Wellington, FL – November 25, 2014 – Equestrian Sport Productions (ESP) looks forward to hosting the 36th annual Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) this season at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, FL. The largest and longest-running circuit in the world, WEF offers unrivaled opportunities for international show jumpers, awarding over $8 million in prize money, with $4 million to international jumper divisions and 47 FEI World Ranking classes throughout the circuit. This year’s 12-week competition runs January 7 through March 29, 2015.
Highlights of the 2015 WEF include four weeks of CSI 5* competition with two FEI World Cup qualifying events. The $372,000 FEI World Cup Qualifier Grand Prix CSI-W 5*, presented by Fidelity Investments®, will be the highlight event during week four on Saturday, January 31. The $372,000 FEI World Cup Qualifier Grand Prix CSI-W 5*, presented by Douglas Elliman, will be featured during week nine on Saturday, March 7. During week 7, the CSI 5* grand prix is the $372,000 Suncast® Grand Prix on Saturday, February 21. Week 12 concludes the circuit with the feature $500,000 ROLEX Grand Prix CSI 5*.
The popular FEI Nations Cup returns on Friday, February 27, during week eight’s CSIO 4* competition. This exciting team competition brings horses and riders from around the globe to compete on Wellington’s international stage in an impressive night of top sport. The Nations Cup will feature even more prize money this year with an increase up to $100,000.
Featured classes will be held on the beautiful grass jumping field at The Stadium at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. Some of the exciting events scheduled for this year include the $127,000 Ariat® Grand Prix CSI 3* on Sunday, February 8; the $25,000 Artisan Farms Under 25 Grand Prix Series Speed class, $34,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Series class, and the $50,000 Equestrian Sotheby’s Jumper Derby on Sunday, February 15; and the $50,000 Artisan Farms Under 25 Grand Prix Series Final and $85,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic on Sunday, March 22.
The Stadium at PBIEC will also once again host the $85,000 Salamander Hotels & Resorts Grand Prix CSI 3* in the intimate setting of its International Ring on Friday, February 13. Home to the Adequan Global Dressage Festival, the Stadium provides a nice change of venue for horses and riders throughout the circuit.
The Suncast® 1.50m Championship Jumper Series and Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Series each provide increased prize money and more opportunities for international riders to earn valuable world ranking points each week throughout the winter as well.
WEF has proven a valuable training ground for both riders and horses as the last three FEI World Cup champions, the last three Olympic Gold medal teams, and many of the top performers at the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games all competed at WEF in preparation for these championship events.
This year’s bronze medal show jumping team from the United States and individual bronze medalist Beezie Madden, McLain Ward, Kent Farrington, and Lucy Davis are all WEF regulars and will return with their top horses in 2015. WEF also provides a great training ground for young horses as these riders bring along some of the world’s most promising future stars.
Equestrian Sport Productions looks forward to welcoming international competitors to Wellington for another fantastic season at the 2015 Winter Equestrian Festival. For more information, please visit www.equestriansport.com or call 561-793-JUMP.
Todd Minikus and Babalou 41. (Photo courtesy of ManciniPhotos.com)
Wellington, FL (April 14, 2014) – Vita Flex Victory Team member Todd Minikus rode Babalou 41 to an exciting first place finish in the $100,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic Final during the concluding 2014 weekend at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival.
There were 84 entries in first round, held Saturday, March 29, and the top 25% returned for the second round, held the next day due to dangerous storms. Todd Minikus was one of only three riders to turn in double clear rounds, winning with the fastest time of 48.78.
“Unfortunately, the rain put a damper on things,” Minikus said. “That mare’s very green, and she’d never done something like that, where she had to come back hours later, so maybe the night’s rest worked out. She went like a professional show horse. We kind of saved her for that class. She’s extremely careful, so if you can get her into the middle of the jump, chances are she’ll leave it up.”
Minikus hopes to continue showing the talented mare and looks forward to seeing her future success.
“I’ve been showing her for three years now,” Minikus explained. “We did schooling jumpers for two years. She was always an exceptional mare, extremely extravagant with her jump. She kind of leveled out this past year and has done some good things. Stewart Moran is her trainer; basically I just catch ride her. She lives with Stewart and his team, and I ride her at the ring. They have done a great job with her. Santa, who flats her, has done a fantastic job. I would like to thank Mr. and Mrs. Haefner for the opportunity to ride her. It’s been a good team so far.”
Vita Flex, a leading supplier of advanced performance products for horses, is proud to be a part of Todd Minikus’ team. Competitors at all levels strive to keep their horses in top competitive form. Vita Flex products are researched and tested by equine nutritionists and veterinarians, and have been relied upon for more than two decades by owners, trainers and top riders.
The Vita Flex Victory Team is comprised of many world-class riders from all disciplines. Members rely on Vita Flex products and are proud to represent the company. Vita Flex Nutrition offers animal health supplements, antioxidants, electrolytes, joint supplements, performance products, topicals and vitamins and minerals.
Wellington, FL – April 12, 2014 – Equestrian Sport Productions is pleased to announce that the major event from week 12 of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival will be broadcast on NBC Sports Network tonight, Saturday, April 12, from 5-6 p.m. EST. Watch live or set your DVR – don’t miss this grand prix action!
NBC Sports Network will broadcast the $500,000 FTI Consulting Finale Grand Prix CSI 5*. The event, which was held on March 30, features the world’s best show jumpers in the final event of the season, with only the top 40 qualified from the circuit.
The broadcast is a great opportunity for fans from all over the country to watch the best equestrian sport in the United States and for sports fans of all types to become familiar with equestrian athletes from the U.S. and abroad. Use the NBC Sports Network Channel Finder to find NBC Sports Network in your area, and tune in!
About FTI Consulting, Inc.
FTI Consulting, Inc. is a global business advisory firm dedicated to helping organizations protect and enhance enterprise value in an increasingly complex legal, regulatory and economic environment. With more than 4,000 employees located in 24 countries, FTI Consulting professionals work closely with clients to anticipate, illuminate and overcome complex business challenges in areas such as investigations, litigation, mergers and acquisitions, regulatory issues, reputation management, strategic communications and restructuring. The company generated $1.58 billion in revenues during fiscal year 2012. For more information, visit www.fticonsulting.com.
About the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival
The 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival has 12 weeks of top competition running from January 8 through March 30. The FTI WEF is run by Equestrian Sport Productions, LLC, and Wellington Equestrian Partners and held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. All 12 shows are “AA” rated and Jumper Rated 6, and more than $7 million in prize money will be awarded.
Katie Jacobs-Robinson and Sutton Place. Photos By: Parker/Russell – The Book LLC.
East Aurora, NY and Wellington, FL – April 1, 2014 – The 12-week Winter Equestrian Festival has come to a close, with all of the points and numbers tabulated to determine who was the best of the best. Katie Jacobs-Robinson showed two new horses this year for her family’s Deeridge Farms, and topped the standings with both mounts, winning the Amateur-Owner Hunter 36 & Over 3’3″ Circuit Championship aboard Sutton Place, and the Hunt Ltd. Amateur-Owner Hunter Over 35 Reserve Circuit Championship with Amarillo.
Although Sutton Place is still a young horse learning the ropes, he proved that he was the perfect student by continuing to improve throughout the circuit. He kicked things off with the reserve championship title during Weeks 1 and 2, but by Weeks 7, 9 and 11 he was claiming the championship award.
