WEXFORD’s Bertram Allen finished his 2023 Winter Equestrian Festival in Florida, USA, on the podium in the final $500,000 Rolex CSI5* Grand Prix last Saturday night where victory went to Germany’s Richard Vogel with Cepano Baloubet.

Not for the first time, the rain fell at the Wellington venue, not making for the nicest conditions on what is normally a sell-out crowd, but it didn’t take away from the effort of the 50 starters over the huge 1.65m built by Brazil’s Guilherme Jorge.

Seven of the starting 50 made it through to the jump-off on a night where there were some cricket scores from experienced combinations; Allen was the only Irish representative and he was hoping to make it three five-star Grand Prix wins in three years at the venue.

Vogel set the time to chase from the pole position in the tie-breaking jump-off. His time of 40.53 seconds was nine seconds faster than the runner-up, Columbia’s Roberto Teran Tafur riding Dez’ Ooktoff, a 15-year-old Dutch Warmblood stallion who produced the only other clear.

Allen came close to the winning time when breaking the beam in 40.60 seconds, but the last fence fell which left him in third place with Aiden McGrory’s 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse Pacino Amiro (Pacino x NC Amiro) who was bred in Co Donegal by Simon Scott.

Overwhelmed

“I’m overwhelmed,” exclaimed 26-year-old Vogel. “Two weeks ago, I wasn’t sure I even wanted to do this horse in this big a Grand Prix. But, he felt really good and then we thought, ‘we’re here and he’s in very good shape so let’s give it a try,’ and he was amazing.

“My plan was not to risk too much in the jump-off, but also to put the pressure on the ones coming after me so they had to risk a bit more to be faster and I was lucky it all worked out,” said Vogel, who has earned four international wins during the 2023 season at WEF.

“This horse did a great job and deserves a break, so he’s got a couple of weeks off.”

Cepano Baloubet just found a new home in Vogel’s stable after Veronica and Molly Tracy purchased the gelding for him to compete. “I first rode this horse when he was six, and not too long after the horse came to our stable with the same owner and we were able to produce him.

“In January, they purchased the horse for me to keep it in the stable, so I’m lucky to have such good owners and so much trust in those people.

Experience

“Wellington has been very good to us; we’ve had a great season. Our horses jumped very well and gained a lot of experience also so yeah it was a super season,” concluded Vogel who is competing at the FEI World Cup Final in Omaha this week.

After another successful season in Wellington, Allen and Pacino ended on a high note despite an unlucky fault at the final fence.

“Pacino Amiro has been fantastic for me; he always likes it here in Wellington and he’s had some great wins here,” said Allen. “He jumped fantastic tonight, probably the best of the circuit, and it’s a big disappointment to get that close to winning a Rolex Grand Prix because there’s not that many chances you get to be that close.”

Geaney placed

Kerry’s Daniel Geaney finished fourth in Sunday’s two-star Grand Prix on the final day of the 2023 season with Deborah Dayton’s 11-year-old gelding Consul who he has only ridden three times at FEI level. In an eight-horse jump-off, the pair faulted once against the clock to slot into fourth place. Victory went to Canada’s Nicole Walker with Atout de Trambles.

Co Cork’s Conor O’Regan won Thursday’s two-star 1.45m Table A. Riding Delshore Horses LLC’s 11-year-old gelding Manchester he was the fastest of 11 clears to claim victory in 71.19 seconds, ahead of Brazil’s Fabio Leivas Da Costa with Amigo W Z (0/72.00).

Tom Wachman finished his circuit on a high when the 18-year-old won the Karlswood-sponsored Final High Junior Classic Grand Prix on Sunday with Coolmore Showjumping’s Cathalina S. The pair were the fastest of three clears in the jump-off in 32.44 seconds from USA’s Mia Bagnatio and the Irish Sport Horse KBS Major Player (OBOS Quality x High Roller), bred by Peter Rice. Wachman and Cathalina S also won Friday’s High Junior two-phase making them Junior Champions.

Did you know?

There were four weeks of five-star action at the 2023 Winter Equestrian Festival and Irish riders finished on the podium in each of those four Grands Prix. Even more impressively, three of those podium finishers were Irish Sport Horses. As well as Bertram Allen’s third last week, Shane Sweetam was runner-up during week nine with James Kann Cruz (Kannan x Cruising), bred by Patrick Connolly and the same combination were on the podium during week seven. In the first five-star of the season during week five, Darragh Kenny finished second with Vlock Show Stables’ Volnay du Boisdeville.