Wilmington, Ohio – Joe Carnicom (USA) set a challenging track for a field of 15 athletes in the $30,000 Grand Prix during WEC – Wilmington Winter Classic 3. In the end of a four horse jump-off, it was Sarah Meier (USA) and her own Nightshade SCF (Baldev x Olisina) that came out on top for a well-deserved win.
The professional athlete of Lexington, Kentucky, has accumulated numerous top results with her 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding. Meier was proud of the partnership they have developed to ultimately pave the way to their first grand prix win together.
“He is a little bit quirky, but I can’t say enough good things about him. I have a great relationship with him. Aaron Vale and David O’Brien started him, and it took me a minute to get to know him. He can be a bit funny, but those guys put a great background on him, and he has been nothing but good to me. He loves his job, which is half the battle, and he is super brave,” Meier spoke highly of her mount.
Entering as the final to contest the jump-off phase, Meier had a time to beat of 42.994 seconds set by Richard Rinehart and the 10-year-old Hanoverian gelding Caesar (Chalet x Glorielle).
Executing a slightly tidier track than Rinehart, Meier jumped to a time of 40.598 seconds, landing Rinehart with the red ribbon and topping the leaderboard by two full seconds.
“Richard [Rinehart] did pull a bit on the reins a little more than he usually does,” laughed Meier. “Richard has helped me a little bit here the past couple of weeks, so he went over the jump-off with me. He told me he was going to go around the island at the end, but that Nightshade could certainly go inside. I made the inside turn to the Alimend oxer, and I thought it was going to get a little messy, but I clucked and my horse had no problem!”
Meier shared her thoughts on the technical tracks, “I was a little bit worried. Not that I thought he wasn’t going to jump around with the spooky candy cane jump, but everything was set a bit on a half-step. By the time I went, I knew a few people had some trouble, but he never gave it a second thought.”
Chloe Desjarlais (USA) piloted Kelly Andrews-Wahl’s Casastello PS (Casallco x Loving Star) to third place. The eight-year-old Oldenburg jumped in textbook form, and jumped to an efficient time of 43 seconds to round out the top three.
$30,000 Grand Prix Results:
1 Nightshade SCF, Sarah Meier, Sarah Meier | 0 | 40.598
2 Caesar, Richard Rinehart, Catherine Rinehart | 0 | 42.994
3 Casastello PS, Chloe Desjarlais, Kelly Andrews-Wahl | 0 | 43
4 Dolla 3, Sam Pegg, Sam Pegg | 4 | 43.293
5 Gin Tonic 158, Sam Pegg, Sam Pegg | 4 | 73.473
6 Formidable Diamant, Sam Pegg, Harlow Investment Enterprises LLC | 4 | 76.488
7 Eldorado’s Edition, Vanessa McCaughley, Vanessa McCaughley | 4 | 79.179
8 Vincent, Richard Rinehart, Ron Caraway | 4 | 87.106
9 Big Girl Z, Sam Pegg, Sam Pegg | 8 | 75.212
10 Brook De Brekka, Sarah Meier, Sarah Meier | 12 | 74.433
Rokeechobee STB Shows Talent in $10,000 Futures Prix at Winter Classic 3
Sam Pegg (CAN) added another win to his 2024 Winter in the Midwest Series with Lawren Brockelsby’s promising young horse Rokeechobee STB (Gino H x Massima Van’t Spieveld) in the $10,000 Futures Prix.
The track designed by Joe Carnicom (USA) caused trouble for some, though the six, coming seven-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare never batted an eye.
“She is super careful but very bold. She isn’t very afraid of anything. She will jump a little bit high sometimes, but that just comes with experience. She is never really afraid of any particular jump. It was a quiet seven strides to the new candy cane rails, so I thought I would give her enough room to put my leg back on and give her some support,” said Pegg.
Rokeechobee STB jumped confidently and effortlessly around the tracks for a quick double clear, proving her bright future ahead and claimed the lead in 31.709 seconds.
Pegg, of Ten Sixty Stables, spends the majority of the winter season at WEC – Wilmington with his talented string, and commented on the benefits of developing his young horses at the facility.
“We love it here. For the horses it is great. We come two or three weeks at a time. The rings are open for schooling, you can jump any height you want. Now in January with the Young Horse Incentive it is becoming very cost effective to produce your horses here as well. They can even jump in this $10,000 class with no entry fee when they are enrolled in the program, so it is really a great place to produce them.”
The 10-year-old Hanoverian gelding Asdi La Vista (Asdi Villagana x Uppsala) owned and ridden by Ivan Espada jumped to second place in a quick 32.769 seconds.
Molly Kindness rode her spunky eight-year-old Warmblood mare HJ Blind Date (Quindao x Tupasy Cordada) to third place in 33.249 seconds.
$10,000 Futures Prix Results:
1 Rokeechobee STB, Sam Pegg, Lawren Brockelsby | 0 | 31.709
2 Asdi La Vista, Ivan Espada, Ivan Espada | 0 | 32.769
3 HJ Blind Date, Molly Kindness, Molly Kindness | 0 | 33.249
4 Frankenstein, Laura Hauser, Laura Hauser | 0 | 37.947
5 Eternity Du Seigneur, Dan Urban, Emellar Stables LLC | 4 | 35.297
6 Identiek, Kianna Luscher, Susan Cline-Wilkinson | 4 | 37.754
7 Kimi, Silvio Mazzoni, Silvio Mazzoni | 8 | 31.565
8 Just Las Vegas Lilly, Julie Chang, Julie Chang | 4 | 77.226
9 Lorstakov, Richard Rinehart, Richard Rinehart | 4 | 78.48
10 Cardiana, Dan Urban, Emellar Stables LLC | 8 | 81.178