Lauren Hough and Ohlala (Sportfot)
Week nine, sponsored by The Bainbridge Companies, runs March 6-10, 2013. The week will feature the $300,000 FEI World Cup CSI-W 5* presented by The Bainbridge Companies on Saturday evening, and the $82,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic on Sunday afternoon. The 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival features 12 weeks of competition running from January 9-March 31, 2013, and will be awarding almost $7 million in prize money throughout the circuit.
In the feature G&C Farm 1.45m class on Friday, 63 entries showed over course designer Steve Stephens' speed track with just nine clear rounds. The fastest time of 68.03 seconds for Lauren Hough and The Ohlala Group's Ohlala was the winner. The pair edged out McLain Ward (USA) and Sagamore Farms' Rothchild with their time of 68.51 seconds. Eiken Sato (JPN) and Stephex Stables' Cita B finished third in 69.60 seconds.
Lauren Hough first began showing Ohlala, a nine-year-old Swedish Warmblood mare by Orlando x Cardento, in the young jumpers during last year's FTI WEF. The pair went on to an astounding year and amassed wins all over the world.
"She is amazing," Hough smiled. "I think last year I counted that she won over 15 ranking classes and she was best young horse at Aachen and best young horse in Hamburg. I gave her a long break after Holiday and Horses and this is her second show back and she feels great."
Commenting on her lightning-fast round, Hough detailed, "With her, you don't really count strides to be honest. She has her own rhythm. You're not going to win by leaving strides out. Once you just set her on her pace, she is allergic to wood and she makes my job really easy. She is just naturally a fast horse and she doesn't spend a lot of time in the air. I am very privileged to have a horse that I think has a really bright future."
"She enjoys winning," Hough added. "She absolutely knows now what it's about. She is a winner. She likes competing."
Ohlala will have next week off and then Hough plans to show her in the grand prix during week eleven. On future plans, Hough explained, "I am not going to put any pressure on her. I believe she can jump the biggest classes, but I am going to let her tell me when she's ready for that. She can sort of win at any level at this point. I am lucky to have such a great horse."
Also showing in the International Arena on Friday, Christine McCrea added another victory to her week with a win in the $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m jump-off class aboard Candy Tribble's Ronaldo de la Pomme. In the $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m speed class, the win went to Alexandra Paillot and her horse Regina de Chamant.
Final Results: $33,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Jumpers
1. OHLALA: 2003 Swedish Warmblood mare by Orlando x Cardento
LAUREN HOUGH (USA), The Ohlala Group: 0/68.03
2. ROTHCHILD: 2001 Belgian Sport Horse gelding by Artos x Elegant De L'Ile
MCLAIN WARD (USA), Sagamore Farms: 0/68.51
3. CITA B: 2002 Belgian Warmblood mare by Grandeur x Camus
EIKEN SATO (JPN), Stephex Stables: 0/69.60
4. PACIFIC BEACH-H.C.: 1999 Belgian Warmblood mare by Kannan x Gaur
CATHERINE PASMORE (USA), Pasmore Stables, LLC: 0/70.29
5. ZERNIKE K: 2004 KWPN gelding by Sam R x H Topas
BRIANNE GOUTAL (USA), Remarkable Farms LP: 0/71.55
6. FLAMING STAR: 1999 AES gelding by Fairman x Unknown
CHARLIE JACOBS (USA), CMJ Sporthorse LLC: 0/72.23
7. V: 2002 KWPN gelding by Landstreicher Lennard
KATIE PRUDENT (USA), Michael Smith: 0/72.88
8. BOO VAN HET KASTANJEHOF: 2001 BWP mare by Thunder van de Zuuthoeve x Pachat II
ANDREW WELLES (USA), Peter Welles: 0/73.47
9. NORLAM DES ESTISSES: 2001 Selle Francais stallion by Quidam de Revel x Uriel
EIKEN SATO (JPN), Stephex Stables: 0/76.33
10. AD VANGELYS: 2005 Belgian Sport Horse gelding by Rock Du Val Tibermont x Ksar-Sitte
FLAVIO ABREU BERNARDES (BRA), Flavio Abreu Bernardes: 1/78.76
11. BARANUS: 2003 Oldenburg gelding by Balou du Rouet x Centauer Z
IAN MILLAR (CAN), The Baranus Group: 1/80.95
12. HH WILCO: 2003 KWPN gelding by Nabab de Reve x Fedor
QUENTIN JUDGE (USA), Double H Farm: 2/84.62