Ocala, FL – The first week of the 2023 November Show Series at World Equestrian Center – Ocala welcomed some new and familiar faces to the winner’s circle. Luis Sabino Goncalves (POR) was the star of the week securing the win in the $24,000 C. Jarvis Insurance Welcome Prix and $100,000 Coca-Cola Beverages Florida Grand Prix with his impressive mare Vick Du Croisy. Samantha Schaefer, Timothy Maddrix and Hannah Klinedinst were all crowned winners on Hunter Derby Friday with superior scores. Read on for additional highlights from the week.
Kimberley Bird (NZL) closed out the week on Sunday in the $10,000 THIS 1.40m Jumper Classic with a win aboard her own Cera Cassina.
“I loved the jump-off track. It was a good run around. There were quite a few careful jumps in the beginning, so that’s where I think some of the riders had a rail down, but Cera Cassina is so fast, I could just let her go. As long as we can turn, we are usually fine,” joked Bird.
Luis Sabino Goncalves (POR) secured his second win of the week aboard Vick Du Croisy in the $100,000 Coca-Cola Beverages Florida Grand Prix.
“I watched Aaron Vale and Kristen Vanderveen go, and they were really fast. I think I took one less stride from one to two. I turned really short back to the skinny. Everyone did eight and eight in the other lines, but you can either have a fast or a slow eight. Vick is so fast across the ground and over the jumps, that’s where I think I had the time,” shared Goncalves about his winning jump-off track.
On Friday night, Penny Brennan raced to the win aboard her own Vertigo Delorme in the $15,000 Buckeye Nutrition Futures Prix.
Brennan spoke about her longtime partner Vertigo Delorme, “This is our sixth year together. I got him as a 1.30m horse and he is just amazing. He owned it tonight and had more style than Michael Jackson out there.”
Samantha Schaefer and In The Know took top honors in the $12,500 Golden Ocala 3’6”-3’9” Hunter Derby.
“At this point it’s just fun. I tried to be as handy as I could without going too crazy. I think Jordan Lubow and I did similar turns, but Spyder is just so good at that. He enjoys it. He comes here and gets so much attention, he always puts on his best. He knows the game.”
Timothy Maddrix and Missy Nolen’s Cypress captured the $10,000 UF Veterinary Hospital USHJA National 3’ Open Hunter Derby win.
After studying the handy track, Maddrix knew that Cypress would thrive, “The handy felt like it was made for a horse like Cypress to win. I don’t think the course designer envisioned anyone taking the inside turn to the trot jump. It was such a tricky angle, but I know Cypress so well, I did it. Out of all the people that tried it, I think he did it the best and the judges rewarded him for that.”
Hannah Klinedinst scored her first big win aboard Equestrian Closet, LLC’s Classic Hit in the $10,000 USHJA National 3’ Jr/Am Hunter Derby.
“He had great spirit out there. I have been doing the derbies with him for probably two and half years now. We have been incorporating the more technical pieces here and there. We didn’t do the high options and would stay out in the turns, but we were getting our feet wet. It’s so cool to be able to go in now, do the inside turns, jump the high options and really be competitive. I am so impressed with him today and I am thrilled with the result.”
Photo by Andrew Ryback Photography.
Luis Sabino Goncalves (POR) began his week with a win in the $24,000 C. Jarvis Insurance Welcome Prix.
“It was a really nice course. I like this course designer a lot, he builds courses with questions. The questions aren’t very difficult, but good enough to have rails down throughout the track. The time was a bit short; you couldn’t play around. It was a perfect track to get the horses ready for the grand prix,” shared Luis Sabino Goncalves about Peter Grant’s first-round track.
On Friday, Victoria Valiquette and her own Sugarbrook Unveiled landed the $2,000 USHJA Pony Hunter Derby victory with an overall score of 173.
Anna Mead and her own Aloys St prevailed in the $3,500 WEC Ocala 2’6” Non Pro Hunter Derby with a first round score of 85 and a handy score of 82.
Congratulations to all exhibitors on a great week of equestrian sport!
Photos courtesy of Andrew Ryback Photography.
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