Photo credit: Sportfot

Wellington, FL - January 21, 2012 - A great crowd came out to watch the $50,000 Wellington Equestrian Realty Grand Prix, CSI 2* at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). Topping a full field of competitors and winning in front of more than 4,000 spectators was Great Britain's Scott Brash on Stan Brash's Intertoy Z. Olympic gold medalist Eric Lamaze (CAN) was second on Torrey Pines & Ashland Stables' Derly Chin de Muze. Eighteen-year-old Katherine Dinan (USA) was third on Grant Road Partners' Vancouver.

This week's course designer in the International Arena is Luc Musette of Belgium. The class had 50 entries, and 12 of those were clear to advance to the jump-off. Brash noted, "The course was good. It wasn't overly big, but it is nice to not have to jump big every single weekend. Although it wasn't too big there were still not too many clear. Twelve clear was good, and the jump-off was good. It caught a lot of people. It was a good class."


 The jump-off started slowly with the first four riders having faults, but then Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum (GER) recorded a clear round on Cantano, owned by Octavia Farms LLC. She crossed the timers in 42.16 seconds, which would hold up for fourth place. The next clear round came from Andrew Bourns (IRL) on Roundthorn Madious. They stopped the clock in 42.50 seconds for fifth place.

Brash was the next in, and he brought the winning pace down to 40.02 seconds. "He is a big, slow jumper but he was fast tonight. The big ring suits him," Brash said.  

Eric Lamaze went for the victory with Derly Chin de Muze, but they were just off the pace in 40.23 seconds.

"I saw Scott go and he was very fast," Lamaze remarked. "I did one less to the double, but she is a big horse and she is fairly inexperienced, so I was very happy with the result. I think I went as fast as I could go, it just wasn't fast enough tonight. It was close, but I am really happy."  
He said of Derly Chin de Muze, "It is a horse that the Fleischhackers own. She was purchased for Ashley but she was nice enough to lend her back to me. I started the horse as a seven-year-old and then did a little bit with her last year. I am very happy to have her and she is a really good horse. It is a horse that is going to for sure have a great career. We are going to aim at the highest standard with her."

The 26-year-old Brash already has a wealth of international experience, and has had his own business for seven years. Brash has owned Intertoy Z, a 13-year-old Zangersheide gelding by Interadel x Centauer, since he was five years old, and they have grown up together to compete in the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games and the European Championships. Brash has come to the FTI WEF for the entire circuit this winter and brought four horses. He hopes to get his top horses ready for an Olympic Games bid.

"It is great to win here. Hopefully I can continue to do as well. It is quite important. You want to come here and get up and running for the season and get your horses going early and then hopefully just tick along really, but you have to prove a bit of form," Brash explained. "When it comes down to championships there are only so many horses that can do them to be honest and you just have get your horse in good form and then keep it sound really and then keep things right until the championships. That is the main idea."  

Final Results: $50,000 Wellington Equestrian Realty Grand Prix CSI 2*

 1. INTERTOY Z: 1999 Zangersheide gelding by Interadel x Centauer
SCOTT BRASH (GBR), Stan Brash: 0/0/40.02

2. DERLY CHIN DE MUZE: 2003 BWP mare by For Pleasure x Nebab de Reve
ERIC LAMAZE (CAN), Ashland Stables: 0/0/40.23

3. VANCOUVER: 1998 Thoroughbred cross gelding by Voltaire II x Unknown
KATHERINE DINAN (USA), Grant Road Partners: 0/0/41.20

4. CANTANO: 2000 Holsteiner stallion by Cascavelle x Acord
MEREDITH MICHAELS-BEERBAUM (GER), Octavia Farms LLC: 0/0/42.16

5. ROUNDTHORN MADIOS: 2002 Irish Sport Horse gelding by Condios x Clover Hill
ANDREW BOURNS (IRL), Andrew Bourns: 0/0/42.50

6. NOTRE STAR DE LA NUTRIA: 2001 Selle Francais stallion by Quick Star x Jalisco B
NICHOLAS DELLO JOIO (USA), Thelma Romero-Cloud: 0/4/41.18

7. EVERYTHING: 2004 Belgian Warmblood gelding by Toulon x Mast VD Vrombautshoeve
CIAN O'CONNOR (IRL), Abdulla Humaid Al Muhairi: 0/4/42.62

8. WANNAHAVE: 2003 KWPN gelding by Manhattan x G. Ramiro Z
DARRAGH KENNY (IRL), The Wannahave Group: 0/4/42.80

9. URICO: 2001 KWPN gelding by Zandor Z x Fedor
MARIO DESLAURIERS (USA), Jane F. Clark: 0/4/43.69

10. NICE DE PRISSEY: 2001 Selle Francais stallion by Rosire x Amarpour
BRIANNE GOUTAL (USA), Cloverleaf Farm: 0/4/44.26

11. FAUSTINO: 1999 Swedish Warmblood gelding by Feliciano x Ceylon
KIRSTEN COE (USA), Cayla Richards: 0/8/43.82

12. BOGEGARDENS APOLLO: 1998 Holsteiner stallion by Acord II x Ronald
EMILIE MARTINSEN (DEN), Emilie Martinsen: 0/29/74.44

49 Starters.

Full results here