Press release from Wellington International, edited by World of Showjumping

Chloe Reid (USA) and longtime partner Crossover 4 were the only combination to jump double-clear for a win in Friday’s $62,500 JTWG, Inc. CSI3* Grand Prix qualifier on the grass derby field during Week 3 of the Wellington International Spring Series, presented by Florida Coast Equipment.

The Spring Series spans five weeks and runs through May 10, featuring hunter, jumper and equitation competition at Wellington International, home of the famed Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). 

Reid and the 13-year-old Hanoverian Cascadello x Chacco-Blue gelding cracked the code on Oscar Soberon’s (USA) jump-off track from a jump-off field of 11. After three elected to save their horses for Sunday’s $120,000 Palm Beach County Sports Commission CSI3* Grand Prix, Reid bested eight challengers. As the first to return, she stuck to her plan, didn’t take any unnecessary risks, and broke the timer beam at 43.94 seconds.

“I think it was a bigger course than we had last week, but very fair—it rode more careful than I think a lot of people would have thought,” said Reid, 30, of the tie-breaking round. “It’s easy on this field to get a big gallop and get going, and a lot of people did eight strides from [jump] two to three, but I decided to stay with my original first round nine and made sure to jump clear. [Crossover] comes back very easily, which helped in the six strides heading to the oxer [at fence four], where a lot of people were still slowing down and lost momentum there.”

With the time in hand (41.62 seconds), Olivia Sweetnam (USA) and Epic, an 11-year-old Billy Mexico x Electro gelding, but a rail came at the oxer Reid spoke about. The 18-year-old settled the runner-up for owners Monika Preston and Sweet Oak Farm. Ireland’s Dylan Daly riding Cinderella Z, a 16-year-old Chacco-Blue x Julio Mariner XX daughter, also had Reid beat on the clock, but also had a rail on the floor at the number four oxer to finish third for owner Double C Stables.

With a three-star win on Chelsea 179 (Cador x Laudabilis) during Spring 2, Reid thrives on the grass at Wellington International, saying, “I think there needs to be more grass shows in America. I always save my horses for these weeks, because it’s special to come out here. It feels like we’re in a completely different venue, and my horses love it.

“He has a lot of character,” continued Reid of Crossover, a horse she’s had in her string since 2019. “He loves his job and loves a big grass ring. I know him so well, so it’s fun to go out there and gallop as fast as we can.”

Reid and Crossover 4 will now focus on Sunday’s Palm Beach County Sports Commission CSI3* Grand Prix.