Wilmington, Ohio – The ladies stole the show in the $30,000 Grand Prix of World Equestrian Center – Wilmington Winter Classic 9, with Devin Milan scoring her second featured win of the week with Garo Kazan’s Conquest (Colestus x Excellenta C).
Anderson Lima (BRA) set a welcoming first round track seeing five horse-and-athlete combinations move onto the short course, with only Milan and Nicole Loochtan (USA) posting double clear efforts.
Milan shared her thoughts on the track, “When I walked, I was happy to see that the first jump was an oxer. Sometimes when it is a vertical, my horse can get a little bit flat, and I have had that rail down in the past. It was nice to practice going forward in the turn and the first line rode nicely in nine strides. I focused on each element as their own, like I did in the welcome.”
With occasional four-faults in the triple combinations, Milan was pleased with Conquest’s efforts today, “I was forward coming through the turn to the triple combination, and he jumped really nicely over the vertical-vertical out. In the summer, I was having the out of the triples down and he was really careful there today.”
Returning for the short-course, Milan set an uncatchable pace in 36.574 seconds with the nine-year-old Zangersheide gelding.
“In the jump-off, I went in to win it! I jumped fence one on an angle and really leaned back for the second vertical. I walked the first line in eight and landed and kind of did seven and a half. My horse was really careful and helped me out there,” Milan chuckled.
Winner of the Futures Prix, Loochtan returned with her winningest 10-year-old Belgian Sport Horse stallion, It’s Me Du Bosquetiau (Dayton Sitte x Mirette Du Bosquetiau) to try to beat Milan’s time but fell just shy in 37.446 seconds for second place.
The final duo to jump, Charlotte Clark (USA) and her 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare, Kinsella (Capitalist x Jerpoint Mist), were quick and tidy around the track, with four-faults in 37.063 seconds to round out the top three.
$30,000 Grand Prix Results:
1 Conquest, Devin Milan, Garo Kazan | 0 | 36.574
2 It’s Me Du Bosquetiau, Nicole Loochtan, Nicole Loochtan | 0 | 37.446
3 Kinsella, Charlotte Clark, Charlotte Clark | 4 | 37.063
4 Freedom GS, Jessica Phoenix, Jessica Phoenix | 4 | 39.96
5 Quincidence, Wilhelm Genn, Wilhelm Genn | 4 | 42.277
6 Duc De Jentiere, Lani Hutchison, Lani Hutchison | 4 | 71.941
7 Aruba Van’t Eigenlo Z, Michael Janson, Kimberly Janson | 4 | 73.081
8 Fortysix & 2, Lyriss Jaegar, Lyriss Jagaer | 8 | 75.575
9 Watson GS, Jessica Phoenix, Jessica Phoenix | 12 | 75.618
10 Reykjavik 18, Lauren McGuire, Rachel Kane | 16 | 78.746
Nicole Loochtan & Kupardie Clinch $10,000 Premier Equestrian Futures Prix Win
Nicole Loochtan (USA) clinched her fourth featured win of the 2024 Winter in the Midwest Series to kick-off show jumping action Saturday afternoon. This time she sped to victory with her own, Kupardie (Cidane x Akupardie), in the $10,000 Premier Equestrian Futures Prix.
The duo has delivered consistent double-clear and quick efforts in the class, but the win was extra special to both Loochtan and her barn manager, Zoe Thomsen, “He is quite a sensitive horse, so we have done a lot of spoiling within the barn! To say that ‘Birdie’ is very appreciated would be an understatement.”
Loochtan and Kupardie followed the first duo to jump double clear, Charlotte Clark (USA) and her Exe Du Puits (Utrillo VD Heffinck x Athena Du Ruisseau Z).
Clark and her nine-year-old Selle Francais gelding stopped the clock in 36.712 seconds, ultimately rounding out the top three.
Aboard her nine-year-old KPWN gelding, Loochtan crossed the timers a full three seconds faster than Clark to take the lead in 33.497 seconds.
Loochtan shared where she made up the time around the short course, “I think I made up the time all the way around. In the first round, I did 10 strides from jumps two to three, and in the jump-off, I did eight strides. In the last line I also did the leave out. Birdie is naturally so fast that I don’t have to push so hard, I just let him open up his step.”
“I am just getting to know him. I haven’t had him for very long and when I first got him, I ended up with an injury, so I was out for a while. Now that I know him a bit better, I feel more comfortable going a lot faster. Hopefully, this is his last week jumping the futures and he will be ready to move up to the grand prix,” Loochtan discussed her partnership with Kupardie.
Michael Janson and Kimberly Janson’s seven-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding, Ringo Star PS (Cicero Z x Hivita), were the final pair to contest Loochtan’s time, and ultimately claimed second place in a close 34.938 seconds.
$10,000 Premier Equestrian Futures Prix Results:
1 Kupardie, Nicole Loochtan, Nicole Loochtan | 0 | 33.497
2 Ringo Star PS, Michael Janson, Kimberly Janson | 0 | 34.938
3 Exe Du Puits, Charlotte Clark, Charlotte Clark | 0 | 36.712
4 Katinka, Wilhelm Genn, Klaus Mauer | 4 | 35.901
5 Quite Nice 11, Emilie Mudd Guy, Emilie Mudd Guy | 4 | 37.717
6 Fluorescent Adolescent, Jessica Phoenix, Jessica Phoenix | 4 | 76.242
7 Karlina T, Devin Milan, Garo Kazan | 4 | 77.873
8 Frere D’arme, Jessica Lobmiller, Jessica Lobmiller | 4 | 78.789
9 HJ Blind Date, Molly Kindness, Molly Kindness | 8 | 77.21
10 Caveman Z, Michael Janson, Kimberly Janson | 31 | 110.813
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Results can be found at horseshowing.com.
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