Local rider wins major event
A local rider won one of the main events at the biggest international equine competition of the year.
Erin Davis-Heineking, the owner of October Hill Farm Sporthorses, rode past her competition to win the Adequan Grand Prix at the 2020 Winter Equestrian Festival.
“I never really imagined that I would win one of these grand prix,” Davis-Heineking said after the competition, according to a press release by the festival.
The competition took place at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, Florida, on Saturday, Jan. 25. Davis-Heineking was awarded $137,000 for her win.
October Hill Farm Sporthorses, a 200-acre facility for jumper rider training and stallions and mares breeding, is located about 24 miles west of Fort Worth in Hudson Oaks.
Davis-Heineking and her horse, Leonie, galloped and jumped through trail obstacles, grids, cavaletti and fences and edged out her opponent with a 45.67-second run.
October Hill Farm owns Leonie, an 11-year-old Oldenburg mare. Leonie belonged to her husband, Christian Heineking, who trained Davis-Heineking for the competition.
Spanning 12 consecutive weeks and offering multi-million dollars in prize money, the Winter Equestrian Festival largest and longest-running horse show in the world.
More than 6,000 horses and hundreds of horse riders from 52 different countries participate in various events at the festival.
The festival began Jan. 8 and will run through March 29.
Davis-Heineking had previously competed at the festival in the amateur jumper category many years ago. She took retirement from the sport until two years ago when she got back on the saddle for local competitions in the Fort Worth area.
Davis-Heineking is also the managing partner at Fort Worth International, an inaugural horse show taking place in December.
The Longines FEI Jumping World Cup selected Fort Worth as a qualifier location. The Fort Worth International is the qualifier horse show for North American League’s 2020-2021 season.
The horse show will be held at the 5,800-seater Will Rogers Memorial Center. – FWBP Staff