October 22, 2024 – Ocala, FL – World Equestrian Heart – Ocala (WEC) hosted its October US Equestrian (USEF)/U.S. Dressage Federation (USDF)-rated dressage present introduced by Hampton Inexperienced Farms and Uncover Dressage on October 19-20, 2024. The lessons provided an early alternative for qualification for the Nice American Insurance coverage Group/USDF Regional Championships within the fall of 2025.
Adam Steffens-Smienk traveled 4 hours to WEC – Ocala from his base of 4 years at Candoit Dressage in Jupiter, FL, with two horses to journey down centerline and two vastly differing aims.
“Probably the most magnificent animal I’ve ever seen” is how Adam Steffens-Smienk described his double small tour winner, Candoit’s Bentayga, who was making her present debut. Photograph by Andrew Ryback Images
His double small tour victor, the highly effective and spectacular eight-year-old mare Candoit’s Bentayga — who was bred in Germany by Isabell Werth — was attending her first-ever present, and Steffens-Smienk didn’t know precisely what to anticipate from her. That was very true as they’ve solely been a partnership since April, and he had been too ailing to journey for 3 months over the summer season, so the pairing is in its infancy. The daughter of Belantis was despatched to Steffens-Smienk to be bought within the spring, however as soon as he sat on her, he rapidly appreciated her huge expertise.
“I fell in love with ‘Bella,’ and so did Candoit Farm’s proprietor Wendy [Petrik], and we ended up shopping for her,” recalled Steffens-Smienk. “She’s probably the most magnificent animal I’ve ever seen. She’s 18 palms, has actually lengthy legs, she’s grey, which is my favourite colour, and I desire to journey mares. She’s a form soul, so Wendy, who’s an grownup beginner, can journey her at house, and I get to journey her at reveals.”
Candoit’s Bentayga scored simply shy of 70% in each her Prix St. Georges assessments on her present debut, posting 69.412% and 69.265%.
“She was much more tense within the ring than she usually is, however she stored it collectively and let me journey her to the very best of my skill,” stated Steffens-Smienk. “I had some fairly main errors — we broke to stroll in one of many canter pirouettes — so there’s plenty of room for enchancment.”
Steffens-Smienk might not have registered any official scores along with his different horse, however the competitors nonetheless represented an enormous win for 12-year-old Candoit’s Heron, by Glock’s Johnson. That was thanks, partially, to a relaxing, liquid titanium, noise-reducing face masks advisable by the rider’s good friend, U.S. Olympian Kasey Perry-Glass.
“I used to be tremendous nervous as a result of Heron will get very anxious within the stall at reveals,” he defined. “He spins and will get actually troublesome to handle, so our solely aim this weekend was to determine how one can finest handle him within the barn. We had a very good weekend with him. He was tremendous quiet within the stall, and all of the little issues we tried labored out. We made positive he was at all times surrounded by different horses, and Kasey had me purchase him the ‘Batman’ masks. We put that on him, and he stood quietly virtually the entire weekend.”
Contained in the white boards, a extra relaxed Heron additionally discovered his groove and would have completed with 72% at grand prix had he not been entered Hors Concours (HC) and had Steffens-Smienk not gone off beam, which triggered a compulsory 2% deduction.
“Perhaps I shouldn’t have gone HC,” laughed Steffens-Smienk, who has had the journey on Heron since he was purchased from Aaron Janicki in Might 2023, “however this was our first grand prix collectively, and I’ve so much to be taught and polish on him. I’m excited that we ripped the band-aid off and simply did it, although. He’s a very completely different form of journey from Bella, and it took a very long time to get to know him. We did a little bit of Intermediate II this previous 12 months, however I used to be out all summer season. My husband Sven stored him going, then I rehabbed myself on these two horses.”
Now that Steffens-Smienk is again using once more, he’s coaching nearly with Debbie McDonald as soon as per week with every of his horses whereas his husband acts as day by day eyes on the bottom. With the help of the Petrik household, they’ve constructed up a group of high quality horses to provide.
“We might be again at WEC for the November and December reveals,” confirmed Steffens-Smienk. “We completely love exhibiting right here; it’s an actual deal with. Sven and I really feel like we’re on trip. We come to each present we probably can. I’m excited to proceed to get miles within the ring for me at grand prix as a result of that is solely my second grand prix horse, and to provide Bella extra miles within the ring, too.”
Denielle Gallagher-Legriffon and Come Again De Massa have been Grand Prix victors and large tour Iberian Cup champions. Photograph by Andrew Ryback Images
Denielle Gallagher-Legriffon logged three wins on two De Massa horses: Come Again De Massa at grand prix stage and Jeroboam De Massa at center tour. Her finest rating of the weekend was 69.13%, achieved to guide Saturday’s Grand Prix on Come Again, Ellen Lazarus’ French-born 12-year-old buckskin Portuguese Sport Horse gelding by Galopin De La Font. The end result handed them the large tour champion’s title for the Iberian Cup, which ran alongside the common USDF-rated present.
