WELLINGTON, Fla.--Venezuelan Olympian Luis Fernando Larrazabal on Baroness won the $32,000 WEF Challenge Cup Round 2 on Friday, Jan. 16 at the Winter Equestrian Festival.
Luis Fernando Larrazabal on Baroness (Photo by Sportfot)After a win on Thursday in the 1.40m Two-Phase to open the week on the grass derby field, Larrazabal won the Cup in a seven-horse jump-off.
Over a course set by Olaf Petersen, Jr. Larrazabal set the pace as the first to return and held on for the win by less than four-tenths of a second over the closest challenger, Lillie Keenan on Kick On.
Keenan was clean in 38.57 seconds behind Larrazabal’s time of 38.19 seconds, and Alexandra Worthington was third on De l’Oiseliere.
“I’ve been riding this mare since she was 6, and I know her completely,” said Larrazabal, “Today, she jumped amazingly. She’s had five weeks off, and the plan was to start this week. It’s as good as possible to start a season this way.
“SHE HAS a lot of energy, so we try to keep her going, happy and out [of her stall] as much as we can,” said Larrazabal, who will next aim Baroness at Sunday’s $140,000 Southern Arches CSI3* Grand Prix before focusing on a five-star outing later this season. “For me, that’s the main thing—keeping my horses happy. When we only focus on ourselves and results, we forget that they are animals and sensitive.”
“My mindset now is to enjoy the process,” said Larrazabal. “It’s not only about the pressure of competition. That’s been a big change in my sport, and—I feel—the reason for the consistent results. I’m more relaxed and in the moment, and I try to enjoy my ride more than just thinking about winning.
“And of course, being a dad keeps you grounded,” said Larrazabal about his 3-year-old twins, a five-year-old, and a new baby expected in a month.
