German Camargo and his own Centurion fly over an oxer on their way to the win in the $35,000 UlcerGard Grand Prix Saturday night in the Olympic Arena (Flashpoint Photography)
Daniel Geitner of Aiken, South Carolina was first to go in the irons of Kenwood, owned by the Kenwood Syndicate. While the pair beat the 91 seconds time allowed in their time of 86.999 seconds, their 8 jump faults would not advance them to the jump off. Derek Peterson of Archer, Florida was next to go in the irons of his first of two mounts, Catchafire. With four jump faults at fence four and a time of 82.245 seconds, they would finish in fifth place overall. Werner 61, owned by Westwind Equestrian Training Center and ridden by Haley Gassel of Lenoir City, Tennessee was next to go but also picked up four faults at fence four and another four at fence 11. Their eight faults and time of 85.694 seconds would see them finish in twelfth place overall.
Gemma Paternoster and Julia Harrison-Lee's Osiris were next to go. The pair took their time in an effort to go fault-free, but suffered a heartbreak at the last fence and time faults resulting in 10 overall faults in a time of 96.174 seconds.
Ian Silitch of Ocala, Florida was next up in the irons of Cordovo, owned by Gaston Family Investments, LLC. Their time of 88.620 seconds and four jump faults would see them finish in tenth overall.
Zidoctro, owned and ridden by Jenna Friedman was next to go and after posting four jump faults in a time of 84.614 second, would finish in seventh place overall.
There was still not a clear round. Until Jordan Coyne from New Port Ritchey, Florida entered the ring on her own Lazaro. The pair took no prisoners as they galloped through the timers fault-free with a time of 84.986 seconds. Finally, a clean round!
International Hunter Derby winner Harold Chopping of Southern Pines, North Carolina was next to go aboard Kendra Bullington's Basje. The pair finished with a total of eight jump faults and a time of 87.182 seconds.
Penny Brennan of Buhl, FL and her own Sun Tzu were next up and finished with 8 jump faults and a time of 88.258 seconds.
Quite Dark 2, owned by Westwind Equine Training Center and ridden by Haley Gassel of Lenoir City, Tennessee was next up and turned in an eight fault effort in a time of 86.497 seconds.
Jared Peterson of Archer, Florida was next to go in the irons of his father's Titus 2:11. But after turning in a four fault effort in a time of 80.827 seconds, the pair would finish in fourth place overall.
David Blake of Parkland, Florida followed Peterson in the irons of Pine Hollow Farm's Doma Sue. With four faults at fence 9 and a time of 85.960 seconds, Blake and Doma Sue would finish in eighth overall.
It looked like there may not be a jump off, but then German Camargo of Loxahatchee, Florida entered the ring riding his own Centurio. The pair's fault free round in a time of 81.578 seconds gave the crowd the jump off they wanted!
Five horse and rider teams followed and none went clean.
Esparaza revamped the course for the jump off and set the time to beat at 67 seconds. Coyne and Lazaro were first to go and the crowd was on the edge of their seats. The team tackled the course in a fast time of 44.708 seconds, but with four jump faults, left the win on the table for Camargo and Centurio. When Carmago galloped passed the timers, the scoreboard announced a fault free round in a time of 53.024 seconds.
"It was a tough course, a really technical course, but with Jordan having dropped a rail, I was able to take my time a bit to make sure we'd go clean," he said.
"I got him 4 years ago as a four year old in Europe. This is one of his first grand prix. He is a strong horse and he jumps really well," said Camargo. Originally from Columbia, Camargo has been in the Wellington area for fourteen years. He travels to the shows with his family and his wife and son are always ringside to lend a hand. "I don't have a groom," he said, "My family helps me."
"I have other horses and customers, etc. One of the reasons I came here is because of the ring," he said. "And, the weather here has been great-it is so hot in Wellington."
The final results had Camargo winning with Centurion, Coyne was second with Lazaro, Silitch rode Vanita, owned by Gaston Family Investments, LLC to a third place finish with a fast, four fault round in 79.098 seconds. Click here for full results.