Jessica Mendoza Flies to the $200,000 Grand Prix Win at WEC Ocala

Great Britain's Jessica Mendoza was in the air as long as she needed to be over the jumps, and sped around with her own 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare In The Air to decisively win the $200,000 FEI CSI4* Grand Prix at the World Equestrian Center (WEC) in Ocala on Sunday.

From a field of 32, seven qualified for the jump-off, where Mendoza was one of two double-clear rounds.

In The Air's special attribute

“I think it’s her heart," said Mendoza. "She’s obviously very talented in a lot of ways, but she just gets in there and wants to give it her absolute best all the time. She’s always trying for me.”

Rounding out the podium

Ashley Vogel and Otis Blue, a 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding, was first to go in the jump-off, and put on the pressure in the 1.55-meter class.

Mendoza entered the ring two trips later. “I was third to go with some fast riders behind me, and I knew I had to go for it,” Mendoza said. “I didn’t plan on doing that inside turn, but the person in front of me did it, and I was like, ‘Oh my God, I didn’t know I needed to do that.’ But she’s so athletic. I know I can do that turn on her, and she’d be right there with me.”

Vogel ended up the runner-up.

Daniel Coyle and the 16-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Farrel, who won this Grand Prix one week ago, had an unlucky first rail in the jump-off, but a fast time. Callie Schott and Garant immediately followed Coyle in the jump-off and were the last to go. She really went for it, with the fastest jump-off time, but had two knockdowns in the process.

Mendoza was the runner-up with In The Air in last week's Grand Prix, by less than half a second.

Top Eight Results

1 Jessica Mendoza (Great Britain) - IN THE AIR - 0/0/45.87

2 Ashley Vogel (USA) - OTIS BLUE - 0/0/49.57

3 Daniel Coyle (Ireland) - FARREL - 0/4/45.70

4 Callie Schott (USA) - GARANT - 0/8/45.61

5 Jad Dana (Lebanon) - ITCHCOCK DES DAMES - 0/12/46.51

6 Shane Sweetnam (Ireland) - GILONA AO - 0/15/63.68

7 Natalie Dean (USA) - FORNETT D'EMERAUDE - 0/18/62.95

8 Molly Ashe Cawley- (USA) - QUIMI DEL MASET - 1/73.13

Photo credit: Andrew Ryback Photography