OCALA, Fla.--Aaron Vale on Gray's Inn won the $182,000 Grand Prix CSI4* over a field of 22 from 12 nations on Saturday evening, June 29 at the World Equestrian Center.
Aaron Vale on Grays Inn (Photo by Andrew Ryback)That was Gray’s Inn first-ever international win.
Five went clean over the course set by Alan Wade of Ireland, but those five came from Ireland, Spain, the United States, Austria, and Brazil.
Darragh Kerins of Ireland on Lissino was the first in the jump-off, going clean in 38.23 seconds, ultimately enough to place second.
Gonzalo Busca (of Spain on Pinot Gris Di Fer went next and had four faults in 38.86 seconds.
Aaron Vale was third to go on Thinkslikeahorse’s Gray’s Inn.
“He’s my wife’s horse, so I don’t get on him very often," said Vale. "I know the horse and see him every day, but she does 95 percent of the riding. He had a great night on Thursday, so I felt pretty good heading into the class tonight. I watched Darragh, and he was quite good. He did nine back to fence three, and I thought it would be the nine. But I got down the first eight so easily, I started my turn early because I had the balance right on top of the fence. So, I got over in eight and another eight to the combination. I had to push to get to the liverpool in nine, and I was thinking there was a possible seven coming home, but my horse wasn’t in perfect balance at the second-to-last jump, so I gave him a break and a moment to figure out how to clear it.”
VALE finished clean in 36.32 seconds to take the lead.
Vale’s wife, Mallory Vale, has been riding Gray's Inn, a 10-year-old Warmblood gelding, since he was 6.
“It was my wife’s idea,” satd Vale. “She’s been asking me for a long time, ‘Do you want my horse?’ and I always said no. She’s been doing so well with him and knocking on the door. But this week, I didn’t have a horse, so she told me I was showing her horse, and the rest is history. What a production my wife has made for me, allowing me to step in and win a class like this.”
Two riders went after Vale, and Peter Petschenig of Austria Ennebel Van Het Posthuijs had four faults in 38.23 seconds, then Celso Ariani of Brazil on Jip Van T&L Z was last to go, finishing clean in 41.76 seconds to place third.
