Irish rider Daniel Coyle claimed victory in the $200,000 Gary Yeomans Ford Grand Prix CSI4* at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala, Florida, aboard Ariel Grange's Farrel. The event drew 30 athletes from 15 countries on a chilly February night. Coyle's precise jump-off time of 39.24 seconds secured the top spot ahead of strong performances from Jessica Mendoza and Nina Mallevaey.
On an unseasonably cold Saturday evening, February 3, 2026, the World Equestrian Center in Ocala hosted the $200,000 Gary Yeomans Ford Grand Prix CSI4*. World No. 11 Daniel Coyle of Ireland rode to triumph on the 16-year-old KWPN gelding Farrel, owned by Canadian Ariel Grange. The technical course, designed by Leopoldo Palacios of Venezuela with assistance from Peter Grant of Canada, challenged riders' accuracy and control in the WEC Grand Arena.
Thirty competitors from 15 nations started, with nine advancing to the jump-off after clear first rounds. New Zealand's Sharn Wordley set an early pace on Brin D’or De Haute Melen Z but dropped a rail, timing at 39.24 seconds. The Netherlands' Jelmer Hoekstra followed with a clean effort on Lordy-P in 40.63 seconds, while Hilary Scott on Max Wachman trailed behind.
Coyle, entering next on the compact but agile Farrel, opted for a measured approach. "This year I’ve been very fast but have had a fence down," he explained. "I decided to go a little slower and be second or third." The pair navigated the jump-off efficiently, squeezing in five strides across the double's center for a crucial edge, finishing in 39.24 seconds—untouchable by the end.
Reflecting on their decade-long partnership, Coyle praised Farrel as his most successful mount, with wins in ranking classes, national grands prix, and Nations Cups. He also highlighted WEC-Ocala as a vital winter base: "This place just has everything... It’s like a second home to me now."
Jessica Mendoza of Great Britain took second on her 13-year-old KWPN mare In The Air, clocking 39.70 seconds. "She’s a special lady... I am very lucky to have her," Mendoza said. France's World No. 8 Nina Mallevaey earned third on Nikka vd Bisschop, owned by Rein Family LLC, in 40.11 seconds, calling the mare "amazing and super powerful."
The podium celebrated Canadian ownership, with Grange's Farrel first and Rein Family's Nikka third. Mallevaey looks forward to the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Ocala in February.
