Wellington, Fla. – January 10, 2026—Spain’s Gonzalo Busca Roca won his first Wellington International Saturday Night Lights in the $140,000 Palm Beach County Sports Commission CSI3* Grand Prix during opening week of international competition at the 2026 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). He rode to a ceremonious victory aboard Cristiano Obolensky, a horse he has been partnered with for four years and owns together with Stud V.V. BVBA.
Gonzalo Busca Roca & Cristiano Obolensky. Photo ©Sportfot
The WEF season at Wellington International hosts 12 weeks of FEI competition and runs through March 29 in Wellington, FL.
As part of Wellington International’s all-new series of theme nights, a record crowd for the first Saturday Night Lights turned out in hats, boots and buckles for ‘Country Western Night.’ They were treated to a testing track built by Nick Granat (USA) that saw nine horses advance to the jump-off despite the course’s difficulty.
“Everything was delicate tonight which made it a tough course,” said Busca Roca, who has only shown under the lights at Wellington International twice before. “My horse is a dream. He’s a real warrior and put a lot of effort in tonight. There were some very fast riders behind me, so I had to give it a try. I went as fast as I could, and it worked for me.”
Hear From Gonzalo
Busca Roca and the 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding (Cornet Obolensky x Stakkato) stopped the clock at 41.7 seconds to take over the lead from American Tanner Korotkin riding Kinmar Quality Hero, a 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding by Obos Quality X Moujik De Sohan owned by Sandalwood Farms.
Tanner Korotkin & Kinmare Quality Hero. Photo © Sportfot
In a field where 14 countries were represented, fellow US rider Marilyn Little and her 11-year-old Mecklenburg mare La Contessa (License x Cornet’s Prinz) matched Korotkin’s time of 42.77 to end in a tie for second. Along with her second-place finish, Little was awarded the Martha Jolicoeur, Douglas Elliman Leading Lady Rider Award.
Marilyn Little & La Contessa. Photo © Sportfot
Marilyn Little is presented with the Martha Jolicoeur, Douglas Elliman Leading Lady Rider Award by Martha Jolicoeur (right) and Dr. Stephen Norton. Photo ©Sportfot
“The crowd here is pushing all the time,” continued Busca Roca—based in Wellington—of the electric atmosphere under the lights of WEF. “It’s a good atmosphere, very good sport and always difficult to win here.
“[Cristiano] has a lot of blood, and he gets excited after a really fast round, so he’s always waiting for me to tell him what’s next,” continued Busca Roca of the mount he has piloted since the gelding’s seven-year-old season. “He’s a very special horse.”
Gonzalo Busca Roca & Cristiano Obolensky are presented as winners of the $140,000 Palm Beach County Sports Commission CSI3* Grand Prix by (left to right) Gillian A. Constable, Sports Event Manager; George W. Linley, Executive Director; Donald P. Dufresne, Palm Beach County Tourist Development Council Board Member & TDC Liaison to the PBCSC Board of Directors; and Maria Dufresne. Photo ©Sportfot
From here, Cristiano Obolensky will enjoy a few weeks of rest before taking aim at the CSI4* on the grass derby field during WEF 4.
A tradition at Wellington International, Busca Roca’s groom Carmela Martini was presented with the Double H Farm Grooms Award and $500 prize for her care and preparation of Cristiano Obolensky.
Cristiano Obolensky’s groom Carmela Martini (left) is presented with the Double H Farm Grooms Award by Cayce Harrison. Photo © Sportfot
For complete results from the $140,000 Palm Beach County Sports Commission CSI3* Grand Prix, click HERE.
Earlier on Saturday, Canadian Olympian Erynn Ballard topped the $30,000 CPKC National Grand Prix riding Coconet for owner Mary Frances Looke. For complete results, click HERE.
Erynn Ballard & Coconet. Photo ©Sportfot
Competition continues on Sunday during opening week of international competition at the 2026 Winter Equestrian Festival with the $32,000 Hermès 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic alongside classics for juniors and amateurs in the International Arena.
Full results from WEF 1 are available HERE.
