Ibrahim Barazi and Omnia Incipit Win $36,000 Equinimity WEF Challenge Cup CSI3* Round VI

Wellington, Fla. – Feb. 14, 2019 – Show jumping competition took over during Week Six of the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) Thursday with the $36,000 Equinimity WEF Challenge Cup CSI3* Round VI. Sixty-one athletes took to the tight ring, which normally housed dressage athletes, in the hopes of walking away with the blue, but at the end of the day it was Ibrahim Barazi (JOR) and his own Omnia Incipit who took top honors after besting a quick 10-horse jump-off.

Ibrahim Barazi and Omnia Incipit

Over the first round 1.50m course, 13 horse-and-rider combinations turned in fault-free rounds over designer Catsy Cruz’s (MEX) track. The course featured a number of obstacles made even more technical by the smaller ring at AGDF, including a triple bar off of a tight corner and an oxer-vertical double combination. The time allowed of 73 seconds proved not to be an issue for the majority of athletes. With 13 clean and clear rounds in the first round, only 10 combinations elected to jump-off.

Barazi and his 11-year-old mare have been partnered together for three years, after first forming their relationship in Slovakia. During the 2018 WEF season a year ago, Barazi made his first trip to Wellington and walked away with his first FEI win in a 1.40m CSI 2* class, in addition to being the first rider from Jordan to take top honors in an FEI class at WEF. This year, Barazi, who operates under his own IB Stables, has returned to WEF in 2019 with Omnia Incipit to compete throughout the duration of circuit. The pair claimed top honors in Thursday’s class with a quick jump-off time of 34.591 seconds, more than two seconds ahead of the next-closest contender, to beat a talented field of 61 entries.

Laura Chapot and Chandon Blue

Second place was sealed by Laura Chapot (USA) and Mary Chapot’s Chandon Blue after serving as the pathfinders for Thursday’s short course. First to go in the jump-off, Chapot set the bar high for the following nine athletes with a second clear ride in a time of 36.772 seconds. Chapot gained the ride on Chandon Blue, a 14-year-old Oldenberg, from Cian O’Connor in 2017.

Kelli Cruciotti and Hadja Van Orshof

Kelli Cruciotti (USA) and her own Hadja Van Orshof claimed third place in Thursday’s WEF Challenge Cup, with a jump-off time of 38.012 seconds. Cruciotti and the 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare have been partnered together since 2016 and have had a successful partnership. In summer of 2018, the pair walked away with top honors in the $50,000 Flintfields Farm Grand Prix CSI2* at Great Lakes Equestrian Festival.

Winter Equestrian Festival show jumping competition will continue at AGDF on Friday, February 15 with the $134,000 CSI3* Grand Prix at 7:00 p.m.

FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE

Ibrahim Barazi – $36,000 CSI3* Equinimity WEF Challenge Cup CSI3* Round VI winner

Ibrahim Barazi and Omnia Incipit

On Omnia Incipit:
“She is a very special horse to me and she’s new to that level. We were clear in the [WEF Challenge Cup] during Week Two, but there was a pilot error and I went off course so I had to make it up to her today. I’ve had this mare for about 3 years. I know a couple that lives in Slovakia and they know the type of horse that I like, so they let me know about her. I flew over there to try the mare and I bought the horse. I own her myself now. She has a very big personality and is very sensitive and that what makes her such a good show jumper. Every horse has a weakness somewhere but with her, she doesn’t really have a weakness. She is a quick scopey horse and it’s just managing her energy level. She goes out a couple of times a day, gets a light lunge, a light ride. We just like to keep her moving through the day. She was definitely ready for today.”

On the course:
“The course was very nice and challenging enough considering the size of the ring we have. I don’t think the course designer over-fazed any horses. I didn’t think it was overly big or wide, it was a smart course. Horses needed stamina to get from the start to the finish of the course and things show up quickly. It’s almost like riding in an indoor. In the jump-off in the last line I saw everyone else do 10 [strides]. My mare is small but she has a big stride, so I decided to use that stride in the long line to make up for the 9 strides and it worked out. I was also a little quicker from fence three to fence four and that’s what did it for me I think.”

RESULTS

$36,000 CSI3* Equinimity WEF Challenge Cup Round 6
Place / Horse / Rider / Country / R1 Faults / R2 Faults / Time
1. Omnia Incipit / Ibrahim Barazi / JOR / 0 / 0 / 34.591
2. Chandon Blue / Laura Chapot / USA / 0 / 0 / 36.772
3. Hadja Van Orshof / Kelli Cruciotti / USA / 0 / 0 / 38.012
4. D Carolus / Jonathan McCrea / USA / 0 / 0 / 39.412
5. Dingeman / Santiago Lambre / MEX / 0 / 4 / 35.761
6. Catinka 25 / Vanessa Mannix / CAN / 0 / 4 / 38.32
7. Cacharel / Kelly Soleau-Millar / USA / 0 / 4 / 39.903
8. Charly Brown / Teddy Vlock / ISR / 0 / 4 / 40.102
9. Koultan De Torres / Andrew Bourns / IRL / 0 / 4 / 40.926
10. KS Coradina / Susan Horn / CAN / 0 / 4 / 41.007

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