Week 18 signaled the bittersweet end of the 2019 Winter Series of the Midwest at World Equestrian Center. Exhibitors enjoyed a fun-filled week of delicious food and fantastic events from Circuit Champion presentations to an End of Circuit exhibitor party. David Beisel of David Beisel Stables in Goshen, Ohio was honored with our annual Outstanding Parent Award recognizing his extraordinary sportsmanship and incredible horse show parenting. So though we are sad to say goodbye to the 2019 Winter Series, we are excited to invite everyone back for our Spring / Summer Series starting in May!
This past week held plenty of thrilling feature class action, starting on Thursday with the $5,000 Welcome Stake 1.35 m sponsored by CWD Sellier. The Genn family of Rheinland Farm in Lebanon, Ohio returned to World Equestrian Center this week after showing at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida for the early part of 2019. Wilhelm Genn, along with sons Theo Genn and Ryan Genn, swept the class on Thursday afternoon. Wilhelm Genn piloted Eduardo Leon’s Dirocco Blue (Zirocco Blue VDL x Kivoli) through the first double clear of the class. Genn and the scopey eleven year old Danish Warmblood gelding easily cleared each fence in the first round, stopping the clock in 66.390 seconds, well within the time allowed of 74 seconds. The pair continued straight to the jump off, riding a second clear round in a quick time of 41.834 seconds, setting the pace for the remainder of the class. Though Wilhelm Genn could not be caught, son Theo Genn piloted Taylor Blackman’s Boucanier (Ovidius x Elseroodnoot) to a close second. The pair took a similar approach to the first round, easily jumping clear in a time of 68.499 seconds. Genn and the thirteen year old Dutch Warmblood gelding continued straight to the jump off, jumping clear, but clocking a slightly slower in a time of 44.093 seconds.
Friday saw a fantastic win by Hunter Derby veterans Jeff Gogul and Roberts Stables, LLC’s Snowbird (Vingino x Vegannie). The pair rode two foot-perfect rounds in Friday afternoon’s Derby, impressing both the judges and the crowd for a pair of scores in the nineties. This marked Gogul and Snowbird’s second $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby win of the 2019 Winter Series of the Midwest, which earned the pair the Reserve Circuit Champion title. The pair rode near the top of the order, laying down a flawless first round and taking all four high options for a score of 92, setting a high standard for the remaining entries. Though Gogul and Snowbird were the only entry to score into the nineties on the first round, Doug Boyd and Mimi Rothman’s Calido’s Son (Calido I x Pusteblume) were hot on their trail with a score of 89. Boyd and Calido’s Son were second to last to return in the handy round, taking several inside turns and earning a score of 91 for their efforts. This brought their total to 180, upping the ante for Gogul and Snowbird. Gogul and Snowbird were up for the challenge, also taking multiple inside turns. The pair earned a score of 90, bringing their two-round total to 182 for the win in the class.
Saturday’s $25,000 WEC Grand Prix saw the second Genn family win of the week with Theo Genn taking the blue aboard Eduardo Leon’s Firewall (Lexicon x Bailey), and brother Ryan Genn rode for a close second aboard Wilhelm Genn’s For Advance (For Pleasure x Gazelle). Theo Genn was first to ride double clear aboard Firewall, a nine year old Dutch Warmblood gelding. The pair were patient in the first round, jumping clear in a time of 82.607 seconds, but picked up the pace for the jump off. They turned tight to each fence and galloped through the timers in just 30.230 seconds, setting the time to beat for the remaining entries. Though they could not be beat, Ryan Genn and For Advance, a nine year old Westphalian gelding, were hot on their trail, jumping double clear in a time of 30.673 for second place.
Competition was equally as tough in Saturday afternoon’s $7,500 Futures Prix 1.30 m sponsored by Voltaire Design. Seventeen entries vied for the win over a course similar to that of the Grand Prix, but it was Richard Rinehart and Allison Vinatieri’s La Dolce Vita VDL (Zapatero VDL x Tilly) that ultimately took the win. Rinehart and the nine year old Dutch Warmblood gelding rode near the top of the order in the Table II event, jumping clear in 75.251 seconds. The pair continued straight to the jump off, increasing their speed, but staying incredibly agile. They stopped the clock at 30.539 seconds, challenging the remaining entries to best their time. While none could beat Rinehart and La Dolce Vita VDL, Charlotte Clark and her own Cornetta KF (Confidence x Farah Diva), a nine year old Westphalian mare, came incredibly close. The pair also jumped double clear, but were slightly slower, stopping the clock at 30.728, securing second place.
The Roberts Ring saw fantastic Hunter action on Saturday in the $2,000 Non Pro Hunter Derby 2’6″ sponsored by Chagrin Saddlery. Keeping that winning spirit in the family, Luke Rinehart rode Taylor Johnson’s Cavalli to victory in the class. The pair also took the Champion title for Week 18 in the Intermediate Children’s Hunters and Intermediate Children’s Equitation.
Join us at the World Equestrian Center for the Spring & Summer Series. The prize list is available online at www.wec.net, and entries are being accepted via www.horseshowing.com and through Equestrian Connect. Reservations for stalls, hay and bedding as well as RV spaces may all be made online at www.horseshowing.com.
Become a WEC Member today! Your WEC Membership is your exclusive, all-access pass to everything World Equestrian Center. Signing up is simple, just register for WEC points online at www.wec.net, or sign up in the show office during your next horse show.
Photos courtesy of Andrew Ryback Photography.