The WEC Summer Series kicked off with a brilliant win by Canada’s Sean Jobin and Foxridge Farms’ Darius (Warrant x Sanita) in this afternoon’s $5,000 Welcome Stake 1.35 m sponsored by CWD Sellier. The pair returned to World Equestrian Center after a short break between the Winter Series of the Midwest and the the WEC Summer Series to best twenty two entries and jump the only double clear of the class, sending them straight to the top of the leader board.
The course for this afternoon’s $5,000 Welcome Stake 1.35 m sponsored by CWD Sellier was designed by Bobby Murphy of Lexington, Kentucky and featured multiple combinations, rollback turns and forward lines. The course began by guiding entries over an oxer-to-vertical line headed up the diagonal, then bent to a vertical on an angle at the top of the ring. Then, entries rolled back to an oxer at the top of the ring and bent to a vertical headed down the rail. Next, entries bent to an oxer-to-vertical one stride combination headed toward the ingate, then continued up a line across the diagonal. From there, entries rounded the top of the ring to approach the CWD vertical that led to an oxer, then bent to an oxer on an angle headed toward the ingate. To finish, entries rode up the diagonal over a one-stride-to-two-stride triple combination.
First in the order was Ryan Genn of Rheinland Farm in Lebanon, Ohio aboard Eduardo Leon’s nine year old Dutch Warmblood gelding Front Page (Alicante). Genn and Front Page had a fantastic Winter, taking top placings in several 1.35 m classes at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida. The pair brought their A game to this afternoon’s Welcome Stake, blazing around the first course in 78.780 seconds, about four seconds under the time allowed of 83 seconds. With all rails up, the pair continued straight to the jump off of the Table II event.
The course for the jump off began over the vertical at the top of the ring, then rolled back to the oxer at the top of the ring and led entries to the vertical heading down the rail. Next, entries bent to the oxer-to-vertical one stride combination, then continued up the diagonal over a vertical. From there, entries rolled back to the oxer on the rail, then bent to the oxer headed toward the ingate to finish. Genn and the grey gelding pulled one unfortunate rail, but kept their quick pace, stopping the clock at 38.725 and setting the tone for the remaining twenty one entries.
Next in the ring was Canada’s Sean Jobin riding for Foxridge Farms in Columbus, Ohio. Jobin rode Foxridge Farms’ Darius (Warrant x Sanita), an eleven year old Dutch Warmblood Gelding. Like Genn and front Page, Jobin and Darius had a successful Winter, taking several top placings at both HITS in Ocala, Florida and the Venice Equestrian Tour in Venice, Florida. Jobin and the bay gelding powered through the first course, leaving all jumps up and crossing the timers at 78.780 seconds, continuing straight to the jump off. Jobin piloted Darius expertly through the short course, taking the inside turns when possible and ultimately delivering a foot-perfect round. The pair jumped their second clear round in a time of 41.110, setting the time to beat.
While Jobin and Genn remained first and second, respectively, throughout the remainder of the class, Megan Bash of Cleveland Equestrian and Hurt & Hurt Equine’s eight year old Belgian Warmblood, Fronsac de Beaufort (Qody de Saint-Aubert x Fidji de Breve), gave them a (literal) run for their money. Bash and Fronsac de Beaufort cleaned up during the 2019 Winter Series of the Midwest at World Equestrian Center, taking top placings in countless classes during Week 4, Week 8 and Week 15. This afternoon, Bash and the grey gelding took a slightly more conservative approach to the first round, making sure to leave all rails up in a time of 81.501 seconds. The pair picked up the pace in the second round, soaring over each fence. Although they pulled one heartbreaking rail, their time of 39.212 seconds was still quick enough to earn a third place finish.
Sean Jobin stuck around after the awards presentation to chat with us about his ride in this afternoon’s Welcome Stake. “I was second in the order with Darius, so I was just trying to feel out the course a little bit,” said Jobin, “It’s his first round back in a month since the Winter Circuit, so I was just trying to ride to get some power and speed in there and not necessarily ride conservatively. He made the jump off and I’m glad I stuck around for the rest of the class for the win.”
When asked about his mount, Jobin replied, “Darius is an eleven year old Dutch Warmblood. He’s a really cool horse; he’s a little Ferrari. He’s quick, he’s super scopey and he’s got a little bit of a personality, which is great. He’s one of those horses that I really love riding.” Jobin also commented on what he sees in the future for Darius, “He had a really good Winter Circuit in Ocala, so I see a lot of big stuff in his future. I think he’s a real Grand Prix horse for sure; I think he’s proved that through the Winter Circuit. So, we’re just going to see how the rest of the weeks go at World Equestrian Center and we’ll make a plan after that.”
$5,000 Welcome Stake 1.35 m Results
- Darius, Sean Jobin – 0 | 0 | 41.110
- Front Page, Ryan Genn – 0 | 4 | 38.725
- Fronsac de Beaufort, Megan Bash – 0 | 4 | 39.212
- Etoile Van’t Lambroeck, Alliy Moyer – 0 | 4 | 40.818
- Van Gogh, Wilhelm Genn – 4 | 77.133
- Beorn, Tammy Provost – 4 | 77.691
- WBS Fenise, Samantha Mackenzie – 4 | 77.899
- Banco Du Moulin, Sean Jobin – 4 | 78.218
- Dirocco Blue, Natalie Thornell – 4 | 78.465
- Shuttergold, Taylor Kain – 4 | 79.994
Photos courtesy of Randi Muster Photography.