Jacqueline Ruyle and Cyramo Z Clinch the Win in $30,000 Texas Children’s Hospital Grand Prix
Katy, TX –In an exciting conclusion to the $30,000 Texas Children’s Hospital Grand Prix at the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, Jacqueline Ruyle and Cyramo Z claimed victory by just 0.004 seconds.
The Houston, TX, native and her longtime partner, Cyramo Z, were one of eight entries to advance to the jump-off on Saturday night, April 1, at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, TX. As the second pair to return for the Oscar Soberon-designed short course, Ruyle and Cyramo Z blazed across the finish in 37.423 seconds.
Four horses later, Arizona’s Allison Kroff and T-Quick Hurricane Z, owned by TC Sport Horses LLC, flew through the finish in a nearly identical time of 37.427 seconds to take second place. Finishing in third place were Martien Van Der Hoeven and Mefisto Il Mondo, owned by Brieanne Dofort.
“It’s awesome!” said Ruyle of her win at her hometown horse show. “My family’s here. My brother’s here, and his new wife is here. It’s really cool because my family can just drive in and watch; people that really haven’t seen me compete before can watch.”
Saturday night marked Ruyle and Cyramo Z’s second Pin Oak grand prix victory in as many years as the duo first topped the $50,000 Hildebrand Fund Grand Prix in 2022. Since that inaugural Pin Oak grand prix victory, Ruyle and Cyramo Z’s winning resume has grown exponentially. In July of 2022, they earned their first FEI win, and they have since racked up several others.
“[Cyramo Z] is so fast and so brave,” said Ruyle of the roughly 15.1-hand, 12-year-old Zangersheide mare that she has been partnered with for the past five years. “We had a very successful winter circuit in Wellington. We won almost every class we entered – we won the welcome, we won the prix, we won the next welcome. Actually, I just found out today that I had the fastest jump-off time of all the WEF 2023 circuit, so that was a huge accomplishment!”
Ruyle continued, “I came in [to the $30,000 Texas Children’s Hospital Grand Prix] maybe not feeling so confident in the first round after taking a month off and having everybody here, but [Cyramo Z] just can hold your hand and keep jumping. She’s just so fun to have. We’ve had a long partnership, and I just love riding her.”
With Ruyle, Kroff and Van Der Hoeven rounding out the top three, fourth place went to Maddie Chenoweth on Navaro Van’t Verahof, owned by Triple C Equine LLC. Taking fifth place were Tessa Downey and Isabelle, owned by Horse Orchard LLC. As the highest-placed under-25-year-old rider, 17-year-old Downey also earned the win in the $10,000 U25 Grand Prix, sponsored by American National and held concurrently with Saturday night’s featured class.
For full results of the $30,000 Texas Children’s Hospital Grand Prix, visit HorseShowsOnline.com.
About the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show
Recognized as a US Equestrian Heritage Competition, the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show is one of the oldest and most prestigious horse shows in the United States, and today the show features three weeks of top hunter/jumper competition at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, TX.
Founded by J.S. Abercrombie in 1945, it’s also a unique social and fundraising event. Since making the very first donation to Texas Children’s in 1947 to begin the planning and building of the hospital, the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show has continued its legacy of giving, now having donated nearly $7 million to the renowned medical institution. To learn more, visit www.PinOak.org.
Nada Wise and Mindy Coretz Claim Hunter Derby Victories at Pin Oak Charity Horse Show
Katy, TX –Only one point separated Nada Wise on Stevie Ray and Jennifer Alfano on Ivy League at the end of the first round of the $30,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, sponsored by Leaving One Out LLC, but a seamless handy round lengthened Wise’s lead and cemented the win for Stevie Ray on Friday evening, March 31, at the 77th Pin Oak Charity Horse Show in Katy, TX.
Alfano and her own Ivy League finished in second while third place went to Alexandra Ansteth and Folklore, owned by Amberlea Tribble.
Alfano and Ivy League were the penultimate pair to return for the handy, and they laid down a well-executed trip over the Kevin Holowack-designed course to earn scores of 86 and 83, plus two high option bonus points added to each score, for a second-round total score of 173 and an overall score of 351.
“I was nervous because Jen Alfano put in a fantastic trip, and so did Alex [Ansteth], so the pressure was on!” said Wise, who was the final rider to return for the handy round, as she had finished the first round on a score of 179, only slightly ahead of Alfano’s score of 178.
“I was going to play it safe a little bit just because this is really [Stevie Ray’s] first derby in a year,” continued Wise. “When I walked in, he was just so confident. So, I decided to take a couple of the higher options, and he just jumped out of his skin. He was incredible.”
Wise and the 9-year-old Hanoverian gelding earned scores of 86.5 and 87, plus two high option bonus points, for a second-round score of 175.5 and an overall score of 356.5 for the win.
“My favorite thing about Stevie Ray is the feeling he gives you over every jump; he tries so hard,” said Wise. “He always jumps in such great form and with such great power. We imported him a couple years ago, and he had to have a little break last year. So, this is kind of his comeback, and he made a great comeback. He’s just incredible to ride. He has so much scope, so much step; he’s really a lovely animal.”
