Sweet Victory for Rodrigo Lambre and J’adore Van Het Klinkhof in the $75,000 MARS Equestrian Grand Prix

Ocala, FL -Spectators and exhibitors flocked to the WEC Grand Arena at World Equestrian Center – Ocala (WEC) on Saturday night for the highly anticipated $75,000 MARS Equestrian Grand Prix. Twenty-four horse-and-rider combinations from nine nations competed for a podium finish, but it was Rodrigo Lambre (BRA) who stole the show. Riding Ilan Ferder’s J’adore Van Het Klinkhof (Thunder Vd Zuuthoeve x Tequilla Van Het Noordeneind), Lambre secured his first WEC – Ocala grand prix victory.

FEI Level III course designer Manuel Esparza (MEX) crafted a challenging track with a tight time allowed and winding obstacles. Only five riders qualified for the jump-off, including some of the industry’s quickest: Sharn Wordley, Alberto Michan, Tracy Fenney, Chloe Reid, and Rodrigo Lambre.

Thursday’s Welcome Prix winners, Sharn Wordley (NZL) and Della Wordley’s Hagelin, were the first to return in the jump-off. They were fast at 36.768 seconds but had an unlucky rail down.

Next, Israel’s Alberto Michan piloted Joint De Canabis Van De Doornhoeve (Canabis Z x Evidento v.d. Doornhoeve), a 10-year-old KWPN gelding, to a quick and clear round, setting the pace at 36.812 seconds.

Tracy Fenney (USA) and MTM Apple followed, clocking the fastest time at 35.501 seconds but suffering a heartbreaking rail that kept them out of the top placings.

Chloe Reid (USA) aboard her up-and-coming partner Chelsea 179 (Cador 5 x Laudana), a nine-year-old Oldenburg mare, completed the course in 38.519 seconds, placing behind Michan.

Finally, Rodrigo Lambre entered the arena with the 15-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare J’adore Van Het Klinkhof. “I know the mare very well. We have been in many jump-offs together, so I knew I didn’t have to go crazy to get the time, but be fast enough,” he shared. “I rode off my eye for most of the jump-off because she can just land and go. The last oxer was a bit tricky, so I wanted to be a little square so she could step right, and she was perfect.” The pair stopped the clock at a winning 35.946 seconds.

Lambre spoke about his partnership with the talented mare, “I’ve been riding her for four years. My brother, Santiago Lambre, rode her for a bit in America, then I got her back. I learned a lot about the mare when Santiago was riding her, and I think I am riding her better than before. She always tries when she goes in the ring and jumps her heart out for me.”

Sharn Wordley also snagged the fastest four-faulter award aboard his other mount, Valentine Car, with a quick first round time of 76.660 seconds with one down. 

Ana Christina Rodriguez received the ‘Luck of the Draw’ award. 

$75,000 MARS Equestrian Grand Prix Results: 
1 J’adore Van Het Klinkhof, Rodrigo Lambre (BRA), Ilan Ferder: 0 | 0 | 35.946
2 Joint De Canabis Van De Doornhoeve, Alberto Michan (ISR), Alberto Michan: 0 | 0 | 36.812
3 Chelsea 179, Chloe Reid (USA), Live Oak Plantation: 0 | 0 | 38.519
4 MTM Apple, Tracy Fenney (USA), MTM Farm: 0 | 4 | 35.501
5 Hagelin, Sharn Wordley (NZL), Della Wordley: 0 | 4 | 36.768
6 Valentine Car, Sharn Wordley (NZL), Fernando Cardenas: 4 | 76.660
7 Brin D’or De Haute Melen Z, Sharn Wordley (NZL), Della Wordley: 4 | 77.929
8 Conlugo PS, Lawson Whitaker (USA), Lawson Whitaker: 4 | 79.759
9 MTM Pablo, Dorothy Douglas (USA), Davenport Farms: 4 | 79.970
10 Langobardo BF, Ramiro Quintana (ARG), Esperanza Imports, LLC: 4 | 80.207

Visit HorseShowing.com for final 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

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