April 4, 2024 – Katy, TX – For the second week in a row, Martien van der Hoeven earned a Welcome Stake win at the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show in Katy, TX. This time, van der Hoeven kicked off Week II at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center on Wednesday, April 3, with a win in the $10,000 Brazos Valley Equine Hospital Welcome Stake aboard Candy of Picobello Z.
Van der Hoeven and the 9-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding were the fourth of 22 entries to take on the first-round course set by course designer Oscar Soberon, and following the immediate jump-off format, they were the second to jump off, setting the time to beat at 40.306 seconds.
“I wanted to be double clean,” said van der Hoeven. “I felt like I gave it a good go without risking too much. Obviously, with the numbers being up this week, I didn’t know if it was actually going to hold up by the time another 20-something horses went.”
Hold up it did indeed, with young rider Avery Erickson coming the closest to catching van der Hoeven. Aboard her own Chacco Lait, Erickson stopped the clock in 40.738 seconds to take second place and the win in the $5,000 Corient U25 Welcome Stake held concurrently.
Finishing in third place with a jump-off time of 41.615 seconds were Daniel Bedoya and Londonlike, owned by Monica Hanks.
Following the gelding’s win on Wednesday, Candy of Picobello Z will next contest Thursday’s $25,000 EPIC Sporthorses Grand Prix with owner Avery Griffin.
“[Candy of Picobello Z] is a horse that the Griffin family got last year in Florida,” said van der Hoeven. “We’ve been developing him along; Avery normally competes in the U25 and High Junior Jumper division. He’s quite a good horse, and he’s getting more and more consistent at this height.”
For van der Hoeven, who operates Marlac Farm in Pinehurst, TX – less than an hour away from the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show – Pin Oak is the ideal event to continue to develop horses, to accomplish goals and to earn memorable victories.
“These three weeks are really nice,” said van der Hoeven of the shows that he has been competing at for more than 20 years. “The course designers are always good all three weeks. Oscar [Soberon] is great. He designs at [the Winter Equestrian Festival] and all over, so we’ve jumped his courses a fair amount. He’s very reliable, and you know what you’re going to get.”
Van der Hoeven continued, “For all of us who have grown up here and been here, I think that this show holds a lot of significance. We’ve watched people that we look up to win and cheered for them. I won my first kind of bigger grand prix here on a very special horse, [South Bound], quite a few years ago. That was very important, and last week both my students Avery [Griffin] and Ava [Myers] were first and second [in the grand prix], so that was pretty fun. It was Avery’s first grand prix win, and to do it here I think holds a lot of value for all of us that call Texas home.”
For full results of Wednesday’s the $10,000 Brazos Valley Equine Hospital Welcome Stake, click here or visit HorseShowsOnline.com.
Also earning wins in the Main Ring throughout the day were the following:
- 1.15m Open Jumpers, sponsored by Cokinos | Young Law Firm – Trapp O’Neal and Conzales 6
- 1.20m Open Jumpers, sponsored by Truist Bank – Happy Comly and Clock-Wise CSH
- 1.30m Open Jumpers, sponsored by Moor Insights & Strategy – Martien van der Hoeven and Casallarina
- 1.35m Open Jumpers, sponsored by Royal Sport Horses – Katie Cox and Q-Manni J
Competition at the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show continues through Sunday, April 14, with highlights of Week II including the $50,000 R-C Ranch Grand Prix on Saturday, April 6, beginning at 7 p.m.
March 28, 2024 – Katy, TX – A double hunter derby day meant double the wins for Jef Lauwers on Thursday, March 28, at the 78th Pin Oak Charity Horse Show in Katy, TX.
Lauwers and She’s All That kicked off the day with victory in the $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby, sponsored by R-C Ranch. Lauwers then returned to the Mega Ring at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center aboard Hallpass, this time taking the win in the $30,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, sponsored by Augusta Pines Farm.
