Nada Wise and Kelly Lorek Claim Leading Hunter Rider Bonuses at Great Southwest Texas Winter Series

Katy, TX – Following four weeks of top-caliber hunter competition at the Texas Winter Series, Nada Wise and Kelly Lorek are going home from the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, TX, with the largest hunter rider bonus checks.

A total of $30,000 in hunter rider bonuses was awarded, with $15,000 given during Week III to the top five horse and rider combinations competing at the “international height,” $10,000 distributed during Week IV across the top five combinations at the “national height” and one $5,000 bonus going to the series’ overall high-point horse and rider duo. 

Wise claimed the top spot – and a $6,000 bonus check – in the international height hunter rider bonus standings after earning top results in the Performance Hunter 3’6” division with Stevie Ray. Wise and the 10-year-old Hanoverian gelding, owned by Samantha Brown, also finished fifth in the $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby held during Week III to add to their point tally. Wise additionally finished third in the standings with Chesterfield, owned by Stacey Thompson.

In the national height standings, the top honor and a $4,000 bonus went to Lorek and Tomorrowland, owned by Priya Alvarez. Lorek and the 7-year-old Oldenburg gelding rode to top finishes in the Green Hunter 3’3” division throughout Weeks II-IV to also secure the overall High Point Horse/Rider Award and an additional $5,000 bonus check.

Amy Uniss-Coleman of the Great Southwest Equestrian Center presented Kelly Lorek with checks for the national height hunter rider bonus and the overall hunter rider bonus. Photo by RandolphPR

“I’m super excited; I’m going to Disneyland!” joked Lorek, who operates Southern Way Farm out of Austin, TX. “It’s my first time getting to win anything like this, so it’s just been a great feeling. It’s great competition and a great horse show, so it’s fun to do.”

Lorek also finished second in the international height hunter rider bonus standings with CR Ocean Mist, owned Adelaide Shenkir, earning her a total of $14,170 in bonus money.

“It’s awesome to be able to have bonuses like this,” said Lorek. “It promotes clients bringing their horses here and wanting their horses to show. The prize money has been great for all the divisions.”

Points for the international height hunter rider bonus were earned in the Week III $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby and in the following divisions during Weeks I-III: High Performance Hunter, Performance Hunter 3’6”, Green Hunter 3’6”, Green Conformation Hunter and High Performance Conformation Hunter.

Points for the national height hunter rider bonus were earned in the weekly USHJA National Hunter Derby classes and in the following divisions throughout Weeks I-IV: Green Hunter 3’, Green Hunter 3’3” and Performance Hunter 3’3”.

Points were computed for first through six place finishes as follows, with derby results receiving double points: 10, 6, 4, 2, 1, .5. Full results are shown below.

$15,000 International Height Hunter Rider Bonus

Ranking  Rider                     Horse                                                 Bonus Amount         
1          Nada Wise                Stevie Ray                                         $6,000
2          Kelly Lorek                CR Ocean Mist                                 $4,500                       
3          Nada Wise                Chesterfield                                       $3,000                                   
4          Happy Comly            Ginkgo CSH                                      $1,000                       
5          Trapp O’Neal             Parbleu van de Mispelaere             $500                                      

$10,000 National Height Hunter Rider Bonus

Ranking  Rider                         Horse                                             Bonus Amount         

1          Kelly Lorek                    Tomorrowland                              $4,000                       
2          Morgan Van Nortwick  Corduroy                                       $3,000                       
3          Mindy Coretz                Tipsy                                              $2,000                       
4          Kelly Lorek                    MTM Limited Edition                   $670                          
5          Natalee Haggan           MTM In Love                                $330              

Nicolas Gamboa Gets the Win in $100,000 Lone Star State Grand Prix

Katy, TX – Nicolas Gamboa rode away with the top two spots in the $100,000 Lone Star State Grand Prix, sponsored by American National Insurance, on Saturday, February 25, in an exciting conclusion to grand prix competition at the 2023 Texas Winter Series in Katy, TX.

Gamboa clinched the win aboard NKH Mr. Darcy, owned by Neil Knox, and finished second riding Gin, owned by Ella Heineking.

Gamboa’s entries made up two out of six horses from the original 17-horse starting field that qualified to come back for the jump-off, designed by Michel Vaillancourt. As the second to return, Gamboa and Gin set the early clear time to beat at 40.042 seconds. That time would only be toppled when Gamboa returned two horses later aboard NKH Mr. Darcy and tripped the timers in 39.460 seconds.

Colleen Acosta and Lancome, owned by CAAcosta LLC, were the second-to-last to return, and while they looked like they could have the time, they ultimately finished just off Gamboa’s pace to take third with a time of 40.364 seconds.

Nicolas Gamboa rode NKH Mr. Darcy to the win in the $100,00 Lone Star State Grand Prix. Photo by Jerry Mohme Photography

Finishing in fourth place was Leah Curtiss riding Fortuna, owned by Kent Farrington LLC, and both fifth and sixth place went to Alwaleed Alrashid riding RSH Grand-Dessert and RSH Freedom, respectively.

