Ocala, Florida, USA – November 09, 2024 – Saturday night Grand Prix action thrilled crowds once again at World Equestrian Center – Ocala during Week I of the 2024 November Show Series. Spectators flocked to the WEC Grand Arena to witness top-level competition in the $75,000 Florida Coast Equipment Grand Prix, where 26 accomplished horse-and-rider combinations navigated challenging courses designed by FEI Level III course designer Peter Grant (CAN). After an exciting 10-horse jump-off, it was Luis Sabino Goncalves (POR) and Sigma Stables remarkable mare, Vick Du Croisy (Lord Carthago x Merveille Ducroisy), who claimed victory, repeating their win from the same week in 2023.
Grant’s first-round course proved formidable, with rails down across multiple elements and the triple combination causing the most faults throughout the evening. Ten combinations representing New Zealand, the United States, Australia, Portugal, and Ireland mastered the clear path to qualify for the jump-off, where only four managed double-clear rounds.
Gonçalves returned fourth in the jump-off and had his sights set on the first clear round. “Number one and two were good. To the double, I didn’t get as good a distance as I would have liked, so I needed to add an extra stride. Then, I was able to turn short to the vertical,” he explained. “Sometimes we are a bit faster than the horse—we do too much, and that’s how we lose the class. So I wanted to be smart and do enough to put the pressure on the rest.”
Gonçalves piloted the seasoned 15-year-old Selle Français mare through the remainder of the course, taking an incredibly tight turn back to the penultimate fence, flying through the last line and stopping the clock at 44.072 seconds, which proved unbeatable.
Returning after some downtime, Gonçalves reflected on their progress, saying, “In the off-season, I made a few mistakes with her. The good is an enemy of the optimum. When something is good, you want a little more, but sometimes when you ask for more, you break. We lost our match, and I had an accident. So we are just coming back, but she feels super, and I feel super.”
Chloe Reid (USA) and Team Reid LLC’s scopey 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding Crossover 4 (Cascadello x Chakira) secured second place with a swift jump-off, finishing in 46.183 seconds.
Sharn Wordley (NZL) claimed third on Della Wordley’s 10-year-old Zangersheide gelding Brin d’or de Haute Melen Z (Bamko De Muze x Perle d’or de Saulieu) with a clear round in 46.725 seconds.
Richard Spooner (USA) and Show Jumping Syndications International’s Lyjanair earned the ‘Fastest Four-Faulter’ title, finishing their first round in a speedy 78.781 seconds with one rail down.
Matt Cyphert (USA) claimed the ‘Luck of the Draw’ award.
Final Results – $75,000 Florida Coast Equipment Grand Prix
1) Luis Sabino Gonçalves (POR) & Vick du Croisy – 0 / 0 – 44.072
2) Chloe Reid (USA) & Crossover 4 – 0 / 0 – 46.183
3) Sharn Wordley (NZL) & Brin d’or de Haute Melen Z – 0 / 0 – 46.725
Source: Press Release from World Equestrian Center
Photos: © WEC / Andrew Ryback Photography
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