“It was hard, but really rewarding,” explained Jacobs-Robinson. “I think he’s a special horse and has a lot of talent. He’s a fast learner and I am feeling a lot more confident on him. Frequently, when we first started, he would look to turn the wrong way when we would land on course, and almost turn into the fence. By the end he understood the way a course normally flows.”
Jacobs-Robinson added, “He’s a little feisty and he can be a lot of horse sometimes to handle. He’s very brave though. I think that was a very competitive division. There are so many nice horses and good riders. I was really happy and proud to have winning the circuit championship as part of his resume.”
Katie Jacobs-Robinson and Amarillo
Right after the National Horse Show, Jacobs-Robinson picked up the ride on Amarillo, and they also clicked right away with a championship win during the first week of the circuit. Although the mount had a minor injury after Week 6, time off meant a few weeks without showing, but the talented young horse started right back up in the winner’s circle with another championship during Week 11 to cement his Reserve Circuit Championship in the Hunt Ltd. Amateur-Owner Over 35 Hunters.
“It started off really well,” noted Jacobs-Robinson. “He’s just a first year horse. We got to do the night class, which was really fun. It was nice that he hadn’t forgotten how to do his job and was Champion Week 11, because I didn’t know how he would come back.”
Jacobs-Robinson continued, “Amarillo knows his job when he walks into the ring. He’s not playful, he’s kind of serious, and he’s very calm. I have polar opposites. I have a silly guy who wants to play all of the time, and then I’ve got Amarillo who knows his job. Jane Gaston did such a super job bringing him along that he’s really all made up, even as a young horse.”
The final addition to Jacobs-Robinson string of talented mounts came in the middle of circuit thanks to Daniel Geitner and Emil Spadone, who were showing Tradewind at HITS Ocala. The pair started their partnership with good ribbons in the Amateur-Owner Over 35 Hunters during Weeks 10 and 11.
“He’s a lot of fun,” said Jacobs-Robinson. “I am still learning about him, but he’s very brave and quiet. It’s fun and I am having a really great time getting to know Tradewind.”
The Jacobs Family and Deeridge Farms will now rest before competing at the Old Salem Horse Shows, the Devon Horse Show and the Lake Placid Horse Shows this spring and summer.
Rebecca Walton for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International
Daniela Stransky and Victor Bastet, who sold the winning raffle ticket.
Equestrian Kids Raise Thousands of Dollars for Non-Profit’s 30 Horses & Ponies in Both Marion & Palm Beach Counties
March 31, 2014 – Palm Beach County/Marion County, FL – Eighteen year old Daniela Stransky of Miami Beach, 13 year old Sheer Levitin of Delray Beach, 11 year old Victor Bastet of Wellington, Florida, and 10 year old Daniel Karam of Caracas, Venezuela and other like-minded youngsters banded together to raise thousands of dollars to help buy feed and care for the 30 mounts at the South Florida non-profit organization Horses N Heroes.
When not in the saddle at the Winter Equestrian Festival, these young show jumping talents were busy hoofing it door to door, stable to stable, selling raffle tickets for the first-ever Step by Step Foundation Feed Drive. “Horses can change lives,” said Stransky, a senior at Miami Dade High School who has been competing in the jumpers since she was 12. “Being able to interact and care for these animals, just spending time around them, is amazing. We wanted to help Horses N Heroes so that the girls in the program could continue to experience the joy that comes with horses.”
“I have a great team of young equestrians who want to help,” explained Liliane Stransky, the founder of the non-profit Step by Step and owner of Stransky’s Mission Farm in Wellington, Florida. “They took it upon themselves to go out and sell as many raffle tickets as possible, not just to horse people at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center but to their friends, neighbors, teachers, and people in their communities who may have never even sat on a horse, let alone fed one! Horses N Heroes, which has locations in Marion County and in Palm Beach County, doesn’t have the money to cover the cost of feed! We all wanted to make a change and help out, but it is an ongoing process. No matter what, horses have to eat!”
“I made $320 for the charity,” added Levitin, a 7th grader who competes in the Junior Jumpers. “I ended up selling raffle tickets to my neighbors with my friends, just knocking and going from door to door, asking people at the Mizner Country Club. Most people said ‘No’ after we told them the money was going to feed a hungry horse,” laughed Levitin, “but it was a lot of fun!”
It was Bastet who sold the winning ticket to Mercedes Brugal. “It was funny,” remembered the Children’s Jumper competitor. “Every time I saw Mercedes at the horse show, she would ask me when we were doing the final drawing. And she was the person to win first prize and the Pleasure Bike!” The second place prize, a Children¹s Bike, went to Perla Capriles and third prize, another Children’s Bike, went to Paddock Cakes founder Bryan Bock, who immediately donated it back to Step by Step to be used for the next raffle.
“We see an average of 8 to 10 girls, aged 7 and up, every day who live close to, or below, the poverty level,” explained Mindy Nolan-Morrow, the Executive Director of Horses N Heroes. “It costs us over $15,000 a month to run the program. Each horse costs approximately $500 per month, and we use more than 90 bags of feed, 400 bales of hay, and 200 bags of shavings. But it’s worth it; it is a labor of love. The girls not only get to ride and learn about the horses, but they are hard workers and do most of the chores: feeding, haying, cleaning the stalls and the paddocks. One hundred percent of any funds donated go to taking care of the horses and the farm. Every single day is a challenge just to keep the barn doors open. When people like Liliane and the kids at Step by Step step into help, it is a huge blessing for all of us.”
“This Step by Step Feed Drive Raffle was such a success, we would like to do others throughout the year,” added Stransky. “We will try to plan on having other raffles throughout the year at all the big shows, like WEF as well as Ocala, Atlanta, Kentucky, Colorado and even Canada. It is always great to help those in need, and it is especially satisfying to be able to help the horses that we all love so much!”
Founded in 1994, Horses N Heroes became a 501(c)3 in 1997. The non-profit organization is dedicated to providing an equine learning and mentoring experience for young children who come from families with extreme financial constraints. At no charge, these kids are given the opportunity to bond with horses and are taught all aspects of horsemanship including but not limited to riding, grooming, feeding and caring for the donated horses. For further information on either charity, go to www.horsesnheroes.org and www.stepbystepfoundation.com.
Sara Ballinger Wins Beval Palm Beach Adult Medal Final; Rachel Boggus Takes Overall Series Prize
Wellington, FL – March 30, 2014 – Molly Ashe-Cawley of Newtown, CT rode Kennzo to the top of the $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby on the final Sunday afternoon at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival. Kennzo and Ashe-Cawley’s win wrapped up the last week of the FTI WEF, presented by FTI Consulting, after 12 weeks of top-notch competition.
The hunter derby consisted of two rounds over fences over two days of competition, with the top 25 being called back for the final handy round in the E. R. Mische Grand Hunter Arena at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC). Ashe-Cawley and Kennzo sat in third place after round one after earning a total score of 178 from the judges. She and Kennzo laid down a round worthy of a second round score of 193, totaling 371.
In a highly unusual scenario for the hunter ring, Ashe-Cawley’s second round score tied her with eventual second place finisher Kate Ross, who earned scores of 172 in round one and a high score of 199 in the handy round with Friday Night. The tie resulted in a jump-off round, but after an unfortunate rail, Ross had to settle for second. Christopher Payne rounded out the top three aboard Walk This Way with a total score of 369 points.
Ashe-Cawley was quite pleased with both of her rounds with Kennzo, a 12-year-old Finnish Warmblood gelding (Anita x Coriano) owned by Kristen Abbatiello-Neff.
