Mexico’s Carlos Hank Guerreiro found himself in the Wellington International winner’s circle Saturday night with an amazing ride in the $215,000 FEI 4-star Horseware Ireland Grand Prix.
Bold and determined as he set off against the clock, he was fifth to go in a 14-horse tiebreaker, brilliantly handling the turns on Oscar Soberon’s twisting jump-off course to bring H5 Porthos Maestro WH Z home in 39.98 seconds.
Mexico’s Carlos Hank Guerreiro and H5 Porthos Maestro WH Z.
Last to go, Egypt’s Nayel Nassar on Esi Ali had what would have been the winning time — 39.92 seconds — but a giant leap to the last fence caused a rail to hit the ground and he wound up ninth as the fastest 4-faulter.
Former eventer Marilyn Little of the U.S. executed a skillful trip with La Contessa, though she didn’t break the 40-second mark, finishing in 40.55 seconds to end up a very respectable second. An Irish rider, Tom Wachman, was third on Do it Easy, clear in 40.61.
“I have a very fast horse in Porthos, and it was a big enough jump-off with some very fast riders behind me,” said Hank, who has been working with the 11-year-old Zangersheide gelding by Picasso Z for four years.
The 24-year-old rider pointed out, “I didn’t want to leave it all out on the line because you still have to leave the jumps up. I wanted to take the risks I knew I could, and it paid off today.”
Carlos Hank Guerreiro on the way to victory. (Sportfot photo)
He added, “The atmosphere here has always been unbelievable; I’ve been jumping here for a few years now and these ‘Saturday Night Lights’ are very special. It’s what motivates us during the week. To win one has always been a dream of mine so I’m very grateful.
“It’s a very tough place to win. If you can win here, you can win anywhere.”
The class drew 40 starters. McLain Ward wound up 18th on High Star Hero with one rail in the first round. Beezie Madden was eliminated when she had a fall from Nairobi early on course, but walked out of the ring unaided.
It’s been more than five very long years since show jumper Kevin Babington had a life-changing accident when his horse fell with him in a grand prix.
A spinal injury that paralyzed the Irish Olympian from mid-chest down has meant he can’t walk, use his hands or at this point, even cough effectively – leading to his hospitalization for pneumonia this month — but his situation has not dimmed Kevin’s spirit or determination to carry on. He has been teaching lessons at his home stable in Loxahatchee, Fla., and is available to do consulting work for those seeking his expertise with horses.
There’s always a struggle, but the bright light is that he is not alone. In addition to his wife, Dianna, and daughters Marielle and Gwyneth, there are many who rally for his cause time and again. They will be involved with a major event March 30 at Erica Hatfield’s EyeCandyland Farm in Wellington, Fla. It’s Kevin’s Rockstars Lip Sync Fundraiser, offering creative and zany entertainment that draws the equestrian community as both participants and audience.
The event benefits the Kevin Babington Foundation, which raises funds and generates support not only for Kevin, but also for other show jumpers who sustain spinal injuries. In addition to providing financial assistance the foundation’s mission includes educating riders, trainers and show organizers about safety measures designed to reduce the risk of serious injuries which can occur while riding.
For past Lip Syncs, big name riders, including Olympic gold medalist Nick Skelton of Great Britain, Ireland’s Darragh Kenny and the USA’s Heather Caristo got their acts together to show their creative side. This month’s show will feature the singing janitor, Richard Goodall, who won the 2024 season of America’s Got Talent.
“His heart, humility, and spirit perfectly represent our foundation. I knew we had to get him to perform,” said Foundation Chairman Jeff Papows.
Commenting on Kevin’s condition, Jeff said, “We have seen the incredible support and love pouring in at this time. The doctors have been doing a great job in managing Kevin’s condition and are working to get him back home as soon as possible.”
While Kevin can’t have visitors at this time, click here to get a form on which you can send a note to Kevin wishing him well. Jeff noted Kevin is determined to see the Lip Sync, always a highlight for him.
“We try to make sure people want to come every year, because they’re getting something for their money,” Dianna noted about the event.
Last year, Kevin suffered a setback when the ramp to his van failed, his wheelchair crashed to the ground and he hit the back of his head. He will need spinal surgery, as well as having a hip replaced.
“This is a stark reminder that this is not something that gets fixed,” Dianna observed, noting other equestrians have problems with which the foundation is helping.
