Chesler seventh in $100,000 Grand Prix of Ocala
When you think of Florida, you might think of Florida Oranges and their seventeen different citrus varieties to choose from. However, when ‘horse people’ think of Florida, they think of the show circuits in Jacksonville, Ocala, Tampa and Wellington and their chance to escape the frigid winter and ride it out under the Florida sun. Even though Ontario is enjoying some unusually nice weather right now, you will find the Sher-Al Farm family wrapping up their winter of showing in Ocala, Florida just an hour north of Orlando.
Here at the HITS Ocala Winter Horse Show, the seven-week long series finished up with the last week of showing featuring the $100,000 Grand Prix of Ocala presented by Great American Insurance Group. With thirty-eight horse and riders competing for the win, (a third of them Canadian), it looked like a great day of showing with sunny skies and a warm balmy breeze greeting the crowded stands.
Frankie Chesler-Ortiz of Orangeville, Ontario decided to try her hand at the $100,000 Grand Prix course designed by world-renowned course designer Leopoldo Palacios-Jugo of Venezuela with her nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare Picolien Zeldenrust and her eight-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Ranville. A very challenging and exciting first round of action produced only eight horse and riders clear to advance to the jump off, including Chesler-Ortiz with Picolien Zeldenrust. "I didn’t make it onto the International division this year in Wellington," Chesler-Ortiz commented, "so we decided to make the journey to Ocala for this event. It is a great venue to ride at and I joined so many other Canadians here that it felt like we were back at home at the Collingwood or Palgrave horse show!"
The jump-off was tight and tested riders skill and horses agility. Riding into the jump off third aboard Picolien Zeldenrust was Chesler-Ortiz. "It is hard to go in third to the jump off because you don’t really get to watch any other competitors try the course to help you judge time and speed. We gave it our best and I am proud of my mare once again for giving it her all." Unfortunately, Chesler-Ortiz had two rails down during the jump off and completed the class in seventh position. Down in at the final show of the Wellington Equestrian Festival, the Canadian team was triumphant over the Americans in the gruelling CSI 5 Star Nations Cup Competition that sees ten teams from around the world compete against each other for the title of champion.
With over one million in prize money to be won and thousands of horses, equestrians and spectators on the show grounds, the HITS Ocala Winter Circuit was once again a major success this season. Chesler-Ortiz plans on heading back down to Wellington for the last few weeks of March and then traveling north once winter has said its final goodbyes to Ontario. So whether you enjoy a Navel, Valencia, Ambersweet, Hamlin, Red Navel or Temple, try one of Florida's seventeen different citrus varieties to celebrate the fact that summer is just around the corner.