Lauwers and Hallpass were one of 16 entries to take on the International Derby, and the pair held the lead from beginning to end with an overall first-round score of 182. With that score – made up of the combined total from the two judging panels – and with the top 12 each returning in reverse order of their standing, Lauwers and Hallpass were the final entry to return for the handy round.
Their performance over the Kevin Holowack-designed handy course only further cemented their lead, with the two judging panels awarding them scores of 84.5 and 87, plus four high option bonus points added to each score, for a second-round total score of 179.5 and a cumulative, overall score of 361.5.
Second place with an overall score of 347 went to Nada Wise riding Next Chapter, owned by Kristen Pribilski, and third place went to Alwaleed Alrashid who finished on a score of 345 aboard Lyla Brady’s Versailles.
For Lauwers, the victory is a bit of a comeback win, as he missed last year’s Pin Oak Charity Horse Show while undergoing back surgery.
“My doctor wanted me to be very careful, and it was an intensive enough surgery that I had to lie down for a month and then gradually get back to walking and physical therapy,” said Lauwers, who ultimately took roughly eight months out of the saddle. “I feel good now. I had a good support system, and like everybody in our sport, it’s important to stay healthy and try to do what’s right for you and for your horses.”
For Hallpass, the class was the 11-year-old Hanoverian’s first hunter derby in several months, as the chestnut gelding does not travel to compete on any winter circuits. Instead, Hallpass spends the winter in Texas with owner, Sue Copeland.
“Peter [Pletcher] suggested that I try [Hallpass],” said Copeland. “He was big and growthy, and I think needed some time and flatwork. I love to do that. I jump him at home. We tend to do Texas shows most of the time; we have sent him to Kentucky. He just loves to jump the big jumps. So, I do the flatwork and little jumps at home and then hand him off to Jef. So [Hallpass] hasn’t jumped like this in a while, but he was really happy to get back to it! He loves to jump.”
In the $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby, it was another of Lauwers’ longtime, successful partners that took the win, She’s All That, owned by Linda Yarborough.
The pair led the field throughout both rounds, scoring an 89 in round one and returning to the handy round in the final position. They then scored a 91 in the handy round for a winning, total score of 180.
Finishing in second on a total score of 175.5 was Linda Crothers aboard Menessa, owned by Carly Richardson, while Catherine Moorhead and Eurokom, owned by PLC Farm, rounded out the top three on a total score of 173.
“She is very competitive,” said Lauwers of the 9-year-old black Westphalian mare that he has been partnered with for nearly four years. “At home she’s a bit uninterested; she is just kind of like, ‘There are no jumps; nobody is judging me.’ But when she comes out here, she turns into a show horse. She knows when it’s business, and she’ll tell you. You just put your leg on, and it’s easy.”
She’s All That is affectionately known as “BB” in the barn, a nod to the classic 1877 Anna Sewell novel, Black Beauty.
Lauwers explained, “Linda [Yarborough] showed up with her and was like, ‘I have this horse, this black beauty.’ So, that’s what it stands for. Linda picked the name, and BB has just been unbelievable.”
Lauwers, originally hails from Belgium but began riding professionally for PJP Farm in Magnolia, TX, in 2019, and the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show has been an important show on his calendar since then.
“I missed this show last year, so it’s great to come back with a good string of horses,” said Lauwers. “I feel like we all have a good time here. The Great Southwest Equestrian Center supports the sport very well here in Texas. There’s a lot of prize money for the horses in both the jumpers and the hunters. It’s fun for us. It’s fun for the owners, and the rings are good; the weather is good, so it’s a fun change of scenery.”
For full results of Thursday’s hunter derby classes, visit HorseShowsOnline.com.
Competition at the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show continues through Sunday, April 14, with highlights of Week I including the $30,000 Texas Children’s Grand Prix on Friday, March 29, beginning at 7 p.m.
March 28, 2024 – Katy, TX – Nicolas Gamboa earned his first-ever grand prix win at the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show in 2022, and as of Wednesday, March 27, he has now notched five additional Pin Oak grand prix victories in the short time since then. His sixth win came aboard NKH Vittorio S, owned by NKH LLC, in the $25,000 Fairway Farm Grand Prix during Pin Oak I.
