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Luis Larrazabal and G&C Close Up Light Up 1.30m Rising Star Classic

Wellington, Florida (January 17, 2018) – Venezuela’s Luis Larrazabal and G&C Close Up put hoof to turf in Wednesday’s 1.30m Rising Star Classic, leading the class for most of the day with a blistering jump-off time of 28.841 seconds. No one could best the brilliant effort, and their ride highlighted a utopian day of show jumping during the fifth week of Turf Tour competition. With two rings of grass courses at Carben Farm, which included Low, Medium, and High Jumpers as well as 1.20-1.25m and the 1.30m Rising Star Classic, Wednesday’s event welcomed a diverse selection of riders from juniors and adult amateurs to internationally competitive professionals, all seeking the exceptional footing and spectacular venues of the Turf Tour.

Larrazabal and the 11-year-old KWPN gelding were one of the early combinations to test their skills over the 1.30m Rising Star Classic course designed by Eric Hasbrouck. With Larrazabal having the ride on G&C Close Up since the horse was a 5-year-old, the performance was demonstrative of their rapport and partnership. “I know him very well, and we were able to jump very fast today,” said Larrazabal. “I decided to leave out a few strides, do a few inside turns, and just give him a real chance to be very quick. We did only 7 strides to the combination, and as soon as he landed we galloped to the final fence. My goal with him was to give him a very competitive round and eventually move him back into the 1.40-1.45m, where he is a very competitive horse.”

With a string consisting of both young and seasoned jumpers, Larrazabal has used the Turf Tours as the stage for their development. “I love the Turf Tour’s atmosphere and especially the option to show at different venues,” he said. “It’s a super advantage for the riders to be able to get in experience at different venues and environments, especially for the young horses. Last week’s Turf Tour at Polo West was super cool; we had a fantastic time jumping on the giant grass fields there and getting a different feel at each location. Having a change to ride on the grass is also very important, and I plan to continue to take advantage of these events. They also treat you exceptionally well, with food and drinks as well as being very accommodating of riders’ schedules and training goals.”

For a full schedule of events hosted by The Ridge at Wellington, visit www.TheRidgeFarm.com.

Media contact:
PR and Marketing
Holly Johnson
Equinium Sports Marketing, LLC
www.equinium.com
holly@equinium.com
+1 954 205 7992

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