“Yesterday he was super,” Ashe-Cawley said. “They made a very exciting course today that had us all quaking in our boots today. I thought he was good in the handy. I didn’t get the inside turn after the one line that I wanted to get to the trunk jump. He was great; he was with me the whole time, did his part perfectly.”
A tricky course designed by Maryland’s Ken Krome led to competitors taking on several variations of the course. A tight inside turn to one of three high options for the course had many opting for the lower height. Sandy Ferrell tried a longer approach to the high option with Mayfair in the round before Ashe-Cawley, but after Ferrell lowered a rail, she decided to go for the lower option with Kennzo.
“I don’t know if it helped me or hindered me, but I definitely took the low option. Not that Kennzo usually knocks a jump down, but the way our week has been going, it could have happened,” Ashe-Cawley acknowledged. “I wanted to do the inside turn to the trot jump; I even got up in the (nine strides) easy, but there was no chance. I would have become one with the standards of that number two jump! So I figured rather than be a bug on the windshield, I would go around.”
Second place finisher Ross was thrilled to be in the company of two highly-regarded professional riders. The junior rider admitted to being a little bit nervous going into round two being in seventh place, but Ross and Friday Night, owned by KAR LLC, excelled under pressure to jump into the top three with a win in the handy round.
“I was so happy! I was really nervous going in because I did better than anticipated yesterday, so I was feeling a little bit of pressure. But coming out I was so excited, I just felt a huge relief. My horse is amazing,” Ross beamed.
Sandy Ferrell had the ride on Friday Night for the first year of his derby career, which set him on the path to success with Ross. Ross took over the reins at last year’s hunter derby at FTI WEF as well as the hunter derby at the Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Show.
“Sandy did an amazing job getting him set and getting me comfortable with it. I’ve been doing them sporadically, but he’s so good at it that he doesn’t need to practice much,” Ross described.
Ross had to go first in the jump-off round, which she admitted caught her a bit off guard after breathing a sigh of relief after her handy round, but she did her best to replicate their success on the second time over the course.
“I was planning to just take the exact same track because everything kind of magically turned up the first time, and he went so nicely, so I was just hoping I could do the same thing again and just put in a solid round,” Ross explained.
Christopher Payne was incredibly happy with Susan Moriconi’s Walk This Way in both rounds of the derby. The horse was sidelined with an injury over the last couple of years, but has triumphantly returned to the show ring with Payne.
“He’s just kind of started getting back in the game,” Payne said. “I thought today with the crowds, everybody being so good, the horses and the team, you had to do the high options. He was game for it, very confident. I’m very pleased to see this happening.”
Walk This Way returned to the show ring during World Championship Hunter Rider (WCHR) week at the FTI WEF, where he finished fifth in the $100,000 Peter Wetherill Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular.
“The night class really made me think: he’s a contender for the pressure classes. Then when I did a derby [last week], I saw how he was good with the handys and things like that. I thought I’d try it, and I could change the plan at any time,” Payne shared.
Of their course on Sunday, Payne concluded, “I kind of tried to do some high options to get definite points, but then I tried to tidy up turns which weren’t necessarily inside turns, but keeping it a little tighter to get some handy points. I was really happy with him.”
Sara Ballinger and Wanderprinz
Sara Ballinger Wins Beval Palm Beach Adult Medal Final; Rachel Boggus Takes Overall Series Prize
Sara Ballinger of Marion, OH won the Beval Palm Beach Adult Medal Final on Sunday morning at FTI WEF. It was the second equitation win this weekend for Ballinger and Wanderprinz, a 12-year-old Hanoverian gelding by Wanderkoenig. The pair also won the Ariat National Adult Medal on Friday morning. Second place in the class went to Victoria Birdsall and RMF Voka D.N. Rachel Boggus of Indianapolis, IN, took home the overall series championship after placing third in the class on Sunday with Papillon 136.
Boggus and Papillon 136, her 17-year-old Dutch Warmblood (Lundy x Guidam de Dartay), topped the series standings with 92 overall points, while Ballinger was second with 60 points aboard Wanderprinz. Nicole Lyvere was third overall with 36 points on her horses Fabrege and Bonaire.
For her winning ride, Ballinger was presented with a bridle and picture frame by Kris Livengood of Beval Saddlery. Ballinger was thrilled to end her FTI WEF circuit on a high note, especially since she had never won the Beval Palm Beach Adult Medal Final before.
“It was great; I’ll take it! It’s a tough class, and it’s a tough show. It’s a long show, and it’s a lot of work,” Ballinger smiled. “We feel good. We paced ourselves throughout the circuit.”
Ballinger will head back home to Ohio with Wanderprinz and her other horse, Pizarro, where she juggles taking care of her horses herself with her full-time job as an appraiser. Fortunately, her hours are flexible and she can schedule her work around horse shows, where she meets her trainer Lourdes De Guardiola.
Of Wanderprinz, Ballinger added, “He’s really smooth. He’s pretty straight-forward on the flat. He’s always had a good flatwork ethic and a good base. He’s a sweet guy. He’s straight-forward, really fun on the flat. The fences worked out really well today. I had a plan from the beginning and just stuck with it.”
Boggus, who trains with Abby Blankenship, was equally excited with her results on Sunday morning. After coming up short in the overall standings in 2013, she had her eye on the overall prize. Kris Livengood of Beval Saddlery presented Boggus with a custom Butet saddle for her winning ways throughout the circuit.
Rachel Boggus and Papillon 136
Since 2013, Boggus has made one major change in her riding program: she’s no longer catch-riding a different horse each week of the show. Boggus still managed a number of top finishes last year with mounts that she had met that day in the schooling ring, but after making equitation superstar Papillon 136 her own this past fall, she was relieved to get into a routine.
“We’re in the same program every week. We can work on stuff and move forward, not just trying to figure out how to ride the horse,” Boggus explained.
She continued, “Last year, it was really hard. It gets very costly having to lease horses every single week. And you don’t know them; you don’t get to practice on them. You’re just jumping in the schooling area and then winging it in the ring. This horse, even though I’ve only had him since November, he’s so good and experienced. I can just focus on my equitation and know he’s going to be there for me.”
Of Papillon 136, Boggus said, “He’s amazing. He obviously has all the experience in the world; he won the [Pessoa/USEF Hunter Seat] Medal and [ASPCA] Maclay finals with Jessica Springsteen. He knows all the tricks, so I just try to stay out of the way and let him do his thing!”
Competition for the 2014 FTI WEF concluded on Sunday afternoon. For full results, please visit www.showgroundslive.com.
About FTI Consulting, Inc.
FTI Consulting, Inc. is a global business advisory firm dedicated to helping organizations protect and enhance enterprise value in an increasingly complex legal, regulatory and economic environment. With more than 4,000 employees located in 24 countries, FTI Consulting professionals work closely with clients to anticipate, illuminate and overcome complex business challenges in areas such as investigations, litigation, mergers and acquisitions, regulatory issues, reputation management, strategic communications and restructuring. The company generated $1.58 billion in revenues during fiscal year 2012. For more information, visit www.fticonsulting.com.
About the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival
The 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival has 12 weeks of top competition running from January 8 through March 30. The FTI WEF is run by Equestrian Sport Productions, LLC, and Wellington Equestrian Partners and held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. All 12 shows are “AA” rated and Jumper Rated 6, and more than $7 million in prize money will be awarded.
