EQUESTRIAN: Olympian Scott Keach won the $100,000 Ocala Grand Prix CSIO4*, edging out 50 of the world’s elite jumping riders to take the lucrative title.
After jumping clear in the opening round, Keach and his 11 year old warmblood gelding Fedor were one of nine combinations from the field of 50 to progress to the deciding jump-off.
In the jump-off Keach again rode a clear round and his time of 43.71 seconds was the fastest of the four combinations which finished the jump-off on zero penalties.
Keach secured the victory ahead of Mexico’s Federico Fernandez riding Guru (43.95sec) and American Marilyn Little on Corona (44.87sec).
“Obviously I’m very happy with how Fedor jumped today, I couldn’t have expected anymore.
“In the last six months he’s really improved and has jumped some consistent clean rounds, so I’m very happy with that,” he said.
A member of Australia’s Olympic Team in 1988, Florida based Keach is aiming to make his first Australian Olympic Team in 28 years. Back then he represented Australia in Eventing but the South Australian is now enjoying success in Jumping after making the switch
four years ago. In August 2015 he helped Australia to qualify a team for Rio.
Sunday’s win at Ocala was the culmination of a solid week for Keach and his horse after the pair jumped a clear first round for Australia
in Friday’s Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup. Keach was one of five riders in the Australian team which finished fourth.
EQUESTRIAN AUSTRALIA
