Podium place for Brin d'Or de Haute Melen Z in the CSI3* Grand Prix of Ocala

With a three-star competition at both Wellington International and the magnificent World Equestrian Centre of Ocala, there was also a lot going on on US soil last weekend. In Ocala, spectators enjoyed the first international competition of the Winter Spectacular Show Series 2026. A lot of Z-horses also made their appearance in the ring and with a podium place at the CSI3* Grand Prix, it immediately became a fantastic weekend for our blue and yellow colours.

Saturday evening is traditionally Grand Prix time in Ocala and this first international Grand Prix of the year brought a total of eighteen combinations to the start. There was high level jumping right from the start, as no fewer than eight of those eighteen combinations managed to qualify for the decisive jump-off. One of those eight prospective winners were New Zealand rider Sharn Wordley and the 12-year-old gelding Brin d'Or de Haute Melen Z, a son of Bamako de Muze and Baloubet du Rouet bred by Georges Trulemans. Wordley and Brin d'Or de Haute Melen Z, who also took ^6th place in the 1.50m class on Thursday, continued their good form in the jump-off and again did not have any faults. In the process, they finished in 38.31 seconds, securing a fantastic ^3rd place.

Also among the barragists was Canadian rider Carly Campbell-Cooper with the 13-year-old stallion U2 Westleven Z, a son of Uto Kervec and Calypso III from the breeding farm of Wim Onsia. Campbell-Cooper and U2 Westleven Z, who had already started their competition on Wednesday with an ^eighth place in the 1.45m class, saw a fault in the jump-off of this Grand Prix, however, so they eventually had to make peace with ^7th place.

On Friday, Portuguese rider Luis Sabino Gonçalves then managed to score another podium place with the 9-year-old mare Gallaxia De Ferval Z, a breeding product of Leslie Guillon from France who combined the blood of George Z with that of Nabab de Rêve. In the 1.45m main class, Sabino Gonçalves and Gallaxia De Ferval Z kept neatly clear in both the first round and the 'Winning Round', with a ^3rd place final result.

Another striking combination in Ocala were American rider Victoria Ketchum and the 15-year-old mare Zara de Laubry Z, a daughter of Zandor Z and Chin Chin who, as her name already suggested, was bred by the Haelterman family of Haras de Laubry. Ketchum and Zara de Laubry Z started their competition excellently on Wednesday with a ^2nd place in the 1.40m opening class, while they took ^9th place in the 1.45m main class on Friday.

There were also two top 10 placings for Ketchum's compatriot Kady Abrahamson and the 14-year-old grey gelding Coquelicot vh Heuvelland Z, a son of Catoki and Cassini II born to breeder Frans Nollet. After already taking ^6th place in the 1.40m class on Wednesday, the duo followed up with a nice ^5th place in the 1.50m class on Thursday.

Finally, American rider Ryan Genn also managed to jump into the prizes twice with the 10-year-old mare Venezia D'Austral Z (Verdi TN x Dandy du Plape - breeder: Heater Killen). Genn and Venezia D'Austral Z also made a good start on Wednesday with ^5th place in the 1.40m class, while a day later they claimed ^9th place in the 1.50m class.