30 March 2014, Wellington, FL: The world’s number one rider, Scott Brash (GBR), riding Hello Sanctos, today signed off a highly successful Winter Equestrian Festival with victory in the FTI Consulting Finale Grand Prix presented by Rolex, with Ireland’s Richie Maloney on Slieveanorra in second place and Jessica Springsteen riding Vindicat W from the USA in third.
38 horse and rider partnerships started the first round of the Grand Prix, which was postponed until the Sunday afternoon following a Saturday night of intense wind and heavy rain. Course designer Anthony D’Ambrosio had laid out a big course from the very first fence, and as if that was not enough of a challenge, the time limit of 81 seconds made it especially hard. And to reinforce the challenge he had set, the first three riders into the ring all accumulated time fault penalties by exceeding the limit available.
Despite the relaxed feel around the show, the competition was intense within the International Arena and seven went through to the jump-off. Canada’s Ben Asselin was the first to go double clear and set the benchmark time of 46.01 seconds. His time was bettered by Jessica Springsteen after France’s Marie Hecart accumulated eight faults. Richie Maloney was up for the challenge and took 0.17 seconds off Jessica’s time and the target of 44.64 was set.
Brash, who despite his huge international success, had never won a Rolex watch before today but had always wanted to win one, had a faultless round and lowered the target time down to 43.44; he then had to sit out and watch as the leading American riders Beezie Madden and Kent Farrington attacked the course. Both were fast, but agonisingly each had the same last fence down, handing the Scotsman victory.
Commenting on his third Winter Equestrian Festival, Scott Brash said, “Mark Bellissimo and his team always do a fantastic job building the quality of the show here each year, and Rolex coming in really improves the top end sport and makes every rider want to come here and compete. I can only see the show growing and growing.”
Jessica Springsteen
This has been the biggest Winter Equestrian Festival ever, and the Grand Prix competitions have featured 147 riders from 26 countries, including Rolex Testimonees Eric Lamaze, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Rodrigo Pessoa. With total prize money now approaching US$9 million, the Winter Equestrian Festival is the most prestigious circuit in North America.
Mark Bellissimo, CEO of Equestrian Sport Productions, said, “It was a great Festival for us with a 12% growth in entries each week, which represents an additional 400 horses. We are lucky to continue to attract some quality riders, including Ben Maher and Scott Brash, battling it out every week in some amazing competitions, and I think that’s what top sport is all about.”
Rolex has enjoyed a successful association with the WEF since 2011, and this is the first year of a new enhanced 10-year partnership, with Rolex becoming the Official Timepiece to both the Winter Equestrian Festival and the Palm Beach International Equestrian Centre.
Rolex is a partner to some of the greatest equestrian shows in the world, including the three Majors: CHIO Aachen, the Spruce Meadows Masters and CHI Geneva. These great shows also form the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping which is the first global initiative to reward the outstanding rider who wins the Grand Prix at each show in succession.
Ben Maher Wins $100,000 FTI Consulting Rider Challenge; Todd Minikus and Babalou 41 Top $100,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Series Final; Tim Gredley Scores 1.50m Series Bonus
Wellington, FL – March 30, 2014 – The 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival concluded on Sunday with an exciting line-up of world-class show jumping and the presentation of special awards to round out a very successful winter circuit at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL. Although inclement weather caused Saturday night’s classes to be postponed, the final afternoon of FTI WEF competition was blessed with beautiful clear skies and sunshine for Sunday’s feature events.
Concluding the 2014 competition, the $500,000 FTI Consulting Finale Grand Prix CSI 5* saw an exciting win for the world’s number one ranked rider and 2012 Olympic Team Gold Medalist, Scott Brash (GBR), with his talented mount Hello Sanctos. British teammate and world #2 ranked rider Ben Maher took home the top bonus in the $100,000 FTI Consulting Rider Challenge for his incredible success throughout the circuit. Todd Minikus (USA) and Babalou 41 won the $100,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Series Final, and Tim Gredley (GBR) and Unex Omega Star topped the 1.50m series overall to earn a $25,000 bonus.
Anthony D’Ambrosio (USA) designed the courses for Sunday’s competition and set a challenging track for the finale grand prix featuring 38 of the best competitors from the circuit. Riders from 14 different countries were represented, including 17 Olympic veterans.
Seven entries from the first round advanced to the jump-off, where four jumped double clear. Nineteen-year-old Ben Asselin (CAN) and Attache Stables’ Makavoy began the jump-off with a clear round in 46.01 seconds to eventually finish fourth. Jessica Springsteen (USA) and Stone Hill Farm’s Vindicat W upped the ante in 44.87 seconds to earn third place honors. Richie Moloney (IRL) and Equinimity LLC’s Slieveanorra were faster in 44.64 seconds to take home second place honors. The final clear round belonged to Scott Brash and Hello Sanctos, who blazed through the course in 43.44 seconds to secure their victory. Last to go, Kent Farrington (USA) had the fast time of the jump-off in 42.72 seconds with Amalaya Investment’s Voyeur, but had a rail at the final oxer to finish fifth.
Along with the winner’s share of $165,000, Brash was presented with the Dennis D. Dammerman Perpetual Trophy. The trophy was created to honor the contributions to equestrian sport of Dennis D. Dammerman, a longtime owner of horses and founding member of the Wellington Equestrian Partners. Brash had a lot of top finishes throughout the circuit and was happy to get his win in the end with Hello Sanctos, a twelve-year-old Belgian Sport Horse gelding (Quasimodo Vd Molendreef x Nabab de Reve) that has given the rider many great moments in his career.
“I have been coming second a lot to this man,” Brash said, pointing to Maher. “So to win a class at the end is very rewarding and good for my team that has worked so hard for the circuit, because it is hard work. Sanctos was fantastic today. I gave him a rest when I first came here and then I started him back, and he felt just a little bit rusty and not quite jumping fit. I jumped two weeks and then I gave him last week off. This week he has just felt great and feels like he is jumping back to how he was, and I’m very happy going home looking forward towards Europe. There are a lot of big shows coming up with the championships and everything, so it is good to feel him in such good form early on in the year.”
Brash and Sanctos were a new partnership when they were last in Wellington in 2012. That was before they won an Olympic team gold medal in London that year and went on to many other victories that led Brash to his current position as the number one ranked rider in the world.
Looking back on the progression of their partnership, Brash recalled, “It’s a bit different now. Back in 2012 I had just gotten the horse. My owners bought the horse with the Olympic Games in mind, so we chose to come to Wellington because there is no better place to get as many rounds in as you can and get to know a horse like you can here. That is why we chose to bring him here then, but we were quite inconsistent. We had a win in the World Cup one week, but we had some bad rounds also. We were just getting to know each other, but since then we have just gone from strength to strength as a partnership. I must say, he is a fantastic horse and he is just an absolute privilege to ride.”
Richie Moloney and Slieveanorra
Sunday’s second place finish was a fantastic conclusion to the circuit for Richie Moloney as well with Equinimity LLC’s Slieveanorra. The twelve-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding (Voltaire x Flagmount Diamond) jumped a great round and was very fast through the course. Moloney got the ride on Slieveanorra a few years ago after his sponsors, Equinimity LLC, bought the horse from his brother as a nine-year-old. The horse had won the nine-year-old national championships in Ireland and has gone on to great things.
“It is a very good finish,” Moloney smiled after the class. “Slieveanorra is very good. It is nice for the horse to get his result here in the end. He was double clear week nine in the World Cup and finished seventh, so it is nice to end up second today. My plan was to go as fast as I could and try to leave the jumps up. Maybe I could have been a little bit quicker, but I am very happy with second.”
