Chase Hickok and the 18-year old Dutch warmblood Sagacious HF seems to have come of age this year and are clocking personal best scores in Wellington. On Thursday 9 February 2017 the pair won the 3* Grand Prix Special at the 2017 CDI Wellington in a big field of international riders.
Trained by Endel Ots, Hickok and Sagacious HF (by Welt Hit II x Cocktail), owned by Hyperion Farm Inc, scored a winning mark of 71.667%. Although Hickok leant too much forward in the saddle in her ride, the pair scored its points through the crisp clean execution of the movements: straight tempi's, small pirouettes and regular piaffe-passage work.
“This is our first year jumping up into the Open Grand Prix,” said Hickok. “We were trying to make sure that he stayed really calm and relaxed, and then today we kind of added a little more jazz and a little more excitement, and I think the score really reflected that.”After competing at Devon last fall, the pair took some time off to work on preparation for the bigger classes.
Hickok commented, “Every time he comes out, he gets better and better, and I’m stepping up to the plate a little bit. It’s wonderful to have a horse like that, one that can show you the ropes through the U25 and now the Open Grand Prix. He’s just the best competitor you could hope for.”
Second place was awarded to Megan Lane (CAN) and San D’Or, a 2006 born Westfalian by Sandro Hit x Cocktail, with a 70.647%. Placing third was Susan Pape (GBR) and Don Noblesse, a 2007 Hanoverian stallion (by Dancier x Don Davidoff) owned by Harmony Sporthorses, with 70.608%.
Photos © Astrid Appels
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Scores 2017 CDI Wellington
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