International competition during the 2024 Summer Series reached a thrilling conclusion early Sunday morning as 38 horse-and-rider combinations from 15 nations competed for top honors in the $62,500 Fresh From Florida Grand Prix CSI2* at World Equestrian Center – Ocala. Erynn Ballard (CAN) recently selected to represent Canada at the Paris Olympics, soared to the top aboard Della White’s Gucci (Casall x Carvallo).
John Doyle (IRL), an FEI Level III course designer, crafted the challenging tracks for Sunday morning’s event. Eleven duos qualified for the jump-off, but only six managed to produce a double-clear effort.
Erynn Ballard, third to last in the order, displayed impressive skill and strategy. “I was pretty motivated this morning. Right off the bat, I left one stride out in the first line. I did a left lead approach to give me an inside track where I could do the leave out. It all ends up being a game of lines, speed, and angles; you just have to do what suits your horse best,” she explained.