Anna Merritt and the horse stallion Fox Creek’s Censational claimed a win and a second place end at Grand Prix stage. Photograph by Andrew Ryback Images
They relegated Anna Merritt and Fox Creek’s Censational, Dianna Orona’s 11-year-old German Driving Pony stallion, into second place with 65.978%. Merritt went on to win Sunday’s Freestyle test-of-choice, using a grand prix to 68.763%.
On the reverse finish of each the peak and competitors scale, within the younger horse ranks Merritt rode Saylor Weidauer’s 17-hand Escamillo-sired gelding East Of Eden to a 77% victory within the FEI five-year-old preliminary check. She got here away with a 3rd and remaining blue ribbon, selecting up a 63.2% Intermediate I Freestyle victory on the nine-year-old 14.2-hand buckskin Fox Creek’s Masterpiece, one other of Dianna Orona’s stallions.
Gallagher-Legriffon’s different journey Jeroboam, additionally a Portuguese Sport Horse like Come Again, was victorious in two Intermediate A lessons.
Kassandra Barteau, pictured on Douglas Van Klein Statum Z, received six lessons out of eight on her three horses. Photograph by Andrew Ryback Images
The Spanish-born Álvaro Gómez Pavon, assistant coach at Hampton Inexperienced Farm, received all three younger horse lessons he entered. His finest scores got here from rides on Stacey Hastings’ Colombian-born Lusitano gelding Ozono D’Matacana, by Heros Do M Bello. He topped the preliminary and remaining six-year-old assessments with 78.2% and 74.6%. The mixture completed because the champion six-year-old pairing within the Iberian Cup.
Christina De Pasquale’s black Desperados x Hochadel gelding Previous Gangster was victorious within the four-year-old class with 69.8%. Gómez Pavon additionally runs his personal steady alongside along with his spouse, the Brazilian Olympic dressage rider Giovanna Move, who was competing within the Iberian Cup.
Kassandra Barteau, an everyday at WEC – Ocala, had an excellent present, clocking up six wins from eight begins along with her trio of horses. She was unbeaten in all three begins at Coaching and First Stage with Elizabeth Leete’s eight-year-old former jumper Douglas Van Klein Statum Z and was additionally untouchable on Rebecca Mouras’s 12-year-old Hanoverian Fiorenzo MLW (by Fidertanz x Wolkentanz) at Third and Fourth Ranges.
Iberian Cup ribbon winners Kerrigan Gluch, Giovanna Move, Álvaro Gómez Pavon, Sophia Schults and Amina Bursese. Photograph by Lily Forado
Iberian Cup
The Iberian Cup ran alongside the rated Hampton Inexperienced Farm WEC – Ocala October present and acknowledged champions with the highest-placed Spanish and Portuguese horses in younger horse, small tour and large tour lessons. The winners, whose remaining scores have been a mix of their two performances, have been:
FEI 5-12 months-Olds
1. Sophia Schults on Idolo HGF (140.6)2. Giovanna Move on Qodivaski (138.4)
FEI Six-12 months-Olds
1. Álvaro Gómez Pavon on Ozono D’Matacana (152.8)2. Kerrigan Gluch on Soldado HGF (139.2)3. Jorge Arauz on Incautó HC (135.8)
Small Tour
1. Amina Bursese on C Discreto (131.825)2. Ana Siberio on Horquidea MVL (123.67)3. Dee Loveless on Norte (118.738)
Huge Tour
1. Denielle Gallagher-Legriffon on Come Again De Massa (136.512)2. Kerrigan Gluch on Mejorano HGF (132.637)3. Amina Bursese on Fiti AL (132.364)
The 2024 dressage schedule at WEC – Ocala continues with a global CDI3* present on November 14-17, which additionally contains nationwide lessons in any respect ranges. For full horse present outcomes for all WEC – Ocala dressage reveals, go to www.foxvillage.com. The 2025 WEC – Ocala dressage schedule contains 11 reveals — seven of which have internationally rated CDI competitors.
About World Equestrian Heart
Named one among TIME’s 2024 World’s Biggest Locations, World Equestrian Heart options two premier equestrian and multidisciplinary venues in Ocala, Florida, and Wilmington, Ohio.
These unique amenities comprise state-of-the-art arenas, expansive stadiums, versatile outside house, sporting fields and well-appointed exposition facilities. An abundance of lodging choices and luxurious lodging are conveniently positioned on-site, together with buying and eating all through every property.
Devoted to providing nice sport and good enjoyable in a family-friendly atmosphere, World Equestrian Heart guarantees an unparalleled expertise for exhibitors, spectators, distributors, sponsors and retailers constructed on three core values: High quality. Class. Distinction.
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Media Contact:Leah Tongleah.tong@wec.internet
