different carriages—there's lot going on up in those stables. But he's a pretty cool customer. I think he grew up a little bit here and he's got a lot of career left in front of him I think."
Coleman is maximizing his time in Toronto, taking in the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair with his family—beaver tails, butter tarts, and all—as well as teaching some clinics in the area.
"It's been amazing. This really is one of the most wonderful horse shows in the world," Coleman said. "There are not many horse shows still like this, where there is something for everyone. It has a national agricultural feel to it, and I really appreciate that. It's been a lot of fun for us and our family."
Full Results: https://www.longinestiming.com/equestrian/2026/royal-agricultural-winter-fair-toronto/resultlist_1502.html
SOURCE The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair
