Thermal, CA – February 27, 2025 – Zoe Brown and Bling VD Duvelshoeve Z kicked off Desert Circuit 8 the same way they concluded Desert Circuit 7: winning the FarmVet 1.45m Open Classic. Brown and “Bling” clinched their second win in a row with victory in the $30,000 FarmVet 1.45m Open Classic on Thursday, February 27, at the Desert International Horse Park.
This time, Brown and Bling VD Duvelshoeve Z were one of 34 entries to take on a track in the Grand Prix Arena designed by Marina Azevedo. As the sixth pair to jump, they clocked a time of 68.059 seconds and set the pace for a fast remainder of the class to come.
Irish riders Lorcan Gallagher and Conor Swail were both hot on Brown’s heels, but neither of them could quite catch the 20-year-old Australian rider. Ultimately, Gallagher took home second place with a time of 68.411 seconds aboard his own Hunters Conlypso II, and Swail and One Edition, owned by Vanessa Mannix, finished in third with a time of 68.445 seconds.
“The track today rode really nicely,” said Brown. “There were a couple inside turns that I normally wouldn’t do with any other horse, but since I trust Bling so much, and she’s so competitive, I tried those turns. They ended up working in my favor.”
While her inside turns helped Brown to win on Thursday, she credits her consistent top results with Bling to something else.
“I think the secret to our success and being able to win two of these classes in a row is really all to do with my team and the support I have around me and the management of the horse,” explained Brown, who rides and trains with her mother, Olivia Dawson-Grove. “At this point, we all know each other so well – mentally, physically – that it works really well. It’s a great team.”
To view complete results from the $30,000 FarmVet 1.45m Open Classic, click here.
Brown will next set her sights on Saturday night’s Desert Circuit 8 featured event, the $75,000 Adequan Grand Prix. Beyond that, she has her eyes on another prize: the Aero Leading Jumper Rider award. Prior to Thursday’s class, Brown already sat in second place in the standings, and her Week 8 win has helped her to close the gap on current frontrunner Keri Potter.
Competition at Desert Circuit 8, presented by Adequan, continues through Sunday, March 2. To learn more about all events at the Desert International Horse Park, visit DesertHorsePark.com.
