Ocala, Florida, USA – November 09, 2023 – Luis Sabino Gonçalves of Portugal and Sigma Stables LLC’s Vick du Croisy jump started the 2023 November & December Show Series at World Equestrian Center – Ocala with an exhilarating win in the $24,000 C. Jarvis Insurance Welcome Prix. A competitive field of 29 star-studded athletes representing eight different nations made their way back to the WEC Grand Arena and picked up right where they left off. Competition was fierce with the top five placings separated by tenths of a second, a blink of an eye could have missed the difference.
Peter Grant (CAN), an FEI Level III course designer set the opening tracks to kick-off featured competition. Although the course was challenging, an even dozen managed to answer all the questions to return for the short course.
“It was a really nice course. I like this course designer a lot, he builds courses with questions. The questions aren’t very difficult, but good enough to have rails down throughout the track. The time was a bit short; you couldn’t play around. It was a perfect track to get the horses ready for the grand prix,” shared Luis Sabino Goncalves about Grant’s first-round track.
Gonçalves and Vick du Croisy (Lord Carthago x Merveille Ducroisy) were the second pair to attempt the jump-off track, with Sharn Wordley (NZL) and Daniel Michan’s Champion League, setting the time to beat at 38.188 seconds.
A question of striding had Goncalves a little uncertain about his plan, “I was thinking I could take a stride out to the double and then to the liverpool, but I was a bit unsure. This footing is so fast, you think to move, and you get there immediately.” Goncalves and the talented 14-year-old Selle Français mare soared across the ground stopping the clock at 30.556 seconds, surpassing Wordley by nearly eight seconds.
Although Goncalves and Vick Du Croisy’s time was never caught, a few came quite close. Richard Spooner (USA) made a triumphant return to the WEC Grand Arena aboard Show Jumping Syndications International’s Quirado RC, a 14-year-old Holsteiner gelding by Quinar Z x Ursula. Spooner and the nimble gelding were just shy of the winning time by seven hundredths of a second in 30.627 seconds to take home the red ribbon.
Gonçalves’ success didn’t stop with first place, he captured third aboard the nine-year-old Zangersheide gelding Scoop de Septon Z (Hunters Scendro x Kageena Van T Hoogeinde) owned by Sigma Stables LLC. Goncalves nearly matched his winning time with the promising young gelding with a time of 30.901 seconds to round out the podium.
Final Results – $24,000 C. Jarvis Insurance Welcome Prix
1) Luis Sabino Gonçalves (POR) & Vick du Croisy), Sigma Stables LLC: 0 | 0 | 30.556
2) Richard Spooner (USA) & Quirado RC, Show Jumping Syndications International: 0 | 0 | 30.627
3) Luis Sabino Gonçalves (POR) & Scoop de Septon Z, Sigma Stables LLC: 0 | 0 | 30.901
4) Rowan Willis (AUS) & Wellington Grey Goose, Rowan Willis: 0 | 0 | 30.951
5) Megan Wexler (USA) & Chronicle 4, Golden Oaks Farm, LLC: 0 | 0 | 31.759
6) Sharn Wordley (NZL) & Mick Jagger, Della Wordley: 0 | 0 | 32.699
7) Sharn Wordley (NZL) & Brin D’or De Haute Melen Z, Della Wordley: 0 | 0 | 33.407
8) Hayley Waters Wear (USA) & Over Lux, Hayley Waters Wear: 0 | 0 | 34.482
9) Sharn Wordley (NZL) & Champion League, Daniel Michan: 0 | 0 | 38.188
10) Tracy Fenney (USA) & MTM Apple, MTM Farm: 0 | 4 | 30.622
Source: Press Release from World Equestrian Center
Photos: © Andrew Ryback Photography
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Categories: CSN, English, Jumper News Portugal