On his way to his most recent win, Gamboa and NKH Vittorio S were one of 11 entries to qualify to jump off over the Manuel Esparza-designed short course, and from there, speed was the name of the game.
When Gamboa returned to the Main Ring at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center as the final rider, the time to beat had been set at 39.287 seconds by Avery Griffin on Candy of Picobello Z – with no other riders having crossed the finish in under 40 seconds. Gamboa, however, made short work of Griffin’s time, clearing the timers in a winning 37.492 seconds.
In addition to the $25,000 Fairway Farm Grand Prix win, that finish time also secured Gamboa the victory in the $10,000 1.40m U25 Grand Prix held concurrently. Taking second place in both classes was Griffin. Third place in the $25,000 Grand Prix went to Alwaleed Alrashid, who finished with a jump-off time of 40.171 seconds aboard RSH Grand-Dessert.
“NKH Vittorio S has been in our string for a little while now,” said Gamboa of the 10-year-old Holsteiner gelding. “He just came from a tour in California with us. He jumped a few international classes out there. He’s come a long way. He’s actually been second in a couple of grand prix classes now and a couple ranking classes, so I’m finally happy that he got that blue ribbon!”
Gamboa continued, “The Pin Oak Charity Horse Show has been great for Texas. I know it’s been around a lot longer than I’ve been alive, so I’m very pleased to be able to support the show. I know they give quite a bit to charity, and that’s always a great thing…This show has always been very good to me. I won my first grand prix here a couple years ago on NKH Mr. Darcy, and every year, I always look forward to thinking about those memories again and trying to keep it going.”
In addition to his ribbons and awards, as the winner, Gamboa was presented with a gift certificate for a free equine spa treatment from Peak Performance Equine Spa. For full results from Wednesday’s class, click here or visit HorseShowsOnline.com.
Competition at the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show continues through Sunday, April 14, with highlights of Week I including a $30,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby on Thursday, March 28, and the $30,000 Texas Children’s Grand Prix on Friday, March 29, beginning at 7 p.m.
March 26, 2024 – Katy, TX – Martien van der Hoeven is no stranger to the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show’s winner’s circle – having competed at the US Equestrian Heritage Competition for more than 20 years – and he returned there again on Tuesday, March 26, after taking the victory in the $10,000 Bedoya Training Stables Welcome Stake aboard Sparky.
The class marked the start of the 78th edition of the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, which features three weeks of high-caliber hunter/jumper competition at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, TX.
On his way to kicking off Week I with a win, van der Hoeven was one of nine entries to traverse the first-round course without fault. From there, Van der Hoeven and Sparky were both the first and the fastest over the short course designed by Manuel Esparza (MEX), stopping the clock in an uncatchable 33.664 seconds.
Finishing in second place with a jump-off time of 35.757 seconds were Allison Kroff and T-Quick Hurricane Z, owned by TC Sport Horses LLC. Third place with a time of 26.983 seconds went to Diego Bedoya and Casamigos, owned by NRG Farm, LLC.
Also taking home a win on Tuesday was Kaydence Cothran aboard Onslow, owned by Cool Kid Farms. The duo finished sixth overall in the $10,000 Bedoya Training Stables Welcome Stake, and, as the highest-placing under 25 rider, Cothran earned the win in the $5,000 U25 Welcome Stake, sponsored by Fairway Farm and held concurrently.
For many of the riders in Tuesday’s Welcome Stake, including van der Hoeven, it was a warm-up for what’s to come at the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show.
“Sparky is a 9-year-old, owned by the Myers family in San Antonio,” said van der Hoeven of the Hanoverian gelding owned by Myers Family Investments, LLC. “Normally, he competes in the High Junior Jumpers with their daughter, Ava. For this horse – being young – I think it’s still beneficial that he competes and that he practices going fast. [Ava] comes [Wednesday] to do the $25,000 Grand Prix along with the Under 25 Grand Prix. Today’s plan was to use this as a warm-up for her and make sure he’s in the ring, comfortable, forward and ready to go.”
