February 12, 2025 – Ocala, FL – Competition at World Equestrian Center – Ocala (WEC) for the first five-star event of the 2025 season began on Wednesday, February 12, during the Winter Spectacular Show Series. The week culminates with the $300,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Ocala on Saturday evening, February 15. Nina Mallevaey (FRA) and My Clementine, owned by Rein Family LLC and Tara Dow-Rein, sped to victory in the $32,000 1.45m Two Phase Special CSI5*-W.
Mallevaey has been paired with My Clementine, a 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare by O.B.O.S. Quality x Kashmir van Schuttershof, for less than a year, but this is their fourth international win together. Previous victories include a two-star grand prix in Valkenswaard, Holland, a five-star speed class at the 2024 Washington International Horse Show, and an Under 25 Grand Prix last month.
“I came here to WEC in December for the three-star, and it was actually our first three-star grand prix,” she said. “I usually use her a lot in the speed classes because she loves that. She likes to go fast, and she’s so careful. I think she really enjoys it. I also tried to step up a bit in the three-star here, and she did it so well. I think she still has bigger classes in her; we are just taking our time to do those.”
In Wednesday’s class, Mallevaey’s plan was to go for the win instead of using it as a warm-up round.
“I like the format because I could still take my time in the first phase and then ask her to go faster,” she explained. “I tried to have a good rhythm in the first phase to not shock her in the second phase. She did everything so well. I really tried to go as fast as I can. She’s just so competitive. I feel really lucky to have her in these classes. She did everything that I asked. She was great.”
While the 2025 FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final in Switzerland in April is not in Mallevaey’s plan, she will be riding Nikka vd Bisschop in Thursday’s $117,000 Lugano Diamonds Grand Prix Qualifier CSI5*-W with hopes to compete in their first grand prix together on Saturday night. The 25-year-old, who is based in Holland and travels to the United States to compete in the winter, has worked full-time for the Rein family for three years.
She noted, “I am so grateful for everything they allow me to do and all the opportunities that I have with the horses. They trust me with the horses, and I feel really lucky for that.”
Second place in the $32,000 1.45m Two Phase Special CSI5*-W went to U.S. Olympic team silver medalist Kent Farrington and Orafina, a 13-year-old KWPN mare (For Fashion x Canturo) owned by Kent Farrington LLC. They finished clear in 31.98 seconds, just behind Mallevaey and My Clementine, who stopped the timers in 31.21 seconds.
Tom Wachman (IRL) and Do It Easy, a 12-year-old Selle Francais gelding (Vigo Cece x Laeken) owned by Coolmore Showjumping, were third with no faults in 32.57 seconds.
Starting out the morning in the WEC Grand Arena was the $1,000 1.40m Two Phase CSI5*-W. Francisco Goyoaga Mollet (ESP) rode Clic Es Patrons, an 11-year-old Spanish Sporthorse mare by Clarucci C owned by Acanthaster, S.L. and Tip Top De Le Orle 2019 SL, finished on top in a time of 29.84 seconds. Exactly one second behind in 30.84 seconds, Darragh Kenny (IRL) and Chaccossini, a 13-year-old Hanoverian gelding (Chacco-Blue x Cassini II) owned by Gospodarstwo Rolne Andrzej Oplatek, finished second. Carly Anthony (USA) and Heavenly W, a 13-year-old KWPN gelding (Calvaro F.C. x Quidam de Revel) owned by Portfolio Horses LLC, were third in 35.47 seconds.
Competition at WEC – Ocala this week continues on Thursday, February 13, with the $117,000 Lugano Diamonds Grand Prix Qualifier CSI5*-W at 3pm ET, and on Friday, February 14, at 3pm in the $62,500 1.50m Winning Round CSI5*-W. The $300,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Ocala will start at 7 p.m. on Saturday, February 15. General admission tickets for Saturday are still available for purchase HERE. More information on the week’s events can be found HERE.