There was long gallop down to the last oxer that caused rails for Beezie Madden and Farrington in the jump-off, but Moloney said he was not worried about that. “Maybe there was one less stride there, but it was a bit risky I thought. I just held steady and kept going on the stride that I knew he could jump from. I would just like to say well done to Scott, and I would also like to thank my owners and all of the staff who work very hard at the farm. It is nice to get this result for them. It is for everybody that works there.”
Jessica Springsteen has been very consistent with top finishes throughout the circuit aboard Vindicat W, her twelve-year-old KWPN gelding (Guidam x Libero H) that Peter Charles rode to team gold alongside Brash and Maher in the London Olympic Games. Commenting on her circuit and another top placing, Springsteen smiled, “He has been jumping amazing. I had a week off last week, so he felt really fresh and ready to go. Every time I go out there he always tries his hardest. He never puts a foot wrong, and I could not be happier with him.”
Springsteen explained where she thought she lost time in the jump-off, stating, “I was maybe planning on doing five strides to that black vertical so that I could swing back tighter to the oxer, but then the four just kind of showed itself, and I did end up getting a little bit stuck in that turn. I think that’s where I could have been quicker, but everywhere else he was really good, so I was happy.”
Brash commented on the day’s course from Anthony D’Ambrosio and praised the success of this year’s circuit. “I thought the course builder did a fantastic job actually. It was big, it was hard, and to get seven clears was a good number,” he acknowledged. “The jump-off I thought was very good and entertaining for the public. It is a really spectacular class. It’s a shame it didn’t run last night, but no one can help the weather. It is all credit to Mark Bellissimo, who puts on a fantastic tour here, and now with Rolex sponsoring it really brings the prestige of the show up to a top standard of high level sport. I think that is what everyone is looking for, and I think it’s great.”
Bellissimo was also thrilled with the circuit and the successful finale grand prix, and thanked title sponsor, FTI Consulting, for their longtime support.
“FTI has been an amazing sponsor for the last six years,” Bellissimo stated. “In the genesis of the transition we have, this festival started at about $2 million in prize money and we have brought it to over $8 million, which is a spectacular amount of money. We are very excited about their commitment to the sport and that partnership that we have had over the years.”
“We have really appreciated all of the great competition,” Bellissimo added. “I don’t think I have ever seen such an amazing number of jump-offs. Scott has been in a lot of them. I think in general it has been a great year. We are very excited about it and very excited about the future. There are a lot of things that we are going to be doing next year to make it even that much more significant, so thank you to everyone for all of their participation and all of their great work throughout the circuit. Also a special call to Rolex, who has been a great addition to the circuit this year and allowed us to take this to a different level in the context of prize money and a huge investment. We have some exciting new initiatives that we will be announcing shortly that I think will be another level, even beyond where we are today.”
In addition to the day’s grand prix, the $100,000 FTI Consulting Rider Challenge concluded on Sunday after 12 weeks of jumper competition at the 2014 FTI WEF. Ben Maher led the standings and earned a $50,000 cut of the bonus money for his record-breaking number of grand prix wins and top finishes throughout the circuit. Beezie Madden finished in second place to earn $25,000, Kent Farrington was third and received a $15,000 check, and Scott Brash finished fourth for a $10,000 bonus.
Several other awards were presented on Sunday for the final week of competition in Wellington as well. For the second year in a row, Maher’s mount Cella earned Jane Clark the Simba Run Perpetual Trophy as the owner of the open jumper who has earned the most prize money in classes held at 1.45m or more during the 2014 FTI WEF. Clark was also presented with The Harrison Cup Perpetual Trophy, which is awarded to the owner whose horses won the most jumper money in all of the open jumper classes held throughout the circuit. In addition, Cella’s groom Joy Montgomerie was presented with the Oliver O’Toole Perpetual Memorial Trophy, which is awarded to the groom of the horse who has earned the most money in the grand prix jumper classes.
Maher had an unfortunate rail in Sunday’s grand prix, but had an incredible circuit and thanked everyone who made his success possible.
“First I would like to say thank you to FTI Consulting,” Maher stated. “It is a hard earned bonus, but it is a nice challenge to have from the beginning of the circuit. I didn’t get a piece of it today, but again thank you to Rolex. It was a great competition. A lot of people came and it was fun to watch the jump-off and not have the stress of being in it this time. I would have preferred to be in it of course, but it was a fun jump-off to watch.”
“I have had a great circuit,” Maher continued. “It was unfortunate today that I had a jump down, but I can’t complain. All of my horses have been great and consistent. If somebody was to say at the start of the circuit that it was going to come together like it had, I would not have believed it. I am grateful for everything and looking forward to a short rest now.”
Other awards included the Leading Lady Grand Prix Rider for the circuit, which was presented to Lauren Hough (USA) on behalf of Martha Jolicoeur of Illustrated Properties in memory of Dale Lawler. Eric Lamaze (CAN) and Artisan Farm LLC’s Zigali P S were presented with the Champion Equine Insurance Jumper Style Award for the overall circuit, which is awarded to the jumper whose style best exemplifies a show jumper based on scope, rideability, technique and competitive spirit. Lamaze and Zigali P S also won the overall WEF Challenge Cup Series Award. Sweden’s Alexander Zetterman earned the Hermès Talented Young Rider Award as the young jumper rider between the ages of 16-25 that has earned the most points in all FTI WEF FEI rated jumper competition.
Todd Minikus and Babalou 41 Top $100,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Series Final; Tim Gredley Scores 1.50m Series Bonus
The $100,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Series Final concluded on Sunday with a win for Todd Minikus (USA) and Babalou 41, a nine-year-old Oldenburg mare by Balou du Rouet x Silvio I.
The competition saw 84 entries in the first round on Saturday and the top 25% returned to compete in round two on Sunday, where their cumulative scores from both rounds were combined to determine the winner. Three riders chose not to return for the second round, leaving 18 entries to show on Sunday.
Todd Minikus (USA) and Babalou 41, Andres Rodriguez (VEN) and Caballito, and Daniel Deusser (GER) and Fyloe v/h Claeyssenhof were the only three to complete double clear rounds, and their times in round two served as the tiebreaker.
Todd Minikus and Babalou 41
Minikus and Bob Haefner’s Babalou 41 jumped double clear through both rounds and completed the fastest time of the competition in 48.78 seconds to earn top honors. Rodriguez and Arao Enterprises Caballito cleared the second round course in 49.97 seconds to finish second. Deusser and Fyloe v/h Claeyssenhof, owned by Stephex Stables and Double H Farm, finished third in 50.59 seconds.
Although the schedule was changed due to weather, Todd Minikus did not mind the overnight break between rounds for his young horse and was happy with her performance in the final round on Sunday.
“Unfortunately the rain put a damper on things last night, but I was a little concerned even with the gap that we would have had yesterday,” Minikus noted. “That mare is very green and she has never done something like that where she went once and then had to come back hours later, so maybe the entire night’s rest worked out for me. She went like a professional show horse today, so it was all good.”
“She is a mare that I have been showing for three years now,” Minikus explained. “We did schooling jumpers basically for two years. She was always an exceptional mare. Everybody that saw her for the first time always came up and asked about her. She was always extremely extravagant with her jump. We often wondered if that was going to hold her back, where she was maybe too exuberant with her jump, but she kind of leveled out here this past year and she has done some good things. Stewart Moran is her trainer; basically I just catch ride her. She lives with Stewart and his team, and I just ride her at the ring. They have done a great job with her. Santa, who flats her, has done a fantastic job. I would like to thank Mr. and Mrs. Haefner for the opportunity to ride her. It has been a good team so far.”
