During Week 3 of the 2019 Winter Equestrian Festival, the Adult Amateur Equitation division took to the Rost Arena to vie for the champion and reserve tricolor ribbons. Tallying points from the under saddle and two over fences rounds, Nicole Wilson of Corinth, TX, piloted Sochi to the win.
Nicole Wilson and Sochi. Photo © Sportfot.
Wilson and the 11-year-old Westphalian gelding (Comet Obolensky x Candy) dominated the competition as the duo snagged two first-place ribbons over fences and a second under saddle. The gelding is a ride from Don Stewart that Wilson only took on several weeks ago.
“Don kindly let me borrow him this weekend,” she explained. “We showed in several jumper classes so I could get the feel of him, but I realized he was much more of an equitation ride.”
The win is special not only because of the new pairing but this is also the Texas native’s first time at the Winter Equestrian Festival.
“I honestly cannot pick one favorite part of being here,” Wilson said. “I love seeing all of the top riders, and the competition compared to what I’m used to is incredible.”
Finishing the division with a first in the under saddle as well as a second and third over fences, Ohio resident Sara Ballinger and her own Wanderprinz rounded out the division with the reserve champion title.