Peter Wylde wins Suncast 1.50m in Wellington

Peter Wylde and Lipton
de l'Othain.
By sportfot.com

The USA's Peter Wylde and Lipton D'Lothain took the $25,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Series Classic during week seven of the FTI WInter Equestrian Festivak (WEF).

Germany's Olaf Petersen Jr built the course and seven of the 49 entries jumped clear in the first round. A fall kept one competitor from returning to jump the shortened course, but the remaining six riders jumped-off to determine top honors.
Four combination went clear again and Peter and his mount of six years, owned by Windward Farm and Jessica Siuda, won in a time of 36.01 seconds ahead of Venezuela's Pablo Barrios and Nathalie Mathers' Costa. cleared the course in 37.384 seconds to finish in second place.

"That horse makes the difference. He's like a Ferrari," said Peter. "He is so fast, careful and competitive. He wins many classes. I saw Nick [Skelton] go and he was really fast and left strides out. I thought 'oh boy, in order to win you've really got to take every risk'. I tried. That's his nature, to win. It makes it fun and easy. He's a brilliant animal and I was lucky he was on form today."

Lipton De L'Othain is a 12-year-old Selle Francais gelding by Kashmir Van Schuttershof x Prince Du Logis.

"We bought him as a six-year-old," Peter said. "He's been a winner all of his life. We had a little bit of a slow start at the beginning of circuit, but he is incredibly careful and will almost never knock a jump down. That's why I don't ride him in the biggest Grands Prix. This level for him is good. Last year he did 18 Rolex ranking competitions and was in the first three in 15 of them. He has an impressive record. It is not a surprise that he can win a class like this; it's right up his alley."

Peter has been based in Germany for seven years, but enjoys the opportunity to compete in Wellington each year.

"I hope to be able to come here every winter," he said. "The sport is very exciting here. I have two very good American owners [Jessica Siuda and Windward Farm and Beth Johnson and Louisburg Farm]. We all like to be here in the wintertime. As long as it is financially possible and we have good enough horses to come here, we'll make the effort to be here. It is an incredible circuit."