“This is an ongoing medical tragedy. There’s always another shoe that’s about to drop, and it’s not just him. This is not something where we throw money at it and fix it and walk away. This is ongoing. There will be future recipients.”
Dianna said if she outlives Kevin, she will continue working with the foundation. She is one step removed right now, wanting to make sure there is no conflict of interest, but is involved in the Lip Sync and other events.
“I want people to come and participate, if not this year, next year. It is for Kevin and everybody who has come after him, and will come again after him,” said Dianna, noting “It’s a constant battle.”
Helix, who has been Adrienne Lyle’s partner for little more than a year, worked with her in impressive harmony to earn a personal best during Friday night’s 5-star Grand Prix Freestyle to turn in a score of 80.6 percent at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival in Wellington, Fla. The 13-year-old KWPN gelding also won the Grand Prix on Thursday.
One of Adrienne’s musical selections was “Freedom–you gotta give for what you take,” and that seemed to fit perfectly as the rider skillfully asked and received in sync with her mount owned by Zen Elite Equestrian. Her test’s degree of difficulty received marks of 9 plus from all five judges.
She closed her performance dramatically on the son of Apache with a piaffe pirouette on centerline, one of the key elements in a test that flowed.
Another double winner was Adrienne’s 2024 Paris Games teammate, Marcus Orlob, victorious in both the 3-star Grand Prix Special Saturday and the Grand Prix for Special Thursday. In the Special itself, Marcus was marked at 72.043 percent on Alice Tarjan’s Jane, as the only rider to break 70 percent in the class. The USA’s Anna Marek and Fire Fly were second with 68.085 percent while Jemma Heran of Australia finished third with 67.957 percent on Total Recall.
As Adrienne reflected on her ride, she said, “It felt easy, which is exactly what I was hoping for.”
She used the class as a prep for next month’s FEI World Cup Final in Switzerland.
“Not only is this a five-star and a fabulous competition, but I wanted one more chance to get in an environment like this before we head to the World Cup,” she explained.
“My main goal was to have a quiet, harmonious ride, and he felt like he did the whole thing effortlessly — didn’t even break a sweat — and walked calmly back to his stall.”
While her mentor, Debbie McDonald, stays home in Idaho, Adrienne works with her remotely but also gets help from several trainers in Florida, including Katie Duerrhammer, Ali Brock, and Christine Traurig, the U.S. chef d’equipe.
William Warren, one of the judges, was impressed by the quiet riding he witnessed.
“Sitting at C for the only 5-star competition in the Western Hemisphere was exciting, but also nerve-wracking,” he said.
“Adrienne achieved harmony and I appreciated that. I don’t like a lot of visible acrobatics, and all the riders did such a fantastic job. The rapport with each of these riders and their horses was outstanding.”
Second place went to Ecuador’s Julio Mendoz Loor on Jewel’s Goldstrike. The Pan American Games gold medalist had a costly mistake in the left canter pirouette that kept him from hitting 80 percent, finishing on 78.520 percent.
“If I have to lose against somebody, I’m happy to lose to Adrienne,” said Julio, who was masterful riding a mount that cost him $20 as a fiery eight-year-old. The key to success with the horse involves letting him enjoy life in a field around the clock
“This was our second show after the Olympics and it was very exciting,” the North Carolina-based rider continued.
“I’m so grateful to be competing in the 5-star with mega riders and horses.”
Anna Marek of the U.S.was right behind in third on 77.135 percent aboard Fayvel. She leads the standings for the new U.S. Open of Dressage, which will have a finals in California this December. Global is hosting seven of the 23 qualifiers. Anna has 88 points, with Germans Evelyn Eger on 76 points and Felicitas Hendricks (64 points) in second and third.
The 5-star offers $150,000 in prize money, more than any other show in America.
In the 3-star, Marcus’ only problem involved a less-than-perfect transition into canter from passage, but the rest of the test fulfilled his ambition of putting relaxation and flow as the focus of his test with the high-strung mare.
“Today she felt a touch more relaxed than in the Grand Prix and I was really happy because she was breathing, so I could soften my hands,” said Marcus.
“This was a good confidence-building round for her. I didn’t put any pressure on her; I just let her do the job and tried to keep the relaxation as the priority,” he said.
Now all he needs is more time for her to settle in and be more comfortable when there is atmosphere in an arena.
Toward that end, he will expose her to different venues in coming weeks, including the hunter/jumper atmosphere at the busy Winter Equestrian Festival’s Wellington International showgrounds down the road from Global. He also plans to ride at the White Fences dressage enclave in nearby Loxahatchee.
