Sean Jobin & Arkuga Claim Top Honors in $32,000 The Dutta Corp. Grand Prix Qualifier CSI2*

19 MAR 26 Ocala, FL

A horseback rider in a helmet jumps a brown horse over an obstacle during an equestrian show jumping competition, surrounded by flowers and event signage.

Ocala, FL – Two-star action took over the WEC Grand Arena on Thursday afternoon as fifty-two horse-and-rider combinations competed for top honors in the $32,000 The Dutta Corp. Grand Prix Qualifier CSI2*. In an exciting eight-horse jump-off, it was Canada’s Sean Jobin who secured the win by just fractions of a second aboard Arkuga.

Equestrian rider and horse jump over an obstacle decorated with giraffe images at an outdoor competition, with spectators seated in the background.
Canada’s Sean Jobin secured the win by just fractions of a second aboard Arkuga. Photo by Andrew Ryback Photography.

Ireland’s Colm Quinn set a complex track for the talented field. Of the eight combinations that advanced to the jump-off, only three managed to produce a double-clear effort.

The first to deliver a clear round was eight-time Olympian Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA). Riding Artemis Equestrian Farm LLC’s 10-year-old Selle Français gelding Giorgio d’Ellipse (Prestigo LS la Silla x Kannan), Pessoa produced a clean and efficient effort in 37.46 seconds.

A rider on horseback jumps over an obstacle during an equestrian competition, with flags and empty stands visible in the background.
Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA) rode Giorgio d’Ellipse to second place. Photo by Andrew Ryback Photography.

Several others were quick enough to challenge the time but had an unlucky rail along the way.

Sean Jobin entered the ring determined to produce a clear round aboard his naturally speedy partner Arkuga (Arko III x Heartbreaker), owned by Antrim Equestrian. “I wanted to give him a good setup for the Grand Prix in a couple of days, so the plan was to be smooth and roll on, and if he wanted to carry a lot of pace, I let him. I was really happy with him. Everything showed up the way we planned.”

A rider in equestrian attire jogs a horse draped with a "World Equestrian Center" blanket in an arena near a white building.
“He’s just a super quick horse, and he puts his heart and soul into it.” – Sean Jobin. Photo by Andrew Ryback Photography.

The pair stopped the clock in 37.39 seconds, edging the lead by just seven hundredths of a second, and that time ultimately proved unbeatable.

He spoke about his partnership with the talented gelding, “We’ve had Arkuga for a few years now. It’s been fantastic. He’s had moments of super highs and moments where we would need to rebuild. But I really love riding him. He’s just a super quick horse, and he puts his heart and soul into it. So my job is to manage his energy levels and keep them just right, and to trust him. When he’s on a roll, he’s rolling.”

Equestrian rider in helmet and uniform jumps a grey horse over a Longines-branded obstacle during an outdoor show jumping competition.
Jamie Winning-Kermond (AUS) found the only other double-clear effort in the class aboard Tulara Wat Colbensky for third. Photo by Andrew Ryback Photography.

Last to go, Jamie Winning-Kermond (AUS) found the only other double-clear effort in the class. Aboard Rachel Peel’s Tulara Wat Colbensky, the pair kept all rails in the cups in 41.46 seconds to secure third place.

$32,000 The Dutta Corp. Grand Prix Qualifier CSI2* Results

Photos courtesy of Andrew Ryback Photography.
Videos available at ClipMyHorse.TV

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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.