Palm Beach County Sports Commission CSI3* Grand Prix
Spain’s Gonzalo Busca Roca won his first Wellington International Saturday Night Lights in the $140,000 Palm Beach County Sports Commission CSI3* Grand Prix during opening week of international competition at the 2026 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). He rode to a ceremonious victory aboard Cristiano Obolensky, a horse he has been partnered with for four years and owns together with Stud V.V. BVBA.
The WEF season at Wellington International hosts 12 weeks of FEI competition and runs through March 29 in Wellington, FL.
As part of Wellington International’s all-new series of theme nights, a record crowd for the first Saturday Night Lights turned out in hats, boots and buckles for ‘Country Western Night.’ They were treated to a testing track built by Nick Granat (USA) that saw nine horses advance to the jump-off despite the course’s difficulty.
“Everything was delicate tonight which made it a tough course,” said Busca Roca, who has only shown under the lights at Wellington International twice before. “My horse is a dream. He’s a real warrior and put a lot of effort in tonight. There were some very fast riders behind me, so I had to give it a try. I went as fast as I could, and it worked for me.”
Busca Roca and the 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding (Cornet Obolensky x Stakkato) stopped the clock at 41.7 seconds to take over the lead from American Tanner Korotkin riding Kinmar Quality Hero, a 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding by Obos Quality X Moujik De Sohan owned by Sandalwood Farms.
In a field where 14 countries were represented, fellow US rider Marilyn Little and her 11-year-old Mecklenburg mare La Contessa (License x Cornet’s Prinz) matched Korotkin’s time of 42.77 to end in a tie for second. Along with her second-place finish, Little was awarded the Martha Jolicoeur, Douglas Elliman Leading Lady Rider Award. Two Canadians placed top-10: Chris Pratt was 5th aboard Ideaal ES, and Erynn Ballard rode De Flor 111 Z Santa Rosa to an 8th-place tie.
“The crowd here is pushing all the time,” continued Busca Roca — based in Wellington — of the electric atmosphere under the lights of WEF. “It’s a good atmosphere, very good sport and always difficult to win here.
“[Cristiano] has a lot of blood, and he gets excited after a really fast round, so he’s always waiting for me to tell him what’s next,” continued Busca Roca of the mount he has piloted since the gelding’s seven-year-old season. “He’s a very special horse.”
From here, Cristiano Obolensky will enjoy a few weeks of rest before taking aim at the CSI4* on the grass derby field during WEF 4.
A tradition at Wellington International, Busca Roca’s groom Carmela Martini was presented with the Double H Farm Grooms Award and $500 prize for her care and preparation of Cristiano Obolensky.
Complete results from the $140,000 Palm Beach County Sports Commission CSI3* Grand Prix HERE.
Ballard Wuns $30,000 CPKC National Grand Prix
Earlier on Saturday, Canadian Olympian Erynn Ballard topped the $30,000 CPKC National Grand Prix riding Coconet for owner Mary Frances Looke. She was closely followed by fellow Canadians Mario Deslauriers, 2nd riding Inside of My Heart, and Amy Millar, 4th with Jagger HX.
Results HERE.
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