The $30,000 Kentucky Performance Products Grand Prix took center stage Saturday evening at World Equestrian Center – Wilmington Winter Classic 3. Canada’s Michael Pegg built the technical first-round track where seven combinations of 20 jumped clear to return for the jump-off. In the end, Kama Godek (USA) led the victory gallop with her own Lady Stakkata (Stakkato x Lady Levisto 2).
Sam Pegg (CAN) led the way in the jump-off, posting an effortless double clear round with his newest mount, Casadimo (Cachas x Orissa S), crossing the timers in 42.772 seconds with his 11-year-old Holsteiner gelding.
Richard Rinehart (USA) followed, quickly moving Pegg out of his leading position aboard The Diamant Rose Z (Toulon x Diamant Z). The 13-year-old Zangersheide mare stopped the clock in a quick 39.564 seconds with Rinehart in the irons.
Godek then made her way into the Standlee Sanctuary with her small but mighty nine-year-old Holsteiner mare to contest Rinehart’s leading time.
“She is a little girl with a big heart. Her mother was an unassuming grand prix horse. She looks like a kid’s horse until you see her in the warm-up. Even I look up at the other riders and joke that they are a whole head higher than me,” Godek laughed. “She has gone barefoot since I have had her and goes in a snaffle. She is just so sweet and unassuming. She almost always is the fastest horse.”
Godek felt confident after walking the jump-off track, “I walked the jump-off and thought it would really suit her. She is super handy and can jump off a blind turn really well. The track today showed a little bit of that and she looks around, but as soon as you ask her to go she always leaves the ground, so it suited her well.”
The duo made every inside turn and galloped down to the final fence to just clinch Rinehart’s time to secure the lead in 39.538 seconds.
$30,000 Grand Prix Results:
1 Lady Stakkata, Kama Godek, Kama Godek | 0 | 39.538
2 The Diamant Rose Z, Richard Rinehart, Luke Rinehart | 0 | 39.564
3 Casadimo, Sam Pegg, Sam Pegg | 0 | 42.772
4 Nightshade SCF, Sarah Meier, Sarah Meier | 0 | 42.85
5 Eldorado’s Edition, Vanessa McCaughley, Vanessa McCaughley | 0 | 47.113
6 Contigo, Izzy Beisel, Izzy Beisel | 8 | 44.234
7 Diaz Barbotiere, Izzy Beisel, Izzy Beisel | 28 | 75.386
8 Formidable Diamant, Sam Pegg, Harlow Investment Enterprises LLC | 4 | 73.688
9 Liber T, Molly Kindness, Mole Hill Jm Ltd | 4 | 75.804
10 Captain America 10, Luke Rinehart, Catherine Rinehart | 4 | 76.365
Christopher Schenk & Dominant Z Top the Leaderboard in $10,000 Futures Prix
The $10,000 Futures Prix of Winter Classic 3 welcomed 21 developing horses and riders to the Standlee Sanctuary. Of nine partnerships to move onto the immediate jump-off phase, it was Christopher Schenk (USA) that rode the fastest track to top the leaderboard with his own Dominant Z (Dominator 2000 Z x Donna).
The duo has grown together, working their way up the ranks from the very beginning of Dominant Z’s development.
“I got ‘Dom’ when he was a green, broke three-year-old. I have developed him through the young jumper program. We started doing the Futures Prix a little over a year ago and we won one last year. I went back to the basics and stepped him back a bit this year to rebuild some confidence. He feels like he is better than ever now!”
Schenk has developed his now seven-year-old Warmblood stallion consistently at WEC – Wilmington and shared, “’Dom’ feels at home here. He is really confident and has grown up showing at WEC. I started him in the .60m here four years ago, so he is comfortable here.”
The track proved light work for the young, talented horse for an effortless double clean and winning time of 39.327 seconds.
“I liked the course a lot. I rode the first three jumps quite conservatively. The oxer out of 4A-B was really wide, so I wanted to be able to press him to that double and built some pace from there. He has such a big stride, so in the jump-off I just let him go and left out strides where I could,” Schenk commented on his plan over Michael Pegg’s track.
Wilhelm Genn (GER) went home with the red ribbon, piloting Klaus Mauer’s eight-year-old Oldenburg mare, Katinka (Kannan x Maylin), to a time of 40.335 seconds, marking her second double clear effort in a row in the class.
Third place honors were awarded to Molly Kindness (USA) and her own nine-year-old Warmblood mare, HJ Blind Date (Quindao x Tupasy Cordada), for a time of 41.219 seconds.
$10,000 Futures Prix Results:
1 Dominant Z, Christopher Schenk, Christopher Schenk | 0 | 39.327
2 Katinka, Wilhelm Genn, Wilhelm Genn | 0 | 40.335
3 HJ Blind Date, Molly Kindness, Molly Kindness | 0 | 41.219
4 Eldoranda Z, Alexandria Nelson, Thinkslikeahorse | 0 | 41.79
5 Agalie, Kalvin Dobbs, Treesdale Farms | 0 | 42.232
6 Spicebomb, Sarah Meier, Sarah Meier | 43.266
7 Comme Cartani, Sam Pegg, Sam Pegg | 0 | 43.645
8 Gin Tonic 158, Campbell Kahn, Campbell Kahn | 4 | 38.798
9 Jackson VDL, Aiden Udelson, Cleveland Equestrian | 4 | 41
10 Casey H, Sam Pegg, Harlow Investment Enterprises LLC | 4 | 68.528
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Results can be found at horseshowing.com.
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