March 9, 2025, Myakka City, Florida. National competition captivated spectators on the final day of the TerraNova Winter Series’ fourth week as the day debuted with the $20,000 Howard Leasing TerraNova Prix before jumper classics of various levels took center stage in the Lakeside Arena. For the past four weeks, the venue has featured top-tier competition from cross rails to grand prix as part of the five-week series, which offers hunter, jumper, and equitation classes in the peaceful setting of Myakka City, Florida. Taking the first podium finish of the day, France’s Tony Cadet piloted Holidays del Cabalero to the pinnacle position of the day’s opening class.
Switching gears to design for national-level athletes, Bernardo Cabral designed a delicate but fair opening track that saw nine of the 19-horse starting field advance on to the short course. Set in an immediate jump off format, the course’s time-to-beat dwindled to a tighter and tighter time, but it was Cadet’s flawless performance with Shore Acres Farm, LLC’s eight-year-old Selle Francais mare by Balou du Rouet that earned the victory.
“She’s just a wonderful mare,” Cadet gushed. “She’s young so she still has a lot to learn, but I think she will be a really good horse for the future. I jumped her mother in five-star grand prixs and she was very similar.”
To the mare’s best attributes, Cadet credits her temperament and talent.
“I always know I can turn tight and she will still get out of it,” he continued. “She’s very careful and has a really good head on her shoulders, which her mother was the same. She always wanted to go and was always very careful, so now we cross our fingers that this horse goes just as far.”
The runner-up position went to the USA’s Gracie Allen after her impressive performance on John Meehan’s 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare by Elvaro, Picante ‘ter Elzen’, which stopped the timers in 36.706 seconds. Just behind Allen was Maddison Stephen who earned the final spot on the podium with Yalambi’s Ikon. Following two fault-free performances, Stephen’s pace landed her with a time of 37.461 seconds on her own 12-year-old Warmblood gelding by Carpino Z.
Junior/Amateur Jumper Classics Close Out Week IV
With the week’s final prix completed, Cabral got underway with the task of designing for an afternoon of junior and amateur competition.
“It’s all different levels today, so I’m actually a little more nervous designing today for them than yesterday for the grand prix,” Cabral laughed. “I think the tests today, though, are very fair, and the horses have a way out even if the rider makes a mistake, which is always my goal. I’m always fortunate to be here; this is probably the most horse-friendly place that I have built all over the world and that really says something.”
Cabral is set to return to TerraNova Equestrian Center at the end of the month for The Event at TerraNova, a three-day eventing competition spanning levels from Starter to CCI4*-S.
Nine entries contested Cabral’s track in the $3,500 Marsh & McLennan/WIHS 1.10m Junior/Amateur Jumper Classic, but it was Kim Cadet who posted the blazing fast jump off time of 31.956 seconds for the win aboard Shore Acres Farm LLC’s 17-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare by Toulon, Inchala van de Doornhaag. Ashley Collins and Clemens KHR found a fault-free jump off effort to take second place, while four faults in the short course landed Breeze Kaye and Juke Box in third.
The fences went back up in height as 11 contenders raced to take the top spot in the $5,000 Reitenright Equestrian Footing NAL 1.20m Junior/Amateur Jumper Classic, but it was another ribbon for Breeze Kay who ultimately found the fastest fault-free track aboard Gold Digger Z. As one of only two double-clear efforts, Kay’s time of 33.813 with the 10-year-old Zangersheide gelding by Grand Slam VDL clinched the win.
Classics in the Lakeside Arena concluded with the $5,000 Flagler Equine Insurance and HDI 1.30m-1.40m Junior/Amateur Jumper Classic, where Samuel Watson and his own 16-year-old Warmblood gelding by Danaous du Theillet, Oaks Donatello, reigned supreme following a fast finish in 35.946 seconds and the best effort with only one rail down.