Wilmington, Ohio – Feature competition for the 2023 Winter in the Midwest Series at World Equestrian Center – Wilmington concluded with the Dandy Products $30,000 Grand Prix of Winter Classic 18. Sixteen horse-and-athlete combinations rounded out the series over international course designer Michael Pegg’s (CAN) tracks. In the end, it was Kady Abrahamson (USA) and Any (Aljano x Nina XI) that earned the final win to close out the winter season.
Abrahamson, of Georgetown, Kentucky, returned to the Standlee Sanctuary in top form with her seasoned mare, Any, after their grand prix win during Winter Classic 16.
As the second to go in the posted order with Jazil Du Houssoit (Peppermill x Gerboise Du Houssoit), Abrahamson set the pace for her evening with an effortless clear round to qualify for the jump-off. Returning at the end of the class with Any, she looked for two podium finishes after her second clear round.
“Jazil is only eight and this is her second grand prix. I did a little bit of mechanical bull riding in the beginning, she is a little cheeky,” Abarahmson laughed about her expressive young mare. “I just wanted to have a smooth canter with her in the jump-off. It looked a little bit dicey to do the inside turn from one to two because you were turning parallel to it and the vertical was quite tall. She was paying attention, so I went inside, and then went inside to the double. From seven to eight, the six-stride got long, so I jumped it straight and stayed out, but she was on such a motor that she ate up the six and had the rail there.”
Returning first to go in the jump-off on her eight-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare, Abrahamson made each inside turn, with an unfortunate four faults to slide into third place.
“Any has been there done that, and I knew that if I did the same turns as I did on Jazil we would end up fast. There was still one to go after me, so I didn’t want to leave it open for the last rider. Everything came up off a gallop so nicely with her. Any is jumping the Kentucky Invitational at Land Rover this year. This was our last class to prepare for that. I didn’t want to run her off her feet today, but she is so fit for that class now that this felt easy for her,” Abrahamson shared.
Abrahamson entered with her seasoned 15-year-old Holsteiner mare, Any, searching for a fault free effort. The duo made light work of the inside turns and swiftly landed through the timers in 39.324 seconds for their second consecutive grand prix win.
Canada’s Eric Krawitt jumped to an effortless second place with his own Chicago Cm (Cassini I x Missmillenium). Krawitt guided the scopey ten-year-old Holsteiner to a confident double clear effort and earned the red ribbon with a time of 42.898 seconds.
Dandy Products $30,000 Grand Prix Results:
1 Any, Kady Abrahamson, Abrahamson Equestrian LLC | 0 | 39.324
2 Chicago Cm, Eric Krawitt, Eric Krawitt | 0 | 42.898
3 Jazil Du Houssoit, Kady Abrahamson, Abrahamson Equestrian LLC | 4 | 40.596
4 Vincent, Richard Rinehart, Ron Caraway | 4 | 41.093
5 Nightshade SCF, Sarah Meier, Sarah Meier | 4 | 46.955
6 Eastpoint, Hillary Johnson, Hillary Johnson | 4 | 47.008
7 Iconic, Lani Hutchison, Lani Hutchison | 4 | 48.279
8 Conquest, Devin Milan, Garo Kazan | 4 | 67.827
9 FF Blade Runner, Jill Gaffney, Freestyling Farms LLC | 4 | 70.074
10 Vegas H, Izzy Beisel, David Beisel | 4 | 71.929
Lindsay Lyden & Fawkes Top the $10,000 Futures Prix Sponsored by Buffalo Wild Wings at Winter Classic 18
Sixteen competitive athletes kicked off show jumping action in the Standlee Sanctuary with the $10,000 Futures Prix sponsored by Buffalo Wild Wings. Nine combinations advanced to the jump-off with Lindsay Lyden (USA) and Fawkes (Carthino Z x Tisral) ultimately earning the win.
Lyden, of Fox Meadow Farm in Temperance, Michigan, piloted her longtime partner to a smooth clear first round, qualifying for the immediate jump-off. It was a race to the finish as Luke Rinehart (USA) held the leading time with Captain America 10 (Contendro).
“We have had Fawkes for three or four years now. He was a great horse when we bought him, and we always knew that. It was just getting to the point where we needed to excel together and last year, we started clicking a little bit more and he is just a really great horse,” Lyden spoke about her mount.
Rinehart, of Rinehart Farm in Westfield, Indiana, was the second rider to contest the class. Aboard the nine-year-old Hanoverian gelding, the junior rider set an immediate quick pace with a jump-off time of 39.2 seconds.
Lyden entered aboard her own 13-year-old KWPN gelding looking to challenge Rinehart’s time, and made every inside turn on the track to move the pair into second. With a time of 37.241 seconds, Lyden secured the prestigious win.
“I just tried to stay out of his way and let him do his job,” laughed Lyden. “The course was great. It rode exactly like it walked. It was great for him since I was able to get on a good gallop. He is always really fast in the jump-off, so I just made sure I got on a good pace, and I was able to make all of the turns smoothly!”
Cooper Beisel (USA) piloted Azealia (Quintero x Salma) to the yellow ribbon. Besiel, of David Beisel Stables in Goshen, Ohio, capped off a successful season with his 15-year-old Holsteiner mare with a jump-off time of 40.183 seconds for third place honors.
Buffalo Wild Wings $10,000 Futures Prix Results:
1 Fawkes, Lindsay Lyden, Lindsay Lyden | 0 | 37.241
2 Captain America 10, Luke Rinehart, Catherine Rinehart | 0 | 39.2
3 Azealia, Cooper Beisel, David Beisel | 0 | 40.183
4 FF Mister Gold, Jill Gaffney, Freestyling Farms LLC | 0 | 43.048
5 Grain D’ry, Raquel Mazur, Raquel Mazur | 0 | 45.279
6 Jadina, Kevin McCarthy, Sweet Oak Farm | 4 | 39.343
7 The Countess, Skyler Hendricks, Skyler Hendricks | 4 | 41.507
8 Flex Star, Raquel Mazur, Raquel Mazur | 4 | 45.139
9 Cherry Blue 2, Cooper Beisel, Stellar Farms Inc | 8 | 49.912
10 Karlina T, Devin Milan, Garo Kazan | 4 | 74.793