Ocala, FL – The $15,000 Buckeye Nutrition Futures Prix was the highlight event of the afternoon at World Equestrian Center – Ocala, featuring 22 emerging stars of show jumping competing over a complex track set by Ben Townley (GBR). Megan Wexler (USA) piloted Golden Oaks Farm, LLC’s Doo-Wop (Camaro M x Hilda) to a smooth and fast track to claim victory.
Out of the starting field, only seven pairs successfully navigated the open track within the tight time allowed of 79 seconds, to advance to the immediate jump-off.
Reflecting on the first-round course, Wexler remarked, “It was a fast course, but in the lines you had to balance, especially galloping in-between to stay within the time allowed. When I first walked the course, I knew exactly where I needed to gallop to make up some time. From one to two, you could gallop but you had to balance to three. You had to be efficient from five to six going back to the blue jump, but take your time to the triple because it was careful.”
Executing her strategic plan in the first round, the pair finished the course well under the time allowed, securing a spot in the immediate jump-off. Wexler’s plan for the 11-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding was straightforward, “I wanted to go as fast as I could. I counted a lot of eights. I decided after the first round, that I could easily leave one out to the last jump and do five.”
The duo sped through the short course, finding each fence on an open gallop and stopping the timers in 27.294 seconds.
“I am so happy with him today. We’ve been knocking on the door for quite some time now, so it’s nice to get him a much-deserved win,” exclaimed Wexler.
Derek Petersen and his own 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Zechariah (Zirocco Blue VDL x Karina) closely followed Wexler and Doo-Wop, finishing just two tenths of a second behind with a time of 27.403 seconds.
Cady Klimas guided her own Celtic Lady M2S, a 17-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare by Condios x Winona O M2S, to third place with a quick and clear time of 27.951 seconds.
$15,000 Buckeye Nutrition Futures Prix Results:
1 Doo-Wop, Megan Wexler, Golden Oaks Farm, LLC: 0 | 0 | 27.294
2 Zechariah, Derek Petersen, Derek Petersen: 0 | 0 | 27.403
3 Celtic Lady M2S, Cady Klimas, Cady Klimas: 0 | 0 | 27.951
4 The Gray Man, Caelinn Leahy, Steve Schaefer: 0 | 0 | 28.199
5 ES Keminko N, Will Simpson, Will Simpson: 0 | 4 | 27.044
6 Loyalton, Anna Christina Gansauer, Kandor Farm LLC: 0 | 4 | 28.500
7 Zarkava, Caelinn Leahy, Steve Schaefer: 0 | 4 | 28.651
8 Cooper 211, Adeline Rohrbach, Adeline Rohrbach: 1 | 79.063
9 Cassino Blue HR JA, Daniel Bedoya, Antonio Avelino Do Amaral: 2 | 80.912
10 Arcadius 6, Mari Gromkowski, Caliber Show Jumpers LLC: 3 | 81.431
Spectators are welcome! From now until March 24, 2024, experience the thrill of the 2024 Winter Spectacular Show Series at World Equestrian Center – Ocala. Explore the daily class schedule, orders of go, class counts, and final results on HorseShowing.com. For real-time scoring, check out Ryegate.Live.
Photos courtesy of Andrew Ryback Photography.
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