Wilmington, Ohio – February 10, 2024 – The ladies stole the show in the $30,000 Grand Prix of World Equestrian Center – Wilmington Winter Classic 9, with Devin Milan (USA) scoring her second featured win of the week with Garo Kazan’s Conquest (Colestus x Excellenta C).

Anderson Lima (BRA) set a welcoming first round track seeing five horse-and-athlete combinations move onto the short course, with only Milan and Nicole Loochtan (USA) posting double clear efforts.

Milan shared her thoughts on the track, “When I walked, I was happy to see that the first jump was an oxer. Sometimes when it is a vertical, my horse can get a little bit flat, and I have had that rail down in the past. It was nice to practice going forward in the turn and the first line rode nicely in nine strides. I focused on each element as their own, like I did in the welcome.”

With occasional four-faults in the triple combinations, Milan was pleased with Conquest’s efforts today, “I was forward coming through the turn to the triple combination, and he jumped really nicely over the vertical-vertical out. In the summer, I was having the out of the triples down and he was really careful there today.”

Returning for the short-course, Milan set an uncatchable pace in 36.574 seconds with the nine-year-old Zangersheide gelding.

“In the jump-off, I went in to win it! I jumped fence one on an angle and really leaned back for the second vertical. I walked the first line in eight and landed and kind of did seven and a half. My horse was really careful and helped me out there,” Milan chuckled.

Winner of the Futures Prix, Nicole Loochtan (USA) returned with her winningest 10-year-old Belgian Sport Horse stallion, It’s Me du Bosquetiau (Dayton Sitte x Mirette Du Bosquetiau) to try to beat Milan’s time but fell just shy in 37.446 seconds for second place.

The final duo to jump, Charlotte Clark (USA) and her 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare, Kinsella (Capitalist x Jerpoint Mist), were quick and tidy around the track, with four-faults in 37.063 seconds to round out the top three.

Final Results – $30,000 Grand Prix

1) Devin Milan (USA) & Conquest, Garo Kazan | 0 | 36.574

2) Nicole Loochtan (USA) & It’s Me du Bosquetiau, Nicole Loochtan | 0 | 37.446

3) Charlotte Clark (USA) & Kinsella, Charlotte Clark | 4 | 37.063

4) Jessica Phoenix (USA) & Freedom GS, Jessica Phoenix | 4 | 39.96

5) Wilhelm Genn (USA) & Quincidence, Wilhelm Genn | 4 | 42.277

6) Lani Hutchison (USA) & Duc De Jentiere, Lani Hutchison | 4 | 71.941

7) Michael Janson (USA) & Aruba Van’t Eigenlo Z, Kimberly Janson | 4 | 73.081

8) Lyriss Jaegar (USA) & Fortysix & 2, Lyriss Jagaer | 8 | 75.575

9) Jessica Phoenix (USA) & Watson GS, Jessica Phoenix | 12 | 75.618

10) Lauren McGuire (USA) & Reykjavik 18, Rachel Kane | 16 | 78.746

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