Ocala, FL – Week IX of the 2022 Winter Spectacular Show Series closed out with the $15,000 WEC Ocala 1.45m Jumper Classic. FEI Level III course designer, Catsy Cruz (MEX) built the challenging tracks that allowed only one entry to produce a double clear round and it was Savannah Nicole Unger and Savannah Show Stables, LLC’s Fundament E (Baltic VDL x Unament) that managed to leave all rails up.
Unger and Fundament E were one of the final pairs to try their hand at Cruz’s tracks. The pair managed a smooth and fast first round in 76.133 seconds.
“Fundament E is a 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding that my mom imported about four years ago to be a sale horse. He came over doing the 1.30m, but he was a little unrideable, so my mom asked if I wanted to take him over. We are super happy with him. We never thought that he would be where he is now,” said Unger.
Unger and Fundament E advanced to the jump-off, “He’s naturally a pretty fast horse, so the goal was to ride him controlled and collected to keep all the rails up. I know I would be fast enough if I went clear.” The pair dashed through the finish, going clear in 39.529 seconds to ultimately secure the win.
Harold Chopping and Rein Family LLC’s Quadrant 3 (Quadros x O-Carlotta) were the only other pair to yield a clean first round in 76.045 seconds. Chopping and the 10-year-old Holsteiner gelding went to the jump-off soaring through the course to stop the clock at 36.351 seconds with one rail down.
Anne Bingler and her own Inspirado (Eldorado Van De Zeshoek x Bloody Mary) left all the jumps up in the first round in 82.214 seconds, but with a time allowed of 80 seconds, the pair incurred three time penalties to round out the top three.
$15,000 WEC Ocala 1.45m Jumper Classic Results:
1.Fundament E, Savannah Nicole Unger, Savannah Show Stables, LLC: 0 | 0 | 39.529
2. Quadrant 3, Harold Chopping, Rein Family LLC: 0 | 4 | 36.251
3. Inspirado, Anne Bingler, Anne Bingler: 3 | 82.214
4. Clever Van De Helle, Kyle Dewar, Kyle Dewar: 4 | 70.413
5. Mrequsio, Richie Moloney, Equinimity LLC: 4 | 74.107
6. Ibalius SMH, Gemma Paternoster, Alan Chesler: 4 | 77.632
7. Everday Hero, Heren Lee, Heren Lee: 4 | 78.904
8. Active X Van WWW.Olland.Biz.Z, Katia Manuel-Adams, Joan Van Gorkum: 5 | 80.428
9. Zechariah 3:9, Derek Petersen, Derek Petersen: 8 | 71.688
10. Jarocco Blue, Sam Berry, Sam Berry: 8 | 76.090
Photos courtesy of Andrew Ryback Photography.
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