Tom Wachman & Do It Easy Score the Win in the $117,000 Gary Yeomans Ford Grand Prix Qualifier CSI4*

29 JAN 26 Ocala, FL

A rider in equestrian gear jumps a brown horse over an obstacle during a show jumping event in an outdoor arena.

Ocala, FL – Four-star competition returned to World Equestrian Center – Ocala (WEC) with a competitive field of top international talent contesting the $117,000 Gary Yeomans Ford Grand Prix Qualifier CSI4*. Forty-one horse-and-rider combinations representing 17 nations took their shot at the top prize, but in the end it was Ireland’s Tom Wachman who proved quickest, piloting Coolmore Showjumping’s Do It Easy (Vigo Cece x Laeken) to victory by mere fractions of a second.

A rider in equestrian gear guides a brown horse over a pink and white jump during a show jumping competition in an outdoor arena.
Tom Wachman and Do It Easy flying to the win in the $117,000 Gary Yeomans Ford Grand Prix Qualifier CSI4*. Photo by Andrew Ryback Photography.

The track was set by FEI Level IV course designer Leopoldo Palacios (VEN), assisted by FEI Level III designer Peter Grant (CAN). Time proved to be a major factor throughout Thursday’s class, catching out many contenders. Ultimately, eight combinations managed to stay within the time allowed and leave all the rails intact to advance to a tightly contested jump-off, where the margins between competitors were razor-thin.

Ireland’s Michael Duffy was first to return with Be Sky Hawk, laying down a fast round in 38.97 seconds, but an unlucky rail kept him out of the lead. Argentina’s Luis Pedro Biraben followed and delivered a clear effort in 39.27 seconds to set the early pace.

A rider in equestrian attire guides a gray horse over a show jumping obstacle in an outdoor arena with white fencing and a small audience in the background.
Brooke Kemper and Arpeggi rounding out the top three. Photo by Andrew Ryback Photography.

That mark stood until Brooke Kemper (USA) entered the ring with Arpeggi Group’s Arpeggi (Arpeggio x Lancer III). Kemper guided the 16-year-old Westphalian gelding to a smooth and efficient round, stopping the clock in 39.10 seconds to take over the lead.

Second-to-last to go, Wachman entered the arena with a clear strategy. “I watched one or two on the screen, but I made a good plan with Cian O’Connor and Ross Mulholland,” he shared. “I wanted to do seven from one to two in the jump-off, but I did eight, so I was a little slow, and then did 11 strides to the double. Some were doing 10, but it was very hard to jump it on 10. Then nine to the plank, seven back, and seven to the second to last, and that’s where I think I had it.”

A rider in formal attire sits on a horse draped in a branded sheet, positioned behind a sign reading "Gary Yeomans Ford" at an outdoor equestrian event.
Tom Wachman and Do It Easy. Photo by Andrew Ryback Photography.

Wachman and Do It Easy delivered a lightning-fast round, flying through the timers in 37.36 seconds to take over the top spot on the leaderboard.

Speaking about his partnership with the 13-year-old Selle Français gelding, Wachman added, “He’s an amazing horse. He’s so rideable and so brave. He won the Grand Prix in London a couple of weeks ago, so he’s been jumping in super form. He’s 13, and I’ve been riding him for quite a while now. My brother Max rode him, and Cian rode him as well. He was very well produced in Stephex Stables with Kendra Claricia Brinkop. He really is such a kind horse, and he’s so fun to work with, and he wants to win.”

An equestrian and horse jump over a decorative obstacle during a show jumping competition in an outdoor arena.
Eduardo Menezes and H5 Knockando flying to second place. Photo by Andrew Ryback Photography.

Brazil’s Eduardo Menezes was last to go and came within striking distance of the winning time aboard H5 Sporthorses LLC’s 11-year-old KWPN mare H5 Knockando (Comme Il Faut 5 x Stakkato). The pair stopped the clock in an impressive 37.91 seconds, just five-tenths of a second off Wachman’s winning time, to secure second place.

$117,000 Gary Yeomans Ford Grand Prix Qualifier CSI4* Results 

1 DO IT EASY: 2013 Selle Français gelding by Vigo Cece x Laeken
Tom Wachman (IRL), Coolmore Showjumping: 0/0/37.36

2 H5 KNOCKANDO: 2015 Dutch Warmblood mare by Comme II Faut 5 x Stakkato
Eduardo Menezes (BRA), H5 Sprthorses LLC: 0/0/37.91

3 ARPEGGI: 2010 Westphalian gelding by Arpeggio x Lancer III 
Brooke Kemper (USA), Arpeggi Group: 0/0/39.10

4 GEORGINA DE CARLES: 2016 Selle Francais mare by Kannan x Quidam de Revel
Luis Pedro Biraben (ARG), La Cuadra Stables, LLC: 0/0/39.27

5 IN THE AIR: 2013 Dutch Warmblood mare by Air Jordan x Indoctro
Jessica Mendoza (GBR), Jessica Mendoza: 0/0/39.53

6 BE BLUE: 2017 Oldenberg mare by Brantzau x Bockmann’s Lord Pezi
Sergio Álvarez Moya (ESP), Sergio Álvarez Moya: 0/4/37.53

7 BE SKY HAWK: 2016 AES gelding by Golden Hawk x Harlequin du Carel 
Michael Duffy (IRL), G Sporthorses Limited Partnership: 0/4/38.97

8 DESTINE TO BE: 2015 AES gelding by Diamant de Semilly x Grandilot
Nina Mallevaey (FRA), Rein Family LLC: 0/4/39.22

9 LA UNA: 2011 Oldenberg mare by Chacco-blue x For Pleasure 
Zoe Conter (BEL), Zoe Conter: 1/80.24

10 ULYSSES: 2016 Zangersheide gelding by For Pleasure x Verdi Tn
Cian O’Connor (IRL), Coolmore Showjumping: 1/80.26

Explore the daily class schedule, orders of go, class counts, and final results on HorseShowing.com. For real-time scoring, check out Ryegate.Live.

Photos courtesy of Andrew Ryback Photography.
Videos available at ClipMyHorse.TV

Make sure to visit the WEC Blog and follow us on social media @worldequestriancenter for full coverage on all feature classes! 

This event is made possible through the support of our generous sponsors and marketing partners, the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association, and Ocala/Marion County Visitors and Convention Bureau.