Wise, who operates Rendezvous Farm out of Tomball, TX, is a frequent competitor at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center and a longtime Pin Oak Charity Horse Show competitor.
“They always try to make it so special, and we get to see new faces come in. It’s always good to see new faces, new horses come in,” said Wise, who has a group of 19 horses, including junior and amateur mounts, competing at this year’s show. “We always have a crowd. It just feels like everyone likes to support each other when they’re here which is a great feeling.”
Also earning a derby win on Friday was another frequent Great Southwest Equestrian Center exhibitor, Mindy Coretz of Eighteen Acres Farm. Coretz rode Chagall and Rise Above to a one-two finish, respectively, in the $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby held on Friday afternoon.
“Chagall is a horse that we’ve had since he was young,” said Coretz of the 9-year-old Holsteiner gelding, owned by her sister, Amy Coretz. “We’ve developed him from the very beginning stages of his hunter career. We took him through the green ranks, and my sister showed him starting in the 2’6” modified type classes and now is very successful on him in the adult hunters. He’s a funny one. He is always very energetic and sort of a wild child, but he’s brave; he’s beautiful. He’s simple in so many ways; he’s definitely a horse we can count on.”
For full results of both the $30,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby and the $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby, visit HorseShowsOnline.com.
Running through April 16 at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, TX, the 77th Pin Oak Charity Horse Show features top hunter, jumper and equitation competition while benefitting the Texas Children’s Hospital. Highlight events of Week I include the $30,000 Texas Children’s Hospital Grand Prix at 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 1. To learn more about the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, visit www.PinOak.org.
About the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show
Recognized as a US Equestrian Heritage Competition, the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show is one of the oldest and most prestigious horse shows in the United States, and today the show features three weeks of top hunter/jumper competition at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, TX.
Founded by J.S. Abercrombie in 1945, it’s also a unique social and fundraising event. Since making the very first donation to Texas Children’s in 1947 to begin the planning and building of the hospital, the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show has continued its legacy of giving, now having donated nearly $7 million to the renowned medical institution. To learn more, visit www.PinOak.org.
Allison Kroff Kicks Off Pin Oak Charity Horse Show With a Win in $10,000 Kroff Stables Welcome Stake
Katy, TX –Allison Kroff was already guaranteed to be in the presentation photo for the $10,000 Kroff Stables Welcome Stake as the class’ presenting sponsor, but she earned an even better spot in the photo as the winning rider as well. Kroff and T-Quick Hurricane Z topped a 17-horse field to clinch the win on Thursday, March 30, at the 77th Pin Oak Charity Horse Show in Katy, TX.
Kroff and “Fifi” were one of nine entries to jump without fault over the first-round course designed by Oscar Soberon. They then laid down a jump-off time of 40.670 seconds that would prove uncatchable. Finishing in second place with a time of 41.271 seconds were Martien van der Hoeven and Mefisto Il Mondo, owned by Brieanne Dofort. Rounding out the top three with a time of 41.399 seconds were Jacqueline Ruyle and her own Cyramo Z.
“[T-Quick Hurricane Z] is amazing!” said Kroff of the 11-year-old Zangersheide mare, owned by TC Sport Horses LLC. “She’s very opinionated, as am I, so we always say that we’re quite similar in that we don’t want to be told what to do. We typically have to – when we’re flatting and stuff like that – not get at each other because I know the truth is she’s trying so hard and so am I; we’re on the same team. It’s been cool to develop her a little bit [over the past year]. She did the 1.30m and 1.40m in Europe; we stepped up to the 1.50m, and she’s been amazing.”
Kroff hails from Scottsdale, AZ, where she operates Kroff Stables as a boutique show barn with clientele ranging from pony hunters to grand prix riders. This winter, she made her first trip to the Great Southwest Equestrian Center, and she quickly knew she had to come back to the venue for the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show.
“We wanted to try something new, and we’d heard such great things about it,” said Kroff. “This is just phenomenal – this facility, the way they dress it up, the ambiance, everything about it is amazing.”
In addition to the lion’s share of the prize money, Kroff received an Antarès Reference helmet with an Eclipse Visor for her win in the $10,000 Welcome Stake. For full results of the class, visit www.HorseShowsOnline.com.
Running through April 16, the 77th Pin Oak Charity Horse Show features top hunter, jumper and equitation competition while benefitting the Texas Children’s Hospital. Highlight events of Week I include the $30,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, presented by Leaving One Out LLC, on Friday, March 31, and the $30,000 Texas Children’s Hospital Grand Prix at 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 1. To learn more about the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, visit www.PinOak.org.
For media inquiries, please contact Emily at [email protected].
About the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show
Recognized as a US Equestrian Heritage Competition, the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show is one of the oldest and most prestigious horse shows in the United States, and today the show features three weeks of top hunter/jumper competition at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, TX.
