Wilmington, Ohio – Fifteen starters met for the $30,000 Grand Prix at the Standlee Sanctuary Saturday evening of WEC – Wilmington Thanksgiving in the Midwest to conclude November’s featured competition.
Canada’s Michael Pegg designed the track that moved seven horse-and-athlete combinations onto the jump-off phase, but Richard Rinehart ultimately piloted The Diamant Rose Z (Toulon x Diamant Z) to the first grand prix win of their partnership.
As a new addition to his barn, Rinehart shared that, “It has been a horse that I have watched for several years and have always wanted. She just knows what she is doing. She is so game and really tries hard.”
“I am really thankful that Ken [Smith] and the team at Ashland Farms decided they would sell her to me. She is no stranger to winning a Welcome Stake and a Grand Prix, she did it just a few weeks ago here with Francisco Goyoaga Mollet. I am really happy to have her and I am looking forward to the future,” said Rinehart.
As the second to jump-off, Rinehart set the quick pace and was unable to be caught, making up time down the first bending line and securing the tricky inside turn.
“I am just getting to know her, so I didn’t want to go too fast. I was coming early in the order and I didn’t want to over do it. I was really happy with her. The turn after the rainbow jump was a little bit hard, but I saw it in the air. I wanted to make sure I slowed down to the in-and-out because she has so much power and I didn’t want to jump in there really forward. After that, I just followed her home and she really sped up.”
The 13-year-old Zangersheide mare stopped the clock in 40.792 seconds to add another win to her record, leading the victory gallop by a full five seconds.
Vanessa McCaughley and her own 12-year-old Warmblood gelding, Eldorado’s Edition (Eldorado Van De Zeshoek Tn x Fatendra) claimed the red ribbon with a double clear effort in 45.77 seconds.
The third place ribbon was presented to Lorraine Allan aboard her own 14-year-old Westphalian mare, Somethin’ Else (Stairway x Cartella), with a time of 46.763 seconds.
$30,000 Grand Prix Results:
1 The Diamant Rose Z, Richard Rinehart, Luke Rinehart | 0 | 40.792
2 Eldorado’s Edition, Vanessa McCaughley, Vanessa McCaughley | 0 | 45.77
3 Somethin’ Else, Lorraine Allan, Lorraine Allan | 0 | 46.763
4 Diaz Barbortiere, Izzy Beisel, Izzy Beisel | 4 | 48.61
5 La Belle SCF, Summer Hill, Andrea Simpson | 19 | 66.65
T6 Triskel De Kerliven, Cooper Beisel, Liz Hutchinson | 0 | EL
T6 Colour Your Day, Stephen Foran, Freedom Woods | RT
8 Cruemmel 3, Trinity Beitler, Trinity Creek Farms Inc | 4 | 73.875
9 Captain America 10, Luke Rinehart, Catherine Rinehart | 4 | 75.341
10 BSH Matinee, Shawn Butler, Shawn Butler | 4 | 77.562
Izzy Beisel Secures $10,000 Hagyard Equine Medical Institute Futures Prix Win with Vegas H
Izzy Beisel notched another victory to her record at Thanksgiving in the Midwest. This week aboard David Beisel and Courtney Berling’s Vegas H (Valentino x Cobrah) in the $10,000 Hagyard Equine Medical Institute Futures Prix.
Eight combinations jumped a clear effort over Michael Pegg’s first-round track to move onto the jump-off, but Beisel entered at the bottom of the order to make one inside turn to secure the win.
“He was jumping so well, but sometimes off the right lead he gives me a weird jump, so I was worried about jump three in the jump-off, so I was trying to be careful there and take my time,” Beisel shared.
“He has such a big stride that I wasn’t worried about the leave out to the double. I got there so nicely that I was able to slow down for the one stride and he melted into me and swung around that inside turn so easily.”
With her 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding, Beisel crossed the timers in 32.919 seconds to move onto the top of the leaderboard.
“I had so much fun. We kept it easy this week. He had a few weeks off and he always needs one week to get back in the groove and then he is on top of it,” Beisel commented on her week.
Elizabeth Rinehart was the final entry to go with Ron Caraway’s eight-year-old KWPN mare, Amorem Rose (Arezzo VDL x Barones). In their first futures prix together, the duo was just shy of the lead for second place in 33.81 seconds.
Graham Morgan and his own 10-year-old Selle Francais mare, Envol D’elle (Urano De Cartigny x Havana D’elle), rounded out the podium in 34.195 seconds.
$10,000 Hagyard Equine Medical Institute Futures Prix Results:
1 Vegas H, Izzy Beisel, David Beisel | 0 | 32.919
2 Amorem Rose, Elizabeth Rinehart, Ron Caraway | 0 | 33.81
3 Envol D’elle, Graham Morgan, Graham Morgan | 0 | 34.195
4 Dario S, Samantha Wertz, Richard Rinehart | 0 | 35.433
5 Rhumba Jw-Van De Moerhoeve, Summer Hill, Nicole Carter | 0 | 36.638
6 VDL Ivar, Kait Meggenhofen, Windara Farms INC | 4 | 34.913
7 Idool, Stephen Foran, Freedom Woods | 4 | 41.89
8 HJ Blind Date, Molly Kindness, Molly Kindness | 8 | 36.465
9 Contigo, Izzy Beisel, David Beisel | 1 | 79.168
10 Everytime Anywhere B, Erin Schalick, University of Findlay | 2 | 80.136
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Results can be found at horseshowing.com.
All horse show images are provided by Winslow Photography and can be purchased onsite at WEC – Wilmington or online through their website.