Speaking about his blazing fast jump-off round, Minikus detailed, “I know that mare can go fast, and I was one of the first clears to come back. We kind of saved her for this class. She did one WEF (Challenge Cup) and we have kind of nursed her along, so they gave me the green light to press on the gas pedal. She is extremely careful, so if you can get her into the middle of the jump, chances are she is going to leave it up.”
Minikus hopes to continue showing the talented mare and looks forward to seeing her future success. “Hopefully I can take her a little bit more with me this summer,” he noted. “She is ready to go now. We have babied her along enough. She is ready to be a show horse now, so hopefully they will let me take her with me and do a little bit more.”
As the conclusion to the twelve-week Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Series, Sunday’s class served as the final allocation of points for the overall standings for the $25,000 Leading Horse and Rider Award. The bonus money was presented to Great Britain’s Tim Gredley and Unex Omega Star as the horse and rider combination who gained the most points throughout all twelve classes of the circuit. Unex Omega Star is a 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding by Quick Star x Quatoubet du Rouet, owned by Unex Competition Yard Ltd.
Speaking about the bonus, Gredley stated, “It is really nice, because although I haven’t won one of the 1.50m classes, he has been consistently in the top three or five all the way through. It is nice for the horse to be rewarded for doing that. Over the last couple of weeks I noticed that I was up there in the standings for the bonus and Nick Skelton, my trainer, basically said that we should aim to just try to get a result in that. We jumped a double clear last week and got sixth. Then getting a time fault yesterday actually, in a funny way, kind of helped me today because I knew I couldn’t really win the class. These guys were all clear, so the plan was just to jump another clear and try to get a few more points, and luckily it went to plan.”
Gredley has had Unex Omega Star for a year now and explained that he has made a lot of progress with the horse since he started training with Skelton this winter.
“I struggled with him a little bit because he is by Quick Star and he is a bit sharp in his head, but the last three or four months especially, we have changed a lot with him in the way that I ride him,” Gredley said. “The whole program that we have with him at home now is very different and it seems to be working. I changed a lot with all of the horses in the last few months with the feed and the stuff that we do at home. We tend not to ride him as much at home now. Just little things that I really didn’t think would make much of a difference have made a big difference for him. I have been training with Nick now for the last four months, and he has made a big difference for all of them, but especially that horse.”
Gredley first came to Wellington in 2006 when he was 20 years old and then took a couple of years off from riding to learn the family real estate business. He now splits his time between riding and real estate and travels between Wellington and his home in England.
“The weather is always a good start, especially when you speak to everyone at home,” he said of the perks of competing in Florida. “It is really nice, especially because I have a really great team of people at home, and it is nice for them not to have to change shows every single week. The horses can basically jump from home. I especially find when we go home that it is hard for them to have to keep changing and going on the road every single week, so that is probably one of the biggest plusses to be here.”
Sunday’s competition concluded a fantastic 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival. Equestrian Sport Productions would like to thank everyone for a wonderful circuit and looks forward to 2015. For full results, please visit www.showgroundslive.com.
About FTI Consulting, Inc.
FTI Consulting, Inc. is a global business advisory firm dedicated to helping organizations protect and enhance enterprise value in an increasingly complex legal, regulatory and economic environment. With more than 4,000 employees located in 24 countries, FTI Consulting professionals work closely with clients to anticipate, illuminate and overcome complex business challenges in areas such as investigations, litigation, mergers and acquisitions, regulatory issues, reputation management, strategic communications and restructuring. The company generated $1.58 billion in revenues during fiscal year 2012. For more information, visit www.fticonsulting.com.
About the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival
The 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival has 12 weeks of top competition running from January 8 through March 30. The FTI WEF is run by Equestrian Sport Productions, LLC, and Wellington Equestrian Partners and held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. All 12 shows are “AA” rated and Jumper Rated 6, and more than $7 million in prize money will be awarded.
Wellington, FL – March 29, 2014 – Deborah Perkins of Wellington, FL and her 13-year-old Warmblood gelding La Fayette ended their 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) season on a high note, earning the division championship in the Hunt Ltd Amateur-Owner Hunters Over 35 division. The pair won both over fences classes on day two of the division after finishing second to reserve champion Castle Walk in both over fences rounds on day one. Castle Walk, owned by Richard Prant and ridden by Nancy Hooker, was fifth and third over fences on day two and also placed second in the flat. Hooker and Castle Walk finished just behind La Fayette and Perkins, who edged them out by just one point. The jumper classes that were scheduled for Saturday night were unfortunately postponed until Sunday due to inclement weather.
Sunday’s competition in the International Arena will begin at 8 a.m. with the $10,000 Sleepy P Ranch High Junior Jumper Classic.
The $100,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Series Final Second Round will start at approximately 11 a.m.
The $500,000 FTI Consulting Finale Grand Prix CSI 5* will start approximately 1:30 p.m.
The $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby has been moved from the derby field at The Stadium to the E. R. Mische Grand Hunter Ring and will start at approximately1:30 p.m.
Although the feature jumper events were postponed on Saturday night, hunter competition was held throughout the day at PBIEC, as Deborah Perkins and La Fayette earned the Hunt Ltd Amateur-Owner Hunters Over 35 division championship. Perkins, who trains with Havens Schatt and Fred Commissaire, has owned La Fayette for six years. For the last three, Perkins has trained with Schatt and Commissaire and noticed marked improvement under their careful direction. More recently, some tweaks in her position on course has made a big difference in their results.
“He’s just getting older and better. He’s such a good boy; he really is. I’m changing a few things about my riding, and he’s adjusting nicely. It’s taken a little bit [of time], but we did well. All the communication is working really well, so we’re really pleased. It’s a great way to end it,” Perkins noted.
Perkins noted that La Fayette has always been a bit of a perfectionist in the ring, which is one of the gelding’s many characteristics that make the pair a good fit.
“He’s always has been a trier. In fact, sometimes he gets upset when he doesn’t do it well. We’re both a little bit like that! Sometimes that can work against you. He gets mad at himself if he hits one, then I’m a little upset with myself if I do something wrong. But we’re both really growing together even more, which is kind of amazing at this point in both of our lives!” Perkins smiled.
She continued, “I have a group of younger ones. La Fayette tries really hard, and he’s a little bit of a perfectionist, so sometimes that gets in the way a little bit. I think the other ones are a little more forgiving, but only because La Fayette likes to be right!”
Perkins admitted that she enjoyed having just one horse to show this week; Schatt has shared the ride with her on younger mounts Kaepernick, High Time, and Set to Music throughout the circuit. For Perkins, week twelve allowed her to simply appreciate her long-time partner.
“[The young ones are] just exhausting!” Perkins laughed. “Even though I constantly have to focus on La Fayette’s canter, at least we’ve been together long enough that we know each other. Fred says we’re like an old couple!”
La Fayette doesn’t naturally possess the metronome-like canter that many show hunters do, and Perkins acknowledged she has to mainly focus on keeping him balanced and correct. La Fayette has a natural jumping talent.
“His jump is always so cute. You can put anywhere, as long as his canter is correct; he can make a nice jump. That’s what we’ve really worked on this year: trying to keep his canter [well-balanced]. You have to keep creating that for him. But his jump is always there,” Perkins shared.
Perkins liked that about La Fayette from the day she first tried him, and it helps that she found him to be her ideal size. At home, La Fayette is just as well-mannered as he is in the ring – unless it’s dinner time.
