Ocala, FL – A unseasonable chilly Florida night didn’t keep the spectators from gathering at the WEC Grand Arena for the highlight event of the week, the $100,000 Lifeforce Grand Prix. FEI Level III course designer Anderson Lima (MEX) set the challenging track for a field of the world’s best athletes. In a nail-biting four-horse jump-off, Richard Spooner (USA) guided Molly Ohrstrom’s Halcon (Con Air 7 x Jota-e Calista), a nine-year-old Argentinian Sport Horse stallion, not only to his inaugural Saturday night grand prix but also to a triumphant victory.
The jump-off showcased a lineup of the quickest riders on the circuit, including Olympic Gold Medalist Will Simpson (USA), Luis Sabino Goncavles (POR), Kris Killam (USA), and the ‘Master of Faster’ Richard Spooner (USA).
Will Simpson, the first athlete to enter the jump-off, piloted a new show jumping superstar Es Keminko N (Grand Slam VDL x Deminka N) in his first Saturday night grand prix. Simpson and the nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Will Simpson Stables Inc., effortlessly navigated the jump-off track, setting the time to beat at 41.942 seconds.
Thursday’s welcome prix winner, Luis Sabino Goncalves followed. Goncalves and Sigma Stables LLC’s 10-year-old Zangersheide gelding Scoop De Septon Z (Hunters Scendro x Kageena Van T Hoogeinde) managed to snag the lead with a quick time of 41.576 seconds, just three tenths of a second quicker than Simpson.
Kris Killam and Top Horses LLC’s Gangster CHS gave their all but suffered an unfortunate rail with a time of 40.817 seconds.
Richard Spooner (USA) was the last athlete to attempt victory. “It was his first jump-off under the lights, but he’s fast, almost cat-like, scopey, careful and every once in a while, you’ll get a horse that understands the game, and he’s one of those horses,” shared Spooner. “I just thought, angle fence one, go quick across the middle and if he feels confident after fence two, I’ll just keep the hammer down, and he stood up to the test.”
The pair raced around the jump-off track, clocking a time two seconds faster than second place at 39.733 seconds, securing the top spot on the leaderboard.
“During COVID we bought Halcon from some friends of mine in Argentina. They sent me a video and I didn’t get to go try him or anything, we just bought him off a video. Molly Ohrstrom has horses all over the world and has had horses with me in the past, she went ahead and bought him. He’s just been a dream come true,” expressed Spooner.
Spooner believes World Equestrian Center – Ocala helped aid Halcon in his development, “We got him as a four-year-old, and I think he was six when I moved here, to Florida. We started out here in the 1.10m in Jumper 1 outback. This facility is so exceptional that it’s really fulfilled all the things you need as a horseman, and the horse’s progression is a testament to the job this facility has done. You have the opportunity to bring a horse from down there all the way to up here.”
The fastest four-faulter award was earned by Luis Sabino Goncalves and his second mount Vick Du Croisy with a quick first-round time of 80.446 seconds with one rail down.
Matthias Hollberg received the ‘Luck of the Draw’ award.
$100,000 Lifeforce Grand Prix Results:
1 Halcon, Richard Spooner (USA), Molly Ohrstrom: 0 | 0 | 39.733
2 Scoop De Septon Z, Luis Sabino Goncalves (POR), Sigma Stables LLC: 0 | 0 | 41.576
3 Es Keminko N, Will Simpson (USA), Will Simpson Stables Inc.: 0 | 0 | 41.942
4 Gangster CHS, Kris Killam (USA), Tophorses LLC: 0 | 4 | 40.817
5 Vick Du Croisy, Luis Sabino Goncalves (POR), Sigma Stables LLC: 4 | 80.446
6 Mick Jagger, Sharn Wordley (NZL), Della Wordley: 4 | 80.675
7 Wellington Grey Goose, Rowan Willis (AUS), Rowan Willis: 4 | 82.853
8 Jack Straw, Camille Maynard Maddrix (USA), M&M Sporthorses: 4 | 83.915
9 Finch Farm Clifford, Lawson Whitaker (USA), Lawson Whitaker: 5 | 85.517
10 FSS Outlaw, Kady Abrahamson (USA), Abrahamson Equestrian LLC: 6 | 86.032
Spectators are welcome! From now until March 24, 2024, experience the thrill of the 2024 Winter Spectacular Show Series at World Equestrian Center – Ocala. Explore the daily class schedule, orders of go, class counts, and final results on HorseShowing.com. For real-time scoring, check out Ryegate.Live.
Photos courtesy of Andrew Ryback Photography.
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