A native of Germany, Marcus is a naturalized American citizen who is based both in Florida and New Jersey.
The 2024 eventing Olympian, who suffered a traumatic brain injury in a cross-country fall last August, “steadfastly keeps facing forward, even when the going is hard and frustrating,” reported her mother, Debby, who has been by her side during rehab, along with a host of family and friends..
“She is unfailingly kind and gracious to all the staff who interact with her. Everyone knows her and loves her beautiful smile. I am very proud of how Liz is handling an extremely difficult situation. Her progress has been on a steady upward track, and she keeps improving every day,” Debby said in a report of Liz’s progress from the U.S. Eventing Association.
Six months after the rider and the 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Shanroe Cooley had their accident at the American Eventing Championships in Lexington, Ky., “She’s back to being Liz,” Chris Desino of Ocala Horse Properties said.
Liz Halliday has always been upbeat, a trait that serves her well in rehab.
He and his brother, Rob Desino, have always been very active and involved owners in Halliday’s program, but their relationship is more than just a professional one. Those strong bonds have been a crucial part of her recovery process. Others supporting Liz incude her boyfriend, Mark William and the Ocala Horse Properties team,
“The support Liz and I have received and continue to receive from Liz’s wonderful group of friends has made a huge difference to both of us,” said Debby. “We will be forever grateful for their kindness and dedication. They have been beside us from the beginning and continue to show up.”
With Liz, 46, focusing on her rehab, her horses are receiving top-notch care at various facilities around the country, including her long-time five-star partner, Deniro Z, the 17-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding who is enjoying his retirement at her winter farm in Ocala, Florida.
“I showed Liz a video where Rob recently decided he was going to start hacking Deniro around the farm, and she got the biggest thrill out of seeing Deniro carting one of us around,” said Chris with a laugh.
“She is very trusting that we are doing the right thing by the horses so that she can be solely focused on her recovery now. The same way that she was so laser-focused on her training, she is just that focused on her therapies.”
Chris noted that even when her room is full of visitors, the minute a therapist steps into the room, Liz is at attention, ready to tackle whatever challenge lies ahead of her next in true form.
“Liz has always been known for her grit, determination, and powerful work ethic,” explained Debby. “Those qualities are being tested as never before. She has shown a stoic tenacity that has served her well in the extraordinary effort required for recovery.
It’s that same energy and dedication that Liz channeled into her 2024 eventing season prior to her accident that helped her earn the title of the 2024 Bates USEA Lady Rider of the Year based on her impressive competition results for the second year in a row.
“She was really blown away with winning both the Lady Rider of the Year and the (USEF)International Equestrian of the Year, which is decided upon by a majority vote,” Chris said. “I told her, ‘You are one special person.’ I can’t wait for her to be able to pick up all of the magazines and articles and the thousands of text messages and emails she has received for herself and just see the amazing support she has gotten from everybody all over the world.
“Liz is the person that just puts her head down and works really hard,” he continued. “She didn’t ever really pay attention to everything that was going on around her. I think when she has a moment to focus on all of that, she is really going to enjoy seeing it.”
Looking back at where the year started, Chris and Debby shared just how impactful the 2024 season was for Liz and all of her owners and supporters.
“The craziest thing about last year was that it was the first time that we as owners and also Liz as a five-star rider had four horses who could be vying for a possible Olympic spot,” Chris shared.
“In years past, it was always just Deniro, and then it was ‘Monster’ [Cooley Quicksilver], so it was a massive change for us to go to these events and watch four of them go, because you had so many highs, and then the lows, but then the next horse would give you another high.”
At the beginning of the year, the whole team behind Liz sat down with her coaches Erik Duvander and Peter Wylde to discuss each horse and their plan for the year.
“We are very involved, but Liz has always controlled the future. She has great mentors around her that will guide her the right way,” Chris said.
Seeing the culmination of Halliday’s hard work over the past several years as she’s ridden and trained the majority of her horses from young ages to where they are now was nothing short of a thrill for everyone involved, especially after seeing it culminate with Halliday getting a spot on the U.S. Eventing Team at the Paris Olympics.
