BERTRAM Allen won the three-star Grand Prix at week six of the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida for the third year in a row last Sunday.

Taking place on the spectacular grass arena at the venue, the class marked the end of the half-way point of the 12-week show. Ten of the 44 starters made it through to the 1.55m jump-off, including three Irish riders. Allen ended up on top after a fast and furious jump-off which saw five produce a second round clear.

His time of 36.86 seconds came aboard the 11-year-old mare Emmylou (Billy Mexico x Lupin Z) who won just over €48,000. The pair were almost two seconds faster than Canadian runner-up Cathleen Driscoll and Arome who broke the beams in 38.21 seconds. Canada also took the final place on the podium through Amy Millar and Truman.

“The jump-off went to plan,” said Allen after the win. “My horse is naturally very fast so I just tried to keep it as smooth as I could. Obviously, the jump-off was still big and there were quite a few faults in it, so I tried to get the right medium between going fast enough and keeping all the jumps up.”

When he crossed the final timers, Allen threw a fist to the sky and gave Emmylou the credit she was due. “She’s a special little horse; she tries so hard, so I get great satisfaction about having the result I did today. This was her main goal and now we will evaluate where we go from here.”

Co Clare David Blake slotted into fifth place with Pine Hollow Farm’s 11-year-old gelding Claude when double clear in 41.25. Shane Sweetnam picked up eight faults in the jump-off aboard the nine-year-old mare Out of the Blue SCF to finish ninth.

Super week for Wachman

Tipperary’s Tom Wachman celebrated his 18th birthday in winning style last week in Florida, where he won a three-star class and won the Hermès Under 25 Grand Prix on Sunday.

Thursday’s three-star win came in the 1.45m aboard the 14-year-old gelding Lazzaro Delle Schiave, owned by Coolmore Showjumping when he topped an all Irish podium, beating Olympian Darragh Kenny into second place with Vancouver Dreams, and Cork’s Conor O’Regan rounded out the top three on Mendini DR.

From a field of 37, Wachman was lighting fast over the speed portion of the two-phase class to pip Kenny by only two tenths of a second. “My focus was a clear in the first round and then get him a bit relaxed because the second round suited me,” said Wachman who was the youngest athlete in the field.

“I was quite tight back to the first one of the second phase and then I could leave out strides because he’s big-strided and scopey. He can stand off the fences and he actually jumps better on the grass; you can really dare him at the fences.”

Keeping up his super form, Wachman and Lazzaro Delle Schiave then finished third in Saturday’s in CaptiveOne Advisors CIS3* 1.50m Classic where Kenny had the final say on this occasion.

Riding the 13-year-old mare Vancouver Dreams, recently acquired from Austria’s Max Kühner, he posted the winning time of 35.91 seconds in the 15-horse jump-off, from an overall field of 71. Dominican Republic’s Maria Brugal took second in 37.2 aboard J’Adore Flamenco, a horse first produced in Ireland at Ballypatrick Stables. Wachman was third in 37.28.

“I’ve actually never done a jump-off on her before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect,” said Kenny. “She’s unbelievably careful so I knew I could take a bit of a risk at the double and I did and it paid off and she was brilliant.

“Max and I do a bit of business together, so he sent the mare over for me to ride and eventually sell, but I’m having some fun with her first,” he added.

Under 25 glory

Tom Wachman then ended the week on a high when galloping to victory in Sunday’s €25,000 Hermès Under 25 Grand Prix aboard the brilliant 10-year-old mare I’m Here who only joined Coolmore Showjumping at the beginning of the year.

From 72 starters, Tom was joined by his year older brother Max Wachman in the 11-horse jump-off. Against the clock, seven combinations kept a clean sheet with Tom racing to victory by over a second, breaking the beam in 34.78 seconds. He saw off a challenge from Britain’s Grace Debney who settled for second with Jesprit H.S (0/0 36.16).

“It’s a very competitive series because they are all good riders who are well-mounted. It’s always interesting to me to follow the standings because they change quite a lot throughout the circuit,” Tom commented.

Max finished in sixth place with the eight-year-old stallion Fancy de Kergane (0/0 38.07). in eighth place was the Irish-bred stallion Ganesh Hero Z (Gemini xx x Diamant de Semilly), bred by Gerry Marron and Luc Henry, and ridden by Mexico’s Carlos Hank Guerreiro.

It was the second week of Under 25 competition at Wellington International. The 2023 Hermès Under 25 Grand Prix Series winner will take home an Hermès Saddle, a $10,000 store credit to Hermès, and will be invited to compete at a select show or tour in Europe, with round-trip transportation for one horse provided by the Dutta Corp.

Derwin success

There was Under 25 succes earlier in the week for Athlone’s Francis Derwin and the Irish Sport Horse AHG Whiterock Cruise Down who flew around the Derby Field to win in the Hermès Under 25 Welcome.

From a starting field of 59, Derwin and AHG Whiterock Cruise Down (Cruisings Micky Finn x Touchdown), bred by Anne Gannon Clancy, finished on an impressive time of 55.9 with nearly two seconds to spare in the one-round speed format. Second place went to USA’s Maya Aryal (USA) and My Girl 52 finishing in 57.22 seconds, and third went to Caroline Mawhinney (USA) and Calisto Blue clocking in at 58.18 seconds.

“I’ve got quite a good partnership with the horse, and I’ve been riding him the last three years now,” said Derwin of the mount that’s been in his family since the horse’s five-year-old year. “My sister had him before me, so we know him well. I think he is very good at being fast without me having to try to be fast. I wasn’t at the end of it today, but he could still win it comfortably.”

Derwin is based at Darragh Kenny’s Oakland Stables in Florida after visiting on a bursary last year and having the opportunity to return. “He’s been giving me some great help and I’ve been getting in the ring on plenty of horses, so it’s been a good opportunity to keep learning.”