Ocala, FL – On a picturesque Florida afternoon, the $15,000 Buckeye Nutrition Futures Prix unfolded as a field of talented horse-and-rider combinations put forth their best efforts over a technical track set by FEI Level IV course designer Leopoldo Palacios (VEN). Andre Thieme (GER) returned to World Equestrian Center – Ocala right where he left off, taking home his first feature class victory of the series aboard his own Candid 14 (Cellestial x Cosima).
Seven horse-and-rider combinations managed to answer all of the questions asked in the first-round to advance to the jump-off.
Reflecting on Palacios’ first-round course, Thieme praised its strategic intricacies, “Knowing that famous course designer, although it was only 1.35m/1.40m, I knew it was still going to be tricky. When I was walking the course, toward the end, the vertical-vertical combination was set to cause some rails. It was a floating distance to the combination, I knew that was his place to get the horses off their hind end, so I did one more with both my horses and stayed clear. Palacios is a very smart designer, even if the track isn’t big, he makes it more technical.”
Thieme produced his first clear round aboard Candid 14 and had the win in mind going into today’s competition, “I definitely had a competitive mindset. This was the one class this week I wanted to win. As soon as I was in the jump-off, there was no second place for me today, I was going to win it.”
With a quick time of 43.872 seconds, Thieme set an uncatchable pace aboard the 12-year-old Mecklenburg gelding that resulted in victory.
Anticipating the upcoming international weeks and the prestigious five-star event during week XII, Thieme expressed his excitement, “I am planning on doing that week. I think the German team is counting on me. I have no idea who I am going to show that week, I brought three great horses for the bigger classes, so over the next few weeks, I’ll decide which one of those horses will qualify for that final week.”
“I am thrilled WEC is having more FEI competition. To me that makes a big difference, and I am very happy about it. Having the five-star and Longines League of Nations™ event here is really special. I am looking forward to it and I think this is the perfect place to have a high-caliber competition like that. If not here, where else? I hope they continue to hold big events like that.”
Securing the second position, Will Simpson (USA) and Es Keminko N, a nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding by Grand Slam Vdl x Deminka N, blazed through the jump-off with a commendable time of 44.300 seconds.
Meanwhile, Bretton Chad (CAN) celebrated her birthday with a third-place finish aboard Stone Ridge Farms’ 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare Csf Princess Blue (Vdl Sirocco Blue x Csf Princess Ida), with a quick time of 45.640 seconds.
$15,000 Buckeye Nutrition Futures Prix Results:
1 Candid 14, Andre Thieme, Andre Thieme: 0 | 0 | 43.872
2 Es Keminko N, Will Simpson, Will Simpson Stables, Inc.: 0 | 0 | 44.300
3 Csf Princess Blue, Bretton Chad, Stone Ridge Farms: 0 | 0 | 45.640
4 Chacco Hearts, Andrw Thieme, Marilyn Little: 0 | 0 | 46.318
5 Poker Face Van’t Hagenhof, Luis Sabino Goncalves, Sigma Stables LLC: 0 | 0 | 48.758
6 Jalapeno Hedoniste, Rodrigo Lambre, Rodrigo Lambre: 0 | 4 | 46.451
7 Acorn, Matthias Hollberg, Dean Richardson: 0 | 4 | 47.336
8 Casquite, Mattias Hollberg, Elisabeth Yeager: 2 | 81.805
9 Rubens D’Ysieux, Sara Kozumplik, Edith Rameika: 4 | 73.481
10 Quentin Va, Will Simpson, High Rise Holidings LLC: 4 | 75.262
Spectators are welcome! From now until March 24, 2024, experience the thrill of the 2024 Winter Spectacular Show Series at World Equestrian Center – Ocala. Explore the daily class schedule, orders of go, class counts, and final results on HorseShowing.com. For real-time scoring, check out Ryegate.Live.
A limited number of weekly stalls remain for the 2024 Winter Spectacular Show Series, book your stall today!
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