“Of course the highpoint for all of us was her competing at the Olympics in Paris,” said Debby. “It was a fabulous event in an amazing venue. Paris will surely be remembered as a top Olympics experience for all the equestrians who participated. The crowds were huge and enthusiastic and Liz rode beautifully on the wonderful Cooley Nutcracker. I remain so grateful that she got to have her Olympic experience. It was a goal she first stated at age 12, and so painfully missed in Tokyo 2021.”
“We were thrilled that she was on the team,” Chris observed, “and looking back on everything, we are very fortunate that she was able to compete there.”
Progress has been so great that she’s anticipated to graduate from the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago, considered the number one rehab hospital in the U.S. for stroke, spinal cord injury and brain injury, and make a move to her next rehabilitative facility. There she will continue to focus on her ultimate goal: going home and back to her horses.
“She misses the horses dearly,” said Chris, “but I know all of the support she has received helps her realize how much she is loved.”
As this phase of Liz’s recovery concludes and the next step begins, Debby is still eternally grateful for all of the love and support they have received along the way and continue to receive daily.
“The eventing community’s interest and outpouring of thoughtful messages has been quite overwhelming,” she reflected.
“I was very touched by how many people at all levels reached out to give us their support. Most of the top competitors at the AEC came to see her in the hospital, and we still have the winner’s check (from the Advanced Final) with the message to Liz handwritten on the back. Her room is decorated with cards and posters from riders from every level. We read many of the messages to Liz to let her know her community cares.
“I particularly loved the messages which began with. ‘You won’t remember me, but…,’ followed by a story of a lesson or other interaction some aspiring eventer had with Liz that especially helped or inspired them. It warms my heart to know how many people’s lives she has touched in a very positive way.”
In an order clearing an athlete’s criminal record, a judge in Florida accused the U.S. Center for Safe Sport of acting in bad faith, intentionally and with malice in proceedings involving a female high school water polo player, violating “her constitutional right to due process.”
The saga began when the athlete filed a complaint in 2022 with SafeSport about several teammates, saying they bullied her, distracting the teen from focusing on the sport for which she already had been named to a college team.
But SafeSport flipped the narrative, making her into the defendant rather than the plaintiff in two different cases, with the teammates accusing her of sexual assault. As a result, she was humiliated, marched out of school in handcuffs.
When the Florida States Attorney looked into the matter, however, no cause for action was found, and the case was dropped. As a result, the original complainant sought to have her name expunged from court records.
In granting that request, Seminole County Court Judge John Woodard stated in his decision filed Tuesday that SafeSport “provided an incomplete file, withholding exculpatory information and withholding witness statements potentially favorable to the defendant.”
He noted, “the court, the State, and the defendant operated in good faith, but was repeatedly blocked for over two years. SafeSport repeatedly and knowingly interfered with the investigation.”
SafeSport is a non-profit Center authorized by Congress in 2017 with the goal of ending sexual, physical and emotional abuse involving athletes in the Olympic and Paralympic movement. The Center did not reply to a request for comment on the situation.
The organization has been under duress recently. The judge’s decision comes in the wake of a letter to SafeSport from U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) asking the Center to explain how it hired an investigator who faces criminal charges, including rape and theft. That investigator was not involved in the Florida case.
Steve Silvey, an attorney for Athletes for Equity in Sport –- which seeks reform of inequity in SafeSport policy and procedures – said of SafeSport, “They’ve lost their way.”
He added “to our knowledge, what’s reflected in that order (from the Seminole County judge) is the first public outing of standard practice for SafeSport.”
He said it follows “last year’s ruling by an Olympic arbitration panel suggesting that it was not a question of if SafeSport violates due process, but when a court will find the operation defective.”
There are 76 equestrians on SafeSport’s centralized disciplinary database, with most offenses listed including sexual misconduct.
Discussing the way SafeSport operates, Silvey contended, “On a day-to-day basis, they don’t do anything even remotely close to what their core mission is. If their core mission is protecting amateur athletes from sexual abuse in Olympic sports according to some concept of due process, they’re not doing that.”
He maintained “SafeSport is built upon a defective and unconstitutional foundation.They get away with it because no one is holding the organization accountable, and the organization openly says it is immune and persists in that position.”
The attorney said that of the nearly 6,000 files opened by SafeSport last year, “the overwhelming majority had nothing to do with sexual misconduct in Olympic or amateur sports. The overwhelming majority of cases are exactly what (SafeSport CEO Ju’Riese) Colón speaks to in public: `This is a culture change.’
