Wilmington, Ohio – Competition for Winter Classic #16 concluded at World Equestrian Center – Wilmington on Sunday, April 2. Kady Abrahamson (USA) had a banner night in the Top Bedding $30,000 Grand Prix Saturday evening in the Standlee Sanctuary. On hunter derby Friday, Samantha Cooper stole the show in the $15,000 USHJA National Open 3’ Hunter Derby.
Abrahamson, of Georgetown, Kentucky, is no stranger to the winner’s circle at World Equestrian Center – Wilmington and returned with her 15-year-old Holsteiner mare, Any (Aljano x Nina XI), as the second to last to contest the jump-off in the Top Bedding $30,000 Grand Prix. Landing through the timers in 35.572 seconds, the duo secured the win.
Abrahamson commented on her comeback this winter series, “I have only been back riding for just over two weeks now. I broke my ankle the first week that I was in Florida and my first grand prix back was two weeks ago with Any and she was really good, so that gave me the confidence that I needed to be back in the saddle again. Any was the first one that I rode, jumped and showed coming back. Jazil is only eight and this was her first ever grand prix and both of horse’s second show this year. There were a few places that I felt a little rusty but they both really took care of me.”
Fifteen-year-old junior athlete Amy Krebs (USA) of Fair Chance Farm in Franklin, Tennessee, stole the show in both the $10,000 Futures Prix and the $10,000 EquiJet Welcome Stake. Aboard her nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, Jabantos (Corsari Van De Helle x Cassima), the young rider bested two fields of professionals setting herself up for a successful summer season.
“I did not think that I would win both classes this week,” laughed Krebs. “I felt really confident after my win in the welcome. I had another horse early in the class, so I had a better idea of the course and where I was going to go. I definitely made up time in the jump-off with the first inside turn. He will jump from anywhere, so I really felt confident with the turn.”
In the $15,000 USHJA National Open 3’ Hunter Derby, Samantha Cooper of Streetsboro, Ohio, piloted Ellen Malson’s 15-year-old Bradenberg Warmblood, Nandino, to two seamless performances to earn high scores of 94 and 98 for a two-round total of 192, the highest overall score of the 2023 Winter in the Midwest Series.
“The courses had a really nice flow to them. Personally, I love handy rounds that have a lot of options so that you can really go for it and it can set you apart from everyone else. I knew that Melissa was going to go for it, and she did so I knew I needed to. I do better under pressure, and it is good for me to have to rise to the occasion. Turtle really covered me, I felt like where I was lacking in my courses today, he really made up for it.”
Isabella Griffin (USA) dominated the $15,000 USHJA National Non-Pro 3’ Hunter Derby Friday in the R+L Arena. Griffin, of Hunstville, Alabama, piloted Trefoil Farm LLC’s ten-year-old Holsteiner gelding, Diacasir (Diarado x Ucarola), to two exemplary rounds for a pair of 89s and an overall score of 178 for the win. Griffin also scored second place aboard Heaven’s Dream (Arko III x Onze Dame).
“I had Balou [Diacasir] first. I thought the course was really nice. I liked the end jump because you were able to do it both ways and stay out in the corner to get straight. My other one, Dreamy [Heaven’s Dream], was a bit more cautious of things and he wasn’t as forward and fluid as Balou. For the handy, I came back just trying to be smooth on Dreamy and help him level out for the rest of the week. Balou is very good at the handy rounds. I wanted to go inside of the plant up top and slice across the last jump,” Griffin commented on her rounds.
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Results can be found at wec.net.
All horse show images are provided by Winslow Photography and can be purchased onsite at WEC – Wilmington or online through their website.