Press release from Wellington International

The Wellington Equestrian Realty CSI3* 1.45m highlighted opening day on the derby field with a win for 18-year-old Tom Wachman and Lazzaro Delle Schiave, a 14-year-old Italian Sport Horse gelding (Acodetto 2 x Gluecksgriff) owned by Coolmore Showjumping.

Wachman stood atop an all Irish podium with Darragh Kenny and Vancouver Dreams taking second and Conor O’Regan rounding out the top three on Mendini DR. From a field of 37, Wachman was lighting fast over the speed portion of the two-phase class to pip Kenny by only two tenths of a second.

“My focus was a clear in the first round and then get him a bit relaxed because the second round suited me,” said Wachman who was the youngest athlete in the field. “I was quite tight back to the first one of the second phase and then I could leave out strides because he’s big-strided and scopey. He can stand off the fences and he actually jumps better on the grass; you can really dare him at the fences.”

Kenny was last to jump and a fierce competitor to have chasing you. Of the pressure, Wachman noted, “I was a bit nervous because Darragh was very close to me, so I was very happy that I just beat him out.

“You can learn so much even just watching the warm-up [here in Wellington],” claimed Wachman in response to the depth of Thursday’s field that brought forth some of the top riders in the world. “It's great to have that opportunity here.”

Wachman is now focused on the CaptiveOne Advisors 1.50m on Saturday with Lazzaro Delle Schiave.