Wilmington, Ohio, USA – June 03, 2023 – Sixteen horse-and-athlete combinations met at sunrise Saturday morning for the $25,000 Grand Prix of Spring II at World Equestrian Center – Wilmington. Bobby Murphy (USA) set the technical tracks for the field of athletes that allowed just four pairs to advance to the jump-off. No stranger to the winner’s circle, Kady Abrahamson (USA), dominated the class with her talented mares, earning her second feature class win of the week aboard her own Any (Aljano x Nina XI).

Abrahamson, of Abrahamson Equestrian LLC in Georgetown, Kentucky, has been a force to be reckoned with at WEC Wilmington. The seasoned amateur athlete made light work of the first-round track aboard both of her expressive mares, Any and Jazil du Houssoit (Peppermill x Gerboise Du Houssoit), qualifying both for the jump-off phase.

“It’s Girl power with those two! They are like a dynamic duo,” laughed Abrahamson. “Jazil has been great. Almost every single welcome and grand prix that she has jumped in this year moving up she has been double clear. It has been fantastic to see since she is only eight and expressive in what she does. The first rider had a couple of time faults, so I knew the time was quite tight.

For Jazil du Houssoit it worked out because I went inside to the triple, so she had less time to mess around in the turn and it kept her on her toes. I brought Any after she jumped some FEI classes in Kentucky to give her an easier week before July. I know that Any is wicked fast, and I don’t want to run her off of her feet, but she is so fast in the turns and across the jumps that it makes her that much quicker.”

Returning as the final entry, Abrahamson mastered the track with her own 15-year-old Holsteiner mare, Any, and sliced each turn perfectly to gallop away in 37.058 seconds for yet another victory.

As the first to enter for the short course, Abrahamson confidently rode the eight-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare, Jazil du Houssoit, in an efficient effort that stopped the timers in 40.946 seconds to secure third place, adding another podium finish to the young horse’s growing record.

Richard Rinehart (USA) of Rinehart Farm earned his second podium finish of the week with Ron Caraway’s Vincent (Van Gogh x Nirande). The 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding never missed a beat, establishing a tidy track and forward rhythm around the jump-off course for a time of 38.044 seconds and third place.

Final Results – $25,000 Grand Prix of Spring II at World Equestrian Center

1) Kady Abrahamson (USA) & Any – 0 – 37.058

2) Richard Rinehart (USA) & Vincent – 0 – 38.044

3) Kady Abrahamson (USA) & Jazil du Houssoit  – 0 – 40.946

Source: Press Release from WEC – World Equestrian Center

Photos: © Winslow Photography

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