Feature class action for the final week of the World Equestrian Center — Ocala Winter Spectacular 2021 kicked off this afternoon with the $20,000 WEC Welcome Prix. A field of 35 entries contested a technical course co-designed by Anderson Lima of Brazil and Bobby Murphy of Lexington, Kentucky. The track featured several fences designed specifically for this final week of competition including a stunning Lugano Diamonds combination flanked by a matching water feature, as well as a majestic wall jump designed by Bobby Murphy and Dalman Jump Co. that showed off a stunning photograph by Andrew Ryback Photography of the Equestrian Hotel. Twelve entries managed a clear first round with eight pairs ultimately jumping double clear, making for fierce competition. The top two placings were separated by just four-tenths of a second, but it was Molly Ashe Cawley of Louisburg Farm in Wellington, Florida, and Dover, Massachusetts, aboard Louisburg Farm’s Berdien (Bustique x Queen Z) that took the win.
Ireland’s Jonathan McCrea and Windsor Show Stables’ Jasmijn (Diamant De Semilly x Gitania Van’t Eigenlo) set a strong pace near the top of the order. McCrea and the 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare took 2nd place in the $20,000 WEC Welcome Prix just last week and brought their A-game again this afternoon. The pair was quick and clear in the first round in 83.529 seconds, well under the time allowed of 87 seconds. They continued straight to the jump-off, keeping their pace and hugging the inside track. McCrea and Jasmijn stopped the clock with a clear round at 43.067 seconds, challenging the remaining entries to beat their time.
McCrea and Jasmijn held the top spot until Sam Walker and Marbill Hill Farm’s Coralissa (Com Air x O-Coralissa) took to the course. Walker and the 10-year-old Holsteiner mare earned 1st place in the $25,000 FEI Hermes U25 Grand Prix at WEF just one month ago, preparing them well for this afternoon’s class. The duo found a clear first round in 84.934 seconds and advanced straight to the jump-off. They mirrored McCrea’s inside track, crossing the timers at 41.778 seconds and moved into the lead.
Molly Ashe Cawley and Louisburg Farm’s Berdien (Bustique x Queen Z) took to the course near the end of the order. Ashe Cawley and the 10-year-old Zangersheide mare topped the $20,000 WEC Welcome Prix during Week 8 of the World Equestrian Center — Ocala Winter Spectacular and were hunting for another win this afternoon. The pair delivered a clear first round in 84.184 seconds before advancing straight to the jump-off. Knowing the time they needed to beat, Ashe Cawley and Berdien picked up a strong gallop and stayed on the inside track. They flew through the timers at 41.361 seconds, just four-tenths of a second ahead of Walker and Coralissa to win the class, moving Walker and Coralissa into 2nd place and McCrea and Jasmijn into 3rd.
$20,000 WEC Welcome Prix Results
- Berdien, Molly Ashe Cawley – 0 | 0 | 41.361
- Coralissa, Sam Walker – 0 | 0 | 41.778
- Jasmijn, Jonathan McCrea – 0 | 0 | 43.067
- Victorio 5, Abigail McArdle – 0 | 0 | 43.803
- Fantasy BB, Jonathan McCrea – 0 | 0 | 44.450
- Martials, Manuel Gonzalez Dufrane – 0 | 0 | 45.129
- Valentine Car, Fernando Cardenas – 0 | 0 | 45.175
- Dr. J, Grant Seger – 0 | 0 | 46.221
- Diamant’s Legacy, Jordan Petersen – 0 | 4 | 42.478
- Celtic Lady M2s, Cady Klimas – 0 | 4 | 45.361
Photos courtesy of Andrew Ryback Photography.