Jelmer Hoekstra and J’Espère Capture $60,000 Core Specialty Insurance Grand Prix Victory
Sunshine and top show jumping sport set the stage for an exciting Saturday on March 7 in the Grand Prix Ring at HITS Post Time Farm as the Ocala Winter Finals welcomed elite horse-and-rider combinations for the featured event, the $60,000 Core Specialty Insurance Grand Prix. The popular 2026 HITS Ocala Winter Circuit features 10 weeks of premier hunter, jumper, and equitation competition headlined by a weekly national grand prix, and the eighth week of the series certainly continued to showcase that excitement. In front of an enthusiastic crowd, it was Jelmer Hoekstra (NED) and J’Espère that delivered when it mattered most, producing a decisive performance to secure victory and conclude the day’s marquee class in style.
After a week of high-level competition, anticipation built for one of the circuit’s most prestigious classes. A seasoned field of 28 entries tackled a demanding course designed by Bernardo Costa Cabral (POR), which tested precision, speed, and scope. Ultimately, eight duos jumped fault-free to advance to the all-deciding jump-off.
Second to return for the short course, Hoekstra had no intention of playing it safe. With Tracy Fenney (USA) — winner of the previous three Grand Prix classes at HITS Ocala — still to come with three horses, Hoekstra knew he needed to set the standard. He did just that, delivering a bold effort in 37.661 seconds. In a rare moment during the round, the middle rail of the final fence was lowered without affecting the height of the obstacle. After review, the ground jury determined the round would still be scored as clear, and so it was up to the remaining contenders to chase Hoekstra’s leading time. In the end, it proved to be an insurmountable feat, leaving Hoekstra and J’Espère to gallop away with the blue-ribbon honors.
“I watched the first horse go, and I knew I needed to get the seven strides down the first line if I wanted to win,” detailed Hoekstra of his jump-off strategy. “After that, everything showed up just right… with a little bit of luck!”
Known for producing talented young horses for the top levels of the sport, Hoekstra actually had been watching J’Espère competing in Europe for quite some time before taking over the reins himself.
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