WILLIAMSBURG — Roberto Teran Tafur (COL) was already a winner in international competition in Traverse City this season, but his latest victory may have been his most satisfying yet.
Coming out of the ring aboard 18-year-old Dez’ Ooktoff, he knew he had accomplished something unexpected by winning the $62,500 Traverse City CSI4* Welcome Stake.
“This horse has been with me for (almost) seven years,” Teran said of the Dutch Warmblood stallion (Colandro x Lys Rouge). “He took me to Tokyo, the (World Equestrian Games) in Denmark, second place in the Rolex Grand Prix, but he has never been a fast horse. We have been training on the rollbacks and speed every single week, and it’s paying off. He was really fast today, which was why I was so excited.”
With nine riders returning for the jump-off over Bernardo Costa Cabral’s (POR) track, Teran wasn’t expecting to come out on top given the caliber of competition.
“I told my groom, ‘I’m going to take it easy and focus on the Grand Prix,’” he said of his plan. “Then I did (fences) one, two, and three and everything started showing up. Then I saw the long one for the vertical after the combination. He rolled back fantastic and everything just happened.”
Continue reading to find out where Roberto Teran Tafur believes he won the jump-off, why Dez’ Ooktoff’s speed victory was so unexpected, complete results, and what’s next as the veteran partnership looks ahead to Saturday’s $116,500 Traverse City CSI4* Grand Prix.