David O’Brien (IRL) is on his way to a winning streak after scoring his second victory in as many days in the $32,000 Freejump CSI3* Grand Prix Qualifier on Friday during the second week of the 2024 ESP Spring Series, presented by Florida Coast Equipment. The win came on 12-year-old Oldenburg stallion El Balou OLD on the grass derby field at Equestrian Village, home of the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival during the winter season.
The Spring Series at Wellington International runs for five weeks as part of the ESP Annual Series and concludes on May 12.
Mexico’s Ana Catalina “Catsy” Cruz designed the courses for 52 athletes. Clear rounds were few and far between during the first half of the class, but came like a storm near the end of the day. Twelve jumped clear in the opening round with 11 electing to jump off.
O’Brien left nothing to chance and took the win by nearly two full seconds (40.89) over Andrew Welles (USA) riding Idol H&H. Welles finished second in 42.22 seconds for owners Itasca Group & Evergreen Stables. Rounding out the podium for the second day in a row, Lebanon’s Jad Dana was third riding Caro W, owned by Peter Howard & Laure Sudreau, with a jump-off time of 42.57 seconds.
O’Brien is coming off a successful circuit with El Balou OLD (Eldorado vd Zeshoek x Balou du Rouet) with four international podiums during the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF), including leading the Irish team to victory in the CSIO4* Nations Cup, presented by Florida Coast Equipment.
“We showed four weeks during circuit and he was incredible,” said O’Brien. “He hasn’t shown since week nine. He lives to be at the show and was happy to be back in the ring. In this big, open field I can let him loose and have him really travel.”
El Balou OLD has been piloted by O’Brien since 2021, but officially joined his string at Leap Year Farm at the beginning of 2023. The former mount of Lillie Keenan (USA), El Balou OLD has proved a tricky horse to produce.
“He’s all blood and has more energy than any horse I’ve ever sat on,” said O’Brien, who admitted that he managed the stallion's energy at the start of the week by riding him the nearly four miles to the show. “He loves being here because he likes people being around him all the time. My wife, Sarah, is taking care of him this week and he’ll do anything for her.”
El Balou OLD is owned together by O’Brien and his wife, Sarah, and Keenan’s Chansonette Farm.
“He's really the reason I was able to start my own business and I’m forever grateful to the Keenan’s for trusting me with him, supporting me in the beginning and allowing me to buy a share of this horse as well,” said O’Brien. “Without them and obviously my wife, I wouldn't get all these chances. I think this horse knows he’s my number-one and that’s why he tries so hard for me.”
O’Brien and El Balou OLD will next tackle Sunday’s $140,000 Bainbridge Companies CSI3* Grand Prix. “I feel like we have a good grand prix win coming at some point; he's been close a few times and I think he has something in there that’s going to give us something special soon,” said O’Brien.
Earlier in the day on the field, Alannah Wagstaff (USA) won the $10,000 Bainbridge Companies Open Jumper Stake with Great Thing, owned by Mill Pond Farm, Inc. To close out the afternoon, Selcuk Koksalan, who hails from Wellington, FL, and rides for the country of Turkey, took a victory in the BrainJuice Junior/Amateur 1.40m aboard Flying Echo, owned by Leyla Stables.
To view full results from Friday at ESP Spring II, please click HERE.
Derby Day at Wellington International
It was derby day for professionals, juniors and amateurs in the International Arena at Wellington International on Friday. Thomas Carlson (USA) set the courses for a field of 28 in the “hunt-and-go” format class.
In the $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby, presented by Perfect Products, professional Victoria Colvin of Loxahatchee, FL, topped the field of 28 on high scores of 93 and 96. She piloted Southland, an eight-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding by Omos Quality owned by SG Equestrian, LLC.
“I've been riding him since late last year and we’ve just moved up to the 3’6”,” said Colvin. “We showed in the [WCHR] night class during WEF 6 and he was a little nervous. So, we thought it would be good for him to get back in the ring. He did wonderfully.
“This week has been really exciting for the hunters, getting to show in the International Arena,” continued Colvin. “It’s so much fun to have these [hunt-and-go] classes and even more fun to be able to get in this ring so much during the season.”
Colvin bookended the podium, also finishing third on Gabriel, owned by J T Farm, behind Colin Suquia, who took second riding Banks for owners Eurasia, Inc.
Sixteen-year-old Colvin Hall of Amelia Island, FL, collected scores of 82 and 87 to top the $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby, presented by Perfect Products, in the junior/amateur ranks. He rode Easter, a 12-year old gelding by Carpalo owned by Huntley Equestrian.
“When I was growing up, I rode my mom's horse and it was a big hunter. I rode him in a lot of lower-level derbies at smaller shows in Florida,” said Hall, a junior at St. Andrews in Boca Raton, who rides with Ken and Emily Smith at Ashland Farm.
“Easter was my equitation horse, but in the last year we made a shift to the hunters,” continued Hall. “We did WCHR week this year, but I still get really nervous every time walk in this ring. But, it worked out for me today.”
Alice Goodwin finished second behind Hall riding her own Unprecedented, and Jennifer Speisman capped the top three aboard her own High Life.
Pony hunters also had their chance at derby points in the $1,500 USHJA Pony Hunter Derby. Katherine Mercer, 13, of Wellington, FL, took top call riding Greymeadows Fear of Missing Out, owned by Sweet Oak Farm.
Continuing derby action, Allison Heidmann of Three Forks, MT, won the 2'6"/2'9" National Hunter Derby, presented by Valley Vet Supply, riding her own Clementino of Heritage Z.
Equitation riders also had the opportunity to shine in the International Arena at Wellington International with the 1st Annual ESP Spring Adult Amateur Equitation Challenge and 2nd Annual ESP Spring Equitation Challenge, both sponsored by Arion Sellier.
In the adult ranks, Amira Kettaneh of Hollis, NH, rode to the win on scores of 80 and 86 with Alice W. Maggin’s Kahmir, while Christian Dominguez, 18, of Barrington, RI, topped the juniors on scores of 88 87 and 88 aboard Talk for owner Donald Stewart.
To view a complete list of winners and champions from ESP Spring II, please click HERE.
