Wilmington, Ohio – The stage was set in the Standlee Sanctuary for the final $75,000 Grand Prix of the 2023 Fall Classic Series. Sponsored by GGT Footing, the highly anticipated class saw 26 elite horse-and-athlete combinations try their hand at FEI Level III course designer Anderson Lima’s (BRA) tracks.
Johan Kachelhoffer (RSA) saved the best for last with his own Cooper B (Cellestial x Korsika) as they galloped to the win to close out Fall Classic 5.
Based in Ocala, Florida, Kachelhoffer made the trip to World Equestrian Center – Wilmington for the first time to compete for the entire five-week 2023 Fall Classic Series and was thrilled to end his fulfilling experience with a win.
“This is my first time here and obviously I already had a great impression of WEC because we live in Ocala. We were looking for somewhere to go and to escape the heat a bit. We haven’t ridden indoors since we were in Europe and were looking for a change! It has been fantastic. Everything is run so well. There is such huge effort into the decorating and attention to detail. Our home-away-from-home here is fantastic. Overall, we have had a really good time here and we will definitely be back.”
The ten-year-old Brandenburg gelding settled in nicely during his time indoors and jumped an effortless first clear round as the last to go to qualify for the jump-off.
“It has been a long time coming for Cooper! I got him two years ago and he was jumping around 1.20m classes and he has had very good success. This is the first bigger grand prix that he has won. We have had some good results here, but he has gotten a little bit weary with the indoor and the crowd. He has gotten a little distracted and made a few mistakes, but tonight he was on it. I am very thrilled about it,” Kachelhoffer spoke about his quality gelding.
The crowd went silent as Kachelhoffer came down the ramp to challenge Lisa Goldman-Smolen (USA), who held the two leading times. Ultimately, in 37.302 seconds, they secured the win.
“The course today was fantastic. It has been great to experience all of the different course designers that have been here the past few weeks. There were 26 in it tonight and eight clear, it was perfect. Very good courses building, you could have a rail anywhere and it made it very fair,” said Kachelhoffer.
Saturday was full of exhilarating wins for Kachelhoffer and his wife, “Being South African, we had the World Cup Final in rugby today and we won that nearly by one point! It was a great day for us and I am so happy that I could end with another winning result like this!”
Last week’s winner, Goldman-Smolen, filled second and third place on the podium with Barbara Disko’s Sovereign (Frontal x Galledent) and Ivaro N (Elvaro x Celli), respectively.
The 17-year-old Selle Francias gelding, Sovereign, earned second place in a time of 37.479 seconds, and the ten-year-old KWPN gelding, Ivaro N, rounded out the podium in 37.992 seconds.
$75,000 GGT Footing Grand Prix Results:
1 Cooper B, Johan Kachelhoffer, Johan Kachelhoffer | 0 | 37.302
2 Sovereign, Lisa Goldman-Smolen, Barbara Disko | 0 | 37.479
3 Ivaro N, Lisa Goldman-Smolen, Barbara Disko | 0 | 37.992
4 Hope VA, Jay Hayes, Fenn Randazzo | 0 | 38.174
5 Manhattan Van’t Leeuwerikenhof, Filip De Wandel, Five Way Farm | 0 | 38.565
6 Hocus Pocus, Colin Syquia, Seahorse Show Stables | 0 | 39.534
7 Fiper, Colin Syquia, Eurasia Inc | 4 | 38.095
8 Arkuga, Sean Jobin, Antrim Equestrian | 4 | 40.149
9 Quinto, Kyle Perkovich, Kyle Perkovich | 4 | 69.805
10 Jazil Du Houssoit, Kady Abrahamson, Abrahamson Equestrian LLC | 4 | 70.126
Vicente Guillen Strikes Again in $10,000 Futures Prix at WEC – Wilmington Fall Classic 5
Venezuela’s Vicente Guillen found the top of the leaderboard once again in the $10,000 Futures Prix to close out his time at the 2023 Fall Classic Series in Wilmington, this time with his own Chacera (Harley VDl x Catch.)
The seven-year-old Italian Sport Horse has gained valuable experience during her five weeks at World Equestrian Center – Wilmington, including a podium placing in the $15,000 Welcome Stake.
“Chacera is only seven years old. She was second in the welcome during Fall 4. She is a really nice horse; she needs a bit more experience. She is really good, fast and careful. WEC has been great to get her more experience. The futures and the welcome are great classes for these horses at 1.30m and 1.35m. They have the opportunity to see everything, and you can grow with your horses here,” said Guillen.
Guillen piloted his young and quick mare to a jump-off track that was unable to be caught by the rest of the class.
“There was an option to make a tight inside turn in front of the pond to the four-stride line, not many people opted to do that, but I did. I did six in the last line as well. I’m not sure how many people did that, but I caught a good distance into the combination, so I was able to get it done. She is young, but she is very brave and very careful, so I can do things like that.”
In 30.997 seconds, the duo took a major lead to top the class.
Colin Syquia (USA) of Wellington, Florida, went home with a respectable second place prize with Virginia Strauch’s Quintano TF (Contendro I x Rosine De Beaufour). Syquia rode the seven-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding to a confident and efficient double clear in 32.448 seconds for the red ribbon.
Ashwood Farm LLC’s Indira (Plot Blue x Elaretta) carried Campbell Brown to third place. The ten-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare was in careful form and just shy of second place in 32.806 seconds.
$10,000 Futures Prix Results:
1 Chacera, Vicente Guillen, Vicente Guillen | 0 | 30.997
2 Quintano TF, Colin Syquia, Virgina Strauch | 0 | 32.448
3 Indira, Campbell Brown, Ashwood Farm LLC | 0 | 32.806
4 Domino LVS Z, Eric Glynn, Molly Struve | 0 | 33.739
5 Flora De Riverland, Dani Gascoigne, Dani Gascoigne | 0 | 36.572
6 Evolene De Carles, Vicente Guillen, Tranquility Farm | 4 | 32.434
7 Narcotique B, Lisa Goldman-Smolen, Stephanie St. John | 4 | 32.62
8 Caiam D’Ivraie, Campbell Brown, Mmk Equestrian LLC | 4 | 34.6
9 Karlina T, Devin Milan, Garo Kazan | 8 | 32.384
10 Caribi, Vicente Guillen, Tranquility Farm | 4 | 70.85