Wilmington, Ohio – Competition for Winter Classic 15 concluded at World Equestrian Center – Wilmington on Sunday, March 26. Richard Rinehart returned to the winner’s circle in the Standlee Sanctuary on Saturday evening for the $30,000 Grand Prix, while Catherine Rinehart stole the spotlight in the R+L Arena in the Shoo-Fly $15,000 USHJA National Open 3’ Hunter Derby.
At the end of blazing fast six horse jump off, it was Rinehart (USA) of Rinehart Farm in Westfield, Indiana, and Vincent (Van Gogh x Nirande) that sped to the victory in the $30,000 Grand Prix. The 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Ron Caraway was in top form over Michael Pegg’s (CAN) tracks and galloped through the timers in 40.16 seconds to earn the win.
“I didn’t want to try and out run horses that hadn’t gone. I planned to start on a medium stride in the jump-off. I opened up the stride to the third fence and met it well, but he spooked a bit off the ground. At that point, I didn’t want to take big risk to open up the pace. From eight to nine I walked a very direct forward eight and I met it quite well. I asked him to get right up there, and it carried a nice momentum up to the last in and out,” Rinehart shared on his winning jump-off round.
Drew Arnold (USA) of Carmel, Indiana, and Theresa Kraft’s Chaccomo 11 (Chacco-Blue x Sacenta) took an early lead in the $10,000 Futures Prix to take the win. Making every inside turn and opening up a gallop to the final fence, the 14-year-old Mecklenburg gelding landed through the timers in 35.68 seconds for the win.
Arnold commented on Pegg’s flowing courses, “I wanted to have a nice first round, it was a really nice track. Chaccomo turns better to the right than the left, and there was a fair amount of right turns in the jump-off. I have been working on trying not to hit the brakes so much in the jump-off and just helping him do his job. I just let him take over a little bit. I went in and tried to have fun more than anything!”
Robert Barton (USA) built the decorative courses for the stylish field of hunters athletes, where Rinehart (USA) and Hero (Brainpower x Corini W) rose to the top of the Shoo-Fly $15,000 USHJA National Open 3’ Hunter Derby. Rinehart, of Rinehart Farm, in Westfield, Indiana, piloted the 11-year-old KWPN gelding to scores of 86 and 90 for an overall score of 176 to secure the win.
“There were a lot of long bending lines. I thought the hay bail jump at the end of the arena was super pretty and very classic. I just wanted to make the handy as handy as possible. That is one of the great things about Hero. He is super handy and will always turn in the air. He is almost better that way, so the course suited him,” Rinehart commented on the track.
Vanessa McCaughley (USA) of Olive Hill Sporthorses in Lexington, Kentucky, was victorious in the $15,000 USHJA National Non-Pro 3’ Hunter Derby with her own Capitol Hill. The competitive junior rider piloted her own 11-year-old Holsteiner gelding to two foot-perfect rounds for scores of 93 and 88 for a two-round total of 181 and the win.
“I thought it was a really nice course. The handy was my favorite, I have never really done anything like that track. It had a lot of options so you could really cater to your horse and do what showed them off the most. The first round was pretty even and gave everyone a fair shot to show off their abilities.”
Devin Milan (USA) of Ann Arbor, Michigan, kicked off the week with a win in the $10,000 Welcome Stake sponsored by Reist Arena Groomers aboard Conquest (Colestus x Excellenta C). Garo Kazan’s seven-year-old Zangersheide gelding jumped a confident double clear and a jump-off time of 36.021 seconds to earn the blue ribbon.
“We have had Conquest aka Hot Dog since he was five. He is seven now and will be turning eight this year. The person that we bought him from didn’t think that he had any scope and Garo [Kazan] thought differently! It has been a bit of a challenge. He has a good brain, but he is finally starting to really trust me. When I walk into the ring, he is listening and waiting for me,” Milan spoke highly of her talented mount.
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Results can be found at wec.net.
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