Beisel is Back on Top in the $30,000 Grand Prix of WEC – Wilmington Midwest Indoors I

Wilmington, Ohio – Sibling rivalry made for an exhilarating jump-off in the $30,000 Grand Prix at WEC – Wilmington Midwest Indoors I. Michael Pegg (CAN) crafted the track for the class that allowed only five partnerships to jump-off, including two of the quickest riders in the field, Izzy Beisel (USA) and Cooper Beisel (USA).

Izzy Beisel returned with her Diaz Barbotiere to set the winning the pace, followed by her brother, Cooper, aboard Diane Master’s Light Show (Quasimodo Z x Predente), and Sarah Meier (USA) with her own Spicebomb (Untouchable x Cara Mia Von Aarhof CH).

Opting to take the long route around to jump two in the short course, Izzy [Beisel] was still uncatchable, “I saw the inside turn to the triple bar. Diaz and I both think so fast and we can get ahead of ourselves if we turn too tight. I wasn’t planning on the turn and I didn’t walk it. Diaz lands and naturally carries himself so fast that I didn’t think it was something I needed to do to be the winner.”

Cooper [Beisel] entered next to contest his sister, securing the first inside turn and galloping around the track with the seasoned 16-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding. The duo landed in the winning time of 38.053 seconds, but a heartbreaker final rail landed them in third.

“When Cooper was going in the ring, my friend told me that he thought I had the time. But Cooper will do everything in his power to beat me! That is just the sibling rivalry,” Izzy laughed. “It has been so much fun ever since we started doing the same classes on some really amazing horses. We battle it out and it has been so fun to do it together.”

A double clear effort and a time of 39.542 seconds for Izzy [Beisel] and her 11-year-old Selle Francais gelding was enough to claim the victory.

 “It was really special tonight because I had an entire barn family that stayed to cheer me on. My friends were watching on the livestream. I just want to say thank you for all of the support from all of my amazing family, friends and the barn that has done so much for me,” Izzy recognized her team at David Beisel Stables.

Meier followed the sibling duo with Spicebomb, posting a double clear effort in 40.76 seconds to claim a second-place finish in the seven-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding’s first grand prix debut.

$30,000 Grand Prix Results:

1 Diaz Barbotiere, Izzy Beisel, Izzy Beisel | 0 | 39.542
2 Spicebomb, Sarah Meier, Sarah Meier | 0 | 40.76
3 Light Show, Cooper Beisel, Diane Masters | 0 | 38.053
4 Nightshade SCF, Sarah Meier, Sarah Meier | 4 | 40.1
5 Legend, Laura Douglas, Steven Bluman | 8 | 41.347
6 Vong’s Brunello DWB TF, Angel Munoz Gil, Talin Farm – Danish Sports Horses | 4 | 79.694
7 Ringo Star PS, Michael Janson, Kimberly Janson | 4 | 81.223
8 Ayrton Du Faurieu Z, Richard Cheska, Richard Cheska | 4 | 87.364
9 QI L., Ann Demichele, Cantatu LLC | 8 | 79.105
10 Triskel De Kerliven, Cooper Beisel, Liz Hutchinson | 8 | 80.272

Emma Linton & Victory RW Broekkant Z Score First $10,000 Futures Prix Win at Midwest Indoors I

The $10,000 Futures Prix at Midwest Indoors I welcomed 16 developing horse-and-athlete combinations to try their hand at Michael Pegg’s track in the Standlee Sanctuary. Ten partnerships moved onto the immediate jump-off phase where the top three on the leaderboard were separated by just tenths of a second.

Emma Linton (USA) marked a historical day in her riding career, clinching her first Futures Prix win with the Shady lane Ranch entry Victory RW Broekkant Z (Vigo D’arsouilles x Evolution).

“This is my third time doing this class. I really didn’t think I was going to win! The last horse looked so fast when they went in, so I wasn’t expecting it. It is a really great feeling,” Linton shared.

Linton has moved up through the ranks with her 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding at WEC – Wilmington since the 2024 Winter in the Midwest Series and felt grateful for the ride, “We imported him in December and he is so cool. He is so funny in the barn and has the biggest personality. I don’t love going fast, but he will do anything that I ask of him, so it has been great to move up with him and build my confidence.”

Linton entered looking to best Sarah Sturges (USA) and her own Labyrinth (Zirocco Blue VDL x Warone), who held the leading time of 38.631 seconds.

Opting for one conservative option in the jump-off phase, Linton was quick on the inside turn back to the final line to cross the timers in 38.17 seconds to surpass Sturges and her own eight-year-old American Warmblood gelding.

“I did the eight in the bending line in the first round and I debated on doing seven in the jump-off, but I was planning on going inside to the vertical after, so I didn’t want to get strung out and then have the rail. I turned back really nicely and left out to the last jump and it was just enough,” said Linton.

Laura Douglas (USA) was the final entry with Wendy Janesky’s seven-year-old Westphalian mare, Clarity (Catoki x Zamora Molga), stopping the clock just shy of the lead in 38.313 seconds, moving Sturges into third place and securing the red ribbon.

$10,000 Futures Prix Results:

1 Victory RW Broekkant Z, Emma Linton, Shady Lane Ranch | 0 | 38.17
2 Clarity, Laura Douglas, Wendy Janesky | 0 | 38.313
3 Labyrinth, Sarah Sturges, Sarah Sturges LLC | 0  |38.631
4 Rochas Van De Brouwershoeve, Michael Janson, Kimberly Janson | 0 | 39.854
5 Karolitha, Sienna Halama, Sienna Halama | 0 | 40.78
6 reina Van Hellehof, Maria Blankemeyer, Angela Moore | 4 | 37.35
7 Quintana SCF, Angel Munoz Gil, Spy Coast Farm | 4 | 40.609
8 Rising Diktator HE, Lauren Hester, Hester Equestrian LLC | 4 | 42.373
9 Ellitot De Talma, Lisa Bertoline, The E.O.F Group | 8 | 38.552
10 Jackson VDL, Aiden Udelson, Cleveland Equestrian | 9 | 50.326

Make sure to visit the WEC Blog and follow us on social media @worldequestriancenter for full coverage on all feature classes!

Results can be found at horseshowing.com.

All horse show images are provided by Winslow Photography and can be purchased onsite at WEC – Wilmington or online through their website.