Wilmington, Ohio – Show jumping athletes put on an exhibition Thursday afternoon at World Equestrian Center – Wilmington in the $10,000 Welcome Stake for Winter Classic #6 of the Winter in the Midwest Series. Robert Barton (USA) set an inviting track for the field of 19 elite horse-and-athlete combinations. Although the field gave it their all, Izzy Beisel (USA) and Diaz Barbotiere (Messire Ardent x Quambera Barbotiere) emerged victorious with a blistering pace that no one could catch.
A total of 12 riders jumped Barton’s 12-obstacle first-round track without a fault to move onto the immediate jump-off phase of competition. The jump-off granted riders different opportunities to utilize their speed and take chances to gallop down the lines and attempt time-saving inside turns. Many athletes made a conservative decision in the first line to ensure a neat turn to the large, wide oxer.
As the second to enter the Sanctuary and first to jump-off, Beisel, training with her father at David Beisel Stables, easily answered the course’s challenges. The young jumper athlete piloted her trusted partner, Diaz Barbotiere, to two confident rounds. The duo is familiar with the Sanctuary and earned their first grand prix win together in the $30,000 WEC Grand Prix this past summer.
“We have been practicing a lot on turning and being more efficient. He [Diaz Barbotiere] is still fairly new to me, and we haven’t done super big classes. This was a really good course, we landed from one and there was a nice tight turn there for us to practice. He is small but he has a massive stride, so it was really fun to land and gallop and then practice a little balance at the end to the in-and-out,” Beisel shared about her ride.
Beisel set the pace for the rest of the class as she negotiated the jump-off track in top speed. The 10-year-old Selle Francais gelding galloped down the first line in six strides and continued on a balanced gallop through the rest of the track leaving all of the rails up and finishing on a blazing fast time of 28.065 seconds.
Second place was awarded to Amy Krebs (USA) and Jabantos (Corsari Van De Helle x Cassima). Krebs of Franklin, Tennessee, was right on Beisel’s heels aboard her own nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding. The duo made impressive efforts over the track, making it down the first line in an easy six strides, however, the pair was a touch slower in the first turn, ultimately falling short of the winning time. In 28.491 seconds, Krebs took home the red ribbon.
Richard Rinehart (USA) and Captain America (Contedro) snagged another podium placing in the Sanctuary Arena, taking home second place in the competitive class. Rinehart, of Rinehart Farm in Westfield, Indiana, was fifth to go in the order and looking to best Beisel’s leading time. Mimicking Beisel’s plan, Rinehart piloted the nine-year-old Hanoverian gelding to an impressive double clear, but a slightly slower turn to the final one stride on course put them just behind the top two. The duo stopped the clock in 28.727 seconds to round out the podium.
$10,000 Welcome Stake Results:
1 Diaz Barbotiere, Izzy Beisel, Izzy Beisel | 0 | 28.065
2 Jabantos, Amy Krebs, Amy Krebs | 0 | 28.491
3 Captain America, Richard Rinehart, Catherine Rinehart | 0 | 28.727
4 Jackson VDL, Megan Bash, Cleveland Equestrian | 0 | 30.498
5 Vegas H, Izzy Beisel, David Beisel | 0 | 30.744
6 Conquest, Devin Milan, Garo Kazan | 0 | 32.277
7 Cumbaya W, Darby Pease, Hilary Gromus | 0 | 32.359
8 FF Dior, Megan Bash, Cleveland Equestrian | 34.771
9 Its Me Du Bosquetiau, Nicole Loochtan, Nicole Loochtan | 0 | 40.113
10 Caiman Des Sequoias, Nicole Loochtan, Nicole Loochtan | 4 | 31.637