Alise Oken & Saratoga, presented as winners of the $50,000 by Ethel M. Chocolates CSI2* Grand Prix by Charlotte Rossetter, Director MARS Equestrian™. Photo © Sportfot.
Press release from Wellington International
Alise Oken, representing the host country, and Saratoga flew around the $50,000 by Ethel M. Chocolates CSI2* Grand Prix in the International Arena to close out WEF 7. Oken, and the 10-year-old Holsteiner mare (Chin Champ x Casall) owned by Hi Hopes Farm LLC, were unstoppable, finishing the speed portion of the course in a time of 38.86 seconds. The only partnership to post a time sub-40 seconds.
Second went to Chloe Reid (USA) aboard Crossover 4 clocking in at 40.79 seconds, and third place went to Canada’s Alicia Gadban-Lewis on Beneficial finishing on a time of 37.72 with one rail in hand.
Alise Oken & Saratoga, winners of the $50,000 by Ethel M. Chocolates CSI2* Grand Prix. Photo © Sportfot.
Oken and Saratoga have a relatively new partnership but growing stronger every day. “I’ve had Sara for about a year and a half now. Last year we started doing some of the bigger classes and some 1.50m’s and she’s really excelled at that level. When I first sat on her I thought she had all the scope in the world and I’ve taken my time with her and I think she will jump some of the biggest tracks, but today we also went fast which was great so I’m really happy with the results.
“She is smaller but she has a huge stride so I can actually leave out numbers in all the lines and for how small she is she actually has a very big stride so it’s very advantageous for me. Especially in the jump-off, I was able to leave out in the first line and one other line, so I think that’s where I made up the time.”
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