Ocala, FL – Thirty-six horse-and-rider combinations took to the WEC Grand Arena to compete for the top prize over FEI Level IV course designer Bernardo Costa Cabral’s intricate tracks in the $10,000 Buckeye Nutrition Futures Prix. Nine entries managed clear first rounds and five jumped double clear, but it was Bryn Sadler and Showcase 81, LLC’s Cezarro (Cesaro x Nabell) that led the victory gallop.
Sadler (USA) and the 14-year-old Brandenburg gelding produced an efficient first round with a tidy jumping effort that stopped the clock at 69.040 seconds.
Many other competitors fell victim to the tight time allowed, but Sadler wasn’t too worried, “The time allowed was perfect for us. Cezarro is a smaller guy, he thrives off momentum. The faster I go, the better he jumps. I don’t ever have to worry about the time allowed with him, because he’s efficient across the ground and over the jumps,” Sadler remarked.
Sadler and Cezarro advanced straight the to jump-off, “Dorrie [Douglas] went down the first line in five strides. I gave it a go, but chickened out last second and got the six,” laughed Sadler. “It ended up working out, because I was able to land and turn very quickly. He’s amazing at slicing verticals on a gallop, so that was right up our alley. Then we were super quick from the skinny back to the oxer.”
Salder and Cezarro flew through the finish stopping the clocks at 30.455 seconds.
Just behind the winning pair was Camille Maddrix (USA) and Caroline Michele Dugas’s Skyfall (Vigaro x Twi Light). Maddrix and the 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding entered the class toward the end of the order, delivering a smooth first round in 68.730 seconds. The pair went right to the jump-off soaring through the course in 30.566 seconds to slot into second place.
Dorothy Douglas (USA) and MTM Farm’s Faerdel (First Edition x Farina) were one of the first few entries to try their hand at Cabral’s fast track. Douglas and the 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding yielded a smooth first round in 72.051 seconds. The pair advanced to the jump-off, leaving out a stride from one to two to fly through the rest of the course stopping the clock at 31.049 seconds, that ultimately earned the pair third place.
$10,000 Buckeye Nutrition Futures Prix Results:
1.Cezarro, Bryn Sadler, Showcase 81, LLC: 0 | 0 | 30.455
2. Skyfall, Camille Maddrix, Caroline Michele Dugas: 0 | 0 | 30.566
3. Faerdel, Dorothy Douglas, MTM Farm: 0 | 0 | 31.049
4.Hotspot, Sloane Coles, Blue Ridge Syndicate LLC: 0 | 0 | 32.285
5. Hickory HBC, Justine Dutton, The Superman Syndicate LLC: 0 | 0 | 34.423
6. Coldplay, Sloane Coles, Spring Ledge LLC: 0 | 4 | 33.331
7. Livius, Kali Jerman, Pam Talbot: 0 | 9 | 45.334
T8. FF Dior, Jill Gaffney, Freestyling Farms LLC: 0 | 71.252
T8. Cobalto, Anne Bingler, Anne Bingler: 0 | 73.736
10. Polotito, Lynne Stephenson, Beda Wachter: 2 | 75.253
Derek Petersen & Zechariah 3:9 Top the $12,500 WEC Ocala 1.40m Jumper Classic
On Friday afternoon, 19 entries gathered to the WEC Grand Arena to contest the $12,500 WEC Ocala 1.40m Jumper Classic. Bernardo Costa Cabral (POR) designed the open tracks that allowed eight entries to produce double clear rounds, but it was Derek Petersen and Zechariah 3:9 (Zirocco Blue x Katrina) that earned their second consecutive 1.40m Jumper Classic win.
Derek Petersen (USA) and Zechariah 3:9 have had quite the success during the 2022 Winter Spectacular Show Series earning numerous top finishes including winning the 1.40m Jumper Classic just last week.
Petersen and Zechariah 3:9 continued their successful streak on Friday, producing a fast and smooth first round in 67.810 seconds.
Petersen and the eight-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding advanced to the jump-off flying through the course not pumping the brakes once to stop the clock at 35.885 seconds.
Conor O’Regan (IRL) and Ericka Houlihan’s Carmen De Bonnieres (Kannan x Cherie De la Londe) secured the second place spot during Friday’s $12,500 WEC Ocala 1.40m Jumper Classic. O’Regan and Carmen De Bonnieres delivered a seamless first round in 67.730 seconds. O’Regan and the 10-year-old Warmblood went straight to the jump-off, dashing through the turns in 37.992 seconds.
Tom Foley (IRL) and his own Independence LCH (Caretino Gold x Caransa LCH) rounded out the top three with a first round time of 71.908 seconds and a quick jump-off time of 38.522 seconds.
$12,500 WEC Ocala 1.40m Jumper Classic Results:
1.Zechariah 3:9, Derek Petersen, Derek Petersen: 0 | 0 | 35.885
2. Carmen De Bonnieres, Conor O’Regan, Ericka Houlihan: 0 | 0 | 37.992
3. Independence LCH, Tom Foley, Tom Foley: 0 | 0 | 38.522
4. Big Boy Z, Conor O’Regan, Leslie Kopp: 0 | 0 | 40.070
5. CR Stakkata, Hope Meinen, Have High Hopes LLC: 0 | 0 | 40.300
6. Copain, Rowan Willis, Peter Moore: 0 | 0 | 43.609
7. Eastpoint, Hillary Johnson, Hillary Johnson: 0 | 0 | 43.862
8. Cencorinue PS, Scott Keach, Kandor Farm LLC: 0 | 0 | 44.879
9. Berkley III, Clark Montgomery, Sapphire Riding Academy: 4 | 70.111
10. Daphne RC, Chenoa McElvain, Rancho Corazon LLC: 4 | 70.202
Photos courtesy of Andrew Ryback Photography.
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