Jessica Mendoza Takes Flight on In The Air to Win $32,000 CSI3* Adequan® WEF Challenge Cup Round 2
A week ago, British show jumping athlete Jessica Mendoza was on a horseback safari in Africa admiring elephants and other wildlife from the comfort of the saddle. This week, she switched gears for week 2 of the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) and rode to a win in the $32,000 CSI3* Adequan® WEF Challenge Cup Round 2 from a star-studded order that included multiple Olympians and top-ten ranked athletes. Highlighted by 12 weeks of consecutive FEI competition, WEF continues through March 30 at Wellington International in Wellington, FL.
After returning from her African vacation, Mendoza took to the grass derby field on Friday afternoon for a victory riding In The Air, a mare creating buzz and already winning up to the CSI5* level with the FEI World Cup™ finalist.
“It was incredible,” Mendoza said of kicking off her season with a big win after a jump-off against a “who’s who” of international show jumping riders that included world no. 1 and Thursday’s victor Henrick Von Eckermann (SWE), German Olympian Richard Vogel and world no. 3 Ben Maher (GBR) to name a few. “It was not an easy jump-off against those boys, so it was nice to beat them.”
Mendoza was one of 14 to jump clear over Olaf Petersen, Jr.’s (GER) first-round track, and one of only three women to get the job done. She took over the lead midway through the jump-off, knowing there were still fast riders behind her.
“My horse is honestly the most incredible horse to go in the ring on, let alone a jump-off,” Mendoza said of In The Air, a 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare (Air Jordan x Indoctro). “I have complete faith in her but it’s pretty nice to see them behind me.”
Rounding out the podium was Vogel claiming second place with Cydello. Venezuela’s Luis Fernando Larrazabal took third riding Quick Chick 3 for owner Victoria Huertematte.
“She is the most unique horse I’ve had,” Mendoza went on about In The Air, a horse she began competing internationally at WEF about a year ago. “You can’t jump her at home, she’s horse-shy, people-shy, but you go in the ring and she puts her blinkers on and all she wants to do is win. She’s all business.”
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Jessica Mendoza Takes Flight on In The Air to Win $32,000 CSI3* Adequan® WEF Challenge Cup Round 2