We welcomed in Week 12 of ‘Winter in the Midwest’ at World Equestrian Center this afternoon with 16 entries in the $5,000 Welcome Stake 1.35m sponsored by CWD Sellier. The course for the class was designed by Keith Bollotte and featured 14 jumping efforts including two combinations, bending lines and related distances. Michael Kocher and Jenna Buchan’s Cadell (Van Gogh) held the lead for the majority of the class until Doug Boyd and Sapphire Riding Academy’s athletic bay gelding Berkley III (Pall Mall H x Resina) raced into first place near the end of the order with three seconds to spare.
Michael Kocher and Jenna Buchan’s Cadell (Van Gogh) were first to jump double clear this afternoon, making them the pace setters in today’s Welcome Stake. The pair earned a second place finish just two weeks ago in the $7,500 Futures Prix 1.30m at World Equestrian Center, signaling that they would be tough competitors this afternoon. Kocher and the 12-year-old KWPN gelding easily managed a clear first round in 81.863 seconds, well under the time allowed of 86 seconds. The pair continued straight to the jump-off of the Table II 2b event, picking up pace and never touching a rail, taking inside turns to fences 2 and 11. They crossed the timers at 34.887 seconds, setting the time to beat.
Kocher later returned aboard Andrew Kocher’s Honfleur. The 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare had the jump-off time to beat Kocher’s first mount at 33.780 seconds, but pulled one unlucky rail. Kocher also contested the course aboard his own Captain Jack Sparrow H (Cassin x Unicutus). The pair took a slightly more collected approach to the jump-off, taking one unfortunate rail in a time of 37.957 seconds.
Lanie Thomas and F.A.S. Farms, LLC’s Cymo (Cormint x Kyma) were hot on Kocher and Cadell’s trail. The pair earned a fifth place finish in the $5,000 Welcome Stake 1.35m about one month ago and returned to the Sanctuary Arena this afternoon to vie for another top placing. The pair was quick in the first round, jumping clear in a time of 79.602 seconds and advancing straight to the jump-off. Thomas and the 11-year-old Warmblood gelding continued their forward pace, also taking inside turns to fences 2 and 11, stopping the clock at 36.177 just behind Kocher and Cadell. Thomas later returned aboard Trudy Atrends’ Mauna Lani. The pair jumped a clear first round and continued straight to the jump-off. Thomas mirrored her previous ride, crossing the timers at 36.554 seconds and placing Mauna Lani just behind Cymo.
Kocher and Cadell held their lead for the majority of the class until Doug Boyd and Sapphire Riding Academy’s Berkley III (Pall Mall H x Resina) took to the course. The pair topped the $5,000 Welcome Stake 1.35m at World Equestrian Center in early 2019 and was on form for another fantastic performance this afternoon. Boyd and the 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding navigated one of the fastest first rounds of the class, jumping clear in 76.947 seconds and continuing straight to the jump-off. The pair blazed through the course, hugging the inside track with the massive bay gelding galloping between fences. They stopped the clock at an astounding 31.749 seconds, taking the win by nearly three seconds.
We caught up with Boyd of Sapphire Riding Academy in Libertyville, Illinois after the awards presentation to hear about his win, “Berkley III was very fresh and ready to go. There’s kind of no stopping him when he’s like that. We left strides out everywhere with me pulling as hard as I could.”
When asked what the pair has been up to recently, Boyd replied, “We’ve just been riding and staying fit. We took a little break from horse showing. We try not to show too much in the wintertime.”
We also got some insight on Berkley III’s personality, “He’s a big, loveable clown. He’s an overgrown Labrador; he wants to be in your lap or in your pocket. We’re all grateful that he’s so kind because he’s almost 18 hands. He doesn’t have a mean bone in his body.”
Boyd also joked, “We love him. He’s a lifer, I think. He has his own little quirks that probably will make sure that he stays with us for the rest of his life.”
$5,000 Welcome Stake 1.35m Results
- Berkley III, Doug Boyd – 0 | 0 | 31.749
- Cadell, Michael Kocher – 0 | 0 | 34.887
- Cymo, Lanie Thomas – 0 | 0 | 36.177
- Mauna Lani, Lanie Thomas – 0 | 0 | 36.554
- Diesel, Paul Halpern – 0 | 0 | 37.250
- Honfleur, Michael Kocher – 0 | 4 | 33.780
- Geronimo 132, Sandra Zimmerli – 0 | 4 | 34.378
- Captain Jack Sparrow, Michael Kocher – 0 | 4 | 37.957
- Cyra, Delaney Owens – 4 | 75.142
- Frankenstein, Steven Veldhuis – 4 | 76.934
Photos courtesy of Andrew Ryback Photography.