Mimi Gochman and Iron Maiden Are Rock Solid to Win Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Ocala Presented by MARS Equestrian
Twenty-two-year-old Mimi Gochman (USA) scored her first five-star and first World Cup victory in the $300,000 1.60m CSI5*-W Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Ocala, presented by MARS Equestrian on Saturday, February 14, 2026, at World Equestrian Center – Ocala (WEC). The rising star was able to best Olympians Eduardo Pereira de Menezes (BRA) and Cian O’Connor (IRL) for the biggest win to date in her career.
There were 14 Olympians and 11 countries represented in the class of 38 entries. The course, designed by Bernardo Costa Cobral of Portugal, was delicate and challenging, which allowed only four to advance to the jump-off. Of those, Gochman and Iron Maiden were the only double clear.
Gochman was first to go in the jump-off, having been the trailblazer in the opening round in the 17th spot in the order. They sped around the course with a bobble at the fifth jump, where Iron Maiden made a huge effort to stay clear. They finished the course in 41.79 seconds.
“He can sometimes get a bit stressed out in the jump-off, and I just wanted to keep it really smooth with him,” said Gochman. “I was already so thrilled with the performance from the first round, and he really stepped up. He kind of saved me a little bit at one of the jumps, and he really gave me a good effort, so I was very happy.”
Following Gochman into the ring was Eduardo Pereira de Menezes (BRA) and H5 Ozzy vd Bisschop. While they are a new pair with little jump-off experience, they put in a solid performance with four faults in a time of 42.65 seconds, which would hold up for second place.
“He was jumping up to 1.30m, 1.40m, not so long ago, so I’m delighted that he gave that effort,” said de Menezes of the 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion by Diamant de Semilly x Utrillo Z owned by H5 Sport Horses LLC. “He’s not the fastest horse, so I was already really proud that I was able to get inside the time allowed in the first round. We did our best in the jump-off. If I was clear, I couldn’t catch Mimi. I’m happy to be second.”
H5 Sport Horses is owned by the Hank family, who has sponsored de Menezes for 21 years. The youngest rider in the family, Carlos Hank Guerreiro, has developed from a four-year-old uninterested in horses to one of the brightest stars of the Mexican show jumping team who competed in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games in that time. The H5 team began in Mexico and moved to the United States, where they were only supposed to stay for a year.
“I think we have quite a unique partnership,” expressed de Menezes, who represented Brazil in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games and two Pan American Games. “It’s an incredible relationship because we have all grown together. The first year in the United States became two, then three, and then four. My sport career started to grow with the incredible support that they have always given me. I’m really proud of this relationship. They are my sponsors, but they’re my family too.”
Hilary Scott (AUS) and Oaks Milky Way, a 19-year-old homebred Australian Warmblood mare (Clearway x Jalisco B) owned by Alice Cameron, were the next to go in the jump-off. Despite having the fastest of time of 41.52 seconds, it came at the expense of eight jumping faults, which left them in fourth place.
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