Mill Spring, North Carolina, USA – May 28, 2022 – Hector Florentino Roca (DOM) and ABC Quantum Cruise smoked a field of 44 horse and rider pairs in the $75,000 Bear’s Smokehouse BBQ Grand Prix CSI 2*, serving up a winning score of 44.07 seconds.
With two of the seven horses in the jump off, Florentino Roca praised the challenging course set by Anthony d’Ambrosio (Red Hook, NY).“The course was perfect. [Anthony d’Ambrosio] is a top-class course designer. He knew the crowd he had, a lot of good riders and horses, and he made it tough enough. I know he didn’t want too many in the jump-off, so I think he was happy with the number,” said Florentino Roca.
While his teammate thankfully delivered the win, Florentino Roca was quick to explain that he is still figuring out his quick partner of less than a year.
Nearly landing first place was 15-year-old Caroline Mawhinney (USA), who placed second as the only female in the jump off aboard her own Stella Lavista, 2008 Hanoverian mare (Satisfaction FRH x Levisto), with a time of 44.96 seconds.
In third place with 46.60 seconds was Juan Carlos Garcia (ITA) and Camille Lablond’s Kaiser van het Lambroeck, the 2010 Belgian Warmblood stallion (Nabab de Reve x For Pleasure).
Florentino Roca (DOM) also placed fourth with Wyndmont’s Meadowvale Cruise, 2011 Irish Sport Horse gelding (Creevagh Ferro x Cruising).
“This is a horse I’ve got to ride since about November of last year from Wyndmont Farms. This horse is very careful and very fast. He’s a little tricky to ride, meaning he always wants to go, but I’m figuring him out. I don’t want to claim that I’ve completely figured him out because then the next time I just can’t ride him, but we’re getting along quite well. As you can see, he can win!” added Florentino Roca.
While taxing for many riders, d’Ambrosia’s tight course and a smaller ring were a benefit for Ronnie Beard and Wyndmont’s 2009 Irish Sport Horse gelding (Obos Quality x Cruising).
“The ring here is a bit smaller compared to some other rings that we showed in during the winter, and I think that was a little bit to my advantage in this case. My horse likes to go a lot, and because he didn’t have a lot of straightaways and had to make turns, that helped me keep him in control,” explained Florentino Roca.
Florentino Roca will stay at TIEC for a couple more weeks to compete and work with clients.
“I have clients coming next week and I’m hoping that they have good results, too. That’s very important to me and I’m really looking forward to that. I’m very excited for the next two weeks here. I don’t want to be greedy, but I hope they go as well as they have been,” concluded Florentino Roca.
Final Results – $75,000 Bear’s Smokehouse BBQ Grand Prix CSI 2*
1. Hector Florentino (DOM) & ABC Quantum Cruise, 2009 Irish Sport Horse gelding (Obos Quality x Cruising), Ronnie Beard and Wyndmont: 0/0/44.07
2. Caroline Mawhinney (USA) & Stella Levista, 2008 Hanoverian mare (Satisfaction FRH x Levisto), Caroline Mawhinney: 0/0/44.96
3. Juan Carlos Garcia (ITA) & Kaiser Van Het Lambroeck, 2010 Belgian Warmblood stallion (Nabab de Reve x For Pleasure) , Camille Lablond – 0 / 0 – 46.60
Source: Press Release by Michelle Yelton for TIEC – Tryon International Equestrian Center
Photos: © TIEC / Natalie Suto
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