“He’s a food hound!” Perkins laughed. “He flips his bucket and everything and he’s very verbal about food. [Other than that,] he’s a perfect gentleman. I trail ride him. He’s very polite. He doesn’t ever act like an idiot. He’s too smart!”
Following the amateur-owner hunter divisions, the first round of the $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby was held in the E. R. Mische Grand Hunter Arena. The top 25 riders from round one will advance to the final round on Sunday afternoon, hosted in the E. R. Mische Grand Hunter Ring on the Main Grounds of PBIEC.
Tara Metzner will return for the final round at the top of the order, receiving scores of 89 from both judges for her ride on Come Monday. With a bonus for taking one of the high options, Metzner earned four points to end round one on 182 points. Kelley Farmer currently sits second in the standings with Unspoken. The pair earned a 90 and 91 from the judges and a bonus of eight points for taking on the high options, for a collective first round score of 179. Molly Ashe-Cawley and Kennzo are ranked third going into Sunday’s final round for their scores of 83.5 and 86.5, plus eight bonus points for taking the high options.
The top ten horse and rider pairs after round one of the $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby are as follows: Mayfair and Sandra Ferrell (177 points), Walk This Way and Christopher Payne (174 points), Generous and David Oliynyk (173.75 points), Friday Night and Kate Ross (172 points), Calentino and David Biesel (171 points), Poker Face and Jennifer Bliss (169 points), and Patricia Griffith and Verona (166.75 points).
Equitation riders will also be hoping to end their season on a high note on Sunday morning, with the Beval Palm Beach Adult Medal Finals in the Rost Arena on the Main Grounds of PBIEC. The final round of the $50,000 USHJA Hunter Derby will begin at 1:00 p.m. in the E. R. Mische Arena of the Main Grand at PBIEC. For full results, please visit www.showgroundslive.com.
About FTI Consulting, Inc.
FTI Consulting, Inc. is a global business advisory firm dedicated to helping organizations protect and enhance enterprise value in an increasingly complex legal, regulatory and economic environment. With more than 4,000 employees located in 24 countries, FTI Consulting professionals work closely with clients to anticipate, illuminate and overcome complex business challenges in areas such as investigations, litigation, mergers and acquisitions, regulatory issues, reputation management, strategic communications and restructuring. The company generated $1.58 billion in revenues during fiscal year 2012. For more information, visit www.fticonsulting.com.
About the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival
The 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival has 12 weeks of top competition running from January 8 through March 30. The FTI WEF is run by Equestrian Sport Productions, LLC, and Wellington Equestrian Partners and held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. All 12 shows are “AA” rated and Jumper Rated 6, and more than $7 million in prize money will be awarded.
Sara Ballinger and Wanderprinz Earn Top Call in Ariat National Adult Medal
Wellington, FL – March 28, 2014 – The 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) hosted classics for the young jumpers on Friday during its twelfth and final week of competition at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL. In the $20,000 Adequan 8-Year-Old Young Jumper Classic, Nick Dello Joio (USA) and Boomerang were the winners. Sloane Coles (USA) and WEC l’Ami Noir topped the $20,000 Adequan 7-Year-Old Young Jumper Classic, and Darragh Kenny (IRL) and Dakota VDL won the $15,000 Adequan 6-Year-Old Young Jumper Classic.
FTI WEF week twelve, sponsored by FTI Consulting, continues through March 30, 2014. Saturday will feature the $100,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Series Final and $500,000 FTI Consulting Finale Grand Prix CSI 5* along with round one of the $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, which concludes on the derby field on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Live streaming is available on Saturday, March 29, at approximately 6:30 p.m. EST for the $500,000 FTI Consulting Finale Grand Prix CSI 5*. Live streaming will begin with the $100,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Series Final Jump-off. Watch here: http://www.chronofhorse.com/article/2014-fti-finale-grand-prix-live.
Anthony D’Ambrosio (USA) set the tracks for Friday’s young jumper classes in the International Arena at PBIEC. All of the classes were held with the option to either jump-off immediately following their round or wait until after the first round of competition. In the $20,000 Adequan Eight-Year-Old Young Jumper Classic, 61 entries showed with eight to jump-off, and five double clear rounds. Nick Skelton (GBR) led the way with Aristio for most of the class, jumping off early in 38.60 seconds, but eventually moved into third place. Adam Prudent (FRA) jumped off after his round with Henri Prudent’s Si Bella and briefly took the lead in 38.09 seconds, but was pushed into second. Nick Dello Joio (USA) chose to return for his jump-off round at the end, and took over for the win with Emilie Martinsen’s Boomerang in 37.35 seconds.
Boomerang, a KWPN gelding by Orlando x Lux, is a horse that Martinsen rode last summer and then asked Dello Joio to ride with the idea to bring him along and sell.
“I am privileged to ride him,” Dello Joio stated after his win. “He is full of character. He is a small horse, but he has more scope and more range than any horse I think I have ever ridden. He is a bit cheeky and has a lot of personality. I think all of that combined is what makes him a super horse.”
“I have been riding him at this circuit for five or six weeks, and I think it is time for him to move up,” the rider noted. “This is a good division for him, but he is better over a bigger fence, so I think it’s time to see what he’s got. We have schooled him at home and other places, and when the horse jumps bigger, he is way more focused. When he jumps smaller, it is just too easy for him. It’s like (Michael) Jordan playing street ball or something. It’s not fair, so I’m excited to take him to the next level.”
Commenting on the ride and his decision to wait to jump-off until the end, Dello Joio explained, “With horses like him, you always want to keep them a little bit under your thumb. You want to keep them with you and together. He’s not a horse that you want to get off his back and let him do what he wants. You have to kind of work together, and that is when he is at his best, and his most focused.”
“In the first round, maybe I left him a little bit too fresh,” Dello Joio mused. “He is so gamey; he is so on it, so he finished the first round, and I thought I would just bring him out and let him chill. I wanted to re-school him and get his focus again, and then go back in and have a round like that, and it paid off.”
For his round in the jump-off, Dello Joio asked the advice of his father, Norman, heading in. “I asked dad what he thought about it, if we wanted to push him or how important this class was for him,” the rider explained. “He just said, ‘Be smart and be smooth.’ The horse is so quick across the ground; his stride eats it up for a little horse. I had to almost chip and do the nine (strides) down the last line. Everyone else was galloping and I could have done eight if I really needed to, but I saw the clock and I was like, ‘All right, wait, easy.’ I just made neat turns and used his stride to my advantage. I have never really put any gas on the fire, so it worked out.”
Dello Joio plans to step Boomerang up a little bit in the months to come and knows that the horse has a great future. “There are some shows here in April, so maybe we will pull him out one week and jump one of the grand prix classes here on him quietly, without a ton of people, and just see what he does and see how he reacts to it,” he said. “Then the plan is for him to go to Old Salem and Spruce Meadows, which I think will be fantastic mileage for him. Old Salem is an amazing venue, and Calgary, there is no better in the world for experience for horses. If he keeps going like that, he is a super horse, so I think he will get sold.”
Sloane Coles and WEC l’Ami Noir Win $20,000 Adequan Seven-Year-Old Young Jumper Classic
The $20,000 Adequan Seven-Year-Old Young Jumper Classic was featured at the FTI WEF on Friday afternoon with 20 out of 72 entries making it through to the jump-off and 13 double clear rounds over Anthony D’Ambrosio’s short course. Early on, Sloane Coles (USA) and The Windwood Group’s WEC l’Ami Noir set a very fast pace in 30.84 seconds that would hold on to the lead through the end. Ronan McGuigan (IRL) and Blythe Masters’ Chapeau finished second in 30.96 seconds. Tim Gredley (GBR) and Unex Billy Dream placed third in 31.65 seconds, and Ramiro Quintana (ARG) and St. Bride’s Farm’s Tua Efele finished fourth in 32.22 seconds.