“No, Silvey continued, “that’s not your job. They’re misguided, spending their limited resources trying to get involved in children wrestling in a locker room or coaches yelling at their charges. And that’s where they’re lost. They’re not even close to protecting abuse victims. At this point, they are an abject failure for everyone; victims, the sporting community, the NGBs (National Governing Bodies) and the USOPC (U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee.”
He noted the water polo player “was a victim. She was the one who called SafeSport and said, `My teammates are bullying me, distracting me from focusing on my sport’. They flipped the script and Safe Sport participated in flipping that script and turned (the water polo player) into the respondent, rather than the victim.”
Global Medics, whose product Relax Pro was given to an Olympic eventing horse at the Paris Games, contends in a public statement that the supplement was contaminated with Trazodone at the production level,
Relax Pro was found to be responsible for a positive doping test on the horse Dia van het Lichterveld Z, ridden by Tine Magnus during the 2024 Olympics. Her disqualification led to the loss of the Belgian team’s fourth-place finish. The rider had been told by the team vet to use Relax Pro.
Trazodone is an anti-depressant that is sometimes prescribed as a sleep aid for humans.
“We deeply regret this incident—for Tine Magnus, for the entire Belgian eventing team, and for the equestrian sport as a whole,” the company noted, adding that the situation “is beyond our control.”
“This is not a case of deliberate doping aimed at enhancing performance but rather an unfortunate case of contamination. As soon as thorough research confirmed that a batch of Relax Pro contained traces of Trazodone, Global Medics transparently communicated this objective information on its official website, pending further in-depth investigation.
The affected batches (24D02CA and CA/23J31) were immediately withdrawn from the market. Those who have the supplement with those numbers should contact Global Medics. The company emphasized that in terms of health issues, the supplement contained “a clinically irrelevant dose of Trazodone,” adding, “We can also confirm with certainty that all newly produced products are completely free of this contamination.
“Current findings indicate that the contamination occurred at the production level, resulting from a contaminated magnesium raw material sourced from Spain.” Investigations into the situation are continuing.
“While Tine Magnus is undoubtedly the greatest victim of this situation, Global Medics has also suffered significant reputational and business damage. We emphatically state that Trazodone was never intentionally added to our products, contrary to some insinuations in equestrian media and on social platforms. This contamination occurred entirely outside of our control, at the raw material supplier level,” the company maintained.
It noted, “This incident raises an important question: how can supplement distributors and riders protect themselves from unforeseen contamination of this nature? It is concerning and disappointing that, in such crisis situations, there is not more unity and understanding within the industry to support Tine Magnus and collectively seek solutions for the future.”
When the investigation is complete, the company promised to share the whole story.
Scrutiny on horse welfare, with social license to operate gaining traction, is prompting Denmark’s Blue Hors Stud to temporarily pause participation in dressage competition
In a social media post, Blue Hors noted, “Danish dressage sport is in a breaking time, when horse welfare, training methods and animal ethics are up for debate. The development is taking place from a deeply serious background, and it is decisive for the future of the sport.
“The debate has started a long-awaited effort to make clearer guidelines for the ethical correct use of horses in sport. The initiative is part of the Dansk (Danish) Riding Association’s new strategy “Sammen om Hestewelfærd” (Together on Horse Welfare, an update of the guidelines for the professional and ethically correct use of horses in sport), which also focuses on better education and changed competition ratings. We support the work of the association, so that together we can create a better and clearer framework for the future — in terms of horses, riders and sport.”
The new guidelines will cover how sport horses are trained and evaluated going forward.
The decision has no impact on Blue Hors’ daily activities and stallion shows will continue March 29. The only senior rider competing on behalf of Blue Hors is Nanna Skodborg Merrald. The stud recently downsized and moved its facilities.
Explaining its decision, Blue Hors’ statement elaborated, “As long as there is so much ambiguity as to what the correct ethical use of horses is, we have temporarily chosen to pause Blue Hors’ participation in dressage events.”
The post added that in three months, the stud will “assess whether a greater common understanding of horse ethics and sporting guidelines has been achieved, or whether we should extend the break from the event further.”
A celebration of Rodney Jenkins’ life June 1 will offer a chance to reminisce about the Red Rider and meet with friends to recall what made him so special. The gathering will be held from 3-5 p.m. at the Upperville, Va., horse show grounds in the 1853 Club on the jumper side.
Rodney, considered the greatest U.S. show jumping rider of all time by many, died last December at age 80. In addition to his achievements in the show ring, Rodney went on to become a successful trainer of thoroughbred racehorses.
