Wilmington, Ohio – Winter Spring Forward at World Equestrian Center – Wilmington featured top hunter/jumper competition from Wednesday, March 6 to Sunday, March 10. Devin Milan (USA) scored two featured wins of the week in the $30,000 Tribute Grand Prix and the $10,000 Welcome Stake. Megan Bash (USA) piloted her longtime partner to the top of the leaderboard in the $10,000 Dechra Futures Prix. Kelsey Epperson secured another $15,000 USHJA National Open Hunter Derby win, while Rachael Herkowitz topped the $15,000 USHJA National Non-Pro Hunter Derby.
Milan proved unbeatable once again with Garo Kazan’s nine-year-old Zangersheide gelding Conquest (Colestus x Excellenta C) in the $30,000 Grand Prix sponsored by Tribute Equine Nutrition.
Returning for the jump-off, Milan adjusted her plan as she entered the ring. “I was debating doing five strides in the first line, but when I saw Nicole [Loochtan] do five, she had a hard time making a turn back to the next vertical. She told me to do six on her way out, so I opted for six strides. It made more sense for my horse too; he can be flat at the verticals.”
Bash entered as the final athlete to ride for the win in the $10,000 Futures Prix sponsored by Dechra aboard her own 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Jackson VDL (Zirocco Blue VDL x Design O).
“He is just a consistent winner. He is fast and he’s careful. I have owned him since he was six and he is 10 now. We have brought him all the way along, and he just makes my heart smile. He always gives me 200%,” Bash spoke highly of Jackson.
Epperson scored her second consecutive $15,000 USHJA National Open Hunter Derby with Pamella Kissman’s 10-year-old KPWN gelding Incredible (El Salvador x Budine).
“They were all really good. I was really worried about the bending six or seven to the hedge, to the grey oxer. Thankfully and unfortunately, Rachael [Herkowitz] got to test drive it for me first,” Epperson laughed. “I didn’t love how the six was riding in the non-pro, and the ones that did the six in the open derby did it really nicely, but I felt like all of my horses were right there in seven. I stuck to the seven on all my horses.”
Herkowitz piloted her very own nine-year-old Holsteiner mare Harmony (Quiran x Romance I) to not only her first derby win, but their first $15,000 USHJA National Non-Pro Hunter Derby together.
“Pinch me! This is amazing. We always have the vision, and she makes it so easy for me. I am so blessed,” Herkowitz commented on her remarkable win.
Milan and Conquest secured their first win of the week in the $10,000 Welcome Stake.
Having piloted Conquest since his five-year-old year, Milan knew to opt for one extra stride over Michael Pegg’s (CAN) unrelated bending lines. “He can get flat, especially over the verticals. I did one less on my mare in the bending lines than I did on ‘Hot Dog’ because I wanted to protect those jumps,” Milan commented.
Competition at World Equestrian Center – Wilmington continues Wednesday, March 13, with Winter Classic 14.
Make sure to visit the WEC Blog and follow us on social media @worldequestriancenter for full coverage on all feature classes!
Results can be found at horseshowing.com.
All horse show images are provided by Winslow Photography and can be purchased onsite at WEC – Wilmington or online through their website.