Week VIII of the World Equestrian Center – Ocala NSBA Summer Series wrapped up Sunday with the $15,000 WEC Ocala 1.40m Jumper Classic. Seventeen entries vied for the win over a difficult track designed by Tucker Williams. The course presented a challenging triple combination and double combination that tested many riders throughout the class. Two entries managed a clear first round, but it was Ireland’s Darragh Kerins and Nrg Farm LLC’s Delight M-G C De Leuze that took first place.

Kerins and the 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare were the first pair to jump a clean first round.

“The track walked like a hard course,” Kerins said. “There were a few hard lines, and the triple combination was going away from the gate on a funny angle which caught quite a few people. The time was also pretty tight.”

Kerins and Delight M-G C De Leuze (Armitage x Vox Dei MG-C De Leuze) jumped the first round effortlessly. The talented mare was jumping to the top of the standards not coming close to hitting a single rail. The pair cantered through the finish stopping the clock at 75.400 seconds.

“She is a spectacular jumper and gives 100 precent every time she steps into the ring,” Kerins explained.

Kerins wanted to keep the jump-off smooth.

“There was an inside turn back to the double combination, but at that stage I was the only clear round, so I didn’t want to take a chance and I went around,” he explained. “Thankfully, Sharn went around, and my time was just a bit quicker.”

Kerins and the scopey mare advanced straight to the jump-off, rolling through the course on a nice steady gallop, easily leaving all the rails up to stop the clock at 42.384 seconds.

Just behind Kerins and Delight M-G C De Leuze were New Zealand’s Sharn Wordley and his own Mick Jagger (Chacco-Blue x Acentora). Wordley and the 13-year-old Hanoverian gelding were the only other entry to jump a clear first round without any faults. Wordley and Mick Jagger delivered a smooth first round stopping the clock at 74.181 seconds. The pair advanced straight to the jump-off rolling through the course to stop the clock at 42.483 seconds, just one hundredth of a second behind Kerins and Delight M-G C De Leuze.

Rounding out the top three in today’s $15,000 WEC Ocala 1.40m Jumper Classic were Alejo Maddalena and Inversur3, LLC’s Puertas Larcelo. Maddalena and the ten-year-old Silla Argentina gelding delivered a smooth first round leaving all rails up to stop the clock at 84.674 seconds with a time allowed of 83 seconds, to unfortunately earn the pair two time faults.

$15,000 WEC Ocala 1.40m Jumper Classic Results:  

1. Delight M-G C De Leuze, Darragh Kerins, Nrg Farm LLC: 0 | 0 | 42.384
2. Mick Jagger, Sharn Wordley, Sharn Wordley: 0 | 0 | 42.483
3. Puertas Larcelo, Alejo Maddalena, Inversur3, LLC: 2 | 84.674
4. Doloris, Santiago Lambre, Santiago Lambre: 4 | 75.721
5. Malbec, Luis Pedro Biraben, La Cuardra Stables, LLC: 4 | 76.535
6. Ever Star Du Cadran, Pablo Barrios, Clotilde Lewis: 4 | 77.137
7. MTM Pablo, Dorothy Douglas, Davenport Farms: 4 | 77.427
8. MTM Peanut, Tracy Fenney, MTM Farm: 4 | 77.458
9. Verdini D’Houtveld Z, Lauren Balcomb, Lauren Balcomb: 4 | 78.142
10. Chapeau PS Z, Luis Pedro Biraben, Luis Pedro Biraben: 8 | 78.993