Paul O’Shea and Imerald Van’t Voorhof successful the $120,000 Lugano Diamonds Grand Prix CSI3*. Photograph by Andrew Ryback Pictures.
Ocala, FL – The WEC Grand Area sparkled with vacation spirit on Saturday evening at World Equestrian Heart – Ocala because the $120,000 Lugano Diamonds Grand Prix CSI3* took middle stage through the WEC Winter Wonderland, introduced by AdventHealth. A packed home of enthusiastic followers cheered on 43 prime horse-and-rider combos from 14 totally different nations. In a dramatic finale, Paul O’Shea of Eire, aboard Imerald Van’t Voorhof (Emerald x Bacardi Orange De Muze), stole the present because the final to go and capped off their yr with a victory.
Catsy Cruz (MEX), an FEI Degree III course designer, crafted the tracks for Saturday evening’s class, the place 11 combos managed to seek out the trail to a transparent first spherical. The jump-off turned a chase, however on the finish of the evening, it was a battle between Colombia and Eire.
Ilan Bluman of Colombia was the primary to return for the jump-off, setting a blistering tempo aboard Acajou (Casallco x Chico’s Boy), a nine-year-old German Sport Horse mare, with a time of 37.02 seconds.
Molly Ashe Cawley (USA) adopted on the 13-year-old Zangersheide mare, Berdien (Bustique x Querlybet Hero), delivering a easy spherical in 37.83 seconds, however it wasn’t sufficient to take the lead. Different opponents got here shut however couldn’t greatest Bluman’s or Ashe Cawley’s instances—till O’Shea entered the ring.
He entered aboard his veteran accomplice, Imerald Van’t Voorhof, a 16-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding. “Imerald has been with me since he was 9, and he’s an unbelievable horse. He’s nonetheless successful at 16. Simply this yr, he’s received three grands prix. He feels nice, nearly as good as ever,” O’Shea shared.
Having watched Bluman’s spherical, O’Shea made a important choice within the opening line. “I didn’t suppose there have been seven strides in line one, however after seeing Ilan do it, I knew I needed to strive. From there, I simply stored going ahead, and to the final fence, I used to be shocked how simply Imerald bought up there,” he mentioned.
The pair soared over the ultimate Lugano Diamonds oxer, stopping the clock at 36.40 seconds to say victory and the lion’s share of the prize cash. In the course of the course stroll, O’Shea, together with Patricia Hurter and Andrea Sinner, met dwarf mini ponies from The Peeps Basis. Impressed by the encounter, they determined to donate a portion of Saturday evening’s winnings to the muse’s mission of rescuing and rehabilitating dwarf ponies.
Paul O’Shea and Imerald Van’t Voorhof accepting their first-place award, introduced by Jim Wolf of World Equestrian Heart. Melissa Brandes, Emerson Stanka, Tom Ferder, and Sophie Transou represented Lugano Diamonds. Photograph by Andrew Ryback Pictures.
O’Shea additionally credited his workforce for his or her position within the win. “I’m so grateful to his house owners—Patricia Hurter, Andrea Sinner, and the Tisbo Household—for trusting me with him, and I can’t thank Davide Troncanetti and Paula Moverley sufficient for taking such nice care of him.”
Watch the successful jump-off spherical.
$120,000 Lugano Diamonds Grand Prix CSI3* Outcomes
Discover the day by day class schedule, orders of go, class counts, and last outcomes on HorseShowing.com. For real-time scoring, take a look at Ryegate.Reside.
Photographs courtesy of Andrew Ryback Pictures.Movies obtainable at ClipMyHorse.TVMake positive to go to the WEC Weblog and comply with us on social media @worldequestriancenter for full protection on all characteristic courses! Plan your keep at World Equestrian Heart – Ocala.
