WELLINGTON, Fla.--Ben Maher of Great Britain rode Ginger-Blue, owned by Jane Forbes Clark, to win the $37,000 WEF Challenge Cup Round 10 CSI3* on Friday, March 19, at the Winter Equestrian Festival.
Ben Maher on Ginger-Blue (Photo by Sportfot)A starting field of 93 entries was narrowed down to just nine qualifying and seven electing to return for the jump-off over a course designed by Michel Vaillancourt of Canada,
Maher led the way as the first to return in the jump-off, setting the pace a clear round in 39.66 seconds.
“I thought it was a big enough course for her,” said Maher of the mare’s double clear performance. “It’s tough here at WEF because the CSI3* weeks are very competitive, and the track is probably a lot bigger than a typical three-star grand prix qualifier. I think that proved it with only nine clears out of 93 horses, so it was clever course building and quite technical in the middle of the course.
“It was a long day; I think she jumped three and a half hours ago and thought it was dinner time,” Maher said. “It was difficult to go first, but I rode the plan, and fortunately for me I forced the others to make mistakes.”
THIRD TO return in the jump-off, Margie Engle on Dicas, was clean in 39.96 seconds for second., and last to go, Darrah Kenny pf Ireland rwas third with just one rail aboard Great-Tikila J with the fastest time of the day in 38.20 seconds.
“She’s still learning a lot,” said Maher of the mare ‘Cookie,’ as she’sknown in the barn. “We didn’t jump anything last year at all due to my back surgery and then COVID, so she really is behind for her age. She’s very careful and has all the ability; she just needs the experience. I’m hoping with that kind of course today she walks back to the stable feeling confident in herself and we can really build on this kind of result because I think there’s a lot more to come from her in the future.”
“We’ve done a lot of smaller classes to build her up,” said Maher. “Hopefully now we’re ready to go, so I’m really looking forward to Sunday.”
ALEX MATZ of Unionville, Pa., on Jillz won the $20,000 Developing Jumper Series Seven-Year-Old Classic Friday morning, the final competition for young five-, six-, and seven-year-old horses in the Developing Jumper Series.
Alex Matz on Jillz (Photo by Sportfot)Matz was clean in the jump-off in 33.63 seconds.
Matz has ridden Jillz since she was purchased at the VDL auction in Wellington last season and has big plans for the young horse.
“This mare has quite a lot of scope when I ride her the right way,” Matz said. “I think she has a good future ahead of her so I have been careful not to push her too fast, but she has a big personality and is a lot of fun to work with. She has won probably at least 10 classes since we purchased her last year.”
He added that the Developing Jumper Series gives young horses a great chance to get immersed in a more competitive environment.
“Today’s course was nice,” Matz said. “It was a bigger track than the previous seven-year-old courses have been, which was appropriate as it was the final. It is really great to have a championship event to introduce these young horses to.,