Sloane Coles and WEC l’Ami Noir
WEC l’Ami Noir is a Holsteiner gelding by Cormint x Corrado I that owners at The Windwood Group purchased as a five-year-old. Coles started riding l’Ami two months ago and has been showing the gelding in the seven-year-old classes throughout the last half of the FTI WEF circuit, including a win during week ten leading up to the final.
“When the owners bought him, they kind of knew that he was going to be a grand prix horse, and I think he has proven that already as a seven-year-old,” Coles noted. “He is just very scopey and very careful. He is light on his feet and quick off the ground. He wants to be a winner; he really wants to be fast. The rideability is there, it is getting better, but he is just a super horse and I am looking forward to having him in the future.”
Speaking of l’Ami’s personality, Coles described, “When we first got him, he was a little bit funny. He didn’t want to be loved on and he was a little weird, but now we are spoiling him and he is really developing a personality. He is very put together, almost proud of himself. He is big and beautiful and he knows he is a good horse, which is good.”
“I didn’t start showing him here until maybe week six, but he has done the seven-year-old classes the whole circuit,” she detailed. “Today was bigger than it has been down here, and I feel like he just stepped up. I feel like he definitely could have jumped bigger today if he had to. His stride is huge. I left out strides in a couple of places in the jump-off, and I think that is how I won it.”
Coles heads back to her base in Middleburg, VA, after this week and shows in Virginia and Kentucky throughout the summer with the goal of the Seven-Year-Old Young Jumper Championships at the Hampton Classic in August.
Darragh Kenny and Dakota VDL Top $15,000 Adequan Six-Year-Old Young Jumper Classic
The $15,000 Adequan Six-Year-Old Young Jumper Classic was the first class in the International Arena at PBIEC on Friday with a win for Darragh Kenny (IRL) and Hyperion Stud LLC’s Dakota VDL. The six-year-old Holsteiner stallion (Casall x Contender) was purchased from VDL Stud two years ago for the highest bid of $210,000 at the 2012 WEF Sport Horse Auction in Wellington. Kenny started riding the horse this year in the middle of January and showed throughout the winter at the 1.30m level.
In Friday’s six-year-old classic, the pair topped a class of 63 entries where 26 advanced to the jump-off. They had the fastest time of 34.60 seconds out of 11 double clear rounds. Sloane Coles and The Windwood Group’s WEC Damokles finished second in 35.25 seconds. Alex Granato (USA) guided Page Tredennick’s Calchen W to third place honors in 35.28 seconds, and Darrin Dlin (CAN) and Susan Grange’s Tienna placed fourth in 35.70 seconds.
Darragh Kenny and Dakota VDL
“He is really a special horse,” Kenny praised. “He was already jumping the 1.30m easy. He basically did not do any of the six-year-old classes all winter because we wanted to jump him a little bit bigger. He has huge scope, and he is very careful. He is very, very competitive and today he was super.”
“He is super easy,” the rider added. “There is nothing difficult about him. He doesn’t spook, he has loads of jump, he is very careful and easy to ride. It is an easy thing to go in and try to win a class like this on him. He makes my life very easy, so that’s nice. The idea is to just keep building him up and see where he goes. I think he has all the ability to be a top horse.”
Kenny commented on the course, stating, “I thought it was very good. It was a little technical and a little spooky, which was good. The good horses ended up at the top and that was the right way to do it.”
Kenny and Dakota VDL had an impressive round through D’Ambrosio’s short course to conclude their FTI WEF circuit with a win, and Kenny looks forward to furthering the horse’s potential when they show together again in Canada this summer.
“I think actually on Monday he is going to leave to go back to Hyperion Stud in Virginia to start breeding,” Kenny noted. “He will do a lot of breeding for April and some of May and then he will come to Spruce Meadows for me to jump. He will keep breeding for the future and then we will keep showing him and see where it goes.”
Sara Ballinger and Wanderprinz Earn Top Call in Ariat National Adult Medal
Sara Ballinger of Marion, OH, and her 12-year-old Hanoverian gelding Wanderprinz finished first in the Ariat National Adult Medal on Friday morning of week twelve at the FTI WEF. Ballinger and Wanderprinz were the final pair to enter the ring, earning a high score of 86 to return for the test.
The top four riders were called back for further testing. Meredith Combs was first to test, scoring an 82 with Cassius in the first round before ultimately finishing second. Third place went to Emma Butchard and Conquest. The pair earned an 83 in the first round. Barri Platt completed the top four aboard Avanti Maria, scoring an 85 in the first round and finishing fourth overall.
Ballinger has owned Wanderprinz since she imported him as a four-year-old. Seven years later, the pair has developed a close bond. Ballinger prides herself on the fact that she does all of the care for Wanderprinz and her other horse, Pizzaro, who she competes in the jumper divisions.
Wanderprinz also started out as a jumper, but a lack of speed led Ballinger to experiment with the adult equitation divisions. The dark bay gelding took it well, and the two have forged a fruitful equitation career together. Ballinger won the Ariat National Adult Medal during week eight of the FTI WEF, in addition to division champion in the Adult Equitation division.
Wanderprinz may have left the jumper ring behind, but the skills he learned in the jumper divisions groomed him for success as an equitation mount.
“The jumpers really helped with all the turns. He knows when he lands to pay attention to me for where to go, since it’s not always straight [down the line],” Ballinger explained.
Ballinger was thrilled with her first round course, commenting, “The first round was great. I loved the course. It was an actual equitation course. I thought it was super.”
Of her plan for her course, Ballinger said, “[I wanted] to stay smooth and kind of round all the turns. Just keep a nice pace the whole way, keep the same pace. I think keeping the same pace, like the plan was, really helped [in getting called back to test]. Also executing the corners correctly. We’ve been practicing that, especially this week.”
As the last rider to go, Ballinger, who trains with Lourdes De Guardiola, wasn’t able to get in any extra practice before returning to the ring right away to test. The judge asked riders to canter fences one and two, where they had the option to tighten the sweeping left turn. Riders then continued turning left to trot fence three, a brick wall, before having a tight right turn to hand gallop fence four. Riders where then asked to halt and return to line at the sitting trot.
Ballinger felt confident after hearing the test, remaining focused on maintaining a good rhythm even if it meant sacrificing handier turns.
“Sometimes I have a little trouble leaving the line with the same pace. That’s why I stayed out a little bit to the first jump. I didn’t cut the turn. I’d rather stay out a little and sacrifice that, but get the pace,” she shared.
Ballinger’s ultimate goal for the week is the Beval Palm Beach Adult Medal Final on Sunday. Hunter and equitation competition continues on Saturday at the FTI WEF with the Hunt Ltd. Amateur-Owner Hunter Over 35 division in the E. R. Mische Grand Hunter Arena. For full results, please visit www.showgroundslive.com.
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About the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival
The 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival has 12 weeks of top competition running from January 8 through March 30. The FTI WEF is run by Equestrian Sport Productions, LLC, and Wellington Equestrian Partners and held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. All 12 shows are “AA” rated and Jumper Rated 6, and more than $7 million in prize money will be awarded.
