Wilmington, Ohio – Winter Classic #14 at World Equestrian Center – Wilmington culminated Saturday evening with the $30,000 Grand Prix. Course designer Joseph Carnicom (USA) constructed the tracks where Izzy Beisel (USA) conquered aboard her own Diaz Barbotiere (Messire Ardent x Quambera Barbotiere) for the win.
Beisel, of David Beisel Stables in Goshen, Ohio, was the second rider to enter the arena, immediately applying pressure to Sam Pegg (CAN) as they returned for the jump-off.
“When I walked the course, I wasn’t as nervous as I usually am for this class,” Beisel laughed. “It was a challenging course, but I think we are getting in the groove and figuring it out. Diaz is definitely getting a lot more experience backing off the bigger jumps. I was trying to have a nice jump-off round. I already know my horse is fast and I like to think that I am a pretty quick rider! I just wanted to go in and have a little fun.”
Sam Pegg of Ten Sixty Stables had established the first clear effort of the evening aboard Gin Tonic 158 (Graf Top x Sanjador) and the pair were first to jump off. Utilizing his natural foot speed and careful form, the ten-year-old Hanoverian gelding enthusiastically galloped through the timers in 34.749 seconds, ultimately enough to earn second place.
Beisel, known in the Sanctuary for her confident riding, entered the short course looking to best Pegg. With her ten-year-old Selle Francais gelding, the junior rider stepped on the gas pedal for a blistering fast time of 34.050 seconds and clear to take the win.
Formidable Diamant (Diamant De Smilly x Nobel Lady) rounded out the podium with Pegg in the irons. The seven-year-old Selle Francais gelding owned by Phyliss Harlow demonstrated experience beyond his years over the tracks and landed through the timers in 35.096 seconds to earn third place.
WEC – Wilmington sponsor Vitalize presented the Blazin’ Fastest Four Faulter $500 bonus in the $30,000 Grand Prix to Devin Milan and Conquest who earned 70.917 seconds in the first round, finishing fifth in the class overall.
$30,000 Grand Prix Results:
1 Diaz Barbotiere, Izzy Beisel, Izzy Beisel | 0 | 34.05
2 Gin Tonic 158, Sam Pegg, Ten Sixty Stables | 0 | 34.749
3 Formidable Diamant, Sam Pegg, Phyllis Harlow | 0 | 35.096
4 Oaks Cassanova, Samuel Overton, Samuel Overton | 1 | 78.211
5 Conquest, Devin Milan, Garo Kazan | 4 | 70.917
6 Big Girl Z, Sam Pegg, Ten Six Stables | 8 | 72.758
Sam Pegg & Claas Top the $10,000 GGT-Footing Futures Prix at Winter Classic 14
The $10,000 GGT-Footing Futures Prix set the tone for jumper competition at World Equestrian Center – Wilmington early Saturday evening. Once again, it was Sam Pegg (CAN) aboard Claas (Quiran x Braune) that bested the field of horse-and-athlete combinations.
Pegg, of Ten Sixty Stables, piloted his eight-year-old Holsteiner gelding to an easy double clear effort. Recently earning multiple wins in the class, the duo returned in top form over Carnicom’s challenging 1.30m track. Cynthia Brewster-Keating of sponsor GGT Footing was on hand to represent the brand, awarding the top prize to Pegg.
Pegg commented on his rides in the Sanctuary, “Both of the horses in this class jumped nicely. It started with a couple of oxers and a tight turn to the first line, but he has a natural big stride that it is never a problem for him to make a distance. In the jump-off I wanted to turn inside from one back to jump three and find that right out of the corner. The rest of it was pretty open and he could just use his ryhtm and travel across the ground.”
The duo moved onto the immediate jump-off phase to post the only double clear effort of the class to capture the win.
“He is very easy, he is like having a big pony in the barn,” laughed Pegg. “I think by the end of the circuit here we can jump him in some 1.40m classes. Hopefully by the end of summer and into the fall he can move up to the 1.45m because he is just eight this year,” Pegg spoke on his future plans for Class.
$10,000 GGT-Footing Futures Prix:
1 Claas, Sam Pegg, Sam Pegg | 0 | 44.486
2 Get Set, Leann Kelly, Caryann Sculley | 12 | 46.255
3 Favorite Du Chateau, Emily Reder, Emily Reder | 16 | 59.291
4 Fl’u’gel Der Freiheit, Cahill Chen, Cahill Chen | 4 | 64.199
5 Azealia, Cooper Beisel, David Beisel | 4 | 68.315
6 K T Miel, Claire Austin, Michael Kirby | 4 | 69.633
7 Carissima, Sam Pegg, Donna Leetz | 4 | 72.253
8 Karlina T, Devin Milan, Garo Kazan | 4 | 72.539
9 TC Cayman De Joyarie Z, Michaella Gerlacher, Elizabeth Harris | 4 | 72.958
10 HJ Blind Date, Molly Kindness, Molly Kindness | 4 | 73.482
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Results can be found at wec.net.
All horse show images are provided by Winslow Photography and can be purchased onsite at WEC – Wilmington or online through their website.