Ocala, FL – On Saturday afternoon a field of 32 partnerships representing nine different countries showcased their talents in the $10,000 Buckeye Nutrition Futures Prix. FEI Level II course designer, Tucker Williams (USA) created a track that proved to be quite the challenge with only ten entries qualifying for the jump-off. Kayla Benney was the only challenger to put forth a double-clean effort to secure the top prize aboard Dawn Willey’s Doki Du Loret.
Benney walked the course not thinking it was going to be too difficult, “It walked relatively simple, but it ended up suiting horses with a very big step like Doki Du Loret. I was able to ride him forward, get my work done early, then use his scope to get us out of the combinations.”
Benney and the nine-year-old Selle Francais gelding by Conrad De Hus yielded an effortless first round in 75.825 seconds, well within the time allowed of 79 seconds.
Doki Du Loret is a special horse to Benney, “I purchased him off a video from the Czech Republic three years ago on a whim. He was six when I bought him, and the plan was to eventually sell him. I ended up speaking to my business partner, Dawn Willey asking if we could keep him because I thought he can do the grand prix. I never had my sights set on doing grands prix until I sat on him. The rest is history.”
Benney had one goal for today’s class, “My plan was to make it to the jump-off,” laughed Benney. “After I succeeded, I just tried to stay smart about my numbers and not go too fast.” Benney and Doki Du Loret galloped through the timers stopping the clock at 39.200 seconds to earn the blue ribbon.
“It was an exciting win today because our entire team is doing so well. Lauren Balcomb just won the first FEI CSI3* Grand Prix here two weeks ago, Sharn Wordley just won the Welcome at Tryon a few days ago, my student won the Medium Jumpers last week and now we added this win.” Benney expressed. “My groom is also pretty excited because she said if I win today, I have to treat everyone to dinner tonight at The Yellow Pony Pub & Garden, and I am not a betting woman, but I took that bet because I didn’t think it was possible. Now it looks like we are all going to dinner tonight!”
Santiago Lambre and his own Kind Of Magic slid into the second place position in Saturday’s $10,000 Buckeye Nutrition Futures Prix. Lambre and the Warmblood gelding were nearly five seconds faster than Benney and Doki Du Loret but faulted a rail in the process.
Penny Brennan (GBR) and the 13-year-old Westphalian stallion Vertigo Delorme (Chacco Blue x Faretana) were just behind Lambre, with a time of 34.462 seconds with one rail down to round out the top three.
$10,000 Buckeye Nutrition Futures Prix Results:
1 Doki Du Loret, Kayla Benney, Dawn Willey: 0 | 0 | 39.200
2 Kind Of Magic, Santiago Lambre, Santiago Lambre: 0 | 4 | 34.359
3 Vertigo Delorme, Penny Brennan, Penney Brennan: 0 | 4 | 34.462
4 Comedie De Talma, Alberto Michan, Esperanza Imports, LLC: 0 | 4 | 35.036
5 Elvis De Wijnendaele Z, Aaron Vale, Linda Bammann: 0 | 4 | 35.435
6 Crazy, Juan Carlos Garcia, Neil Jones: 0 | 4 | 36.016
7 Libella, Vicente Guillen, Fernando Plaz: 0 | 4 | 36.999
8 Clock-Wise CSH, Happy Comly, Comly Sport Horses: 0 | 8 | 33.537
9 Quentin VA, Juan Carlos Garcia, Two Socks Farm LLC: 0 | 8 | 36.741
10 Manhattan, Luciano Dome, Sofia Zaga-Masri: 0 | 12 | 38.303
Santiago Lambre & Casey Finish On Top of the $10,000 1.40m Jumper Classic
Week V of World Equestrian Center – Ocala’s 2022 USEF Summer Series culminated with the $10,000 1.40m Jumper Classic. Nineteen partnerships tried for a clear first round over FEI Level II, course designer Tucker Williams’ winding track. Six were able to yield a clean effort and four jumped double clear, but it was Santiago Lambre (BRA) and his new mount Casey that finished on top.
Casey is a new partner for Lambre, “She just left quarantine last week. She was doing the 1.50m in Mexico with my brother. I showed her in the 1.30m, 1.35m and then the 1.40m today. She has felt amazing all week.”
Lambre and the talented Warmblood mare navigated a smooth first round in 77.991 seconds, well within the time allowed of 84 seconds. Lambre went straight to the jump-off with the goal of catching second place finisher, Vicente Guillen and Rustica LS LA Silla’s (Rubens LS x Escarlata LS) quick time.
The new pair soared through the course, taking tidy inside turns and leaving out strides to stop the clock at 35.272 seconds for the victory.
“I am very excited to see how she progresses. She has a lot of natural talent, scope and quality. We will try the Welcome next, then when I think she is ready we will step up to the grand prix,” stated Lambre.
Vicente Guillen (VEN) and Tranquility Farm’s nine-year-old La Silla mare were the pathfinders in the class producing the first clean effort. The pair advanced to the jump-off flying through the course in 36.068 seconds to grab second place.
Third place went to Tom Foley (IRL) and Sher Al Farm’s Idalgo (Catoki x Quidam’s Olgam). Foley and the scopey nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding delivered an efficient jump-off in 37.716 seconds.
$10,000 1.40m Jumper Classic Results:
1 Casey, Santiago Lambre, Santiago Lambre: 0 | 0 | 35.272
2 Rustica LS LA Silla, Vicente Guillen, Tranquility Farm: 0 | 0 | 36.068
3 Idalgo, Tom Foley, Sher Al Farm: 0 | 0 | 37.716
4 Inspirado, Anne Bingler, Anne Bingler: 0 | 0 | 45. 280
5 Quentin VA, Juan Carlos Garcia, Two Socks Farm LLC: 0 | 4 | 37.306
6 Comedie De Tamla, Alberto Michan, Esperanza Imports, LLC: 0 | 8 | 36.348
7 Django, Lauren Hough, Lauren Hough: 4 | 75.293
8 Paddington 92, Angel Karolyi, Imani Mackani: 4 | 76.780
9 Bull Run’s Jireh, Kristen Vanderveen, Bull Run Jumpers, Inc.: 4 | 77.168
10 Camiro Blue PS, Clark Montgomery, April Miller: 4 | 77.890
Photos courtesy of Andrew Ryback Photography.
Videos available at ClipMyHorse.TV