A field of fifteen horse-and-rider combinations took to the Sanctuary Arena this afternoon to contest the $5,000 WEC Welcome Stake 1.35m. Course designer Keith Bollette laid the track for the class, which saw ten pairs go clear and inside the time allowed to advance to the jump off. Four pairs went clear over the short course, but it was Wilhelm Genn and his longtime partner Van Gogh who prevailed, stopping the clock in just 33.136 seconds.
Genn of Rheinland Farm, Lebanon, OH, and Van Gogh (Valentino x Calina Z), a 13-year-old Oldenburg gelding, spent the winter in Florida where they prevailed at the $5,000 1.30M Rising Star Classic series at The Ridge at Wellington Turf Tour Finale.
The second place finisher in tonight’s class was 16-year-old Caroline Nadalin of Sugar Run Farm, Plain City, OH, aboard El Classico, owned by Maarten Huygens. Nadalin and the 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding tackled the jump off in just 33.669 seconds.
Fresh off a successful spring competition season in Tryon, NC, Summer Hill piloted Hakuna Matata (Corland x Olrusa) owned by Ashland Farms to a third place finish in this afternoon’s class. Hill of Lexington, KY and the 9-year-old gray KWPN mare produced a clear round and stopped the jump off clock at 33.798 seconds.
$5,000 WEC Welcome Stake 1.35m Results
- Van Gogh, Wilhelm Genn – 0 | 0 | 33.136
- El Classico, Caroline Nadalin – 0 | 0 | 33.669
- Hakuna Matata, Summer Hill – 0 | 0 | 33.798
- Fairy Tail, Harriet McCord Chang – 0 | 0 | 37.751
- VDL Genius T, Ryan Genn – 0 | 4 | 30.935
- Colora, Ryan Genn – 0 | 4 | 32.407
- Inne Van De Plataan, Keely McIntosh – 0 | 4 | 32.657
- FF Hachianda Musterd, Jill Gaffney – 0 | 4 |34.659
- Snow White, Natalie Thornell – 0 | 4 | 35.806
- Strawberry, Molly Kindness – 0 | 8 | 34.947
Congratulations to all on a great afternoon of equestrian sport. Competition continues at World Equestrian Center – Ohio through Sunday. Tune in to the action via livestream on clipmyhorsetv.
Photos courtesy of Winslow Photography.