Ocala, FL – Thirty rising stars of show jumping took to the WEC Grand Arena during this picturesque sunny Florida day to try their hand at FEI Level III course designer Peter Grant’s (CAN) track in the $15,000 Buckeye Nutrition Futures Prix. Lisa Goldman-Smolen (USA) posted an uncatchable time early in the order aboard her longtime partner Sovereign (Frontal x Galledent) owned by Barbara Disko to ultimately gallop away with the victory.
Ten entries posted a clear first round effort to qualify for the immediate jump-off, with six managing to jump double-clean. It was a race to the quickest time, with the top three spots held from early starters.
Jelmer Hoekstra (NED) the back-to-back winner of the past two $15,000 Buckeye Nutrition Futures Prix was the pathfinder in the first round aboard Eyckenhoeve Sales LLC’s Harold (Dallas VDL x Wajomien). Hoekstra and the 11-year-old KWPN gelding found a blistering fast track in 38.163 seconds, setting the time to beat.
Lisa Goldman-Smolen (USA) followed right behind Hoekstra aboard the 17-year-old Selle Francais stallion, Sovereign.
Goldman-Smolen discussed the first-round track, “I was able to watch the few riders go ahead of me and the course ended up looking to be a bit more challenging than I anticipated. The four-stride line looked like it rode a bit long and then the six looked pretty steady, so it was a bit of an advantage to watch right before I went in.”
The pair advanced straight to the jump-off, “I was down at the ingate when Jelmer went into the jump-off. He ended up doing an eight rather than a nine, then the seven ended up being pretty easy for him, so I decided Sovereign could probably get the six done there, which is where I think I had his time.”
Goldman-Smolen and Sovereign flew through the finish, stopping the clock at an unbeatable 37.980 seconds.
Richard Spooner (USA) and Molly Ohrstrom’s seven-year-old Argentinian Sport Horse stallion Halcon were the only other pair to come close to Goldman-Smolen’s time, after the pair found a tidy track in 39.790 seconds to ultimately secure the third-place spot on the leaderboard.
$15,000 Buckeye Nutrition Futures Prix Results:
1 Sovereign, Lisa Goldman-Smolen, Barbara Disko: 0 | 0 | 37.980
2 Harold, Jelmer Hoekstra, Eyckenhoeve Sales LLC: 0 | 0 | 38.163
3 Halcon, Richard Spooner, Molly Ohrstrom: 0 | 0 | 38.790
4 Seaview Demonstration, Brooke Kemper, CM Sporthorses LLC: 0 | 0 | 42.114
5 Cool Ray, Fernando Cardenas Jr., B&C, LLC: 0 | 0 | 42.189
6 Boreale De Talma, Staisha Bejarano, Empire Show Stables: 0 | 0 | 44.081
7 Kaitlin W, Jelmer Hoekstra, Jelmer Hoekstra: 0 | 4 | 38.926
8 Celtic Lady M2S, Cady Kilmas, Jumpers Landing LLC: 0 | 4 | 39.757
9 Renkum A’Toast, Declan Egan, Declan Egan: 0 | 4 | 43.025
10 FE Storm Trooper, Clayton Fredericks, Clayton Fredericks: 0 | 12 | 46.210
Tom Foley & Ibalius SMH Claim the $15,000 1.40m Jumper Classic Victory
On Friday afternoon, a field of top-level competitors vied for the top prize in the $15,000 1.40m Jumper Classic. Peter Grant (CAN) built the elaborate tracks that allowed five to head to the immediate jump-off, but Tom Foley (IRL) and Sher-Al-Farm Inc.’s Ibalius SMH (Everglade VDL x Ribalia H.B.) found the quickest path to secure the blue ribbon and gallop away with the champion title.
Sharn Wordley (NZL) was the pathfinder in the class aboard HF Farms LLC’s Chattanooga (Cornet’s Prinz x Abraxa). The pair found an efficient jump-off track in 36.936 seconds.
Alexanne Thibault (CAN) and her own Cidanos Z were the next pair to deliver a clean first round. Thibault and the eight-year-old Zangersheide gelding by Cidane found an even faster track in 35.989 seconds to slip into the lead.
Thibault’s time stood until Tom Foley entered the arena aboard the ten-year-old KWPN gelding Ibalius SMH. The pair flew through the jump-off track finding each fence on an open gallop to stop the clock at 35.716 seconds.
Sharn Wordley tried to snag the leading time aboard his second mount Fleetwood owned by Della Wordley, but couldn’t quite get there with a time of 36.660 seconds to take home third and fourth place honors.
$15,000 1.40m Jumper Classic Results:
1 Ibalius SMH, Tom Foley, Sher-Al-Farm Inc: 0 | 0 | 35.716
2 Cidanos Z, Alexanne Thibault, Alexanne Thibault: 0 | 0 | 35.989
3 Fleetwood, Sharn Wordley, Della Wordley: 0 | 0 | 36.660
4 Chattanooga, Sharn Wordley, HF Farms LLC: 0 | 0 | 36.936
5 Chelsey 25, Kama Godek, Kama Godek: 0 | 0 | 37.008
6 Salut CA-VA, Alicia Wilkinson, Horse Show Leases LLC: 4 | 69.022
7 Sigma, Luis Sabino Goncalves, Sigma Stables LLC: 4 | 69.370
8 DSH Lord Mydas, Will Baker, Dachis Sporthorses LLC: 4 | 69.981
9 Foolproof, Kelley Robinson, Kelley Robinson: 4 | 70.581
10 Caretoo, Stefanie Collier, Fernando Comune: 4 | 73.339
Photos courtesy of Andrew Ryback Photography.
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