Wilmington, Ohio – Competitors were welcomed back to World Equestrian Center – Wilmington (WEC) this week for Summer III. Featured competition for the week began with the $10,000 CWD Welcome Stake, with tracks crafted by FEI Level III course designer Anderson Lima (BRA).
Kady Abrahamson of Lexington, Kentucky, secured the win with her own Jazil Du Houssoit (Peppermill x Gerboise Du Houssoit).
Abrahamson spoke on the development of her talented young mare, “She is so smart and still so young. She just turned nine this year and we dialed her back a bit. She had a really good seven-year-old year and won everything but we felt like we needed to go back over the basics with her. Daniel [Coyle] really helped me with her over the winter. I jumped her in the night class last week in Kentucky. It was her second ever 1.50m and she was super.”
As the fifth to go in the posted order of 15 competitors, one unplanned turn ultimately landed the duo in the top spot.
“I didn’t plan to make the inside turn to the last line in the jump-off. I was the only one that did it and I didn’t realize there was a bush there, so we jumped the bush on the turn,” laughed Abrahamson. “In typical Jazil fashion, there is always something. It ended up working out!”
Abrahamson and her nine-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare clocked in at an uncatchable 32.661 seconds.
A recent addition to her program, Abrahamson has been under the guidance of Irish Olympian Daniel Coyle, “I started training with Daniel [Coyle] a bit in Ocala. Being around him has definitely given me more fire and more drive to be better. I thought I was at a certain level but being around that just makes me want to get better. I am always learning. It has helped me stay cool jumping big classes and makes me feel like I can really do it.”
“We have a really cool team at AE [Abrahamson Equestrian]. Everyone is just like family. Everyone works hard and supports each other. I am now a professional so I have a group of clients and everyone has been amazing,” Abrahamson shared. “So many people told me when I turned professional that my riding would go downhill, but if anything, I feel like my riding has gotten better because I have such a supportive group of people around me.”
Sarah Meier (USA) and her own 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding, Nightshade SCF (Baldev x Olisinia), earned second place in 32.765 seconds, just shy of the leading time.
Richard Rinehart (USA) rounded out the top three with his 10-year-old Hanoverian gelding, Captain America 10 (Contendro), in 33.133 seconds.
$10,000 CWD Welcome Stake Results:
1 Jazil Du Houssoit, Kady Abrahamson, Abrahamson Equestrian LLC | 0 | 32.661
2 Nightshade SCF, Sarah Meier, Sarah Meier | 0 | 32.765
3 Captain America 10, Richard Rinehart, Catherine Rinehart | 0 | 33.133
4 Vancouver, Kady Abrahamson, Abrahamson Equestrian LLC | 0 | 33.76
5 HJ Blind Date, Molly Kindness, Molly Kindness | 0 | 34.295
6 Idool, Stephen Foran, Freedom Woods | 0 | 34.883
7 Delta De Laume, Campbell Kahn, Campbell Kahn | 4 | 32.076
8 Coconut on the Rocks Z, Campbell Kahn, Campbell Kahn | 4 | 33.314
9 Colour Your Day, Stephen Foran, Freedom Woods | 4 | 36.479
10 Kasper, Karston Gundry, Kim Gundry | 8 | 36.597
Make sure to visit the WEC Blog and follow us on social media @worldequestriancenter for full coverage on all feature classes!
Results can be found at horseshowing.com.
All horse show images are provided by Winslow Photography and can be purchased onsite at WEC – Wilmington or online through their website.