Ocala, FL – The $24,000 C. Jarvis Insurance Welcome Prix kicked off the final week of the 2023 Ocala Summer Series at World Equestrian Center – Ocala early this morning as 41 star-studded combinations competed over a challenging track set by FEI Level IV course designer Guilherme Jorge (BRA). Olympic Gold Medalist Will Simpson (USA) piloted 5 Roosters’ Whoop De Doo (Mr. Whoopy x Double Trouble X) to their second welcome prix victory of the series.
A total of 12 horse-and-rider combinations answered all the questions in the first round to return for the jump-off, where just four produced a double clean effort.
Will Simpson delivered clean first rounds on both of his mounts and learned from his first trip in jump-off with Quentin VA, “I had the luxury of having two in the jump-off. My first one has a huge stride. Everyone did seven after the combination with a bit of a bow, then steadied for the five. I thought I could get the six, but my horse was a little empty. I asked him for a stride lengthen in the first line, and I felt like I didn’t get anything. Then asked again, and still didn’t get anything, so had to pull on the reins to get the seven done, and he left off in six anyway,” laughed Simpson. “So, I learned from my mistake there and knew what I had to fix with Whoopy.”
“Whoop De Doo came in, I made a really nice turn to the front, did the nine steps to the combination, and then my plan with her was the outside step in the seven which she did beautifully in a left to right angle which set me up for the right turn. She was very good there, jumped it very lofty and I really got the green light to take a shot at the vertical. It wasn’t very big. It was on a funny angle, but as good as she was jumping, I knew I could take a risk there. That put me on the ten strides to the last,” shared Simpson about his jump-off track with the 12-year-old Warmblood mare.
The pair landed and galloped through the timers posting a time of 36.036 seconds to snag the win.
Simpson has had a very successful series, taking home numerous top placings and both the national and international level, “If there’s going to be a show here, I am going to be here. It’s seven minutes from my house and it’s the best venue in the world. I am afraid I am going to show up next week on Wednesday all in my show gear wondering where everyone is,” joked Simpson. “The circuit was great; it was amazing having FEI in the beginning. The facility and atmosphere are big time. It was exciting to see new faces from week to week, and it made for great competition.”
Lauren Balcomb and her own 12-year-old Zangersheide gelding Verdini D’Houtveld Z (Verdi x Laska III) were just shy of Simpson and Whoop De Doo’s time by three-tenths of a second in 36.385 seconds to secure the second place spot atop the podium.
Fernanda Gabriel (BRA) and her own Estonian Sporthorse mare Ventisette (Carlos x Brillance) rounded out the top three with a clean ride in 37.980 seconds.
$24,000 C. Jarvis Insurance Welcome Prix Results:
1 Whoop De Doo, Will Simpson, 5 Roosters: 0 | 0 | 36.036
2 Verdini D’Houtveld Z, Lauren Balcomb, Lauren Balcomb: 0 | 0 | 36.385
3 Ventisette, Fernanda Gabriel, Fernanda Gabriel: 0 | 0 | 37.980
4 Cencorinue PS, Scott Keach, Kandor Farm LLC: 0 | 0 | 40.638
5 MTM McIntosh, Tracy Fenney, Nina Koloseike: 0 | 4 | 36.551
6 Fifty Shades, Andrea Torres Guerreiro, Andrea Torres Guerreiro: 0 | 4 | 36.764
7 Quentin VA, Will Simpson, Two Socks Farm LLC: 0 | 4 | 36.847
8 Mick Jagger, Sharn Wordley, Della Wordley: 0 | 4 | 38.533
9 Premier 2S, Marcello Giavaglia, Arnoldo Wald Filho: 0 | 4 | 38.587
10 Clever Van De Helle, Kyle Dewar, Kyle Dewar: 0 | 4 | 39.937
Photos courtesy of Andrew Ryback Photography.
Videos available at ClipMyHorse.TV
For final results visit HorseShowing.com or Ryegate.Live.