Charlie Jayne on Tender Guy Z Wins Wellington 1.45m Open Jumper

Charlie Jayne made his debut on Tender Guy Z to launch Wellington's 2026 Winter Equestrian Festival with a victory in the 1.45-meter open jumper competition.

In unseasonably chilly weather for sub-tropical south Florida, Charlie and the 10-year-old gelding were double clear with a jump off time of 32.37 secs.

The time for the American rider was almost eight seconds faster than runner-up Nayel Nassar of Egypt on the eight-year-old mare Crislin van den Bosrand Z. The pair was also double clear on 40.264 secs. in the jump off.

USA's Tanner Korotkin on IB Mercedes in a time of 41.389 secs. placed third in the class of 10 combinations.

This was the start of 13 weeks of the Winter Equestrian Festival that was first held in Wellington more than a half-century ago.

Featured this week is the first of 13 weeks of the Challenge Cup, the $75,000 Battles of the Sexes of female and male teams as the first of Saturday night competitions and a $75,000 Grand Prix Sunday.

International competitions of four 5* events including the finale $1 million Rolex Grand Prix and a Nations Cup begin next week.

Photo: Charlie Jayne of USA riding Tender Guy Z to victory in first competition to launch Wellington's 2026 Winter Equestrian Festival, the largest and longest running winter circuit in the world. © Ken Braddick/Jumper-News.US