Nayel Nassar (EGY) and Igor Van De Wittemoere © Sportfot.
Wellington, FL – April 24, 2021 – A successful week continued for Egypt’s Nayel Nassar, who claimed his second victory in three days on Saturday, riding Evergate Stables, LLC’s Igor Van De Wittemoere to top honors in the $37,000 Nutrena 1.50m Classic CSI3* on the grass Derby Field at Equestrian Village.
An impressive field of 38 top competitors set out over the 1.50m track set by Olympic course designer Guilherme Jorge (BRA) with a dozen combinations jumping clear to punch their tickets to the jump-off. In the subsequent round, Nassar kicked it into high gear aboard the 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding by Cooper VD Heffinck x Orlando 96, flying across the course for a double-clear effort in 39.21 seconds.
“He’s so quick across the ground and it was a great jump-off for that,” said Nassar of the talented gelding. “It really only had one rollback to slow you down. For a little horse, he covers so much ground, so I was able to leave the strides out. I just got on a roll and stay like that the whole way through. He felt unbelievable.”
In the final class of the day, 94 horse-and-rider combinations contested the $5,000 Omega Alpha Equine 1.35m Classic with prizes awarded in Section A and Section B.
Darragh Kenny (IRL) took home the title in Section A aboard the Heathman Farm, LLC entry Carla. The pair put forth a clear first-round effort and matched that in the jump-off with the fastest time of the day, crossing the finish line in 36.80 seconds. Andrew Welles (USA) and Primo Troy, owned by Itasca Group, LLC, jumped into second position with a double-clear score in 36.97 seconds. James Chawke made it two on the podium for Ireland as he guided his own Gamble to a third-place finish in a time of 38.86 seconds.
In Section B, it was a win for Alison Robitaille (USA) aboard Ginger Pop, owned by Bertram Firestone. The dynamic duo raced around the jump-off track, leaving all the jumps in their cups in a time of 37.55 seconds. Isabel Roth (USA) and Vive The Quine, owned by Two Socks Farm, LLC, flew to a double-clear finish in a time of 44.15 seconds to take home second place. Peter Leone (USA), who was victorious in the $6,000 Bainbridge Companies 1.40m Jumpers on Thursday, finished the day in third place with Cedric 84, owned by Maarten Huygens. The pair completed the jump-off with just four faults in a time of 38.98 in the jump-off.
For more information and results, please visit www.PBIEC.com.