Edited press release from Wellington International 

Twenty-nine elite show jumping combinations contested the $226,000 Holiday & Horses CSI4* Grand Prix sponsored by Keyflow Feeds USA on Saturday night at Wellington International. The battle for the win pitted riders from all over the world against one another but it was young professional Rene Dittmer (GER) who raced to the lead with his partner, Corsica X (Connor 48 x Corofino II). 

Heavy-hitting course designer D’Ambrosio produced another worthy challenge for the field of competitors. After the completion of the first-round only four riders advanced to the jump-off. Dittmer produced the first successful effort early in round one and carried out the same plan in the jump-off. 

“Of course, for the first round my plan was to go clear. In the jump-off, I wanted to go fast but not over do it; just fast enough to put pressure on the others,” Dittmer explained on his plan for the night.

Dittmer was the first to return as the first successful clear and he put the pedal down to gallop across the flowing jump-off course. Proving to be one to watch, Dittmer overcame the challenge with a double-clear effort that landed him across the timers in 42.32 seconds on the Mark Miness-owned entry, Corsica.  

“I’ve had Corsica for about a year-and-a-half now,” said Dittmer. “She’s been doing amazing this whole year. I’m so happy the owner, Mark Miness, let me ride her and she’s just really taking off.” 

McKayla Langmeier (USA) and Jiselle NS (Balou du Rouet x Voltaire Pref) gave it a respectable effort, crossing the timers in a clear 44.5 seconds to take second for owner Linda Langmeier. Peter Lutz (USA) and Hollerno (Baltic VDL x Ahorn), owned by Lovsta Stuteri, finished third with a clear in 44.77. 

The second to last class in the International Arena to wrap up competition for ESP Holiday & Horses was the $39,000 Dover Saddlery CSI4* 1.50m. Competition was hot with Lebanon’s Jad Dana stealing the win aboard Wyndmont’s ABC Quantum Cruise (O.B.O.S. Quality x Cruising). The pair turned and burned their way through the shortened course, clocking in at a clear 34.09 seconds. The second-best double clear time was Shane Sweetnam’s time of 35.65 seconds with Seabrook LLC’s Irandole Du Flot (Vivaldi du Seigneur x Ogano Sitte). Ireland’s Simon McCarthy rode the Rock Ridge Farms-owned Gotcha (Stakkato x Cassini I) to the third-place position with a clear 33.64.

“Grooms are extremely important and I think that if you don’t have trust in your groom, you can’t really focus on your job,” explained Dana. “If you’re doing your best and your groom isn’t, the result isn’t going to pay off. My groom [Geovanni Velasquez] has become like my family. I trust him with everything. We are very good at communicating and I don’t think it’d be possible without him."