Aaron Vale of Ocala secured victory in the $200,000 UF Health Grand Prix CSI4* at the World Equestrian Center on January 18, 2026, aboard Carissimo 25. The event drew 34 horse-and-rider pairs from 13 nations, with only eight advancing to a thrilling jump-off decided by mere fractions of a second. Vale's time of 37.58 seconds clinched the top spot ahead of Daniel Bluman and Nina Mallevaey.
The World Equestrian Center in Ocala buzzed with excitement under a beautiful Florida night sky, as spectators filled the stands for the highlight of the week: the $200,000 UF Health Grand Prix CSI4*. FEI Level IV course designer Anderson Lima of Mexico crafted a demanding track with new obstacles and vibrant floral arrangements, testing the 34 international competitors.
Just eight riders jumped clear in the first round to qualify for the jump-off. Israel's Daniel Bluman set the early pace aboard Abigail Wexner's Corbie V.V., a 11-year-old Zangersheide mare, clocking 37.96 seconds. "It’s always hard when you have to go first in the jump-off, and you have several fast riders coming after you," Bluman said. "My plan with ‘Corbie’ was to hold her in the beginning so I could let her go at the end... overall, she jumped amazing."
France's World No. 8 Nina Mallevaey followed closely with the Rein Family's My Clementine, finishing in 38.07 seconds. "This is the first show back this year for My Clementine," Mallevaey shared. "I’ve been riding her for about two years now, and when she gets in the ring she’s a real fighter. It’s our first show of the year, and we didn’t miss anything!"
Local favorite Aaron Vale then delivered a masterful performance on The Carissimo Group's 13-year-old Holsteiner gelding Carissimo 25, stopping the clock at 37.58 seconds to win by three-tenths of a second. "I watched the ones before me. I watched Daniel do the nine, and thought that looked a little slow," Vale explained. "After Daniel was leading, I saw all the numbers and thought I had to take a real chance... I have no idea what I did," he laughed.
Vale praised the atmosphere: "The crowd here is great. Everyone knows the riders and knows the horses... every Saturday night here is special."
Michael Holmes, UF Health’s Senior Vice President, commended the field: "We are honored to take care of anybody in our community. We love competition... Congratulations and an outstanding job to all the athletes."
Full results placed Bluman second and Mallevaey third, with further strong showings from riders like Jelmer Hoekstra and McLain Ward.