Mario Deslauriers wins WEF Challenge Cup round eight

Mario Deslauriers and Vicomte D.
By sportfot.com

The Mario Deslauriers and Vicomte D were victorious in Thursday (3 March 2011) afternoon's $31,000 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) Challenge Cup round eight following a competitive class at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center.

Of the 48 starters, 16 jumped clear over Steve Stephens' course to go forward to the second round. With one scratch from the jump-off, 15 combinations returned over the shortened course and five jumped clear again.

Setting the target was Denamrk's Emilie Martinsen (Caballero) as the first to jump double clear in 43.13 seconds to finish eventual fifth.

Canada's Ian Millar and Star Power came four rounds later to take over the lead in 39.31 seconds. But this time was only good enought to eventually fourth. The next to go into pole position was
Pablo Barrios (G&C Quick Star) in 38.38 seconds and the Venezuelan held the lead temporarily when the USA's Lauren Hough (Quick Study) finished half of a second short.

Mario and Vicomte D, a 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding by Flamenco Desemilly x Randell Z, entered the ring next and took the lead, finishing just over one second faster than Barrios in 37.34 seconds to earn first place. Three more rounds followed, but no one else was able to jump without fault.

This is Mario's third winter with Jane Clark's big grey.

"Vicomte jumped great today; he has been knocking at the door a little bit here and there but today he really got it in him," he said. "He's a quick horse, so I knew I had a good shot coming in to the jump-off. It was a good course for him; I could leave out strides everywhere and he jumped great."

Speaking about the ride on Vicomte D, Mario said: "He's a funny horse. If he puts his mind to it he is very talented and he can do it, but sometimes he gets easily distracted and sometimes I get a lot of unlucky rails with him. Usually when he jumps well and leaves the jumps up we are right up there, and today he was great."

Big bonus
In each WEF Challenge Cup class this year the riders have had the opportunity to win a $3,000 bonus for wearing a pair of SSG Digital gloves during their winning round. No one has received the bonus for three weeks in a row now, so this week's bonus money went up to $9,000. Mario made sure to wear his Digital gloves and received the fantastic bonus on top of his class earnings.

"This promotion is a great thing for the riders and it is really talked about in the circle," Mario said. "It is a fun thing and I hope it is good for SSG. It is exciting to win three bonuses together and I am glad that it was my lucky day today."

For full results, click here