Ocala, FL – The second week of international show jumping competition during the 2023 December Show Series opened with the $40,000 1.45m Speed CSI3* at World Equestrian Center – Ocala. Thirty-two of the world’s best athletes representing ten different nations competed over an intricate track built by FEI Level III course designer Catsy Cruz (MEX). Rowan Willis of Australia piloted his longtime partner Wellington Grey Goose to a blistering fast track early in the order to ultimately take home the lion’s share of the prize money.
Willis had a simple goal, “I really wanted to win today,” he laughed. “’Goose’ has been such a great horse to me. When she’s having a good day, she’s a very fast horse, and it happened to be her day.”
Willis used the 12-year-old Warmblood mare’s quick step to his advantage to fly through the timers in an uncatchable 56.42 seconds.
“It’s a great facility to compete at. It’s especially nice jumping here on Saturday nights, and this month is even more spectacular with all the holiday lights. We always see a great crowd and every day here feels like a special occasion. It’s a very special show,” commented Willis about World Equestrian Center – Ocala.
Sixteenth in the world, Daniel Bluman (ISR) made his first appearance at World Equestrian Center – Ocala a successful one. With a time of 56.82 seconds, Bluman slid into second place just four tenths of a second behind Willis, aboard Over The Top Stables LLC’s 11-year-old Selle Français gelding Cachemire De Braize (Nissan Quality Touch Z x Jaguar Mail).
Third place honors were found by Todd Minikus (USA) and Spirit Group’s eight-year-old KWPN gelding Kiekeboe Spirit (Darius x Game Boy) in 56.85 seconds, just three hundredths of a second off Bluman and Cachemire De Braize’s pace.
$40,000 1.45m Speed CSI3* Results:
1 WELLINGTON GREY GOOSE: 2011 Warmblood mare by Corlensky G
Rowan Willis (AUS), Rowan Willis: 0/56.42
2 CACHEMIRE DE BRAIZE: 2012 Selle Français gelding by Nissan Quality Touch Z x Jaguar Mail
Daniel Bluman (ISR), Over The Top Stables LLC: 0/56.82
3 KIEKEBOE SPIRIT: 2015 KWPN gelding by Darius x Game Boy
Todd Minikus (USA), Spirit Group: 0/56.85
4 ZARINA DE VIDAU: 2011 Spanish Sport Horse mare by Diamant De Semilly x Coeur De Nuit
Grace Debney (GBR), Temple Equestrian LLC: 0/57.22
5 CHRISTIANO OBOLENSKY: 2015 Hanoverian gelding by Cornet Obolensky x Stakkato
Gonzalo Busca (ESP), Gonzalo Busca: 0/57.79
6 GEMMA W: 2011 KWPN mare by Luidam x Unaniem
Daniel Bluman (ISR), Over The Top Stables LLC: 0/58.06
7 I.UMONIA R 60: 2013 KWPN gelding by Den Ham Blue R x Chellano
Beat Mändli (SUI), Grant Road Partners LLC: 0/58.22
8 BLUE MOVIE: 2006 Anglo European mare by Chacco-blue x Pilot
Rowan Willis (AUS), Rowan Willis: 0/58.61
9 CARLITA: 2011 Baltic Hanoverian mare by Carleone
McKayla Langmeier (USA), Rafferty Farm LLC: 0/58.95
10 ACAJOU: 2015 German Sport Horse mare by Casallco x Chico’s Boy
Ilan Bluman (COL), Ilan Bluman: 0/59.02
11 CROSSOVER 4: 2013 Hanoverian gelding by Cascadello x Chacco-Blue
Chloe Reid (USA), Team Reid LLC: 0/59.23
12 DANA DE KERGLENN: 2013 Selle Français mare by Mylord Carthago*hn x Diamant De Semilly
Hunter Holloway (USA), Hays Investment Corp.: 0/59.39
David Cameron and Beijing LS LA Silla Best the Field in the $6,000 1.40m Speed CSI3*
International competition began at World Equestrian Center – Ocala on Wednesday with the $6,000 1.40m Speed CSI3*. David Cameron (AUS) captured the top spot on the leaderboard with Beijing Ls La Silla, a 15-year-old La Silla stallion owned by Laura Sloey.
FEI Level III course designer Catsy Cruz (MEX) set the welcoming tracks for a field of top-level athletes representing nine different nations where a dozen managed to cross the timers fault-free.
David Cameron and Beijing Ls La Silla had the luck of the draw, and were placed later in the order. “I wasn’t even going to go fast, but the beauty of being late in the order, you are able to see what others have done. At that point, no one went that quick, so when I walked in, I said, ‘I might as well.’ It suits him anyway and I knew it would only help him jump better in the next class.”
Cameron used the skilled stallion’s foot-speed to his advantage and snagged the lead with a quick time of 58.85 seconds.
Beijing Ls La Silla jumps his best in the WEC Grand Arena, “He is a great horse and loves it out here. I think he has jumped clear at the last four shows. He loves the ring. The jumps, footing and the atmosphere, the horses just perform their best.”
Cameron has been working with Beijing Ls La Silla for several years now, “He is owned by a really good student and friend of mine Laura Sloey. She has had him for four years. Right now, she is back in Australia, so I got to snag the ride. He’s a really special little horse to us and the whole team. He has made me look good as a rider and coach, so I owe him a fair bit.”
A time of 59.44 seconds earned the red ribbon, it was Grace Long (AUS) G & T Equestrian’s 11-year-old KWPN mare Happiness VD Hazel Hof by Falaise De Muze that found the quick and clear round.
Francisco Goyoaga Mollet (ESP) and Stakato Cornet (Cornet Obolensky x Stakkato), an eight-year-old Warmblood gelding owned by Ashland Farms secured third place with a time of 60.31 seconds.
$6,000 1.40m Speed CSI3* Results:
1 BEIJING LS LA SILLA: 2008 La Silla stallion by Quintero
David Cameron (AUS), Laura Sloey: 0/58.85
2 HAPPINESS VD HAZEL HOF: 2012 KWPN mare by Falaise De Muze
Grace Long (AUS), G & T Equestrian: 0/59.44
3 STAKATO CORNET: 2015 gelding by Cornet Obolensky x Stakkato
Francisco Goyoaga Mollet (ESP), Ashland Farms: 0/60.31
Photos courtesy of Andrew Ryback Photography.
Videos available at ClipMyHorse.TV
For final results visit HorseShowing.com or Ryegate.Live.
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