Wellington, United States – March 07, 2026 – Daytime competition in the International Arena on Saturday of WEF 9 saw a win for Israel’s Sydney Shulman Desiderio (ISR) in the $62,500 Coastal Steel Structures Grand Prix CSI 2* riding Max van de Marijenhoeve, a 9-year-old Dutch-bred gelding owned by Shulman Desiderio, together with her mother Jill Shulman.
“I’ve never sat on a horse that oozed so much confidence,” said Shulman Desiderio after the win. “He felt like so much quality from the beginning. Even though he was quite green, he still felt like he knew what to do.”
Max van de Marijenhoeve joined Shulman Desiderio’s string as a 7-year-old, but soon returned to the horse’s previous owner, David Blake, to campaign while she welcomed her second child. “I think he showed him three times as an 8-year-old—so really, he’s quite green,” continued Shulman Desiderio, who also partnered with the horse to win the two-star qualifier on Thursday.
Rounding out the podium placings in the pinnacle two-star event of the week, Vasco Flores (PUR) was second riding Pas Normal V’, owned by Layla Kurbanov.
Caroline Mawhinney (USA) finished third aboard her own Hallilea.
“I came back to riding in November, and we’ve been using every class to build and develop. On Thursday, we decided it was time to see what we’ve got, and he was unbelievable,” she recalled. “That was the first time he’s been asked all the questions and answered nicely.
“I was unsure what I was going to have today after going so fast,” continued Desiderio Shulman, who manages Back Country Farm in Greenwich, CT, alongside her mother. “He’s a trier and a pleaser—anything I ask, he wants to do right, even if he doesn’t know what he’s doing.”
After the win, Shulman Desiderio expressed gratitude to the team that kept Max van de Marijenhoeve in fighting condition while she was away from the tack. “Mary West, my groom for 14 years; Renato de Vita, my flat rider; my mom, who literally watches the horses every single day and manages everything they do; and David Blake, who stepped as a huge part of his progress—they’ve honestly made it so simple for me to come right back.”
Final Results – $62,500 Coastal Steel Structures Grand Prix CSI 2*
1) Sydney Shulman Desiderio (ISR) & Max van de Marijenhoeve – 0 / 0 – 32.60
2) Vasco Flores (PUR) & Pas Normal V – 0 / 0 – 33.29
3) Caroline Mawhinney (USA) & Hallilea – 0 / 0 – 33.40
Source: Press Release Wellington International
Photos: © Wellington International / Sportfot / Cassidy Klein Media
