Aaron Vale Swipes Wife's Horse to Sweep the $182,000 Florida Coast Equipment Grand Prix CSI4* on Ocala - HorsesDaily (2024)

Ocala, FL – Just before heading to the FEI Jumping Nations Cup Sweden CSIO5*, Ocala’s hometown hero Aaron Vale (USA) emerged victorious, piloting Thinkslikeahorse’s Gray’s Inn (Cannavaro x Oscar) to the gelding’s first-ever international win. Currently on the Olympic Shortlist for Paris with Carissimo 25, a 2013 Holsteiner (Cascadello I x T-Clintissima) gelding owned by Debbie Smith, Vale competed with his wife’s horse at the World Equestrian Center to win yet another Grand Prix in Ocala.

Crowds gathered at World Equestrian Center – Ocala for the $182,000 Florida Coast Equipment Grand Prix CSI4*, eager to witness some of the world’s best competitors vie for top honors under the lights of the WEC Grand Arena. The field featured 22 horse-and-rider combinations on Saturday night, representing twelve nations.

International Jump-Off

FEI Level IV course designer Alan Wade (IRL) set the complex tracks for Saturday’s event, where only five combinations managed to find the key to a clear round. The strong jump-off field consisted of riders from Ireland, Spain, the United States, Austria, and Brazil.

Darragh Kerins Sets the Pace

Darragh Kerins (IRL) was the first to return, piloting Eve Jobs’ 13-year-old Holsteiner gelding Lissino (Guardus Llmbus x San Patrignano Cassini) to a quick track, setting the pace at 38.23 seconds, ultimately enough to secure second place. Gonzalo Busca (ESP) followed, giving a solid performance aboard Steven Bluman’s Pinot Gris Di Fer but incurred an unfortunate rail in 38.86 seconds.

Vale’s Strategy

Aaron Vale (USA) was third to go and optimistic with Thinkslikeahorse’s Gray’s Inn. “He’s my wife’s horse, so I don’t get on him very often. I know the horse and see him every day, but she does 95 percent of the riding,” he shared. “He had a great night on Thursday, so I felt pretty good heading into the class tonight. I watched Darragh and he was quite good. He did nine back to [fence three], and I thought it would be the nine. But I got down the first eight so easily; I started my turn early because I had the balance right on top of the fence. So, I got over in eight and another eight to the combination. I had to push to get to the liverpool in nine, and I was thinking there was a possible seven coming home, but my horse wasn’t in perfect balance at the second-to-last jump, so I gave him a break and a moment to figure out how to clear it.”

The pair flew over the final fence, not touching a single rail, in a mere 36.32 seconds to take the top spot on the leaderboard.

Wife’s Ride

Gray’s Inn isn’t Vale’s usual partner; his wife, Mallory Vale, has been riding the talented 10-year-old Warmblood gelding since he was six. “It was my wife’s idea,” laughed Vale. “She’s been asking me for a long time, ‘Do you want my horse?’ and I always said no. She’s been doing so well with him and knocking on the door. But I didn’t have a horse this week, so she told me I was showing her horse, and the rest is history. What a production my wife has made for me, allowing me to step in and win a class like this.” Vale “stepped in” without a horse, as he so humbly put it, because he will be jetting off to Falsterbo to join forces with his Netjets Teammates and Carissimo 25 taking one step closer to the Olympic selection of the USA Showjumping team.

Two more riders remained after Vale and Gray’s Inn’s impressive round. Peter Petschenig (AUT) performed a solid performance aboard Petschenig Showjumping LLC’s Ennebel Van Het Posthuijs but had an unlucky rail in 38.23 seconds.

Celso Ariani (BRA) was last to go, piloting his new partner Jip Van T&L Z (James Vd Kornelishoeve x Toulon), a 11-year-old Zangersheide gelding owned by The Maya Group Properties LLC, to a clear round in 41.76 seconds for a podium finish.

Florida Coast Equipment Strong Supporters of World Equestrian Center

Todd Bachman, President and CEO of Florida Coast Equipment, shared his thoughts about Saturday night’s event, “The riders and horses were truly spectacular tonight. We are extremely proud of our partnership with World Equestrian Center. The Roberts Family’s vision aligns with our values, and we at Florida Coast Equipment, alongside Kubota, are grateful to play a part in creating such memorable events.”

Results:

1. Gray’s Inn: 2014 Warmblood gelding by Cannavaro x Oscar
   Aaron Vale (USA), Thinkslikeahorse: 0 | 0 | 36.32
2. Lissino: 2011 Holsteiner gelding by Guardus Llmbus x San Patrignano Cassini
   Darragh Kerins (IRL), Eve Jobs: 0 | 0 | 38.23
3. Jip Van T&L Z: 2013 Zangersheide gelding by James Vd Kornelishoeve x Toulon
   Celso Ariani (BRA), The Maya Group Properties LLC: 0 | 0 | 41.76
4. Ennebel Van Het Posthuijs: 2009 KWPN mare by Numero Uno x Argentinus
   Peter Petschenig (AUT), Petschenig Showjumping, LLC: 0 | 4 | 38.23
5. Pinot Gris Di Fer: 2015 Warmblood gelding by Vdl Cardento x Baloubet De Rouet
   Gonzalo Busca (ESP), Steven Bluman: 0 | 4 | 38.86
6. Blues RW: 2013 Westphalian gelding by Untouched x Chacco-blue
   Michael Walton (USA), Mia Marano: 2 | 76.07
7. Catemaco Ls: 2011 SLS gelding by Carusso Ls La Silla x Carthago Z
   Richard Neal (USA), Richard Neal: 2 | 76.81
8. Chacco Bumpy: 2010 Oldenburg mare by Chacco-blue x Toulon
   Luis Pedro Biraben (ARG), Luis Pedro Biraben: 4 | 71.12
9. Gideon: 2014 Zangersheide gelding by Super Trooper De Ness x Corland\
   Kelli Cruciotti Vanderveen (USA), Serenity Farm: 4 | 72.35
10. Bull Run’s Jireh: 2014 Holsteiner gelding by Uriko x Colman
    Kristen Vanderveen (USA), Bull Run Jumpers, Inc.: 4 | 72.47

Final results

^{Watch the winning jump-off from the $182,000 Florida Coast Equipment Grand Prix CSI4*.}