Press release from Wellington International

Spring is in full swing at Wellington International as the second week of the Spring Series, presented by Florida Coast Equipment, welcomed record numbers to the grass derby field. Jumping second from a starting field of 72, Portugal’s Luis Sabino Goncalves held on for a win in the one-round $32,000 Haig Landscape CSI3* 1.45m riding Vick du Croisy (Lord Carthago x Vondeen) on Thursday. The Wellington International Spring Series, presented by Florida Coast Equipment, continues for five weeks through May 11 and is highlighted by two CSI3* competitions.

Mexico’s Ana Catalina “Catsy” Cruz set a track that suited Goncalves’ 16-year-old Selle Français mare (Lord Carthago x Vondeen). After tight turns and speed across the ground, Vick du Croisy crossed the speed portion timers of the two-phase course in 33.52 seconds.

Six-time U.S. Olympian Mclain Ward was the closest challenger to finish second in 33.80 seconds aboard La Serra (Casall x Lacros), owned together with Susan Heller and Marta Mattox. Egyptian Olympian Nayel Nassar finished third in 33.85 seconds riding Dorado de Riverland (Untouchable M x Argentinus) for Evergate Stables.

Goncalves and Vick du Croisy are no stranger to success on the Wellington International grass derby field after also picking up two three-star wins in 2023. “When I have a lot of good riders in the field, normally I rise,” said Gongalves of the group that included multiple Olympians and five of the world’s top 15 ranked athletes on Thursday. “[Vick du Croisy] is unconventional—she goes with her head a little bit up and back a little hollow—but she's a fighter.

“She's like a mare that’s a stallion; she has a strong character,” continued Goncalves on the mare he has been riding for three years, a partnership he feels is now hitting its stride. 

Based in Ocala, Goncalves is competing during the back-to-back three-star weeks at the Spring Series and is already making plans to come to Wellington for the high-level international offerings during the 2026 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). “I love this field, this ground and this atmosphere,” he concluded.