Wilmington, Ohio – Winter Classic 15 at World Equestrian Center – Wilmington featured top hunter/jumper competition from Wednesday, March 20 to Sunday, March 24. Amy Krebs (USA) proved unbeatable once again with Jabantos in both the $30,000 OSU Galbreath Equine Grand Prix and the $10,000 Triple Crown Welcome Stake. Izzy Beisel sped to the win in the $10,000 Horse Vans LLC Futures Prix. Kristjan Good clinched victory in the $15,000 Kerrits USHJA National Open Hunter Derby, while Madison Cadieux-Moran bested the $15,000 USHJA National Non-Pro Hunter Derby.
Krebs and her 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, Jabantos (Corsari Van De Helle x Cassima), secured the $30,000 OSU Galbreath Equine Grand Prix win, marking their fourth grand prix win of the season.
Krebs commented on her successful winter season, “This has been really rewarding. All season long, I have had Elijah [Jabantos] go clear in every single first round of the grand prix that we have done. To have all three of them clear in the first round was a great way to end my season here.”
Beisel ultimately sped to the win with the 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding, Vegas H (Valentino x Cobrah), in the $10,000 Horse Vans LLC Futures Prix.
The young rider of David Beisel Stables expressed her gratitude for the partnership on the 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding, “I want to say thank you to Mrs. Berling for partnering with us on this horse. He really is so special and we wouldn’t be able to do it without her.”
Good and Victoria Sawrantschuk’s eight-year-old Hanoverian gelding, Lordy (Lord Pezi Junior x Que D), ultimately mastered the tracks to secure the win in the $15,000 Kerrits USHJA National Open Hunter Derby with an overall score of 184.
“I liked the first round a lot. It made you really ride and make your own decisions as a rider. I find that for me, over courses like this if I don’t have a plan to stick to, its okay. I just trust myself,” Good shared. “The handy was fun. It would have been even more fun if I had a more seasoned one, but it was his first time. He really rose to the occasion.”
Cadieux-Moran and her own 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding, Lewis Van De Kampel, that delivered the two most consistent rounds to best the field in the $15,000 USHJA National Non-Pro Hunter Derby with a two-round total of 182.
Hailing from Ottawa, Canada, the young amateur shared her thoughts on their annual trip to World Equestrian Center – Wilmington, “We come here for two weeks every year. I love coming to this show. We have only been here a handful of times, but I love the environment here. It is so peaceful and it really sets us up for our summer circuit back at home and gives us that extra boost of confidence. We are just so grateful to be here and we love the facility!”
Krebs and Jabantos began their week winning the $10,000 Triple Crown Welcome Stake.
“Going in second with one pair already double clean, I wanted to set a good pace. I wanted to be quick in case my next rides didn’t go so well, then I would still have Elijah [Jabantos] up at the top. I was tidy in the first turn and left a stride out to the combination. I was able to land and keep moving right. I found the in of the diagonal line flowing, where my others drifted a bit left so it made that turn wider,” Krebs commented on her jump-off track.
Competition at World Equestrian Center – Wilmington continues Wednesday, April 3, with Winter Classic 17.
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.