McLain Ward & Hija van Strokapelleken Ph. Kaitlyn Karssen for NF.com
Welcome to a new recap series on NoelleFloyd.com, where you can find international results and highlights all in one place – every week.
The Dutch Masters-Indoor Brabant CSI5*
The Dutch Masters is the largest indoor event in Holland and is the crème de la crème of horse showing in the Netherlands.
- History has been made, folks. Niels Bruynseels and the 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare Gancia de Muze (Malito de Reve x Nimmerdor) won the inaugural €800,000 Rolex Grand Slam Grand Prix at The Dutch Masters. This is the first time this class has been held in ‘s-Hertogenbosch. Incredible facilities, a prestigious history in the sport, and the fact that the best of the best compete here annually made adding this five-star as the fourth leg of the Grand Slam series, a no-brainer.
- It was a Dutch trifecta for the CSI5* 1.45m Borek Prize. Gerco Schröder & Glock’s Debalia (Numero Uno x Lupicor) took top honors followed by fellow Dutchmen Frank Schuttert and Leopold van Asten. It feels like we haven’t seen much of Schröder’s 10-year-old KWPN mare yet, but she’s been winning at the CSI2*, 3*, and now, 5* level. “Glock” is in her name so the reputation of one of Europe’s prestigious jumping and dressage development programs proves another successful athlete.
- Fatherhood clearly isn’t slowing Maikel van der Vleuten down (he and his wife Rachelle rang in 2018 with a new baby girl). But after breaking his hand at the end of December and being sidelined for three weeks, you could say winning the CSI5* 1.55m Audi Prize with the 13-year-old KWPN mare Arera C (Indoctro x Voltaire) is a pretty solid comeback.
- Just because it’s inside doesn’t mean it’s not exciting. Italy’s Emanuele Gaudiano zipped between arenas to win the 2018 Van Schijndel Bouwgroep Indoor Derby on the 9-year-old OS mare Carlotta 232 (Chaccomo x Cento). Why is this class a crowd favorite? Imagine an eventing/show jumping mashup that takes competitors from one riding hall to another, connected by a single fence meant to be jumped both ways. This must be Gaudiano’s specialty, as it’s the second year in a row that he and Carlotta have won the Indoor Derby at The Dutch Masters.
- It’s hardly a weekend of show jumping if Daniel Deusser’s name isn’t in the headlines. The German athlete won the CSI5* 1.55m VDL Groep Prize with one of his fan-favorite mounts, the 15-year-old Westphalian gelding Cornet D’Amour (Cornet Obolensky x Damiani).
Winter Equestrian Festival CSI5*- Week 9
When riders fly south for the winter, they’re most likely going to the annual Winter Equestrian Festival. It’s hard to beat 12 weeks of sunshine, sand, and the world’s best horses and riders all in West Palm Beach, Florida, USA.
- Let’s hear it for NOELLE FLOYD magazine (Issue 5) covergirl, Tiffany Foster. The Canadian rider bested the field in the $50,000 Hollow Creek Farm 1.50m Classic on the 12-year-old KWPN gelding Brighton (Contendro II x Quick Star).
- Brazil’s Francisco Jose Mesquita Musa made his first trip to Wellington count, winning the $50,000 Rose Hill Farm Grand Prix CSI2* on the 15-year-old Brazilian Sport Horse mare Sharapova MCJ (Baloubet du Rouet x Welton Ambassador).
- Even through heavy rain, Daniel Coyle and his $220,000 Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Wellington CSI3*-W winning mount, the 12-year-old Holsteiner mare Cita (Casall x Pik Ramiro), laid down the only double clear to win the $384,000 Douglas Elliman Real Estate Grand Prix CSI5*. The Saturday Night Lights event was actually Coyle’s first-ever five-star grand prix win and second win of the week in Wellington.
- McLain Ward won the $35,000 Bainbridge 1.45m Classic CSI5* on the 9-year-old Zangersheide mare Bellefleur PS Z (Berlin x Quidam De Revel). Bellefleur is owned by Susan Heller and Ward’s toddler daughter, Lilly. (Lucky kid!) This is Bellefleur’s second win in the $35,000 Bainbridge 1.45m Classic CSI5*. Her first win was during WEF 5, which was the same week she won the $70,000 Hollow Creek Farm 1.50m Classic CSI5*.
- McLain Ward has won all three of the CSI5* $132,000 Equinimity WEF Challenge Cups of the 2018 winter circuit! This weekend, he claimed the $132,000 Equinimity WEF Challenge Cup CSI5* on the 11-year-old BWP mare Hija van Strokapelleken (Calido I x Azur de Paulstra), owned by Evergate Stable LLC.
- It was only his fourth FEI competition ever, but Ibrahim Barazi of Jordan won the $8,000 Rose Hill Farm 1.40m CSI2* on the 10-year-old mare Omnia Incipit. Barazi also became the first Jordanian rider to win in the FEI division at WEF.
CSI3* Herning
Danish Warmblood Hingekåring – Herning International Horse Show hosts one of Northern Europe’s biggest equestrian events- The Horse & Rider Fair. Think: a great time for all horse enthusiasts, competition, lectures, vendors, and more.
- Robert Vos topped the CSI3* 1.50m Stutteri Ask Grand Prix of Herning on the 18-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding Carat (Cardento x Krevad). Vos was on a roll before his grand prix win, also winning Thursday’s BASISBANK Big Tour 1.45m Longines Ranking class.
Our Favorite Riders To Root For This Weekend:
The award for our favorite win of the weekend goes to Ibrahim Barazi of Jordan, who made history as the first Jordanian rider to win in the FEI division at WEF. Barazi started riding at age 6 in Jordan, and continued riding there until age 17 before moving to the United States to attend college at George Mason University in Virginia. He graduated from George Mason in 2011 with a Bachelor’s in Business Management, and went on to ride under idols of the sport like Joe Fargis, Ben Maher, and Peter Wylde. Go Ibrahim!
Great Britain’s Holly Smith also earns some props, racking up her fourth win while competing at Vejer de la Frontera since February – this time, in the Sunshine Tour’s CSI4* 1.45m Small Grand Prix on the 12-year-old April IV. Holly’s name is one we haven’t seen in the headlines for some time – a broken leg last February kept her out of the show ring for several weeks. She’s helped the senior British team win multiple Nations Cup victories since 2015 on horses like Dougie Douglas, the Irish Sport Horse gelding currently ridden by American Katie Dinan. This weekend has put her back on the radar and we couldn’t be more pleased to see her return to winning form.