Ocala, FL – A picturesque, sunny Florida morning set the scene on Thursday for the highlight event of the day, the $32,000 Lugano Grand Prix Qualifier CSI3*. Twenty-five horse-and-rider combinations representing 10 countries vied for top honors, but it was Spain’s Gonzalo Busca who emerged victorious aboard his own Cristiano Obolensky (Cornet Obolensky x Stakkato).
FEI Level IV course designer Anderson Lima (MEX) set a delicate and technical track with a tight time allowed. Only six competitors managed to jump clear within the time to return for the jump-off. The shortened course proved just as challenging, with only three combinations delivering another clear round.
“It was a very good design by Anderson,” noted Busca. “I think it was a good 1.50m class. It was quite technical, and I think it was difficult enough. We could see in the beginning that people were struggling with the time, so I made sure it was something that I kept in mind all the way around.”
Busca returned third in the jump-off and stuck to his plan of going fast and clear aboard the 10-year-old Hanoverian gelding Cristiano Obolensky. “The first three riders had one down, but I had two very fast riders behind me, so my plan was the same: try to be clear and try to go as fast as I could,” he explained. “In the beginning, I wasn’t sure if there was an eight from one to two, but I saw Wilton Porter do eight, so I tried it, and it worked out really well. Then it was six after the double and 10 to the last.”
Their effort proved unbeatable, stopping the clock at a quick 38.12 seconds.
Busca, a familiar face at World Equestrian Center – Ocala, shared his appreciation for the venue: “It’s an amazing place. Super nice arenas, great stabling, and the indoor arenas are really nice at this time of year in Florida. It’s incredible to be able to exercise and warm up the horses in an air-conditioned indoor.”
Captain Brian Cournane (USA) followed with a clear effort aboard Glenbeigh Farm LLC’s 14-year-old Holsteiner gelding, Castlefield Dream (Clinton x Cero), and stopped the clock at 40.17 seconds to finish just behind Busca in second.
Last to return, Luis Pedro Biraben (ARG) aimed for another fault-free effort and succeeded aboard La Cuadra Stables, LLC’s nine-year-old Selle Français mare Georgina De Carles. Their time of 41.13 seconds secured third and added yet another podium finish to Biraben’s growing list.
$32,000 Lugano Grand Prix Qualifier CSI3* Results
1 CRISTIANO OBOLENSKY: 2015 Hanoverian gelding by Cornet Obolensky x Stakkato
Gonzalo Busca (ESP), Gonzalo Busca: 0/0/38.12
2 CASTLEFIELD DREAM: 2011 Holsteiner gelding by Clinton x Cero
Captain Brian Cournane (USA), Glenbeigh Farm LLC: 0/0/40.17
3 GEORGINA DE CARLES: 2016 mare by Kannan
Luis Pedro Biraben (ARG), La Cuadra Stables, LLC: 0/0/41.13
4 STERNMARKE 3: 2014 Hanoverian gelding by Stakkato x Escudo I
Wilton Porter (USA), Sleepy P Ranch Bv: 0/4/39.40
5 HOCUS POCUS 111 Z: 2016 Zangersheide stallion by Hermantico x Heartbreaker
Peter Petschenig (AUT), Petschenig Showjumping, LLC: 0/8/43.81
6 FACUNDO DE LA NUTRIA: 2015 Selle Français gelding by Zandor x Kannan
Celso Ariani (BRA), San Marino Stables: 0/17/60.75
7 QUARTIER VAN DE BEGIJNAKKER: 2016 Belgian Warmblood gelding by For Pleasure x Chin Chin
Brooke Kemper (USA), Sarah Campbell: 1/78.46
8 ROCKSTAR: 2013 Warmblood stallion by E Star x C Carnute
Cormac Hanley (IRL), Chris Stinnett: 2/79.69
9 NIAGARA D’IVE Z: 2012 mare by Nabab De Reve x Baloubet Du Rouet
Juan Manuel Gallego (ESP), Gabriela Salazar: 3/80.70
10 VASCO 109: 2015 gelding by Vigo D’arsouilles Stx x Clarimo
Luis Pedro Biraben (ARG), Luis Pedro Biraben: 4/73.69
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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