Ben Maher heads 1.45m class in Florida

Ben Maher and Oscar.
By sportfot.com

Britains' Ben Maher claimed a win in the $8,000 G&C Farm 1.45m on the opening day of week five of the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). Ben and Oscar put down a winning time of 60.81 seconds for the win over the USA's Peter Wylde (Lipton De L'Othain), who finished in 62.99 seconds, and McLain Ward (Domino) in64.05 seconds.The class had 41 entries, who competed over a course designed by Ireland's Alan Wade.

"It's good that they have different course designers here every week," said Ben.

Seventeen found the way to a clear round, but out of them it was Ben and Oscar who had the most speed.

"He's naturally a fast horse, so if you're clear, he's always near the top end without even trying," said Ben.

Maher and Oscar, a 15-year-old Dutch gelding by Harcos x Animo, have only been together for seven months, but they have made the most of their partnership. They won the Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Series Classic in week two of this year's WEF, just a few days after Oscar was shipped over from Germany.

"It took him a while to recover. He feels a lot more happy to jump now," said Ben. "With the heat, it took a while for him to adjust. He jumped one round last week in the WEF Challenge Cup, which was quite big. It felt like he struggled a little bit so we came back down. We jumped in the 1.45m today to try and win a little money and to build confidence. I find it's easier when I drop him down a level to go back up. Hopefully it will pay off."

Oscar has been a do-it-all horse for Maher.

"I've used him for everything," Ben said. "When I didn't have a Grand Prix horse, he jumped some World Cup grands prix, speeds, everything really. He's a 1.50m horse; that's his comfortable level. He can go to the next level if we have to. We have to look after him, which is why its nice for him to jump one level down, be competitive, and enjoy what he does."

Oscar is owned by Lindsay Cook, who competes at young rider level but is currently at university, so Ben, who is travelling between Europe and Wellington, got the ride on him.

"I'm back and forth a little bit from Europe to here because my best horse Robin Hood is at home, but I'm enjoying the weather and look forward to coming back here every year," said Ben.