WELLINGTON, Fla.--Jessica Springsteen on Naomi van het Keizershof won the $32,000, CSI2* Qualifier on Friday, Feb. 7 at the Winter Equestrian Festival, despite having to go early in the jump-off over a course set by Olympic course designer Gregory Bodo.
Jessie Springsteen on Naomi van het Keizershof (Photo by Sportfot)“I went for it today,” Springsteen, who was one of 16 in the jump-off. “I took a risk from one to two. I wasn’t sure I could get there and I really went for it.”
Springsteen, a Tokyo Olympic team silver medalist, went early in the order of 68 entries with several fast pairs behind her also making the jump-off.
She won by a tenth of a second with a time of 36.74 seconds.
Nicole Walker of Canada on Atout des Trambles was second in 36.84 seconds, and France’s Marie Hecart was third on Vahinee in 37.07 seconds.
“Naomi is a mare you can be competitive on so I try to use her speed to our advantage,” said Springsteen, who also had a five-star win on the mare at the end of 2024. “I felt really fast but it’s so competitive here; you can do a fast round and end up somewhere in the top 10. Luck was on our side today and it worked out.”
“I TRY TO bring her up and down a bit,” she said. “She has so much talent and ability but I try to keep her comfortable and confident because she is such a winner. I try to keep her in classes she can win in because she’s so competitive. My plan, after this weekend, is to step back up again.”
“I’ve had her since she was 6 years old,” Springsteen said. “It took us a long time to gel. At one point I wasn’t sure if we were the right fit. I learned that I have to try to ride her more securely; really between my hand and leg and give her that confidence. She has such a lovely canter she invites you to get out of the seat and hunt a little, but she needs to feel you secure and with her. That’s something I always try to remember—especially in these jump-offs.”
Nayel Nassar on Ivory TCS won the $62,500 CSI5* 1.50m speed class earlier in the day.
Ivory TCS, a 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare, has been in Nassar’s string for about a year.
“They say you don’t really know a horse until you’ve been with them for a year but we actually got to know each other pretty quick,” Nassar said. “There are always tweaks, little things in her flatwork that we’re trying to improve. She’s pretty low balanced so getting her head up a little more and getting her on her hind legs, which hopefully gives her a little more stride.”
Nassar was about half a second faster than second placed Roberto Teran Tafur of Columbia on Iron Maiden, and Laura Kraut on Emeraldo 4 was third.
