Jacob Pope (USA) wasn’t short of good luck charms on Sunday with his parents and barn family supporting him ringside. Highlighting the final day of Week 3 at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF), presented by NetJets, Pope topped the $62,500 Florida Coast Equipment CSI2* Grand Prix with Highway FBH, owned by Sherri Crawford. Highlighted by 12 weeks of consecutive FEI competition, WEF continues through March 30 at Wellington International in Wellington, FL.
“This is my first win at WEF,” Pope, originally from Maryland but who now bases out of Wellington and Traverse City, MI, shared. “The best I’d done before was second in a WEF Challenge Cup so it’s really special to win, especially with such a great crowd of family and supporters here.”
Among his cheering squad were his parents, his aunt, the horse’s owner, plus his group of students and barnmates who stayed to watch him top the competitive class.
“I always joke that my mom and dad are my good luck charms,” Pope shared. “I won my first grand prix on my dad’s birthday and my second grand prix they were there. Now they’re here today and I won.”
The win didn’t come easy, though, as he was one of 10 to jump clear over Peter Grant’s (CAN) course. From top young riders to Olympians alike, it could have been anyone’s win, but Pope put the pedal to the metal aboard the 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood stallion (Plot Blue x Cornet Obolensky) and claimed the win. They stopped the clock over the short course in 40.19 seconds.
Last to go over the short course was Jessica Springsteen (USA) and she barely missed Pope’s leading time by three tenths of a second to take second aboard Naomi Van Het Keizershof, owned by Stone Hill Farm. Gabriela Reutter (CHI) ended up third with Maharees Rock, owned by Lumiere Horses Inc., in 41.25 seconds.
Pope credits much of the success in Sunday’s jump-off to his training with 1986 World Champion Katie Prudent and partner Henri, which began last summer and has continued now that they are all back in Wellington together. During the course walk, Katie suggested everywhere Pope could make up time, and he went out and executed her plan.
“It’s been amazing; I’ve learned a lot,” Pope said of working with the Prudents, who are based out of Virginia when not in Wellington. “We’ve been working on turns and tidying up the end of the ring and going fast, which I think really paid off today. [Katie] puts a lot of trust and positivity in her coaching. Highway felt amazing and Katie’s plan helped it come together today.”
Pope is one of many trainers at the show that not only has a busy riding schedule but also a packed show schedule for students he trains, which means he never stops moving throughout a show day, even when he has a big class to compete in himself.
“I did have a kid in the small ponies today, as well as junior hunters and other jumper classes, and honestly keeping me going I think helps me focus,” he said of how his routine prepares him for the big moments. “If I waited around all day for one class I think I’d be nervous. I like to try to follow the plan and be as good as I can, so it’s better to keep me busy.”
Earlier on Sunday, world no 1 Henrik Von Eckermann (SWE) and Glamour Girl pulled off a hat-trick as they topped the $62,500 Hermès CSI4* 1.50m Classic—their third win in as many starts at WEF. Von Eckermann and the mare, owned by Robin Parsky’s Portfolio Horses LLC, beat out an impressive 16 jump-off contenders for top call. Laura Fetterman also presented Glamour Girl with the WEF 3 Champion Equine Insurance Jumper Style Award after the mares performance.
Mark Bluman (COL) and S&L Maracana’, owned by S & L Farms, took second place in the Hermès Classic, and Great Britain's Ben Maher was third with his Olympic mount Dallas Vegas Batilly, owned by Charlotte Rossetter and Pamela Wright.
For complete WEF 3 results, click HERE.
Action at Wellington International resumes during WEF 4, presented by MARS Equestrian, resumes Wednesday with CSI2* and CSI4* action once again, as well as the return of the Great Charity Challenge sponsored by Fidelity Investments® during ‘Saturday Night Lights’.
John Ingram and Heckfield Claim Championship in BluCreeq Spirits 3’3” Amateur-Owner 36+
John Ingram is always one to beat in the amateur-owner hunter ranks, but at the moment he’s grateful to have the ride aboard a horse he wasn’t sure he’d ever have back. On Sunday of WEF 3, Ingram and Heckfield rode to championship honors in the BluCreeq Spirits 3’3” Amateur-Owner 36+ division with a high score of 90.
“We've had Heckfield for a number of years and he actually spent about 18 months out in the field, and it seems not only has he healed up beautifully, but it's almost like it's helped his development,” Ingram, of Nashville, TN, said of the 15-year-old Holsteiner gelding who suffered an injury that sidelined him for more than a year. “He is a big horse with just a monster stride and most rings feel small to be honest. He's become really quite ridable, certainly more ridable for me. It's super enjoyable, and I’m really loving having him back.”
As impressive as Heckfield is in the ring, in the barn, the horse is more docile. “He is a big, sweet teddy bear,” said Ingram. “Jared DePermentier—who works for us—imported him. He's Jared's child and he’s a big, sweet horse.”
Stepping the horse back up through the levels, Ingram is glad to have Heckfield in the 3’3” division since he has another highly competitive 3’6” horse at the moment.
“It’s nice to have something in this division because another horse that I ride, [Pelé] was reserve this week and was champion WEF 1. I've got him and then two other really super horses waiting in the wings for the 3’6”. Things go from feast to famine, but right now I have really lovely horses and I'm going to try to take advantage of it because it can disappear about as quickly as it arrives.”
Like most hunters in Wellington, WEF 6’s World Championship Hunter RIder Week is on Ingram’s horizon, but the bigger picture for him is consistency.
“I always look forward to WCHR Week, but for me, I think consistency [is my biggest goal],” he continued. “We don't show every week but when we show, my goal is to try to be a factor. Our team—Tom Wright and Torrey Hardison, Jared and the grooms—put so much effort into it. I want to do my part and do it well and consistently well. Sometimes things work in your favor, sometimes they don't, but at the end of the day, it's really just a joy to be able to be here.”
For Ingram, it’s a pleasure to be back in Wellington, which feels like home, but he has another reason to enjoy South Florida this time around. The Nashville Soccer Club is doing their pre-season camp in Palm Beach Gardens, so when Ingram isn’t at Wellington International, he’s at the field.
“With a house and a farm, we are established here,” he said. “So it's nice to be here, and I appreciate the job that [new CEO] Murray Kessler and the team at Wellington International is trying to do at WEF.”