In speaking of his win, Gamboa was quick to first acknowledge Gin and NKH Mr. Darcy.  

“They’re super, super horses,” said Gamboa, who hails from a family of equestrians and rides representing Colombia. “Those horses, those people on the ground, the entire team – that’s what makes the difference.”

Gamboa began riding for Heineking Show Stables in 2021, and the 22-year-old earned his first grand prix victory less than a year ago at the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, also aboard NKH Mr. Darcy. In the months since then, Gamboa has impressively notched more than half-a-dozen additional grand prix wins.

“That horse, [NKH Mr. Darcy], and Neil Knox, the owner, have changed my life,” said Gamboa. “I want to say one big thank you to the whole Heineking family and October Hill Farm and the whole team there; I can’t do it without them.

“Tonight, first I wanted to go clean. The first horse I had in the jump-off, Gin, he’s a fairly new mount,” said Gamboa of the 10-year-old gray Hanoverian gelding. “He jumped great in the first round; he felt really confident toward the end. I wanted to test him a little bit in the jump-off but also just give him a good round. With Darcy, I’ve known that horse a little while now. He had a bit of a break, so he’s a bit fresh, and he’s game for anything.”

Gamboa will head next to California before returning to the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, TX, for the 77th annual Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, to be held March 29 through April 16.

For full results of the $100,000 Lone Star State Grand Prix, click here.

Avery Erickson and Chacco Lait Lead the Way in $25,000 Double Oak Tack Grand Prix at Texas Winter Series

Katy, TX – The young riders were the ones to beat in Thursday, February 23’s $25,000 Double Oak Tack Grand Prix at the Great Southwest Texas Winter Series in Katy, TX. Following a five-horse jump-off, the top two spots went to 20-year-olds Avery Erickson and John Gilpin, respectively.

“It was awesome [to win],” said Erickson, who, along with Gilpin, trains with Colleen Acosta at Fairway Farm. “[Chacco Lait]’s been so good these past two weeks, so it’s really nice to pull it all together. I loved today’s track. The jump-off was perfect for him. There weren’t really any tight turns, it was just galloping around, and he was amazing. He’s great at that. He likes to just gallop and run around. That’s his favorite.”

Erickson has been partnered with Chacco Lait, her 16-year-old Oldenburg gelding, for nearly five years, and together the duo has climbed the ranks from the Low Junior Jumpers to the grand prix ring. 

“I know him like the back of my hand,” said Erickson. “He tries really hard for me. As he gets older, it’s crazy, he just keeps jumping better.”

Avery Erickson and Chacco Lait were presented as the winners of the $25,000 Double Oak Tack Grand Prix. Photo by Jerry Mohme Photography

Following her win on Thursday, the sophomore at Southern Methodist University now has her sights set on the finale event of the Texas Winter Series at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center: Saturday night’s $100,000 Lone Star State Grand Prix.

For full results of the $25,000 Double Oak Tack Grand Prix, click here.

Allison Kroff and T-Quick Hurricane Z Storm to Victory in $20,000 Pyranha Welcome Stake at Texas Winter Series

Katy, TX – Arizona’s Allison Kroff rode T-Quick Hurricane Z to victory in the $20,000 Pyranha Welcome Stake, held on Wednesday, February 22, during the Great Southwest Texas Winter Series in Katy, TX.

Kroff and the 11-year-old Zangersheide mare, owned by TC Sport Horses LLC, were one of four entries to navigate the first-round, Michel Vaillancourt-designed course without fault to advance to the jump-off. When the pair entered the ring, the short-course time to beat had been set at 40.180 seconds by Hannah Colligan and her own Jazelly VDL. However, that time was quickly toppled, as T-Quick Hurricane Z made short work of the track, tripping the timers in 37.921 seconds.

With Kroff clinching the win and Colligan finishing in second, third place went to Alwaleed Alrashid and RSH Freedom.

Allison Kroff and T-Quick Hurricane Z were presented as the winners of the $20,000 Pyranha Welcome Stake. Photo by Jerry Mohme Photography

“[T-Quick Hurricane Z] is so fun,” said Kroff of the mare that she has been partnered with since mid-2021. “She’s always game, always wanting to be the winner, so we kind of have to reel it back in some of the classes, not just go flat out.”

Kroff continued, “Today was really fun. We have come from outdoors; we don’t do a lot of indoors. So, while this is a big indoor, it rides a little bit differently. Last week, we really had to work on our track and stuff like that. It was really fun to see our homework pay off. Today she was really rideable in the corners and really listening.”

This year marks Kroff’s second year competing at the Texas Winter Series at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center, and she intends to be back.

“We came last year and loved it,” concluded Kroff. “We had such a blast. We were here for three weeks, and we definitely want to come back!”

For full results of the $20,000 Pyranha Welcome Stake, click here.