Press release from Wellington International

Lorenzo De Luca (ITA) only just arrived in Wellington and is already a winner, taking the top call in Sunday morning’s $62,500 Hermès CSI5* 1.50m Classic aboard Denver de Talma to close out Week 5 of the Winter Equestrian Festival.

Out of 53 entries over Gregory Bodo’s (FRA) track, De Luca put in a clear round in a rather quick time to qualify for the jump-off in the Winning Round format. Close to the end of the order, he sealed the deal with the Louisburg Farm-owned Selle Français gelding (Vigo Cece x Canturo Bois Margot).

“This horse is my best horse,” De Luca said of Denver de Talma, turning 12 years old this year. “It’s definitely the best horse I’ve ridden in my entire career. I have really high hopes for him. He had a magnificent season last year.”

Though the horse has all the talent in the world to win a class like this, De Luca’s strategy wasn’t pure speed in the jump-off. 

“I didn’t want to go crazy to be honest since it’s his first show back [after Geneva], but he has such a natural big stride so I just used that stride to let him go a little bit more,” De Luca explained of how they managed to win the class. “In the first round I worked a little more on control. He felt amazing.”