Wilmington, OHIO – The Winter Classic 5 kicked off with ten competitive entries vying for a win in the World Equestrian Center – Wilmington $10,000 Welcome Stake 1.35m. Today’s course was designed by Anderson Lima (BRA), which featured several rollbacks and long, galloping distances. Nine pairs marked clear first rounds to advance directly to the jump-off, with only five teams jumping double-clear.
Ringing in 2022 with a Welcome Stake win was Paul Halpern and Vanessa Lee’s Esra (Bratt Z x Ulibra) of Canada. The ten-year-old AHHA mare competed beautifully today, remaining smooth, quick and careful throughout both rounds.
Halpern and Esra were first on the course and set a competitive pace which no other competitors managed to beat. The pair jumped a clear first-round in a time of 70.560 seconds, well under the time allowed of 79 seconds. Halpern and the scopey brown mare then took to the short course, galloping through the jump-off timers at a quick 36.461 seconds for the win.
Kevin McCarthy of K&K Sporthorses in Lexington, Kentucky, and his own Catch a Star HSS (Sheraton x Tolinda) delivered their usual high-speed performance, just missing the first place mark by under one second. The lovely and daring twelve-year-old Sweedish Warmblood mare gave it her all and the pair finished the first round in only 69.855 seconds. During the jump-off, the always competitive McCarthy and Catch a Star HSS stopped the clock at 37.494 seconds for a red ribbon finish.
Rounding out the top three was David Beisel of David Beisel Stables in Goshen, Ohio, and his own Vegas H (Valentino x Cobrah). This popular team delivered a clean and clear first-round finish in 72.846 seconds. During their jump-off effort, Beisel and the nine-year-old bay Warmblood gelding crossed the timers in 38.234 seconds for third place honors.
Source: World Equestrian Center
Photo: World Equestrian Center
