Wilmington, Ohio – Athletes representing seven different nations met first thing Thursday morning at World Equestrian Center – Wilmington (WEC) for the $32,000 Grand Prix Qualifier CSI 2*. FEI Level 4 course designer Alan Wade (IRL) laid the opening track that allowed thirteen partnerships to advance to the jump-off.
An esteemed group of riders returned, including Francisco Goyoaga Mollet (ESP) with all three of his entered mounts, Lisa Goldman-Smolen (USA), Maya Denis (MEX), Simon McCarthy (IRL), Charlotte Bettendorf (LUX), Tiffany Hammack (USA), Sean Jobin (CAN), and four-time Olympic medalist Beezie Madden (USA). The short course proved competitive as times fell within just tenths of a second apart.
Ultimately, it was Goyoaga who set the unbeatable time as the third to contest the jump-off aboard his new mount, Queen Van Dorperheide (H&M Chilli Willi x Winningmood), owned by Rendezvous Farm.
Bettendorf and Kalliope were the first duo to return, setting a quick and clear pace of 32.31 seconds right off the bat, but Lisa Goldman-Smolen (USA) and her nine-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion Romeo B (Heartbreaker x Branco) immediately followed in 31.55 seconds.
Third to go, Goyoaga stopped the clock in 31.27 seconds to take over the lead, a time that ultimately proved unbeatable and moved Goldman-Smolen into second.
“I just got her probably two months ago at the end of WEF, and we did one two-star and she was great. Then I did a couple national classes, and she won a speed class in the three-star last week. She’s a really competitive horse and I’m really happy with her,” Goyoaga shared about his new 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare.
When asked about Wade’s track, Goyoaga noted, “It was a really good course, I think. It’s better to have a little bit more in the jump-off than none in classes like these. And it’s the first ranking class of the week, so I think he did a good job. I think that’s what had to happen.”
After a quick turn from jumps five to six in the jump-off, he shared, “I did one less in that turn. It just showed up like that. I wasn’t planning on it, but she turned so fast, and she just showed me that distance and I took it. She’s so scopey that she can do it no problem. I wasn’t much faster to the last jump, so I think that’s where I made up the time.”
Mexico’s Maya Denis (MEX) rounded out the top three riding her 12-year-old KWPN gelding, Jantien de Muze (Triomphe De Muze x Lord Z Z), to a time of 31.59 seconds.
Final Results – $32,000 Grand Prix Qualifier CSI 2*
1) Francisco Goyoaga Mollet (ESP) & Queen Van Dorperheide – 0 / 0 – 31.27
2) Lisa Goldman-Smolen (USA) & Romeo B – 0 / 0 – 31.55
3) Maya Denis (MEX) & Jantien de Muze – 0 / 0 – 31.59
Source: Press Release from World Equestrian Center
Photos: © WEC / Winslow Photography
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