Olivia Sweetnam Scores her First 4* Victory - the Grand Prix Qualifier at WEC

Olivia Sweetnam piloted Epic, an 11-year-old Anglo-European gelding, to a decisive victory in the $117,00 Grand Prix Qualifier CSI4*, taking the blue ribbon by just shy of 2.5 seconds. At 17 years old, Sweetnam was the youngest rider in the 1.50-meter class on Thursday at the World Equestrian Center (WEC) in Ocala. To top it off, the win was her first at the 4* level, and she says she's glad it was aboard Epic.

A smush on the ground, an animal in the ring

Olivia Sweetnam says Epic is so affectionate, cute, loving, and nice on the ground that she calls him "Smush" in the barn.

"And then in the ring, he's this animal, and he just wants to go fast and jump clear and win," she says. "I'm so lucky to be able to work with a horse that's as smart as him. I don't think they come around so often, so I'm really thankful for him."

An Epic win

“My plan for the jump-off was to have a nice, efficient round,” she explained. “My dad [Shane Sweetnam] and I knew obviously that the jump-off was very competitive and there was a lot in it, and we just made a plan from the walk before the first round and stuck to that plan no matter what the other ones were doing because we knew that was the best plan for my horse. If it worked out, it worked out, and if it didn’t, there’s always going to be somebody who can beat you. Then we’d try again on Sunday. Luckily, it worked out in my favor.”

The pair is entered in the $200,000 FEI CSI4* 1.55-meter Grand Prix on Sunday, along with 28 other competitors, including her father.

An even wider spread between second and third

Spain's Francisco Goyoaga Mollet, with the 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare PST de Muze, was the runner-up, more than three seconds faster than Molly Ashe Cawley, who rounded out the top three with the 12-year-old Spanish sport horse gelding Quimi Del Maset.

In the field of 41, 12 qualified for the jump-off, where five went double clear.

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Top Eight Results

1 Olivia Sweetnam (USA) - EPIC - 0/38.08

2 Francisco Goyoaga Mollet (Spain) - PST DE MUZE - 0/40.32

3 Molly Ashe Cawley (USA) - QUIMI DEL MASET - 0/43.59

4 Callie Schot (USA) - GARANT - 0/44.16

5 Amy Millar (Canada) - JAGGER HX - 0/44.78

6 Tanimara Macari (Mexico) - QUENALA T - 4/41.34

7 Christian Kukuk (Germany) - FANTASIA - 4/42.06

8 Daniel Coyle (Ireland) - INCREDIBLE - 4/44.75

Photo credit: Andrew Ryback Photography