Nikko Ritter & Kandle Shine Bright the $25,000 Grand Prix of the WEC – Wilmington Spring Opener

16 MAY 26 Wilmington, OH

Equestrian rider on a brown horse jumps over a red and blue obstacle during a show jumping competition at an outdoor arena.

Wilmington, Ohio – The first featured jumper class of the 2026 Spring Series at World Equestrian Center – Wilmington took center stage in the Outdoor Jumper Arena Saturday afternoon, set against the backdrop of WEC’s green, rolling fields.

A rider on horseback jumps over a black-and-white obstacle decorated with treble clef symbols during an outdoor equestrian event.
Nikko Ritter & Kandle. Photo by Winslow Photography.

Nikko Ritter ultimately rose to the occasion in a four-horse jump-off with his longtime, family-owned partner, Kandle (Kannan x Ceska).

Ritter was thrilled to lead the victory gallop aboard Wendy Peralta’s 11-year-old Holsteiner gelding, who was contesting his first grand prix back after a break.

A rider in formal equestrian attire guides a horse draped in a winner’s blanket and ribbon on a sandy arena, with trees and signage in the background.
Nikko Ritter & Kandle. Photo by Winslow Photography.

“Kandle is the family horse! Eleven years ago, my mother bought him as a foal as a present to my stepfather. So, I’ve ridden him from his four-year-old year on, and he is just returning to this level after a little bit of a break. It’s his first Grand Prix back, so for him to win is even better,” Ritter smiled.

A rider on a white horse jumps over blue and yellow obstacles during an equestrian event on an outdoor sand arena with green trees in the background.
Loic Cannaert & May. Photo by Winslow Photography.

Loic Cannaert was the first to return for the short course with Orpen Horses’ nine-year-old KWPN mare, May (Casago x Unique P), setting a quick time to beat of 31.09 seconds.

Ritter followed, sharing, “You know, they all made the inside turn from one to two, and I knew that I wasn’t going to fit, so I just had to buzz around and keep the rhythm up.”

“I took a shot at the red combination — it ended up working out, but it was a little sketchy, I’m not going to lie,” Ritter laughed. “He did it quite well. And like I said, this is our first jump-off back at the level, so I’m really happy to see him rise to the occasion and be the horse that I know he can be.”

A man in riding attire sits on a horse, while a child stands holding a large winner's check. They are in an outdoor arena with blue decorative jumps in the background.

The duo stopped the clock in 30.345 seconds, just surpassing Cannaert and stealing the lead.

A rider on horseback jumps over an obstacle decorated with butterfly wings during an equestrian show jumping competition.
Nikko Ritter & Kandle. Photo by Winslow Photography.

Additionally, Ritter discussed his experience at the facility. “I love WEC – Wilmington. I make it a destination every fall and spring on our calendar. It is really nice to be here and get to show on the wonderful footing. I think it really breaks up the travel as I head north, and it’s just so horse friendly. You know, you can turn horses out, you can school in the rings after the show — I just love it here.”

Equestrian rider in helmet and uniform guides a brown horse over a red and blue jump obstacle at an outdoor arena.
Izzy Beisel & Diaz Barbotiere. Photo by Winslow Photography.

Izzy Beisel and her 13-year-old Selle Francais gelding, Diaz Barbotiere (Messire Ardent x Quambera Barbotiere), rounded out the top three with the quickest time of 29.988 seconds, but an unfortunate four-fault score kept them from the top spot.

$25,000 Grand Prix Results

Explore the daily class schedule, orders of go, class counts, and final results on HorseShowing.com.

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