Erynn Ballard and Bettina des Celtes Keep the Streak Going with $37,000 Power & Speed Stake CSI 3* Win

By Sarah Madden for TIEC

June 2, 2021 – Erynn Ballard (CAN) and Bettina des Celtes dominated Wednesday’s $37,000 Power & Speed Stake CSI 3* at TIEC, navigating the speed phase of the Anthony D’Ambrosio (USA) course design in a time of 24.373 seconds. In reserve, Ashlee Bond (ISR) and Boheme de Fleyres, the 2011 Selle Francais mare (Vargas de STE Hermelle x Easy Boy) she owns in partnership with Little Valley Farms, cleared the course in 25.879 seconds, while third place went to Rowan Willis (AUS) and Wellington Grey Goose, his own 2011 British-bred mare, after their 25.893-second performance over the speed test.

Ballard and the 2011 Selle Francais mare (New Boy de Logerie x Cumano) owned by Ilan Ferder were one of 36 entries to challenge the power component of the course, with 22 pairs continuing on to the speed phase. Ballard, who now has six wins under her belt and one podium finish in her last seven outings at TIEC, was able to watch most of the class and noticed that the course offered minimal opportunities to trim the number of strides between fences, but that by taking a longer route in one turn, she could set herself up to be tighter to the liverpool.

“Today was a really interesting class,” she recapped. “I actually got to sit and watch a lot. There wasn’t a huge opportunity to do more or less strides than everybody else. It stayed very close. The first jump in the speed portion was the green vertical at the end of the combination and everybody was going inside [to the liverpool] afterwards. I really felt that the inside turn put you on the outside [track] to get back to the liverpool.

“They were doing seven or eight [strides] and I said to Ilan [Ferder], ‘I really believe I can still do eight to the end jump, but get there in a better way, and I can be much faster to the liverpool.’ So I did seven to the Liverpool.” Ballard revealed that her later position in the order of go was helpful in securing the win, as well. “I was lucky enough that I went late, so nobody really picked up on that. Today I think it was a class that the strides really played a big role, because it was so close. To be able to leave out a stride like that to that particular jump, I think gave me an edge.”

Matt Williams and FR Yandoo Pennsylvania Win $2,000 Power & Speed Stake CSI 3*

By John Madden for TIEC

June 2, 2021 — Matt Williams (AUS) competed in the irons with FR Yandoo Pennsylvania, his own 2012 Australian-bred mare owned in partnership with Brigio Williams, winning the $2,000 Power & Speed Stake CSI 3* with a speed phase time of 29.744 seconds. In reserve, Daniel Pedraza (MEX) and Santa Rosa Yalta, the 2012 Mexican Sport Horse mare owned by Proyectos Agricolas sa de CV, stopped the timers in 30.648 seconds, while Rachel Lindsey (USA) claimed third on a speed phase time of 32.28 with Comander 16, her own 2011 Oldenburg gelding (Coup de Coeur x Lupicor). Thirty entries navigated the power phase of the track set by Anthony D’Ambrosio (USA) with 17 horse-and-rider pairs continuing on to the speed phase of the course.

For full results from the $37,000 Power & Speed Stake CSI 3*, click here. 

For full results from the $2,000 Power & Speed Stake CSI 3*, click here.