Press release from Wellington International 

Grace Debney (GBR) snagged her biggest win of the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) season, piloting Jesprit H.S, owned by Temple Equestrian LLC, to the win the $62,500 Buckeye Nutrition CSI2* Grand Prix on Sunday of WEF 7. Together the duo topped a field of 45 entries and 13 clear efforts to claim the top spot.

“She’s special in a lot of ways,” Debney said of the 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare (Eldorado VD Zeshoek x Carosso VDL), who she’s had since the mare was eight. “She’s obviously an amazing horse but she’s also the favorite in the barn, she has a huge personality, and she’s just got a lot going on. She either hates you or loves you so I’m happy to say she loves me.”

Their admiration for each other was apparent Sunday when they pulled out all the stops come jump-off time. Debney was second to last to return, and knew the task at hand wouldn’t be easy. She made an initial plan for her jump-off, but switched gears because of how fast the other riders were going.

“I watched the first really good ones go and I was like, ‘Uh oh. I have no choice. I had to leave out. I had to get it done.”

She removed strides from several lines and took risks everywhere, even slicing on her way into the double combination. Ultimately, the risk paid off because her time was fast enough to put her on top and keep her there.

She pushed WEF 4 Grand Prix winner Jacob Pope (USA) into second place aboard Highway FBH (Plot Blue x Cornet Obolensky), owned by Sherri Crawford, and Charlotte Jacobs (USA) ended up third after a consistent week with Korbach van de Renger (Colestus x Concorde), owned by North Star.

If it wasn’t evident watching them, Debney feels she has Jesprit H.S on her team. “She fights for you,” she said. “It’s an amazing feeling when you’re going around and you’re fighting hard for a clear and so is the horse.”