Daniel Deusser Closes Out WEF 7 with CSI5* Victory
The final five-star class of international competition during Week 7 of the 2023 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) came to a close on Sunday afternoon with a win for German Olympian Daniel Deusser and Kiana Van Het Herdershof.
Fifty-three combinations readied themselves to contest Steve Stephens’ (USA) final test of the Lugano Diamonds-sponsored week as finishing touches were put on the first round of the $78,000 CaptiveOne Advisors CSI5* 1.50m Classic.
Deusser, ranked the number-nine in the world, produced a fault-free first round on both his winning mount and his second entry, Loui LN, with whom he finished in sixth place at the class’s completion. A total of 17 pairs successfully navigated the first round without penalty to advance to the short track, but eight of those contenders suffered from at least one downed obstacle as they put on the gas pedal. Jos Verlooy went early in the class and set the pace as he with a challenging time-to-beat at 38.04 seconds, but ultimately settled for third place aboard Euro Horse BVBA’s 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding FTS Killossery Konfusion (SIEC Livello x Cruising).
Deusser and the Stephex Stables’ 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare (Toulon x Lys De Darmen) are no strangers to the winner’s circle at Wellington International, having won a handful of five-star events in the arena during 2021 and 2022. Kiana Van Het Herdershof was also selected as the Champion Equine Insurance Jumper Style Award winner by Laura fetterman on Sunday.
“Kiana is a horse I’ve had for many years, and she is naturally very fast, so classes like this are her specialty,” explained Deusser. “If I am clear in the jump-off with her, I am normally always in the top five placings.”
According to Deusser, the course was well-suited for this mare and the pair have once again hit their stride.
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Daniel Deusser Closes Out WEF 7 with CSI5* Victory (wellingtoninternational.com)
