Wilmington, Ohio – Summer II at World Equestrian Center – Wilmington ran from Wednesday, July 19 to Sunday, July 23. Richard Rinehart (USA) stole the spotlight in the $25,000 Standlee Grand Prix for the second week in a row, while Colleen Holton (USA) made an impression in the $10,000 IDA Development USHJA National Hunter Derby.
Rinehart and Ron Caraway’s 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Vincent (Van Gogh x Nirande) kicked into high gear Saturday evening, earning their second consecutive $25,000 Standlee Grand Prix win in 39.533 seconds.
Demonstrating his customary top form in the class, Vincent surpassed the rest of the challengers with ease. Rinehart spoke highly of his winningest mount’s performance, “Hat’s off to Vincent. At the end of the day, it is the horse. You can ask them all but only a few of them can do that. He is really careful and is truly amazing. I am so thankful to have him.”
Izzy Beisel (USA) mastered the $7,500 Futures Prix, racing to the finish in 31.924 seconds with her own ten-year-old Selle Francias gelding Diaz Barbotiere (Messire Ardent x Quambera Barbotiere).
“I angled the first jump really well, which was the plan, but then he almost thought he was continuing to turn. We definitely were very tight back onto the four. I wanted to see if I could go inside to the last line, but I didn’t really like the turn. I just wanted to have a nice ride to the one stride and the last line, so we just zoomed right around, but with his natural foot speed it worked out well,” Beisel commented on her winning jump-off.
Holton and her own ten-year-old Hanoverian gelding Udefix (Uccello x Contendra) impressed the judges for winning scores of 89 and 91 in the $10,000 IDA Development USHJA National Hunter Derby.
Holton spoke about her partnership with Udefix, “My mom and I bought Felix when he was six. I have developed him from the young hunters all the way up to the high-performance Hunters and the derbies. He has been so fun for me to get to do all the bigger classes on and move up. I have never had a high-performance horse or an international derby horse, so it has been really fun for me to get to do those classes.”
Patricio Rodriguez (ARG) and his own 11-year-old Warmblood mare Corvet Enigma (Corvet Embrujo x Remonta Protuaria) flew to the win in 35.969 seconds Thursday in the $7,500 Kentucky Equine Research Welcome Stake.
“I saw Charlie [Jayne] go and knew that he was fast. She has been so consistent, so I wanted to give it a go. She jumped double clear in the Grand Prix last week and I was a bit more conservative in the jump-off. She is super game and always careful and fast. I just need to trust her, and she will do her thing. I knew that if it went wrong, I would learn, and if it went right, I would win,” laughed Rodriguez.
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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.