Ben Maher kicks off Wellington's 2026 Winter Equestrian Festival with Victory
On U.S.-owned Ginger-Blue
8 January 2026 at 1:49 amBy k.braddick
Ben Maher of Great Britain kicked off Wellington's 2026 Winter Equestrian Festival Wednesday with a victory on the U.S.-owned Ginger-Blue.
Ben, ranked No. 4 in the world, on the 15-year-old mare topped the starting lineup of 37 combinations in a time of 58.753 secs.
The horse, owned by Jane Forbes Clark, has been competed successfully on both sides of the Atlantic by Ben for the past six years.
Canada's Erynn Ballard on De Flor III Z Santa Rosa, 15-year-old stallion, was runner up on 60.535 secs.
Jessica Leto of USA on on the nine-year-old mare Kyena STW Z that she has shown for the past nine months placed third on 62.969 secs.
Both WEF and the Global Dressage Festival organized by Wellington International start 12 weeks of competition.
WEF, the longest running series in the world, wraps up at the end of March with the $1 million Rolex US Open Grand Prix.
Global launches Thursday with a World Cup qualifier.
Results:
1.40m Open Jumper
Horse/Rider Nat. Faults Time
1. GINGER-BLUE/BEN MAHER GBR 0 58.753
2. DE FLOR 111 Z SANTA ROSA/ERYNN BALLARD CAN 0 60.535
3. KYENA STW Z/JESSICA LETO USA 0 62.969
4. IRONIX/CALLIE SCHOTT USA 0 67.991
5. CORIAAN VAN KLAPSCHEUT Z/SHANE SWEETNAM IRL 0 69.085
6. FBW GRAPHIK/VANESSA HOOD ISR 0 69.452
7. LONTENDER/PABLO MEJIA VILLA COL 0 69.621
8. BELLE AMIE VD DASSENHEIDE Z/LACEY GILBERTSON USA 0 70.101
9. ARTIC JT Z/CAPT. BRIAN COURNANE USA 0 70.176
10 QUIERO/CASSIDY REIN CAN 0 70.282
11 KINGSTON/BLYTHE KAROLYI USA 0 70.921
12 KOBERLINA TN/THAISA ERWIN AUS 0 70.954
13 CASINO ROYAL Z/ELENA A. HAAS USA 0 71.879
14 LE LOUVRE 5/MCLAIN WARD USA 0 71.937
15 MYLA/STELLA WASSERMAN USA 0 72.487
Photo: Ben Maher of Great Britain on Ginger-Blue capturing the first competition of the 2026 Winter Equestrian Festival. © 2026 Ken Braddick/Jumper-News.US
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