Lauren Hough and Ohlala (©ManciniPhotos)
The Holiday and Horses show continues through December 2 and is rated CSI 2*-W, Jumper 5*, and "AA". The $33,000 G&C Farm 1.45m class is featured on Friday, and the $50,000 Holiday and Horses Grand Prix, a FEI World Cup qualifier, will be held on Saturday evening. Thursday's, Friday's, and Saturday's highlight classes count toward ROLEX FEI World Ranking points. The feature class on Sunday is the $20,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby.
There were 49 entries in Thursday's grand prix, and five of them were able to find the clear path over Anthony D'Ambrosio's course to continue on to the jump-off.
Lauren Hough (USA) and Ohlala, an eight-year-old Swedish Warmblood mare by Orlando x Cardento, were the pathfinders in the first round and were able to put down a smooth, quick round in the jump-off and post a winning time of 40.97 seconds. More importantly, they kept all of the jumps up.
The other four riders in the jump-off would have the first part of the combination down. When asked about her approach to the bogey jump, Hough said, "It just sort of showed up for me and she is so good now in jump-offs. She kind of catches on and knows exactly where she is going. She really makes my job quite easy, so it is a pleasure to have her and ride her."
Regarding the first round course, Hough described, "Anthony was clever, because it wasn't overly big. I thought it was very fair, but there were a couple of places where it caught people. On my other horse Quick Study, I had the fifth jump down, the white oxer, and then I sat and watched the class and saw at least another dozen knock that jump down. It just sort of lured you into it. It wasn't trappy, nobody got into trouble, but there were rails throughout. I thought five clear was a lovely number. It turned out well for me."
Catherine Pasmore (USA) and Vandavid, owned by Pasmore Stables LLC, were next in. They posted a slower time of 43.20 seconds but had the "a" obstacle the double combination down for four faults. They would finish in third place.
Shane Sweetnam (IRL) and Spy Coast Farm LLC's Diktator van de Boslandhoeve had trouble at the double combination as well, pulling two rails there and then another at fence 9 for 12 faults in 50.14 seconds. They placed fifth. Riding Michael Meller's Waterloo, Schuyler Riley (USA) placed fourth. They had eight faults in 47.53 seconds.
The final combination in the jump-off, Paulo Santana (BRA) and Taloubet, were very fast in 39.91 seconds, but a rail in the middle of the course left them with four faults and second place.
Sixth place went to Audrey Coulter (USA) and Victory DA, owned by Copernicus Stables LLC. They had one time fault in the first round with a time of 80.37 seconds.
Hough and Ohlala began their partnership a year ago and started in the 7&8 Year Old Young Jumper classes at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival. They won the Youngster Cup Final at the prestigious Aachen CHIO in Germany, and went on to win another five FEI ROLEX ranking classes at shows like Norten-Hardenberg, Valkenswaard, Washington International, Alltech National Horse Show, and the Royal Winter Fair.
"I haven't actually added up the number of classes that she has won this year, but I'm quite certain it is over 15," Hough noted.
Hough has never had a young horse that has won so much. "I am really just so excited about her. I can't say she is going to go to the Olympics tomorrow, but I wouldn't be surprised if she did. She really is that character and whatever you tell her to do, she just goes, 'Okay now what?' She is just a winner and no matter what level she is going to be at, she is invaluable to have in your string because winning blue ribbons makes us all better," she pointed out.
While Hough said she is "a tiny horse," she has never measured her. Size doesn't seem to matter to the diminutive mare, and heart and speed keep her in the winner's circle. "She is very fast," Hough agreed. "I have never put a stick on her because I don't really want to know how big she is, but she's tiny. Her stride isn't very big, but she is just so catty. I am very lucky."
Along with natural talent, Hough said her simplicity under saddle helps too. "She is just easy. She is a pleasure. She definitely has blood; she is a mare, she is feisty, but that is what makes her so good. She goes in a leather bit. I have to say, in the middle of this year I was lucky enough to put a syndicate together to buy out the investors, so I own half together with a wonderful group of people who are so supportive. I am so grateful to be able to keep her for the future," Hough expressed.
Thursday's class was sponsored by Horse Gym USA. Representative Jill Townsend said, "Four of the five riders in today's jump-off own Horse Gyms," a great testimony to the brand.
The Holiday and Horses Show continues tomorrow with the $33,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Jumper class.
For the prize list and more information on ESP's Holiday & Horses competition, please visit www.equestriansport.com. For full results, go to www.showgroundslive.com.
Final Results: $33,000 Holiday and Horses Opener Grand Prix presented by Horse Gym USA
1 OHLALA: 2008 SWB mare by Orlando
LAUREN HOUGH (USA), LAUREN HOUGH: 0/0/40.97
2 TALOUBET: 2000 KWPN gelding by Baloubet du Rouet
PAULO SANTANA (BRA), PAULO SANTANA: 0/4/39.91
3 VANDAVID: 2002 KWPN gelding by Madison
CATHERINE PASMORE (USA), PASMORE STABLES LLC: 0/4/43.20
4 WATERLOO: 2003 KWPN gelding by Heartbreaker
SCHUYLER RILEY (USA), MICHAEL MELLER: 0/8/47.53
5 DIKTATOR VAN DE BOSLANDHOEVE: 2003 BWP stallion by Thunder van de Zuuthoeve
SHANE SWEETNAM (IRL), SPY COAST FARM LLC: 0/12/50.14
6 VICTORY DA: 1998 BWP mare by Clinton
AUDREY COULTER (USA), COPERNICUS STABLES LLC: 1/80.37
7 WHISPER H.E.: 2003 KWPN gelding
SAMUEL PAROT (CHI), SAMUEL PAROT: 4/76.22
8 EVERLYCHIN DE LA POMME: 2004 BWP mare by Malito de Reves
SHANE SWEETNAM (IRL), SPY COAST FARM LLC: 4/76.37
9 VADETTA VH METTENHOF: 2002 KWPN mare by Orame
NICOLA PHILIPPAERTS (BEL), PHILIPPAERTS STAL LENSENS: 4/76.95
10 G&C FLASH: 2002 Hanoverian gelding by Forrester
LUIS LARRAZABAL (VEN), GUSTAVO MIRABAL: 4/77.15
11 NOUGAT DU VALLET: 2002 Selle Francais gelding by Scherif D'Elle
KATHERINE DINAN (USA), GRAND ROAD PARTNERS LLC: 4/77.43
12 URAGUAY: 2001 KWPN gelding by Nairobi
MARIO DESLAURIERS (USA), LEGACY STABLES LLC: 4/77.76