Wilmington, Ohio – In a final nod to a summer of top competition, an elite group of show jumpers gathered to contest the $30,000 IDA Development Grand Prix of WEC – Ohio Summer III. A fixture in the winners circle at WEC, Kady Abrahamson and Any (Aljano x Nina XI) successfully negotiated Joey Rycroft’s (USA) tracks to claim the win once again. Abrahamson also captured another podium finished with a third place finish aboard FSS Outlaw (VDL Cardento x Cimenta C) to close out the 2023 Spring/Summer Series.
Abrahamson, of Abrahamson Equestrian LLC in Lexington, Kentucky, has accumulated a long list of successes with her string of talented horses this summer, including a total of seven podium finishes in the featured jumper classes at WEC – Ohio.
“Any has won four grands prix here since March and she was just third in the $50,000 Grand Prix in Kentucky. She was also third in 2* in Tryon. She has been on a roll. She is amazing, at 15 and still winning and jumping so many clear rounds. This is my fourth show with my new horse Jack [FSS Outlaw]. He was third in the futures the first time I showed him and then had one time fault his first time in the grand prix here. I took him to Kentucky, and he jumped his first 1.50m and his first night class with just the last jump down. It is amazing that he is even jumping at this level for only being here a month. I owe a lot of my recent successes to Wim Janssen, who I just started training with about a month ago. I am lucky to have a fantastic team behind me,” Abrahamson spoke on her incredible summer season.
As the first to jump a clear round, Abrahamson returned to the jump-off looking to set an uncatchable pace with her nimble 15-year-old Holsteiner mare. Making a tight inside turn from jumps one to two, the duo was unbeatable with a time of 36.454 seconds.
“When I walked, I thought the inside turn from one to two was a little bit crazy. It was just two verticals, so I figured I would be okay since there was no back rail, and she is really careful. Devin [Milan] who won the welcome on Thursday was helping me set jumps and she said she would do the turn and she knows how to win classes. So, since I went first so I thought that I really had to go for it. Any jumped so well at two, and then was really good to me to the double because I came in flying and she backed off of B. Going first of seven in the jump-off with a list of good, fast horses and riders behind you have to go for it.”
Abrahamson entered last to go with her nine-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, FSS Outlaw, already having earned the blue with Any. The duo confidently landed through the timers in 40.399 seconds to earn a respectable third place.
Megan Bash (USA) and the Cleveland Equestrian entry Jackson VDL (Zirocco Blue VDL x Design O) were not to be outshined in the class. Bash piloted her nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding to a track mimicking Abrahamson, and proudly galloped away with the red ribbon with a time of 39.953 seconds.
WEC – Wilmington sponsor Vitalize presented the Blazin’ Fastest Four Faulter $500 bonus in the $30,000 Grand Prix to Michael Burnett and Chagrand who earned 71.4 seconds in the first round, finishing eighth in the class overall.
$30,000 IDA Development Grand Prix Results:
1 Any, Kady Abrahamson, Abrahamson Equestrian LLC | 0 | 36.454
2 Jackson VDL, Megan Bash, Cleveland Equestrian | 0 | 39.953
3 FSS Outlaw, Kady Abrahamson, Abrahamson Equestrian LLC | 0 | 40.399
4 Quincidence, Wilhelm Genn, Wilhelm Genn | 0 | 42.146
5 Chaccomo 11, Drew Arnold, Theresa Kraft | 4 | 37.208
6 Kinsella, Charlotte Clark, Charlotte Clark | 0 | RT
7 Inne Van De Plataan, Keely McIntosh, Booth Show Jumpers | 0 | WD
8 Chagrand, Michael Burnett, Michael Burnett | 4 | 71.4
9 Corvet Enigma, Patricio Rodriguez, Patricio Rodriguez LLC | 4 | 76.711
10 Conquest, Devin Milan, Garo Kazan | 4 | 77.206
Sara Sprague & Voi De Pique Score $10,000 Voltaire Futures Prix of WEC Ohio Summer III
The $10,000 Futures Prix sponsored by Voltaire took center stage early in the evening Saturday of WEC – Ohio Summer III. Rycroft’s tracks proved technical for the field of athletes, as Sara Sprague (USA) and her trusted mount Voi De Pique (Perigueux x Sunset PJ) were the only duo to jump a double clear effort.
The accomplished amateur rider of Richmond, Massachusetts, came full circle with her longtime partner in the prestigious class Saturday evening.
“The first show I ever showed him [Voi De Pique] at was in 2018 here at WEC. I bought him from a farm in Canada and we met them here with him, and we jumped the futures prix with him that week. We have been together since then and he jumped his first grand prix here. He has made all of my dreams come true. We always say he is a yes man. He does anything that you ask of him, and he always does the right thing.”
As the second to last duo to go, Sprague simply needed a double clear effort to move into the top spot. After a smooth, faultless first round, the duo moved onto the immediate jump-off phase.
“When I got up to the gate, I found out that no one had gone clear. I was tempted to just go around the Voltaire vertical in the jump-off, but I knew there was one left and Drew [Arnold] is always fast and I knew I could get it done. I backed him up at the last jump because he had a little touch there in the first round. He really jumped great, so I just stayed tidy and got it done.”
The 14-year-old Hanoverian gelding never missed a beat and completed the short course with ease in a time of 38.095 seconds for the win.
Thursday’s Welcome Stake winner Devin Milan (USA) earned her second podium finish of the week with Karlina T (Cabrio Van De Heffinck x Goberlina T). Milan has developed a strong partnership with Garo Kazan’s expressive eight-year-old KWPN mare and showcased their hard work with two consistent rounds. An unlucky four fault score and the quickest time of 33.295 seconds earned the duo the red ribbon.
Molly Kindness (USA) and her own HJ Blind Date (Quindao x Tupasy Cordada) were the first to go in the posted order and held onto the podium finish. Kindness piloted her seven-year-old Warmblood mare to a confident, fault free first round, with two rails coming down in the jump-off in 36.396 seconds to ultimately secure third place.
$10,000 Voltaire Futures Prix Results:
1 Voi De Pique, Sara Sprague, Judith Sprague | 0 | 38.095
2 Karlina T, Devin Milan, Garo Kazan | 4 | 33.295
3 HJ Blind Date, Molly Kindness, Molly Kindness | 8 | 36.396
4 Dominant Z, Christopher Schenk, Christopher Schenk | 4 | 79.624
5 Kamorka S, Darby Pease, Darby Pease | 4 | 79.655
6 Namelus R, Carly Tabaczka, Carly Tabaczka | 4 | 85.67
7 I Am Du Bosquetiau, Drew Arnold, Theresa Kraft | 8 | 85.65
8 Trig Happy Vind Van Het Eikenhof, Annalica Weithofer, White Oak Equestrian LLC | 13 | 88.79
9 Celeano VH Lindenhof Z, Heather Froechlich Cortell, Emily Kowit | 15 | 94.523
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Results can be found at wec.net.
All horse show images are provided by Winslow Photography and can be purchased onsite at WEC – Wilmington or online through their website.