Edited press release from Jump Media

Luis Fernando Larrazabal of Venezuela made his first visit to Wesley Clover Parks a winning one by scoring victory in Friday's CSI5* 1.50m $62,500 Steel-Craft Qualifier on opening day of the Major League Show Jumping in Ottawa (CAN) with Belle de Muze (Ponsee V x Lando). 

A total of 40 horse-and-rider combinations took to the grass grand prix field in the hopes of a win on Friday, August 23. Ten were clear over the track set by Olaf Petersen Jr. (GER) to qualify for the all-deciding jump-off. As the final rider to return for the jump-off, Larrazabal knew what he had to do to win riding Belle de Muze, a 14-year-old Moroccan-bred mare he owns in partnership with Driss Ngadi. 

Canadian Olympian Erynn Ballard held the lead with a time of 40.33 seconds, but Larrazabal used his mare’s footspeed to his advantage and crossed the timers in 39.68 seconds to take the win. Ballard settled for second with Fave d’Authuit (Cornet Obolensky x Kannan), a nine-year-old Selle Francais gelding owned by Ilan Ferder, while Colombia’s Mark Bluman rounded out the top three with a jump-off time of 41.11 seconds riding a new partner, Concare PS (Conthargos x Cornet Obolensky). 

“Knowing I was going last in the jump-off was a big advantage for me knowing how fast she is,” said Larrazabal, 31, who made his Olympic debut mere weeks ago in Paris, France. “I didn't see anybody before me because I didn't want to get ahead of myself. It's happened to me before and I've learned from my mistakes. I just took my time, believed in her, did my plan, and it went my way.”

Of his first trip to compete at Wesley Clover Parks, Larrazabal noted: “It's unbelievable here. The show, the people, the hospitality – everything is top, top class. It's such a nice place and it's been amazing. I love it.”