Ocala, FL – The final week of international competition during the nine-week 2023 Ocala Summer Series opened with a slew of the world’s best athletes vying for the win in the $40,000 1.45m Speed CSI3*. FEI Level III course designer Peter Grant (CAN) crafted the speed tracks where Kristen Vanderveen (USA) piloted Bull Run’s Faustino De Tili (Colandro x Amethist) to an uncatchable time early in the order to ultimately gallop away with the blue ribbon.
Eighth to go in the order, Vanderveen strategized a track that would suit her longtime partner Bull Run’s Faustino De Tili, “I really liked the course today, because it was set to where I could use his stride to my advantage and his ability to turn. No one else had attempted the inside turn to the combination and it worked out well for us, because with us going that quick on an open stride, doing the inside turn backed him up a little bit to set him up well for the double,” said Vanderveen. “I was going in thinking, I want to win this class and see how the cards fell – it turns out today was our day.”
Vanderveen and the seasoned 18-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion made light work of the track, stopping the clock at an unbeatable 65.31 seconds.
Vanderveen is excited to be back at World Equestrian Center – Ocala, “Frosty loves it here. He carries over the ground very well and for it being our first class here this summer, it’s a nice for him to start with a win.”
Ocala is now home for Vanderveen and her business, “I have been doing a lot of traveling and my business partner Bryn Sadler has been able to stay here and base our operation out of Ocala. We have clients and I have my high-level horses, so it’s amazing to have international competition practically in our backyard. The clients love it and we will finish out the Summer here as one big team.”
Second place ended with a tie between Luiz Francisco de Azevedo (BRA) and Will Simpson (USA). Thirteenth in the order Azevedo navigated a speedy round in 66.44 seconds aboard Collin (Colandro x Amethist), a 16-year-old KWPN gelding owned by Santa Cecelia Stables LLC.
Will Simpson followed immediately after aboard 5 Roosters’ Whoop De Doo (Mr. Whoopy x Double Trouble X). Simpson and the 12-year-old Warmblood mare mirrored the same track stopping the clock at 66.44 seconds for a tie.
Finals Results: $40,000 1.45m Speed CSI3*
1 BULL RUN’S FAUSTINO DE TILI: 2005 Beglian Warmblood stallion by Berlin x Darco
Kristen Vanderveen (USA), Bull Run Jumpers Five LLC: 0/65.31
T2 WHOOP DE DOO: 2011 Warmblood mare by Mr. Whoopy x Double Trouble X
Will Simpson (USA), 5 Roosters: 0/66.44
T2 COLLIN: 2007 KWPN gelding by Colandro x Amethist
Luiz Francisco de Azevedo (BRA), Santa Cecelia Stables LLC: 0/66.44
4 HST CARTOUCHE: 2011 Zangersheide stallion by (Carthoes B Z x ADC Chantilly Z
Marcella Ciavaglia (BRA), Marcella Ciavaglia: 0/68.04
5 NANINI VAN D’ABELENDREEF: 2013 Belgian Warmblood mare by Kannan x Heartbreaker
Erynn Ballard (CAN), Sydney Shulman-Desiderio: 0/68.42
6 COCONET: 2014 Oldenburg mare by Colman x Cornet’s Stern
Erynn Ballard (CAN), Wight Show Stables LLC: 0/68.93
7 DOTCOM D’AUTHUIT: 2013 Selle Francais mare by Diamant De Semilly x Quidam De Revel
Natalie Dean (USA), Marigold Sporthorses, LLC: 0/69.75
8 CRISTO BEECH: 2011 AES gelding by It’s the Business x Cantero
Aaron Vale (USA), Thinkslikeahorse 0/70.69
9 PREMIER 2S: 2011 Warmblood by Gelha’s VDL Emilion x Ramirha
Marcello Ciavaglia (BRA), Marcello Ciavaglia 0/73.08
10 MIKI PUIGROQ: 2014 Caballo De Deporte Espanol gelding by Fansi Boy Puigroq x Symphony De Reve
Luis Sabino Goncalves (POR), Sigma Stables LLC: 0/74.44
11 CRISTIANO OBOLENSKY: 2015 Hanoverian gelding by Cornet Obolensky x Stakkato
Gonzalo Busca (ESP), Gonzalo Busca: 0/75.37
12 LUIS P: 2009 Deutsches Sportpferd gelding by Bockmann’s Lord Pezi x Cheenook
Chloe Reid (USA), Live Oak Plantation LLC: 0/76.07
Chloe Reid & Chelsea 179 Snag the $6,000 1.40m Speed CSI3* Win
The $6,000 1.40m Speed CSI3* opened up the day as a field of elite contestants competed over Peter Grant’s (CAN) track, but it was Chloe Reid (USA) that snagged the first and third podium finish.
Chloe Reid piloted her two mounts to a quick finish, but found the fastest track aboard Chelsea 179 (Cador 5 x Laudabilis), an eight-year-old Oldenburg mare owned by Live Oak Plantation. As the last to go in the order, Reid didn’t hold back with Chelsea 179, maneuvering tight turns and utilizing the mare’s foot speed to stop the clock at a blistering 64.22 seconds, nearly four seconds faster than second place.
Reid spoke about her new partnership with Chelsea 179, “She’s my newest mare. I got her in October, so I am still figuring out her gears, but it’s been getting better and better. She did the first two national grands prix this summer and we placed in both, so I thought I would compete in FEI this week, and I can’t be happier with how it started.”
Chelsea 179 is set to compete in Friday’s $40,000 1.45m Two Phase Special CSI3* as well, “She will compete on Friday too. I hoping she will be my next grand prix horse. She has a lot of qualities, but I have to remind myself to pump the brakes, because even though I know she can do it, I want to give her time and a good experience.”
Pathfinder’s Megan Wexler (USA) and Golden Oaks Farm, LLC’s Chronicle 4 (Centurion x Cristo 5) put forth a stellar effort in 67.79 second which held rank until Reid and Chelsea 179 snagged the lead.
Reid also secured the third-place spot on the leaderboard aboard Team Reid LLC’s Crossover 4 (Cascadello x Chacco-blue) with a quick and clear time in 68.58 seconds.
Final Results: $6,000 1.40m Speed CSI3*
1 CHELSEA 179: 2015 Oldenburg mare by Cador 5 x Laudabilis
Chloe Reid (USA), Live Oak Plantation: 0/64.22
2 CHRONICLE 4: 2013 Holsteiner gelding by Centurion x Cristo 5
Megan Wexler (USA), Golden Oaks Farm, LLC: 0/67.79
3 CROSSOVER 4: 2013 Hanoverian gelding by Cascadello x Chacco-blue
Chloe Reid (USA), Team Reid LLC: 0/68.58
For final results visit HorseShowing.com or Ryegate.Live.
Photos courtesy of Andrew Ryback Photography.
Videos available at ClipMyHorse.TV