Eugenio Garza Perez & Victer Finn DH Z are Victorious in the $25,000 FreeJump Grand Prix

By Jumper News on 30 30America/Sao_Paulo August 30America/Sao_Paulo 2023

Wellington, Florida, USA – August 27, 2023 – The 2023 Summer Series continued this week with the ESP Summer Ill show. On the opening day of the competition, hunters took the spotlight to compete in the $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby, presented by FreeJump, on the Derby Annex field. Lexy Reed of Fort Lauderdale, FL, took the lion’s share of the prize money and the tri-color ribbon with Lissa Bachner’s GTF Snax as the highest-scoring duo.The $25,000 FreeJump Grand Prix took place Sunday to round out Summer III as the feature class of the weekend. Twenty-one competitors took to the course, designed by Andy Christiansen (ECU), with seven riders returning for the jump-off. In the end, Eugenio Garza Perez (MEX) led the victory gallop with El Milagro’s Victer Finn DH Z.

“Victer is a long-time partner of mine. We had a great year last year, and I’m starting to bring him back now to prepare for Spruce Meadows. He’ll be the second horse to Contago, hopefully taking some of the load off of him. This is a great place for us to prep, the facilities are great and the footing is excellent,” shared Perez.

Perez and Victer Finn DH Z were the first pair to test the jump-off, stopping the clock in a clear 36.97 seconds, which would prove unbeatable following the seventh and final rider to finish the second round. The flag was raised for Mexico once again as Maya Ines Denis Chambon (MEX) and her Schugga Tschei claimed second place with a double-clear time of 40.608 seconds. Rounding out the podium, Ryan Genn (USA) piloted Bridlebourne Stables’ Concenthaga PS to a double-clear time of 41.5 seconds.

The 2023 Summer Series will continue next week with ESP Labor Day, which begins August 31, 2023. For the full Summer Series Prize List, please click HERE.