Wilmington, Ohio – The $20,000 Grand Prix took center stage Sunday morning to close out the 2025 World Equestrian Center – Wilmington Spring Series. FEI level III course designer Catsy Cruz (MEX) designed a track that proved doable for the field of horses and riders, seeing 12 combinations move onto the jump-off phase.
Francisco Goyoaga Mollet (ESP) ultimately raced to the victory with Ashland Farms’ Figuier Du Roc (Upsilon x Classica Du Roc).
Despite the brand-new partnership, Goyoaga Mollet was confident in his 10-year-old Selle Francais gelding. “He is a new horse for us, we got him at the end of WEF, and I did him for the first time in Kentucky.”
“He [Figuier Du Roc] is a winner,” he smiled. “He already has won a bunch of classes in Europe; it is nothing new for him! He is a super speed horse.”
The pair entered to chase Andrew Bourns (IRL), who held the leading time of 36.37 seconds aboard Leslie Martin’s 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding, Perte Totale De Res Nova (Comme I’m Faut x Musica Do Magico).
Goyoaga Mollet was just quick enough, stopping the clock in 36.153 seconds to claim the win and move Bourns into second place.
“I wasn’t going to push it a lot because he is a new horse and I don’t know him that well, so I didn’t want to risk it. He has a huge stride, so it was easy for me to do the leave outs. He is fast across the ground, so it was enough today,” he shared.
Goyoaga Mollet also competed a string of horses in FEI CSI2* competition with top results during Spring I and II. No stranger to the winner’s circle, he secured the win in last week’s $32,000 1.45m Time First Round CSI2*.
“It is great to have FEI competition in Wilmington now. The facility is great, and the management is amazing. I come here every time I get a chance. Now, having these shows is amazing. I think they should really keep pushing it and we will definitely be here.”
Molly Kindness (USA) set the pace with her own 11-year-old Warmblood mare, Cucaracha (Clarimo x Gianna B), in 37.159 seconds, enough to ultimately secure third place.