Jad Dana Caps Off Winning Week Topping the 85,000 GGT Footing Grand Prix CSI 2*

By Jumper News on 2026-06-29

Ocala, United States – June 28, 2026 – Featured competition for Week III of the Summer Series came to a close in the WEC Grand Arena Sunday morning with the $85,000 GGT Footing Grand Prix CSI 2*. For the fourth time this week, Jad Dana (LBN) led the victory gallop after besting a 10-horse jump-off.

Alan Wade (IRL) and Ben Townley (GRB) crafted another challenging track for the experienced field of international riders, but it was Dana that dominated once again riding Burr Associates, Inc.’s Leonidas (Kannan x Truus).

Following his win, Dana and Leonidas were met with love and open arms from the Burr Associates, Inc. team. “He’s a horse we’ve had since he was six years old. My coach Leslie [Howard] used to ride him, and I think he’s probably her favorite horse in the barn. He has a great mind, he’s very competitive, and as you can tell, he wins a lot.”

“I love my team. Everybody knows how much I love my team. The people who help me and our staff want to win as much as I do, and I think that’s what makes our team so strong. We’re very close on a personal level, we get along very well and we try to have as much fun as possible doing a stressful sport. If it wasn’t for how skilled these people are, and how good of people they are, it wouldn’t be as fun,” Dana smiled.

As the second rider to contest the jump-off, Dana ultimately set a time that could not be caught. “There were great riders behind me, like Erynn Ballard and Samuel Parot. I had a strong group following me so I knew I had to go as fast as I could if I wanted to win,” he laughed.

The 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood (KWPN) gelding’s speed and careful form carried over from his win in the $32,000 GGT Footing Speed CSI 2* as he stopped the timers in 36.98 seconds to secure another victory.

**Erynn Ballard** (CAN) & **Greta de La Dinais**

Erynn Ballard (CAN) jumped to a close second place on her winning mount from Friday’s qualifier, Greta de La Dinais (Eldorado De Hus Ebel x Oberon Du Moulin). The 10-year-old Selle Français posted a time of 37.34 seconds for the red ribbon.

**Wilton Porter** (USA) & **Sternmarke 3**

Rounding out the top three was Wilton Porter (USA) in 37.45 seconds aboard Sternmarke 3 (Argelith Stakkato x Escudo I), a 12-year-old Hanoverian gelding owned by Sleepy P Ranch BV.

Having developed Leonidas in partnership with Leslie Howard since he was six, Dana spoke on his experience producing the talented gelding at WEC – Ocala.

“I think the classes that are offered here at this facility are the reason why I can produce a horse like this. We brought him here as a young horse, and on a national level, we were able to step him up into the Futures Prix and the 1.40m Classics.”

“It’s great that you can do the four-star and the two-star in the same week. As a rider, when I could compete my older, more experienced horses in the four-star, this horse could do the two-star classes and build himself up. This is the result,” he added.