Wilmington, Ohio – Winter Classic #7 concluded at World Equestrian Center – Wilmington Sunday, January 29. Competition was fierce in both the hunter and jumper rings throughout the week with impressive wins in each feature class. Megan Bash (USA) and FF Dior amazed the crowd in the Sanctuary with their win in the $30,000 Grand Prix while Kristjan Good (CAN) swept the $15,000 USHJA National Open 3’ Hunter Derby.
Saturday evening in the Sanctuary saw an elite group of show jumping athletes contest over Bobby Murphy’s (USA) exquisite track. In the end, it was Bash that took the win aboard the 11-year-old Oldenburg mare FF Dior (Diarado) with the only double clear effort and a time of 75.768 seconds. Bash of Cleveland Equestrian also earned third place honors aboard her very own nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Jackson VDL (Zirocco Blue VDL x Design O) with four faults and a time of 74.673 seconds.
“This is a new horse for me that I don’t know very well. I just tried to keep my cool and she jumped absolutely amazing. This win feels so great. It was unexpected. My other horse [Jackson VDL] I just know so much better and so to win today on FF Dior I feel like there is so much to come in the future,” Bash shared.
Campbell Kahn (USA) and Coconut On The Rocks Z (Cadene Van’t Gelutt Z x Quaresse Z) topped the leaderboard earlier in the afternoon Saturday in the $10,000 EquiJet Futures Prix. Kahn, training out of Chesterfield LTD in Cleveland, Ohio, was unable to be caught in the competitive class as the first to go in the order and the first double clear effort aboard her own 13-year-old Zangersheide gelding.
“There were a lot of related lines. I made sure that I knew where I was the entire time. There were a lot of verticals so I tried to make sure that I didn’t get underneath any of them. It was definitely a difficult track. I did the Low Junior Jumpers this morning and the jump-off was similar, so I stuck with the plan that and it worked out,” Kahn commented on Murphy’s technical track.
The R+L Arena saw Good of Kristjan Good Show Stable in Campbellville, Ontario, and Varano (Cabardino) in picture-perfect form to win the $15,000 USHJA National Open 3’ Hunter Derby. The eight-year-old Warmblood gelding owned by Alexandra Maletta yielded two high scores of 82 and 90 for a two round total of 172 with Good in the irons to best the impressive class.
“I have had Carano since he was three and he is eight now. I did him through his 3’6” year last year and I showed him the derbies at home in Canada. I showed him at the Royal Winter Fair and won a derby on him there. He is a really brave dude!”
Jenna Drago (USA) and Sandriano (Sandro Boy x Cool Pearl Z) were victorious in the $15,000 USHJA National Non-Pro 3’ Hunter Derby. Drago, training out of Petrie Show Stables in Medina, Ohio, piloted her own 16-year-old Zangersheide gelding to a first round score of 77. The duo climbed all the way to the top of the leaderboard with a second round score of 92 for an overall of 169 to win the class.
“My first round was good, but it wasn’t my best work. So, I went in for my handy and wanted to give it my all. I picked up a really nice canter and made sure that I kept it throughout the whole course. I was going to do the further trot jump but at the last second, I chose the closer one because it set me up to have a better turn. I maintained the canter to the two stride and made sure to land right out so that I could have a nice right turn to the last oxer. The last jump came up really well and he was amazing,” Drago explains her plan for the handy round.
Darby Pease (USA) earned a double victory in the $10,000 Welcome Stake Thursday evening. The young professional of Windcrest Farm laid down two double clear efforts on her top mounts. Louisa Robb’s 16-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, Carel Van Donderen (Acolino x Terania Die Hoeghte), posted a jump off time of 34.777 to take the blue ribbon. Cumbaya W (Cabardino x Elena W), a 13-year-old Warmblood gelding owned by Hillary Gromus, stopped the clock in 36.879 to secure the red ribbon.
“My plan on Teddy [Cumbaya W] was just to gallop through the turns and not touch the reins. I like to pull on him, but he can go really fast when I let him. So, my plan was to let him flow through the turns and have a nice double clear, which worked out well! On Carel [Carel Van Donderen], I just let him go do what he wanted! He is definitely the faster horse. He is quicker over the jumps, and he doesn’t jump as high as Teddy since he takes up so much airtime. I will do the grand prix on both of them again this Saturday,” Pease shared.
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.