CO CLARE show jumper David Blake finished his winter campaign with victory in the two-star $50,000 Wanderers Club Grand Prix at the 12-week of the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida, last Sunday.
Blake, who calls Wellington home after many years based in America, rode Pine Hollow Farm’s Dy Zento to victory in the feature class.
A total of 44 pairs started over the 1.45m track, designed by Germany’s Olaf Petersen Jr. In the end, an exciting group of 15 set to return represented seven different nations.
Venezuela’s Alejandro Karolyi produced the first clear in the jump-off when he guided Venitienn around the track effortlessly in a time of 47.90 seconds, which would eventually be good enough for fifth place.
Offaly’s Kevin Mealiff was next to go with Oakmont Stables LLC’s Tupac Van De Vrombautshoeve Z. They set the new leading time of 44.05 seconds.
Mealiff, who works for Darragh Kenny’s Oakland Stables, and the 11-year-old Zangersheide gelding by Thunder VD Zuuthoeve would hold the lead through the next few combinations, until Blake and Dy Zento returned.
Blake and the 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding by Zento x Goodtimes zipped around the track, opened up their stride for a long gallop down to the final fence on course. The pair managed to leave all the jumps in their cups in an impressive time of 42.93 seconds, a time that would hold for top spot in the end.
USA’s Peter Lutz rounded out the top three finishers with a double-clear effort aboard Hollerno in a time of 44.47 seconds.
Slow burner
Having joined in 2012, Blake runs Pine Hollow Farm with Howard and Gwen Dvorkin. “I’ve taken it slow with him the last couple of years,” he said of the gelding he has been riding for four years. “We haven’t done a whole lot with him, but we built him up for the early circuit, and it all came together today, so it was worth the wait.
“He has a lot of blood,” continued Blake. “The jump-off really suited him today because he’s a big horse, so it really suited his stride and the run down to the last jump, I feel like I was quicker than anyone else there. For a big horse, he’s got a lot of blood and he’s very athletic, so it makes it easier in the ring.”
Blake noted that he has had a slower circuit than normal with fewer horses in his string to campaign. With that in mind, his Grand Prix win gives him a little extra motivation for what is to come this summer.
“It was really nice to get the win today and end the winter on a high note. It was a really exciting finish and feels very rewarding. We’re going to stay in Wellington to do the two three-star shows on the grass Derby Field during the ESP Spring Series before we head up north. I’m really looking forward to jumping on the grass and giving the horses a little bit of something different here.”
Eight international Grand Prix wins for Irish riders in Wellington
OVER the 12 weeks of competition, Irish riders won an incredible eight international Grands Prix at the Wellington venue, that is much more than any other nation, as well as finishing runner-up in the four-star Nations Cup.
Those international Grand Prix victories came from: in week five, Shane Sweetnam won the five-star Grand Prix with Alejandro, while Cian O’Connor won the two-star with Careca LS Elite. The following week, Bertram Allen won the three-star Grand Prix with Castefield Vegas (ISH). Allen hit the jackpot in week seven, winning the five-star Gran Prix aboard Pacino Amiro (ISH), while Andrew Bourns won the two-star with Darquito.
The Irish gave other nations a chance during week nine, before Darragh Kenny claimed the three-star victory in week 10 with Great-Tikila J. Stephen Moore won the two-star Grand Prix in week 11 with Team de Coquerie, before David Blake finished the circuit with another Irish victory in the two-star Grand Prix last Sunday.