WELLINGTON, Fla.--Spencer Smith on HHS Seattle had his first WEF Challenge Cup win of the season in the $32,000 CSIO4* class on Thursday, Feb. 27 at the Winter Equestrian Festival.
Spencer Smith on HHS Seattle (Photo by Sportfot)Smith has been extremely consistent with a competitive group of horses so far during WEF.
“This is a great horse,” Smith said of the 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding. “I’ve had him for two years now. He was bought by Don and Nancy Stewart, and they have supported me with the horse and let me keep riding him and competing him.”
Though the horse is quick across the ground, Smith wouldn’t have thought this the ideal class for HHS Seattle, with the grand prix qualifier set as a speed class for WEF 8.
“He’s more of a grand prix horse, he’s not really a speed horse,” Smith said. “He’s jumped a lot of grand prix this year, but he’s also pretty quick in a speed round. It was nice to get him going a bit and just let him go. He’s very naturally fast.”
Smith won in a time of 65.06 seconds, more than two seconds faster than second placed Laura Kraut on Dorado 21, clean in 67.11.
Marilyn Little on La Contessa was third, clean in 67.77.
“IT'S ALWAYS a fun week because Steve Stephens designs and always brings in new jumps we haven’t seen much lately,” Smith said of Nations Cup week. “The course was turny, twisty, short lines off of long runs. It was tough enough. There weren’t that many clear for the amount of people in the class.”
Between the Stewarts, Georgina Bloomberg, Dennis Sisco and his parents who head Ashland Farms, Smith has incredible support and a strong string of horses for the 2025 season.
He has had a top finish in the CSI5* Grand Prix during WEF 7 and a win to kick off WEF 8.
“I’m really lucky to have great people supporting me,” he said. “I need to do my job now. Everyone’s working really hard, so we’re all motivated for the same goal."
“I want to be consistent; I have some great horses so I want to keep getting myself in there and having good rounds,” he said. “The season is so long, but now the bigger shows are coming up. It’s nice to catch a little momentum before the grand prix on Sunday and the five-star next week.”
Smith’s streak stayed alive later in the day on Thursday with a win on Tulara Colmine in the $25,000 Jumper Classic.
