UPPERVILLE, Va.--Aaron Vale on Styles won the $220,000 FEI 4* Upperville Jumper Classic on Sunday, June 8, capping off al week of international competition at the 172nd Upperville Colt & Horse Show.
Aaron Vale on Styles (Photo by Erin Gilmore)Vale of Williston, Fla., on the 9-year-old grey Belgian Warmblood gelding won by a full second in an eight horse jump-off from a starting field of 22.
Vale was clean in 38.08 with Sloane Coles of The Plains, Va., on Ninja JW Van de Moerhoeve second, clean in 39.05, while Nayel Nasser of Egypt on Coronado was third in 39.27 seconds.
“My horse is just young enough that there wasn’t anything really special I felt I could do,” Vale said of the jump-off. “I saw everything forward. It was a little like downhill skiing; I just turned and accelerated and never had to hit the brakes. It was a suitable course for Styles, and it turned out great.”
Coles’ first time showing at Upperville was in the Leadline class when she was 2 or 3 years old, and she has been showing under the oaks every year since her competitive career began.
“MY MOM likes to joke that Joe Fargis asked me what bit my pony had, but I could barely speak,” she said. “It feels great to be here in my community, with all the people I grew up with, my best friends and even my former schoolteachers.”
Nayel Nassar’s third place finish capped off a solid week for he and his ride of eight years, Coronado.
“He’s been an incredible horse for me and my career, as a multiple 5* winner,” said Nassar. “He’s been a little injury riddled the past couple of seasons, but we have been able to manage it and I am so pleased that he gave me the feeling he did today! He’s a real trier and I feel like I’m dialing him back in now.”
The show experienced a weather delay late in the morning, but the riders agreed that the footing held up tremendously well despite the torrential downpour.
“We had a lot of rain, but the footing was great and so was the competition,” said Nassar. “This was my first time here, and I’ll definitely be back.”
“The footing was incredible, it couldn’t have been better after all of that rain,” said Coles.
Vale, who has won the Upperville Jumper Classic multiple times when it was held on grass, said, “I haven’t been here in a while. The new arenas have really revived the show, from the number of entries to more international riders to more spectators. The crowd is bigger and even more into it. It’s a modern facility now and the horses appreciate it.”
