WELLINGTON, Fla.--Young superstar Mimi Gochman on Inclen BH won the $116,100 CSI5* WEF Challenge Cup Round 5 over a field of world top ranked and Olympic champion riders on Thursday, Jan. 5 at the Winter Equestrian Festival.
Mimi Gochman on Inclen BH (Photo by Sportfot)Under the top round format, 12 returned for the second round over Paris Olympic course designer Gregory Bodo’s course, including three Olympians, an Olympic Champion and two of the world’s top 10.
With the pressure on, Gochman, knowing her mount’s abilities, stuck to her plan and finished clean in 43.99 seconds to win over second placed Marilyn Little on La Contessa, clean in 44.74.
“I looked back at the oxer where I knew five had been a little flat in the first round. I knew if I had a good one in, I could let him canter up there,” said Gochman, 21. “My rollback to the vertical and the six put me in a really good flow, and I think that is where I had the time.”
Lillie Keenan on her new mount Highway TN was third by a slim margin in 44.80 seconds.
Gochman has ridden Inclen BH, barn name Alfie, for three years.
“Alfie has such a competitive brain himself and is super level-headed,” she said. “He really knows how to place himself well, which makes my job really easy.”
“WEF is so challenging on so many different levels," said Gochman, who has already had four international top 10s during WEF. "There are amazing rider and horse combinations here. It’s nice to be able to prove myself against some of these top riders. I feel honored to be in this class, and I’m honored that my horse was right there with me.”
OF THE 12 in the second round, five were clean.
Jessie Springsteen on Cayman de Poteau Z was fourth in 45.25, Ben Maher of Great Britain on Enjeu de Grisien was fifth in 45.80, and Kyle Timm of Canada on Casino Calvin was sixth, the fastest of the four-faulters in 47.76.
Keenan had said that she got Highway TN to strengthen her string in hopes of winning a place on this year's World Championships team and on the Los Angeles Olympics team.
She won a 2* grand prix on him in only her second time riding him, and now,, only a couple of weeks later, had an excellent placing in a top 5* competition.
Sydney Shulman Desiderio of Israel won the CSI2* Speed on Eyepop Semilly, clean in 54.08.with Wilton Potter on Lupina Colada second in 54.66 and Sterling Malnik on Cap du Marais third in 56.2.
