Wilmington, Ohio – Competition for Winter Classic #11 came to a close at World Equestrian Center – Wilmington on Sunday, February 26. Sam Pegg dominated the Sanctuary Arena Saturday evening as show jumping competition called all exhibitors to the stands for the pinnacle of feature competition while Kathleen Caya earned a double victory on Friday evening in the $15,000 USHJA National Open 3’ Hunter Derby.
Pegg, of Ten Sixty Stables in Uxbridge, Ontario, stood atop the podium for the second time on Saturday after a six-horse jump-off where he and Gin Tonic 158 (Graf Top x Sanjador) stopped the timers at 36.509 for the $30,000 Tribute Equine Nutrition Grand Prix win.
“He [Gin Tonic 158] knows his job once you get going. He has a lot of blood. I tried to get away from the second jump and turn quickly back to the vertical. I took a little bit of time to jump the combination because with an oxer-vertical you jump a little high on the way in. He jumped it nicely and I did one less stride to the last fence. He is naturally very quick, so I didn’t try to hurry, I just used his rhythm,” Pegg commented on his ride in the jump-off.
Earlier in the day, Pegg guided his new partner Claas to a confident win in the $10,000 Futures Prix to add to his record. The eight-year-old Holsteiner gelding has found success in the Sanctuary in recent open jumper classes and has proved his impressive natural talent and scope.
Pegg spoke highly of his new mount, “Claas came and met us down in Florida in the middle of January. He did some 1.30m and 1.35m classes in Ocala. We brought the horses back up here and it has been nice do be able to do some modified classes here with him. I want to develop his career this summer and hopefully jump a few national grands prix and maybe use him as a third horse in the 2* division by the fall. He is not the fastest horse across the ground, but he can take out strides in all the lines so I tried to do that and make all the turns that I could and keep his feet moving.”
Caya, of Integrity Farm, dominated the $15,000 USHJA National Open 3’ Hunter Derby taking the win aboard the ten-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding Copa Du Cache (Cooper VD Heffnick x Urtoucha VD) and second place with the nine-year-old Warmblood gelding Eurythmix.
“I just try to keep them happy! They both want to be good horses and they want to jump well, so I just focus on keeping them at their happiest and keep them wanting to do their job. I just stay out of their way,” laughed Caya as she explained her preparation for renowned class.
Sarah Barker (CAN) riding out of The Summit in Ontario, Canada, and her own Cheers (Cabardino) were unmatched in the $15,000 USHJA National Non-Pro Derby early Friday evening. The nine-year-old Holsteiner gelding rose to the challenge of the handy phase and perfected the inside turns, impressing the judges with his textbook form and athleticism for a two-round total of 170.5 and the win.
Barker shared about her longtime partner, “Cheers is nine years old, and I have had him since he was two, so we have a pretty good partnership. He has been on a bit of a hot streak recently! He was just champion at the Royal Winter Fair in Ontario. For us Canadians that’s a key win, so he is a wonderful horse.”
Amy Krebs (USA) kicked off show jumping action Thursday afternoon with a win in the $10,000 Welcome Stake with her own Jabantos (Corsari Van De Helle x Cassima). The 15-year-old junior rider training out of Fair Chance Farm in Franklin, Tennessee, piloted her nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding to a jump-off time of 40.57 seconds to top the leaderboard.
“Elijah [Jabantos] just turned nine years old and I have had him for almost three years now. This is the first year that we have really moved up into the grands prix and the welcomes. We did young riders [FEI North American Youth Championships] over the summer, so I have gained some good experience with him up to the 1.35m but this is only my fourth welcome that I have jumped. I had a really good day in this ring and had some nice rounds earlier, so I really went in it to win it and it feels amazing,” Krebs commented.
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Results can be found at HorseShowing.com.
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