Donald Whitaker and Millfield Colette wrap up Spring MET III 2024 with a win in the CSI3* 1.50m CHG Grand Prix 

The third and final week of Spring MET III 2024 at Centro Ecuestre Oliva Nova, Spain, concluded on Sunday with the CSI3* 1.50m Grand Prix presented by CHG – Construcciones Hispano Germanas S.A.

A total of 44 horse-and-rider combinations were at start in Sunday’s Grand Prix and ten pairs cleared the first-round track set by Christian Wiegand (GER).

With a time of 39.67 seconds in the jump-off, Donald Whitaker and Millfield Colette (Cornet Obolensky x Clearway) took the win ahead of the British rider’s compatriot – and cousin – Joseph Clayton and Commissaire S (Comme Il Faut 5 x Polydor) in second in 40.04. 

“It was a good, testing course,” Whitaker said about the course. “It was a fast jump-off, and my cousin Joe Clayton – who came second – was the first to go, so he set the pace. My horse is naturally very fast – a little bit too fast actually at times – so I was just trying to half nurse her around a little bit and then let her go to the last. I did one less there and I think I won it there actually; she has such a big stride.” 

“I’ve had her for a year-and-a-half, and she is really, really special,” Whitaker said about the 11-year-old mare Millfield Collette. “It took quite a while to figure her out. She has such a big heart, she is so brave and so sharp. She has sort of been knocking on the door for something for a while now. She had two big wins here, maybe a bit overdue, but I am so happy.”

“We come here all the time, and bring quite a lot of horses with us – it is fantastic here,” Whitaker said about the venue in Oliva Nova. “It is very convenient when you bring a large number of horses; when everything is so close, it is easy for the staff. It works brilliant for us. Team HD had an unbelievable show here, I think the three of us – myself, Nicola and Graham – won six world ranking classes – so we are absolutely delighted.”

Belgium’s Andres Vereecke and Noyelle Vd Begijnakker (Kannan x Palestro Vd Begijnakker) placed third in 42.93, while Brazil’s Stephan de Freitas Barcha and Chevaux Primavera Imperio Egipcio (Calvaro F.C. x Paroli) finished fourth in 46.04. Sweden’s Erika Lickhammer-Van Helmond and I. Comme Tessa VHL (Comme Il Faut 5 x Casall) completed the top five after clocking a time of 47.22 in the jump-off.

Spring MET 2024 continues with the fourth and final part of the Tour in April, starting on the 2nd and running until the 21st. 

Click here for full results.

For more information, visit metoliva.com

Press release MET Oliva (c)