Lauren Hough wins Wellington's CSIO**** Grand Prix

Lauren Hough and Quick Study.
By sportfot.com

From a strong field of competitior's, the USA's Lauren Hough emerged victorious in the $150,000 Wellington Equestrian Realty Grand Prix riding Laura Mateo's Quick Study at the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival.

Of the 47 entries who rode over Steve Stephens' track, 12 found the way to a clear round and went forward to the jump-off.

"There were a lot of difficulties in the triple combination. You don't very often see a one [stride] to a one [stride] vertical-oxer-oxer, and that proved to be quite difficult," said Lauen. "I wouldn't say in general the course was too super technical except for that last line."

Jump-off
The pathfinder in the jump-off was Britain's Gemma Paternoster on her own Osiris. They set a solid time of 48.49 seconds with a clear round, which held up for fifth place.

After two faulting rounds, the lead changed to Canadian Amy Millar's hands when she went clear and 4 seconds fasters than Gemma on Costa Rica Z, eventually finishing third.

Two more faulted again before Brit Nick Skelton found a further 4 seconds on course with Carlo 273, to temporarily go into the lead.

"I lost it [the class] going to the last," said Nick. "I had a really good shot going forward and then two to three strides out, Carlo jumped over the tractor wheel tracks and I had to pull back afterwards and lost a stride there. But I'm still pleased with how he jumped."


Ben Maher and his black stallion Tripple X III put in the next clear in 45.99 seconds for fourth place, before Lauren and Quick Study took their turn.

The speedy bay gelding was quick through the double combination and across the ground to set the winning pace at 40.18 seconds.

"I had my work cut out for me," said Lauren. "Nick's horse is very fast. Obviously, the trick was the double: A and B of what was the triple. I took a bit of a risk there and he jumped it really well. I'm thrilled to have won. I was quite fast going in and he really backed up really well at A and jumped out unbelievable."


Hough was very pleased with Quick Study, who has come out very well this winter. They won the WEF Challenge Cup round four and were third in this week's Grand Prix class.

"He has had a really good season so far. I want him to peak for the $500,000 [Grand Prix] here, said Lauren. "He's 12 this year and has a lot of mileage and he's my only one at the moment, so I'm going to try and pick and choose the right classes for him, without doing too much."

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