Wellington, Fla. – March 22, 2026—USA’s Alex Matz and Junior Kannan (Kannan x Diamant de Semilly) nipped their first international victory together in the $200,000 WeatherTech CSI4* Grand Prix to close out Week 11 at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). WEF hosts 12 weeks of FEI competition in Wellington, FL, running through March 29.
Alex Matz & Junior Kannan. Photo ©Sportfot
Closing out Sunday action in the International Arena during the penultimate week of the 2026 WEF season, Matz headlined a nine-horse jump-off over tracks designed by Andy Christiansen (USA). With only one to return after him, Matz, 29, and his 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, owned by his mother Dorothy A. Matz, cruised to a new time to beat in 35.79 seconds.
Fellow U.S. rider McKayla Langmeier and Riesling van de Gaathoeve, a 9-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion (Iron Man vd Padenborre x Diamant de Semilly) owned by Rafferty Farm, did their best as the last to return, but came up short in 36.59 seconds. Finishing second, Langmeier was awarded the Martha Jolicoeur, Douglas Elliman Leading Lady Rider Award for WEF 11.
McKayla Langmeier, pictured on Riesling van de Gaathoeve, is presented with the Martha Jolicoeur, Douglas Elliman Leading Lady Rider Award. Photo ©Sportfot
Ibrahim Barazi (JOR) rode 12-year-old stallion Joie De Vigo R.T. (Vigo d’Arsouilles Stx x Cassini I), owned in partnership between Maarten Driessen, Rene Hazeleger and Sofia Westborg, to third in 37.04 seconds.
“Junior is feeling phenomenal,” said Matz, who has had the ride on Junior Kannan for three years. “Today, he jumped even better in the jump-off than in the first round. I felt like I could really give it a go because of how he was jumping.
“This season, he’s been very consistent—I haven’t used him a lot because I did a lot with him last year, but I feel like he’s peaking at the right time,” continued Matz, who only piloted Junior Kannan in two international outings this season, including a top 10 finish during WEF 6.
Alex Matz & Junior Kannan are represented as winners of the $200,000 WeatherTech CSI4* Grand Prix by Cassandra Tonkin. Photo ©Sportfot
Watch The Winning Round
“It was an advantage to be far down in the order today,” said Matz, son of 1996 U.S. Olympic team silver medalist Michael Matz. “I knew my horse was naturally fast, so I did the normal jump-off numbers and took a little bit of risk; I’d be competitive.”
Matz’s groom Cesar Gonzalez earned the Double H Farm Grooms Award and a $500 cash prize for his care and preparation of Junior Kannan. Next, Matz plans to step Junior Kannan up once again to face the $1m Rolex US Equestrian Open Grand Prix during the final week of the WEF season.
Cesar Gonzalez (right) is honored with the Double H Farm Grooms Award and $500 cash prize for his care and preparation of Junior Kannan. Photo ©Sportfot
Since the retirement of his top mount Cashew CR, at the end of last year, Matz has been focused on developing his string, saying, “Cashew’s retirement has been difficult because he was such a great horse for me. Luckily, I have some nice younger horses—two nice 7-year-olds, an 8-year-old and some that are just stepping up to 1.50m. I think I can hopefully be competitive with them in the upcoming years.”
For complete results from the $200,000 WeatherTech CSI4* Grand Prix, click HERE.
To close out WEF 11, several special awards were presented as the 2026 season draws to a close. The WEF Perpetual Trophy for Extraordinary Service was presented to dedicated Wellington International Safety Coordinator Jack Stedding, and the Carly Anthony Showjumping Junior Sportsmanship Award, given in memory of Candida C. Forstmann, was presented by Carly Anthony to 18-year-old Parker Peacock of Pfafftown, N.C.
International competition at WEF reaches a pinnacle during Rolex Finale Week 12 (March 25-29) with the $1m Rolex US Equestrian Grand Prix, a Rolex Series Event, on March 28 during Saturday Night Lights. Visit WellingtonInternational.com for results, schedules, and wall-to-wall streaming.
For complete results from WEF 11, click HERE.
