Wilmington, Ohio – The stands in the Sanctuary Arena at World Equestrian Center – Wilmington were packed as exhibitors gathered for the peak of show jumping competition during Winter Classic 11 of the Winter in the Midwest indoor series. The $30,000 Tribute Equine Nutrition Grand Prix saw 12 starters contest Bobby Murphy’s (USA) tracks with half the field returning for the jump-off phase. Sam Pegg was undefeated as he earned the win in both of the day’s feature classes.
Pegg, of Ten Sixty Stables in Uxbridge, Ontario, and Gin Tonic 158 (Graf Top x Sanjador) did not shy away at the pressure of the crowd in the $30,000 Tribute Equine Nutrition Grand Prix. The ten-year-old Hanoverian gelding rose to the challenge and was top form in the class, earning his place in the jump-off phase.
“He [Gin Tonic 158] knows his job once you get going. He has a lot of blood. I tried to get away from the second jump and turn quickly back to the vertical. I took a little bit of time to jump the combination because with an oxer-vertical you jump a little high on the way in. He jumped it nicely and I did one less stride to the last fence. He is naturally very quick, so I didn’t try to hurry, I just used his rhythm,” Pegg commented on his ride in the jump-off.
The six-horse jump-off was full of historically quick combinations and seasoned professionals. Pegg trotted down the ramp, immediately stepping on the gas pedal with his expressive mount, and galloped away in 36.509 seconds to stand atop the podium for the second time of the day.
“I have been feeling like the bridesmaid this trip,” laughed Pegg on his second and third place results from Winter Classic 10. “The horses have been jumping well and it is nice to continue doing what you’re doing and then get the results that you want.”
Sarah Meier (USA) of Punchestown Stables in Lexington, Kentucky, piloted Nightshade SCF (Baldev x Olisina) to second place honors. The ten-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding never missed a beat, with an effortless jumping style that yielded a double clear result. The duo landed a time of 37.505 seconds for the red ribbon.
Right on Meier’s heels was Kevin McCarthy (IRE) and Jadina (Canabis Z x Tordina). McCarthy, no stranger to speed in the Sanctuary, gave the nine-year-old KWPN mare a careful, confident ride. Finishing in a time of 37.839 seconds, they were just shy of Meier’s time and rounded out the podium.
$30,000 Tribute Equine Nutrition Grand Prix Results:
1 Gin Tonic 158, Sam Pegg, Ten Sixty Stables | 0 | 36.509
2 Nightshade SCF, Sarah Meier, Sarah Meier | 0 | 37.505
3 Jadina, Kevin McCarthy, Sweet Oak Farm | 0 | 37.839
4 Chaccomo 11, Drew Arnold, Theresa Kraft | 4 | 36.503
5 Jabantos, Amy Krebs, Amy Krebs | 8 | 39.069
6 Formidable Diamant, Sam Pegg, Phyllis Harlow | 8 | 41.293
7 Jackson VDL, Megan Bash, Cleveland Equestrian | 4 | 71.476
8 FF Dior, Megan Bash, Cleveland Equestrian | 4 | 74.5
9 Big Girl Z, Sam Pegg, Ten Sixty Stables | 4 | 75.776
10 Cubscout BG, Christopher Ferralez-Straub, Christopher Ferralez-Straub | 4 | 76.333
Sam Pegg & Claas Capture the Win in the $10,000 Futures Prix
The $10,000 Futures Prix set the pace for show jumping competition in the Sanctuary early Saturday evening. Of the 12 challengers, it was Sam Pegg (CAN) that jumped the only double clear effort aboard Claas (Quiran x Braune) to capture the win.
Pegg, of Ten Sixty Stables, guided his new partner Claas, to a confident win to add to his record. The eight-year-old Holsteiner gelding has found success in the Sanctuary in recent open jumper classes and has proved his impressive natural talent and scope.
Pegg went head-to-head with Madison Tegtman (USA) as she was the first and only rider to qualify for the jump-off phase with her own ten-year-old Argentinian Warmblood gelding, Qauntico (Sausalito x L.O. Esperanza). Tegtman posted an unfortunate four-faults which allowed Pegg to gallop away with the blue concluding his faultless effort.
Pegg spoke highly of his new mount, “Claas came and met us down in Florida in the middle of January. He did some 1.30m and 1.35m classes in Ocala. We brought the horses back up here and it has been nice do be able to do some modified classes here with him. I want to develop his career this summer and hopefully jump a few national grands prix and maybe use him as a third horse in the 2* division by the fall. He is not the fastest horse across the ground, but he can take out strides in all the lines so I tried to do that and make all the turns that I could and keep his feet moving.”
The winning duo stopped the clock in just 32.992 seconds.
$10,000 Futures Prix Results:
1 Claas, Sam Pegg, Ten Sixty Stables | 0 | 32.922
2 Quantico, Madison Tegtman, Madison Tegtman | 4 | 35.368
3 Piranha SCF, Hanna Toering, Spy Coast Farm | 2 | 87.914
4 Poker Van De Plataan, Olivia Brown, Olivia Brown | 4 | 79.436
5 Pegasus, Keri Smith, Keri Smith | 6 | 87.938
6 Gallup, Sarah Meier, Natalie Hurst | 8 | 77.326
7 One In A Million SCF, Angel Munoz Gil, Spy Coast Farm | 8 | 78.58
8 Gotham, Eric Sassmannshausen, Gotham Group | 8 | 85.938
9 Flowerbomb, Sarah Meier, Sarah Meier | 13 | 86.003
10 Play To Win, Amy Krebs, Amy Krebs | 14 | 95.664