THERMAL, Calif.--Skylar Wireman on Tornado had three consecutive wins, culminating with a victory in the $75,000 Grand Prix at Desert Circuit 2 on Jan. 17.

Skylar Wireman on Tornado (Photo by High Desert Sport Photo)“I’m feeling fantastic right now!” said Wireman, 21. “Tornado feels like he’s just so confident. He’s feeling like he’s ready to rock and roll, and I’m just so happy to be back at the desert.”

Wireman and her 12-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding started the week with wins in the $1,500 1.40m Open Jumpers and the $30,000, 1.45m Open Classic before returning to the Grand Prix Stadium on Saturday night to try to make it a hat trick.

Wireman was one of nine to go in the Grand Prix the jump-off, and when she went, the time to beat had been set at 37.579 seconds by Belgium’s Gregory Wathelet on Argentina de la Marchette.

“I watched Gregory go, and I knew that he was very fast,” said Wireman. “Argentina is a very fast mare. She spends no time getting right across the ground. She’s just very efficient. So, I knew that I was going to have to be very fast in order to even potentially catch that.”

“Tornado has the biggest heart in the world," she said.”

Wireman was clean in 37.435 seconds, just fast enough to ultimately clinch the win.

 

WATHELET on Argentina de la Marchette held on to second, and Nicolas Gamboa on Twilight was third in 37.775 seconds.

“Having a horse with a big heart is beyond a gift,” said Wireman. “He will try to do everything that I ask. I know that he’s always got me. Like the long one at the last jump tonight: I knew I could trust him there, and he knows that I’m going to keep supporting him. That’s probably the best part about him. It’s the same thing with his mentality on the ground. He’s just so sweet and always wants to please.”

For Wireman and Tornado, Desert Circuit 2 served in part as a warm-up for what is to come, including the upcoming week’s CSI5* competition at Desert Circuit 3.