Founded by J.S. Abercrombie in 1945, it’s also a unique social and fundraising event. Since making the very first donation to Texas Children’s in 1947 to begin the planning and building of the hospital, the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show has continued its legacy of giving, now having donated nearly $7 million to the renowned medical institution. To learn more, visit www.PinOak.org.
Great Southwest Spring Preview Week Cancelled
With much regret, we are announcing the cancellation of the Spring Preview hunter/jumper show that was to be held March 22-26, 2023. We do not feel we have sufficient entries to provide a quality event for our customers.
We are still welcoming the much-anticipated Pin Oak Breed Show that will kick off Wednesday, March 22, 2023, at 6 p.m.
For hunter/jumper competitors, entries are high for the 77th-annual Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, which kicks off on Wednesday, March 29 and continues through Sunday, April 16. With all three weeks at nearly sold-out capacity, this year’s show promises to offer top competition and hospitality for exhibitors of all levels!
Return exhibitors will notice an all-new, schooling arena perpendicular to Arena 2, and the Sand Ring has undergone an extensive conversion to top-of-the-line all-weather footing from DJL Footing.
With décor setup and ring preparations already well underway, the countdown is on to the start of #PinOak2023, and we look forward to seeing you soon!
For questions regarding entries submitted for the Great Southwest Spring Preview, please contact Amy Uniss-Coleman at [email protected].
To learn more about the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, www.pinoak.org.
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.
“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.
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.”
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.
“[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.
Daisy Ford and Gatsby Do it Again in $25,000 Great Southwest Grand Prix
Katy, TX – Daisy Ford and Gatsby led the grand prix victory gallop for the second week in a row at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center, this time after topping the $25,000 Great Southwest Grand Prix on Saturday, November 19 during the Great Southwest Final Chase.
“I was a little nervous again,” said Ford, who has owned Gatsby for eight years but just got the gelding back from a year lease in May. “I haven’t done this in a long time, and him being 16, we didn’t know if he would come back week two and still feel as good as he did week one. He did. I gave him off the entire week. This was the only class that he did. He was fantastic. He’s just one incredible horse!”
Ford and Gatsby were one of 21 entries to contest the first-round course designed by Danny Foster, and they were one of eight to advance to the jump-off.
“I got lucky that I drew 19 in the order, so I was the last one to go in the jump off,” said Ford, who operates her own business, Ford Farms. “It was a really, really good course. It was technical, and the jumps were big enough. It was kind of an interesting jump-off, because you had the ability to go quick and leave some strides out in two areas. There were also three inside turns, and you had to do all three inside turns to win.”
Ford left out strides in both places to fly across the finish in 37.660 seconds, almost exactly two seconds faster than second-place finisher Alwaleed Alrashid who stopped the clock in 39.653 seconds riding RSH Grand Dessert, owned by Royal Sport Horses. Third place with a time of 40.303 seconds went to Lindsay Bedoya riding Daniel Bedoya’s Quattro.
“I was a little panicked because, in the rollback to the second to last jump in the jump-off, he slipped behind turning in the inside turn,” said Ford. I ended up having to slow down for a second to regain stability, so I was a little bit worried about the time there, but he’s just so fast across the ground!”
For full results of the $25,000 Great Southwest Grand Prix, click here.
Morgan Van Nortwick and MTM Post Script Secure Victory in USHJA International Hunter Derby
Morgan Van Nortwick rode MTM Post Script to victory in the $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby held on Friday, November 18, during the Great Southwest Final Chase in Katy, TX.
A field of 18 horses contested the first round of the week’s highlight hunter class, and at the opening round’s conclusion, Van Nortwick and MTM Post Script sat in third place with scores 85.5 and 90 for a 172.5 first-round total score. Holding the lead with a score of 178 was Jef Lauwers on Hallpass, and Lauwers also sat in second place with a score of 175 aboard Reba.
With the top 12 entries returning in reverse order of their standings for the handy phase, Nortwick and MTM Post Script’s second-round score of 200 instantly shot them to the top of the leaderboard with a 375.5 overall total. A handy round score of 196 would give Lauwers and Hallpass, owned by Sue Copeland, a 374 total for a close second place. Lauwers and Reba, owned by Shadyside Farm, finished in third with a score of 362.
Van Nortwick has spent the past few years working for Will Roberts at Pine Hollow Farm in New Caney, TX, and Roberts was highly complimentary of Van Nortwick and MTM Post Script’s performance and partnership.
“Morgan works really, really hard, and I love working with her,” said Roberts. “I do greatly appreciate that. She’s a pleasure to be around, and the horses love her.”
MTM Post Script came into the barn in August as a sales horse, and Van Nortwick and the 10-year-old Warmblood gelding, owned by Cecilia Halsey, have meshed well in the few months since then.
“Much like almost every horse, he loves Morgan,” said Roberts. “Horses love her. They go out of their way to try hard and be good sports for her. He went really exactly the way that we wanted him to in both rounds.”
Roberts continued, “We kind of geared him toward this class. So, we showed him lightly the past couple weeks and then chose not to show him during the week this week just to target the derby, and when it works out like that, everybody’s happy!”
For full results of the $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, click here.