In speaking of Sparky, van der Hoeven added, “He’s just such a modern sport horse. He does everything right; he knows where the jumps are and knows how to go fast. The balance is always good regardless of any speed. He is just truly a horse that can do today’s sport; we’re hoping at even a much higher level.”
Also earning wins in Tuesday’s featured jumper classes were the following:
- 1.10m Training Jumpers, sponsored by Grange/Johnson Development – Reagan Mientka and Cality
- 1.15m Open Jumpers, sponsored by Cokinos Young Law Firm – Lindsay Bedoya and Jumping VG King
- 1.20m Open Jumpers, sponsored by Truist Bank – Andres Hernandez and My Lady Blue
- 1.35m Open Jumpers, sponsored by Moor Insights & Strategy – Stephanie Tropia and CR Integrity
Competition at the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show continues on Wednesday, March 27, with highlights of Week I including a $30,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby on Thursday, March 28, and the $30,000 Texas Children’s Grand Prix on Friday, March 29, beginning at 7 p.m.
Katy, TX – Nicolas Gamboa and NKH Mr. Darcy put a final exclamation point on their phenomenal three weeks at the 2023 Pin Oak Charity Horse with victory in the finale $100,000 Third Coast Bank Grand Prix, held on Saturday, April 15 in Katy, TX.
Having already won two grand prix classes during Week II at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center, Gamboa and NKH Mr. Darcy were fan favorites going into Saturday night, but with a field of 23 top contenders, it was still anybody’s game.
Fresh from designing the courses for the 2023 FEI World CupTM Final in Omaha, NE, Bernardo Costa Cabral set a track in the Porter Hedges Main Arena that saw eight entries go clear. When Gamboa and NKH Mr. Darcy entered the ring as the second pair to return for the jump-off, the time to beat had been set at 35.984 seconds by Australia’s Rowan Willis aboard Wellington Grey Goose.
As Gamboa flew across the final Third Coast Bank oxer in 34.902 seconds, the crowd erupted into cheers, and that clear-round time would ultimately prove good enough for the win. Willis and Wellington Grey Goose took second place while Jacqueline Ruyle and Cyramo Z finished in third with four faults in a time of 33.892 seconds after a heartbreaking rail at the final fence.
“It’s been a great way to wrap it up!” said Gamboa of his win. “[NKH Mr. Darcy] just tried and tried and tried his heart out. He knows the drill when he walks in there. He feels the audience, and he knows he has to leave the jumps up. He takes care of the speed himself.”
Gamboa has been partnered with the 10-year-old Holsteiner stallion, owned by Neil Knox of NKH LLC, for roughly a year; the pair’s string of successes kicked off last year with Gamboa’s first-ever grand prix win at the 2022 Pin Oak Charity Horse Show.
“Honestly, he was brought along for a long time by the previous rider, and they just did a fantastic job with him,” said Gamboa, who rides for October Hill Farm and Heineking Show Stables. “When I get on that horse, he just knows what to do, where to go. He knows where his feet are, and he knows where his mind should be. He knows when it’s game time.”
In addition to the top honors in Saturday’s class, for which Gamboa was presented the Uncle Sam Trophy, he also earned the Antarès Leading Grand Prix Rider Award. As the rider with the most points earned over all five grand prix classes held during the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, Gamboa received a $1,000 bonus check and a new Antarès saddle. Knox of NKH LLC was also recognized with the Clayton Stone Trophy as the high-point grand prix owner.
Gamboa concluded, “Thank you again to everybody, the whole team and staff. Everybody that’s at the gate when I walk out and at the gate when I walk in, especially the Heineking family and Neil Knox. I cannot do it without their support, so thank you.”
For full results of the $100,000 Third Coast Bank Grand Prix, click here or visit HorseShowsOnline.com.