Gabriele Ceola, Maurico Huesca, Pedro Mateos and Will Simpson all Shine in FEI Competition

International Flair at the Showpark Racing Festival CSI2*

Will Simpson aboard Chacco P

July 26, 2019 – Del Mar, CA – FEI CSI 2* competition at the Showpark Racing Festival welcomed a large group of international riders, representing fourteen nations, to compete in the Blenheim EquiSports Bronze and Silver Tours. Anderson Lima (BRA) is designing the tracks for the week of show jumping on the grass grand prix field at the Del Mar Horse Park.

The Power & Speed Competition
On Wednesday afternoon the Power & Speed classes for both Tours kicked off the week. After the forty-one competitors had completed the course, an international trio dominated the top three spots in the Bronze Tour Power & Speed. It was the Italian anthem that played for Gabriele Ceola who rode his own ten-year-old La Silla mare, Rihanna LS, to the win, completing the speed phase clean in 28.55 seconds.

Second to Ceola was Mexican rider Mauricio Huesca and his own twelve-year-old KWPN mare Charisma R, who finished just a tenth of a second slower, clean in 28.62. Rounding out the top three was Eric Navet (FRA) and Cyrano VDV Z, the ten-year-old Zangersheide stallion, owned by Signe Ostby, who crossed the timers in 29.83 seconds.

Gabriele Ceola and La Silla with Melissa Brandes of Blenheim EquiSports

In the Silver Tour, out of a field of forty-four horse and rider combinations, Pedro Mateos (MEX) came out on top with Arcange de L’arc, the nine-year-old Selle Francais gelding owned by Gerardo Pasquel. Mateos provided a double-clear performance, crossing the timers in 25.77 seconds in the second phase of the power and speed competition.

The second and third place ribbons went to Karl Cook (USA). He rode Fecybelle, the nine-year-old KWPN mare owned by Signe Ostby, through the timers in 26.89s, just over a second behind Mateos. Cook also provided a double-clear performance on his other mount, E’special P.S., the ten-year-old KWPN mare also owned by Signe Ostby, in a time of 27.25s, just fractions of a second behind the winning pace.

Pedro Mateos and Arcange de L’arc

The Speed Stake Events
FEI Competition carried on into Thursday afternoon with the Silver and Bronze Tour Speed Stakes, where thirty-nine and fifty-seven competitors took to the field, respectively.

The Bronze Tour Speed Stake was a close race, and it was Huesca who set the unbeatable time with Charisma R. Seventh to go in the order, Huesca’s forward gallop and tight turns lead to a time of 59.67 seconds and ultimately the victory.

Haley Schwab (USA) and Dome Van Overis Z, the nine-year-old Zangerheide gelding owned HH Stables LLC, came close to catching Huesca, crossing through the timers in 59.80, a little more than a hundredth of a second slower. Schwab relegated Cook and Menelik, a nine-year old Westphalian stallion owned by Signe Ostby, to the third spot when she narrowly beat his time of 59.86 seconds.

Mauricio Huesca leads the victory gallop with Charisma R

Gold medalist Will Simpson (USA) rode his own ten-year-old Mecklenburg gelding, Chacco P, to the top spot in the Silver Tour by over a second. Eleventh to go in the order, the pair laid down an unbeatable time of 62.42 seconds. No strangers to the winner’s circle, Simpson knows his mount well. “Chacco will jump anything that you put in front of him, and he’s naturally a very fast and strong horse, so when I cross the timers I know I won’t have a problem with time allowed.”

Rails plagued many of the riders who tried to catch Simpson’s time. E’special P.S. and Cook once again claimed the second spot, finishing clean in 63.22s, close but not close enough to the winning time. Rounding out the podium, Nicolas Pizarro (MEX) rode his own nine-year-old KWPN gelding, Fabrice DN, to the third-place ribbon, providing a clear round in a time of 64.11 seconds.

Will Simpson aboard Chacco P with Melissa Brandes of Blenheim EquiSports

Watch interviews with all four winning riders (below)

FEI competitors return on Saturday for the $10,000 1.35m Bronze Tour Grand Prix and the $35,500 1.45m Silver Tour Grand Prix Longines Ranking Class. The Bronze and SIlver FEI CSI2* Tours continue at next week’s Showpark August Festival.

Photos by Captured Moments Photography

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Blenheim EquiSports, an equestrian event management company based in San Juan Capistrano, CA, produces events in three locations: San Juan Capistrano, Del Mar and Las Vegas, NV. The events include 19 USEF “Premier” rated hunter-jumper shows featuring five FEI CSI events, including a Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ North American League event; the Markel Insurance 1.45m Jumper Series & Final, Developing Jumper Qualifiers & Championships, USHJA International & National Hunter Derbies, Pony Derby Finals, the Whitethorne Equitation Challenge, Medal Finals and more.