Rodney in action with his most famous horse, Idle Dice.
The multi-dimensional Brian Flynn, who excelled as a rider, trainer, instructor, judge, television commentator, horse show manager and announcer, died on Saturday. He was 76.
“He did everything. In our world, he touched all the bases and he hit a home run,” said Jimmy Lee, the National Show Hunter Hall of Fame president and Brian’s longtime friend, recounting how much Brian had done for the sport he loved.
As a rider, Brian was aboard national champions in 1981 and 1984. He ran numerous show, including St. Clement’s, the Pennsylvania National and the Arizona circuit.
Brian Flynn was a star competitor on the hunter circuit.
While Brian was known for his sense of humor, he had his serious side too. The native of New England, the son of top rider Alice Stuart Flynn, was active in governance of his sport since the days of the U.S. Equestrian Federation’s forerunner, the American Horse Shows Association. He, served as chairman of the AHSA’s hunter committee.
“A lot of his ideas are part of his sport right now,” said Jimmy.
“We can’t thank him enough for what he did. He was a very, very special guy.”
Brian received recognition from the sport he loved, with an induction into the National Show Hunter Hall of Fame in 2013 and receiving the New England Equitation Championships’ Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017. In 2019, he was honored with the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
He is survived by his wife, Nancy, and a daughter, Ashley Flynn Coressel.
The younger set took over in the $500,000 Bainbridge Grand Prix Saturday night at the Winter Equestrian Festival, with 24-year-old Emilie Conter of Belgium earning her first 5-star victory. Great Britain’s 25-year-old Olympic team gold medalist Harry Charles was the runner-up, edging Swedish world champion and world number one Henrik von Eckermann.
Her 5-star victory brought instant fame to Emilie Conter, and had spectators clamoring for her autograph.
“I’m super surprised I won,” confessed Emilie, who bested Harry’s jump-off time of 43.33 seconds on Sherlock with her mark of 42.43 seconds aboard Portobello van de Fruitkorf.
Harry noted he was happy with second place, explaining, “I didn’t plan on jumping Sherlock in too many of the bigger classes under the lights; he’s still quite green at night, but tonight he jumped better than I could have hoped. I thought the course builder (Alan Wade) did a great job.”
grand prix; 6645, SHERLOCK, HARRY CHARLES; Sportfot
Henrik, 44 — two decades older than his chief rivals in the class — has been working on some issues in jump-offs with King Edward. He was a bit cautious in the tiebreaker and finished clear in 43.88 seconds for third place.
“I felt I needed to go two steps backwards and get a little more confidence again in it,” noted Henrik. Whatever position he is in, he’s used to handling pressure.
“I like to go in the ring and feel the pressure. The day I don’t feel the pressure it’s time to put the hat on the shelf, because the excitement is not there when it should be. I’m just so happy I have a horse like this and try to enjoy every round I have with him.”
Emilie, who rides for her family’s Stephex stable, noted she added strides with her mare twice in the jump-off.
Emilie Conter on her way to victory before a packed house.
“I wasn’t supposed to do that,” Emilie admitted, “but she was super quick off the floor. I think to the last line I made up some time. Every week got better with the mare, so she’s maturing. I saw a really long [distance] to the last oxer and I heard Helena (Stormanns, her trainer) scream ‘go get it!’, so I took it. I didn’t think it was going to be enough to beat these other riders, but I looked up and saw that I was in first.”
Discussing her 10-year-old mare, Emilie said, “When I first started riding her, she was a bit colder, but always had massive scope. When she was younger, she was not so impressed with the small jumps but now the bigger the fences, the better she jumps.”
Emilie is ranked 79th in the world, and third in the Under 25 category.
Seven entries from a field of 41 at Wellington International were fault-free. Big things were expected from world number two, Kent Farrington of the USA on Myla, but his current winning streak ended when he had a rail at the A element of the double that was the penultimate obstacle on the first-round course. He is only 29 points behind Henrik in the world rankings, and a win in the 5-star would have helped boost his standing.
No U.S. riders were on the podium for the 5-star, where Emilie Conter was the winner, Harry Charles (left) the runner-up and Henrik von Eckermann was third.
Another top U.S. rider, McLain Ward, was back this week after a month off for a spinal injury following a fall. He also did not make the jump-off after having two rails down with his Olympic mount, Ilex, as feisty as usual, putting in a big buck after the first fence.
