Petronella Andersson and Odina Van Klapscheut, winners of the $78,000 CaptiveOne Advisors CSI4* 1.50m Classic. Photo © Sportfot.
Press release from Wellington International
Sweden’s Petronella Andersson and Odina Van Klapscheut claimed a Week 10 win at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) on Sunday in the $78,000 CaptiveOne Advisors CSI4* 1.50m Classic. A solid and challenging track designed by Andy Christiansen Jr. drew in a competitive field of fifty-eight horse-and-rider combinations.
Ultimately, eleven pairs advanced to the jump-off with the winning time of 37.21 seconds going to Andersson and the Stephex Stables owned Odina Van Klapscheut, a 2014 Belgian Warmblood mare (I Am Moerhoeve's Star x Landor S). Second place went to Shane Sweetnam (IRL) and Holliewood coming in at 39.28 seconds and third went to Lillie Keenan (USA) aboard Chili Pepper HMZ clocking in at 41.22.
Andersson’s plan of execution certainly paid off considering they shaved off two seconds in the jump-off, landing them with a win. “This horse is only nine and this is her first time in America jumping this height, so the first round I was just looking for a clear and though she was feisty. I was very happy with her."
Petronella Andersson and Odina Van Klapscheut presented as winners of the $78,000 CaptiveOne Advisors CSI4* 1.50m Classic by Olga Harstock. Photo © Sportfot.
“I knew she could be very quick in the jump-off, but you never know with a competitive class like this,” said Andersson, who has been relying on the ringside help of four-time U.S. Olympian Beezie Madden this season. “We made a plan and it certainly worked out today.”
According to Andersson, there wasn’t one specific place the mare made up some time, but rather, “It’s never about how many strides you do because she’s such a quick mover, it’s more about finding a great pace where you don’t need to slow her down. I think we had quite a fluid jump-off and we probably made up some time a little bit everywhere because I never had to add or leave out.”
This cracker of a mare came into Andersson’s string as a seven-year-old. “She’s turning nine this year and she’s always been a great horse. The Belgian Championships was her first show with me which she also won, so expectations have always been quite high with this mare. It was a wonderful feeling today for my team to have this win.”
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