Traverse City, United States – June 13, 2025 – Kaitlin Campbell (USA) surprised even herself during the Traverse City Spring Series by winning the $63,000 GFL Environmental Welcome Stake CSI 4* on Friday.
“This was the biggest class she’s ever jumped,” admitted Campbell, who didn’t expect a win to be in the cards for this horse just yet. “I thought this was going to be a nice, easy experience to teach her something. I’m so happy with today.”
The Traverse City Spring Series, presented by Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel, continues through June 29 and features three weeks of FEI jumper competition, weekly hunter derbies, including the International Hunter Derby Regional Championships, in addition to the USHJA Green Hunter Incentive Championships and the Markel/USHJA Platinum & Zone Jumper Team Championships.
From a starting field of 35, Campbell was one of 13 who advanced to the tie-breaking jump-off over courses set by Peter Grant (CAN). She set a standard of 37.83 seconds that could not be caught.
Irish Olympian Shane Sweetnam (IRL) jumped to the runner up position in a time of 37.96 seconds riding Coriaan van Klapscheut Z, owned in partnership with Voquest. Hunter Holloway (USA) and Henry Jota Ariel took third in 38.04 seconds for owner Hays Investment Corp.
Questa vd Heffinck returns to Northern Michigan this year after the 9-year old Belgian Warmblood mare (Cabrio Z x Cooper vn de Heffinck) made a debut as part of Campbell’s string at Traverse City Horse Shows last year. “I was jumping her 1.35m just getting to know her,” recalled Campbell. I’m from California, so we spent the winter there stepping up. We brought her to Traverse City because it’s a really nice place to step up a young horse; it’s friendly but still challenging enough that it’s the next level.”
While Questa vd Heffinck stands at only 15.2-hands tall, she punched above her weight on Friday to win her first four-star. “Her stride is massive,” said Campbell. “It’s one of the biggest strides I’ve ever ridden, so it was a good jump-off for her today because there were a lot of straight galloping lines. We’ve been working on her rideability and getting her to turn tighter. Today, there was a big gallop to a hairpin turn, and she handled it far better than I thought she would.”
Campbell admits that she was sold on buying a horse sight unseen from an online auction, but that’s exactly how then 8-year-old Questa vd Heffinck’s owner did it. “He was sitting on the computer clicking bid, bid, bid—he was committed.
“I was not 100% convinced in the beginning,” continued Campbell. “She’s really come around. She’s probably the smartest horse I’ve ever sat on; you teach her something, come out the next day and she remembers exactly what you taught her the day before, which is extremely rare in horses. She’s been fun to work with.”
International competition comes to a peak at Flintfields Horse Park on Sunday with the $182,000 Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel Grand Prix CSI 4*.
Final Results – $63,000 GFL Environmental Welcome Stake CSI 4*
1) Kaitlin Campbell (USA) & Questa vd Heffinck – 0 / 0 – 37.83
2) Shane Sweetnam (IRL) & Coriaan van Klapscheut Z – 0 / 0 – 37.96
3) Hunter Holloway (USA) & Henry Jota Ariel – 0 / 0 – 38.04
Source: Press Release from Traverse City Horse Shows
Photos: © TCHS / Megan Giese Media
