Gonzalo Busca and Cristiano Obolensky Snag the Win in the $117,000 LeMieux Grand Prix Qualifier CSI4*

Ocala, FL – A perfect Florida morning set the stage for the $117,000 LeMieux Grand Prix Qualifier CSI4*, where 31 horse-and-rider combinations contested top honors. Last to go, Gonzalo Busca of Spain secured the victory aboard Kalany Stables’ Cristiano Obolensky (Cornet Obolensky x Stakkato), edging out the competition by just one tenth of a second.

Ireland’s Colm Quinn, an FEI Level III course designer, set an intricate track that featured a delicate triple combination and technical lines throughout. In the end, 11 combinations produced clear first rounds, but only four managed double-clear efforts.

McKayla Langmeier (USA) was the first to return for the jump-off and set the early standard aboard Rafferty Farm LLC’s nine-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion Riesling van de Gaathoeve (Iron Man vd Padenborre x Diamant de Semilly), stopping the clock in 39.15 seconds.

Several riders attempted to catch her time but were unable to do so without faults. Second to last in the order, Daniel Bluman (ISR) entered the arena determined to claim another win. He piloted Over The Top Stables LLC’s 15-year-old KWPN mare Gemma W (Luidam x Unaniem) to a blazing round, breaking the beam in 37.37 seconds to take over the lead.

As the final rider, Busca knew he would have to take risks. “I was lucky to go last,” he shared. “At the beginning, I saw that McKayla was in the lead for a long time, and she was really fast. She had a really nice course. And just before me, Daniel jumped with Gemma. That’s a really, really fast combination. They’re always very competitive, and they were really quick. I didn’t know if I would be able to beat them, but I gave it a try,” he expressed. “When you have to push the limits, you have to try. In a long gallop like that to the last jump, there’s no other strategy.”

Busca and Cristiano Obolensky answered the challenge, flying through the timers in 37.20 seconds to claim the win.

The Spanish rider also reflected on his longtime partnership with the now 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding. “I started riding ‘Cristiano’ when he was seven. He was doing smaller classes with a friend while I was spending the summer in Europe. They asked me if I could show him for the summer, and after those shows, I had a really good feeling with him. I decided to buy him, and here we are.”

$117,000 LeMieux Grand Prix Qualifier CSI4* Results

Juan Vegas Jumps Clarisimo to First FEI Victory in $32,000 Grand Prix Sponsored by Forestier Sellier

The $32,000 Grand Prix sponsored by Forestier Sellier served as the feature event of the afternoon in the WEC Grand Arena. Twenty-three top U25 horse-and-rider combinations contested the track, but in the end it was Venezuela’s Juan Vegas who piloted his own Clarisimo to his first international victory.

Only six combinations managed clear rounds over Colm Quinn’s technical first-round track, and just four of those managed to produce double-clear efforts.

Vegas reflected on the opening round and praised the course design. “The first course was tough. There were so many options, doing one less stride or one more. I was a little concerned at the beginning because I wasn’t completely happy with some of the decisions I made. After fence three, I really locked in mentally. I thought the track was very nice, and it was a great learning experience.”

Germany’s Brianne Beerbaum was first to return for the jump-off, setting an early benchmark aboard her own eight-year-old Westphalian mare Big Dream (Big Star x Quidam de Revel). The pair delivered a blazing round in 42.92 seconds.

Last CSIU25 Grand Prix winner Tony Stormanns (GER) came the closest to matching the time, piloting Alexandra Crown’s 10-year-old Oldenburg gelding Twick Star (Twilight x Coupe D’or) to a fast and fault-free effort in 43.27 seconds.

Second to last in the order, Vegas entered the arena determined to give it his all. “To be honest, I didn’t get to watch anyone go. My plan was not to get too crazy and just let him do his job, because I know I have a really fast horse. I just wanted to go out there and try to win.”

Vegas did exactly that. Aboard the 13-year-old Oldenburg gelding, he executed an efficient track, stopping the clock in 40.24 seconds to take over the top of the leaderboard.

The victory marked Vegas’ first FEI win and carried special meaning for the young rider. “He has been in our family since he was three. He has the same birthday as my dad, so basically, he’s more important than me,” Vegas joked. “He’s an amazing horse. I’ve been riding him since he was five. A professional rode him for me at first because I wasn’t quite ready, but I took over the reins when he was eight. Hopefully, we stay together for many more years.”

$32,000 Grand Prix Sponsored by Forestier Sellier Results

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.
Videos available at ClipMyHorse.TV

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

This event is made possible through the support of our generous sponsors and marketing partners, the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association, and Ocala/Marion County Visitors and Convention Bureau.