A warm and sunny Florida day set the scene Thursday morning at the World Equestrian Center – Ocala (WEC) for the first featured class of the day, the $62,500 Alltech Grand Prix Qualifier CSI3*. Forty-eight horse-and-rider combinations representing 12 different nations competed for the top spot on the podium, but it was Australian Lauren Balcomb who went early in the jump-off order and, in typical fashion, set a time that proved too quick to catch riding Verdini D’houtveld Z (Verdi Tn x Caretino 2).
Re-watch the action via ClipMyHorse.TV.
The combination’s success follows their foot-perfect performance for the Australian team during the CSIO4* $150,000 USD FEI Nations Cup at Wellington International in Florida last week.
Technical track in Ocala
The 1.50m track set by FEI Level III course designer Catsy Cruz (USA) featured several technical related lines that asked for adjustability while still requiring riders to stay within a tidy time allowed. Horses were jumping in top form over the course, and 16 combinations managed clear rounds to return for the jump-off.
Aaron Vale (USA) was the first to return, riding last week’s CSI2* Grand Prix Qualifier winner, Chutter du Rouet PS. Vale laid down a speedy 37.37 seconds to set the early pace. Eight-time Olympian Rodrigo Pessoa (Brazil) followed with Prins van ’t Eigenlo and was just off the time.
“I just stick to my plan and trust him…”
Australia’s Lauren Balcomb was next in and ready to execute her plan with the scopey 15-year-old Zangersheide gelding. “For the jump-off, I stuck to my plan. The last eight got a little away from me. He spooked off to the right, so that distance was a little further than I would have liked, but he was amazing. I was early to go again, which seems to always happen, but I like going early. I just stick to my plan and trust him because I know him so well.”
At the sound of the tone, the 15-year-old Zangersheide gelding kicked into high gear. “I didn’t really have many different numbers in mind. From one to two, there was a possible seven, but for me it was better to do eight, then nine back to the oxer, eight to the double, and eight to the last. There really wasn’t much else you could do,” she expressed.
“He’s just incredibly quick across the ground. He jumps so high, but when he lands, he has so much foot speed. That’s where he’s so fast, and it allows him to add a stride where other horses might not be able to.”
The pair stopped the clock in an unbelievable 34.11 seconds, which proved unbeatable.
Verdini D’houtveld Z has been extremely consistent all winter long, and Balcomb couldn’t be happier with her longtime partner of 10 years. “His consistency this circuit has been phenomenal. The more he jumps, the more he gets in a groove. He jumped amazing in Wellington with two clear rounds in the Nations Cup, and I feel like we’re really in a rhythm right now. You just have to enjoy it while it’s going well. His clear-round ratio is very impressive, and he always tries so hard.”
Last to go, Sean Jobin (Canada) and Antrim Equestrian’s 10-year-old Selle Français mare Grande Dame DK (By Ceira Di’ck x Kannan) came closest to challenging the time, piloting a speedy track to stop the clock just one second short in 35.12 seconds to take over second place.
Dominic Gibbs (USA) also laid down an impressive effort riding Georgy Maskrey-Segesman’s Contra (Contendro II x Alcatraz). Gibbs piloted the 10-year-old Holsteiner mare to a blistering round in 36.04 seconds to land in third.
View the results from the $62,500 Alltech CSI3* Grand Prix Qualifier here.
Next stop, Saturday’s CSI3* Grand Prix
Lauren Balcomb and Verdini D’houtveld Z plan to start in the $120,000 CSI3* Grand Prix (1.50m) at WEC Ocala Winter Spectacular X on Saturday. Stay tuned for results!
Watch the action via ClipMyHorse.TV.
Source: WEC Ocala press release, edited by Equestrian Life
