Wilmington, Ohio – April 15, 2023 – Feature competition for the 2023 Winter in the Midwest Series at World Equestrian Center – Wilmington concluded with the $30,000 Dandy Product Grand Prix of the Winter Classic 18. Sixteen horse-and-athlete combinations rounded out the series over international course designer Michael Pegg’s (CAN) tracks. In the end, it was Kady Abrahamson (USA) and Any (Aljano x Nina XI) that earned the final win to close out the winter season.
Abrahamson, of Georgetown, Kentucky, returned to the Standlee Sanctuary in top form with her seasoned mare, Any, after their grand prix win during Winter Classic 16.
As the second to go in the posted order with Jazil Du Houssoit (Peppermill x Gerboise Du Houssoit), Abrahamson set the pace for her evening with an effortless clear round to qualify for the jump-off. Returning at the end of the class with Any, she looked for two podium finishes after her second clear round.
“Jazil is only eight and this is her second grand prix. I did a little bit of mechanical bull riding in the beginning, she is a little cheeky,” Abarahmson laughed about her expressive young mare. “I just wanted to have a smooth canter with her in the jump-off. It looked a little bit dicey to do the inside turn from one to two because you were turning parallel to it and the vertical was quite tall. She was paying attention, so I went inside, and then went inside to the double. From seven to eight, the six-stride got long, so I jumped it straight and stayed out, but she was on such a motor that she ate up the six and had the rail there.”
Returning first to go in the jump-off on her eight-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare, Abrahamson made each inside turn, with an unfortunate four faults to slide into third place.
“Jazil is only eight and this is her second grand prix. I did a little bit of mechanical bull riding in the beginning, she is a little cheeky,” Abarahmson laughed about her expressive young mare. “I just wanted to have a smooth canter with her in the jump-off. It looked a little bit dicey to do the inside turn from one to two because you were turning parallel to it and the vertical was quite tall. She was paying attention, so I went inside, and then went inside to the double. From seven to eight, the six-stride got long, so I jumped it straight and stayed out, but she was on such a motor that she ate up the six and had the rail there.”
Returning first to go in the jump-off on her eight-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare, Abrahamson made each inside turn, with an unfortunate four faults to slide into third place.
“Any has been there done that, and I knew that if I did the same turns as I did on Jazil we would end up fast. There was still one to go after me, so I didn’t want to leave it open for the last rider. Everything came up off a gallop so nicely with her. Any is jumping the Kentucky Invitational at Land Rover this year. This was our last class to prepare for that. I didn’t want to run her off her feet today, but she is so fit for that class now that this felt easy for her,” Abrahamson shared.
Abrahamson entered with her seasoned 15-year-old Holsteiner mare, Any, searching for a fault free effort. The duo made light work of the inside turns and swiftly landed through the timers in 39.324 seconds for their second consecutive grand prix win.
Canada’s Eric Krawitt (CAN) jumped to an effortless second place with his own Chicago Cm (Cassini I x Missmillenium). Krawitt guided the scopey ten-year-old Holsteiner to a confident double clear effort and earned the red ribbon with a time of 42.898 seconds.
Final Results – Dandy Products $30,000 Grand Prix
1) Kady Abrahamson (USA) & Any, Abrahamson Equestrian LLC | 0 | 39.324
2) Eric Krawitt (CAN) & Chicago Cm, Eric Krawitt | 0 | 42.898
3) Kady Abrahamson (USA) & Jazil du Houssoit, Abrahamson Equestrian LLC | 4 | 40.596
4) Richard Rinehart (USA) & Vincent, Ron Caraway | 4 | 41.093
5) Sarah Meier (USA) & Nightshade SCF, Sarah Meier | 4 | 46.955
6 ) Hillary Johnson (USA) & Eastpoint, Hillary Johnson | 4 | 47.008
7) Lani Hutchison (USA) & Iconic, Lani Hutchison | 4 | 48.279
8) Devin Milan (USA) & Conquest, Garo Kazan | 4 | 67.827
9) Jill Gaffney (USA) & FF Blade Runner, Freestyling Farms LLC | 4 | 70.074
10) Izzy Beisel, (USA) & Vegas H, David Beisel | 4 | 71.929
Source: Press Release from World Equestrian Center
Photos: © WEC / Winslow Photography
Categories: CSN, English, Jumper News USA
