It looks like US based showjumper Sharn Wordley could be right about the ‘baby’ in his yard. Axel – a nine-year-old by Hickstead – stepped up to finish second in the $US60,000 Country Heir II Grand Prix in Lexington, Kentucky. It was a bright spot for Wordley, who just last month had to withdraw his top horse Derly Chin De Muze from available selection for the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. He said then that nine-year-old Axel (owned by Ashland Stables) was a horse he had high hopes for. “He’s too young for this WEG but he is definitely one for Rio (2016 Olympics).” Wordley and Axel were second to Margie Engle and her very experienced grand prix horse Indigo. Thirty started the class, with just five going through to the jump-off. Wordley was second-to-last to go, with Engle to follow. “Margie had two in the jump-off and I knew she would be much faster on Indigo,” said Wordley. “I just wanted to go fast enough to guarantee second because I knew she would always be able to go that little bit faster.” Axel placed in all five grand prix starts last season and was given a light winter, so had not competed for three-and-a-half months before this show. “I was aiming him for this class,” said Wordley. “I knew he could do well here.” It was big technical 1.5m class today, the biggest Axel has faced in his short career. “He made that track feel very easy and I had a real sensation that he could do a 1.6m easy.” Axel’s next start will be in early July in a new $US50,000 grand prix in North Carolina. Wordley is now on his way to Europe on a horse finding mission. Results Country Heir II Grand Prix: Margie Engle, Indigo 40.017 seconds 1, Sharn Wordley, Axel 43.639 seconds 2, Margie Engle, Eckham Van Het Steentje 43.845 seconds 3, Alex Granato, Mullaghdrin Rado, 4 faults, 39.436 4. © NZ Equestrian - photo: Phelps
