World no. 1 Henrik Von Eckermann (SWE) and Glamour Girl are leaning on their experience together and proving to be unstoppable in Adequan® WEF Challenge Cup action, topping the $62,500 Adequan® CSI4* WEF Challenge Cup Round 3 yet again during Week 3 of the Winter Equestrian Festival. Highlighted by 12 weeks of consecutive FEI competition, WEF continues through March 30 at Wellington International in Wellington, FL.
The duo captured the second edition of the class on the grass derby field during WEF 2 before moving to the sand surface of the International Arena proved to be no problem for Glamour Girl, owned by Robin Parsky’s Portfolio Horses.
“She enjoys Florida,” Von Eckermann said of the 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare (VDL Zirocco Blue x Caletto I). “Two starts, two wins. When she’s in a mood like this she’s very hard to beat. She's a quick horse naturally."
Just like their most recent win, Von Eckermann had the last spot in the draw, but this time it was a result of having the top performance in the first round over Peter Grant’s (CAN) track. The class was run in a winning round format, with the top 12 returning for the jump-off. Among other Olympians including USA’s Kent Farrington, Ireland’s Darragh Kenny and Egyptian Nayel Nassar, Von Eckermann had the fastest clear round, earning him the opportunity to jump off last.
“There was a bit of competition today; Kent was fast and Nayel too, so I had a good draw from the fastest time in the first round,” he remarked of the caliber of the jump-off and what he was up against. “I could go in last and knew again what I had to do. They’re definitely making me work for it. You had to be really quick today.”
By a nose, Von Eckermann stopped the clock over the short course in 36.13 seconds to pip Farrington’s leading time of 36.18 seconds aboard Myla, owned by Haity McNerney. Nassar was third in 36.92 seconds with ESI Ali, owned by Evergate Stables.
The Swedish World Champion watched the entire jump-off so he could identify places to be quick. “All of them didn’t get a really good shot to the last [fence],” he explained of what he observed. “They all had to wait a little to the last and I knew when I walked it I could go for that last one and hopefully that would be enough.”
Von Eckermann can’t deny the feeling on Glamour Girl is a sensational one, especially when she’s in winning form. “She’s 14 years old and she's so experienced,” he continued. “You feel that experience. She knows exactly when the bell goes and we get going. I trust her, she trusts me, and she is a little winner.”
Owner Robin Parsky was on the sidelines very happy with the performance on Thursday. “I’m very happy because Robin is the one who makes it possible for me to be here in Florida,” Von Eckermann reflected. “It’s something I couldn’t do alone. I’m glad to give something back.”
As the cold and wet weather moves out of Florida, Von Eckermann’s wife and son will come visit and enjoy a break from the cold in Europe. But before they arrive he has a performance to put forth in the $215,000 NetJets CSI4* Grand Prix on Saturday night, where he’ll mix up his string.
“Glamour Girl will not jump the grand prix; she will hopefully jump the Sunday [Hermès] 1.50m class and King Edward will jump the [NetJets] Grand Prix,” he said of the tentative plan for the weekend’s ‘Saturday night Lights’. “King Edward feels great, I have to say. He’s a horse that—on a big field like this—feels amazing. He has a big stride and you can use that stride. I'm looking forward to Saturday. He jumped very well in the 1.45m the other day; he’s fresh and feels well so I hope for a good night.”
In her first FEI start, Alannah Wagstaff (USA) and Great Thing, owned by Mill Pond Farm, topped the Florida Coast Equipment CSI2* 1.45m later in the afternoon on Thursday with a time of 65.06 seconds in the single speed round. Conor O'Regan (IRL) and Carmen de Bonnieres, owned by Ericka Houlihan, took second while Rachel Proudley (GBR) captured third with Petitfour VD Wareslage.
Hunter stake action concluded in the Green Hunters Thursday as well, with Kaiden, owned by Little Brook LLC, and John French topping the Equine Tack & Nutritionals 3’6” & 3’9” Green Hunter Stake with a score of 87. Starboy, owned by Sarah Hogan, and Lainie Wimberly won the Antarès Sellier 3’3” Green Hunter Stake with a score of 86, and Replica, owned by Kristen Baran, won the Almased 3’ Green Hunter Stake with Geoffrey Hesslink aboard, earning a score of 90.
