Category Archives: Winter Equestrian Festival

Competitions, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Geoffrey Hesslink Wins $100k USHJA/WCHR Peter Wetherill Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular

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Geoffrey Hesslink and Mon Tresor. © Sportfot.

Wellington, FL – February 19, 2022 – The pinnacle event of World Championship Hunter Rider week, sponsored by IDA Development, at the 2022 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) was on Saturday night, February 19. The country’s best hunter combinations battled to win the $100,000 USHJA/WCHR Peter Wetherill Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular. Young professional Geoffrey Hesslink of Shelburne, VT made his mark on the class’s history as he scored a career-high victory aboard Mon Tresor, owned by Little Brook LLC.

Andy Christiansen Jr. designed the flowing track that offered riders several areas to show off their mounts. The panel one judges consisted of Chris Wynne and Shane George, panel two was Mary Lisa Leffler and Tom Brennan, and panel three held Wendy Peralta and Mark Jungherr. Entries for the night class qualified by winning the champion title in their respective divisions at the 3’6” height or above.

Of the 35-horse field, 26 combinations qualified from various different divisions held at 3’6”, while the remaining nine pairs stepped in from the High Performance, High Performance Conformation, and Green Hunter 3’9” divisions.

Hesslink and Mon Tresor took the class’s early lead with a first-round score of 90.66. Amanda Steege and the legendary Lafitte De Muze earned the second-highest score of the round with a 90. Liza Towell Boyd and Cascartini rounded out the top three of 12 moving on to the handy round after producing a score of 89.91.

Michael Britt-Leon was the first to return and blazed the trail around Christiansen’s handy track to an average score of 88.66, but with plenty more challengers still to go. Christiansen gave competitors several options to highlight their horse’s best features and included a canter to walk transition to feature the rideability of the mount.

If the pressure of having the best first round score and being the last to return weighed on Hesslink, it didn’t show. The 25-year-old piloted the 10-year-old Holsteiner gelding by Nekton confidently over each obstacle on the course and managed to nearly replicate his first round score as he finished with 90.5 points in the handy. The two-round total of 181.16 was just good enough to bump Mimi Gochman from the lead and secure the top honors.

Gochman and the Gochman Sport Horses LLC’s Catch Me (Casiro I) totaled a score just two points below Hesslink’s to land in second place. The 15-year-old Holsteiner gelding is no stranger to the victory gallop of the class, having won the event in 2016 and 2017 with professional Scott Stewart.

Third place went to last year’s winners Amanda Steege and Lafitte De Muze who produced an overall score of 177.66. Steege and Cheryl Olsten’s 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding by Darco have traveled down from their home base of Ocala, FL for four consecutive years for the event, and the pair has placed in the top multiple times.

In another class full of talented combinations during WEF 6, it was Spencer Smith (USA) who rose to the top of the 82-horse field with Picobello Full House Ter Linden Z in the $37,000 CaptiveOne Advisors 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic. Course designer Ana Catalina Harris Cruz (MEX) winnowed down the original list to just seven to return for the jump-off on the grass Derby Field at Equestrian Village on Saturday.

Smith was the first to return for the jump-off, and he put everyone on notice when he galloped across the field, urging his horse for speed and crossing the timers in 37.95 seconds, which would end up a full 2.71 seconds faster than the next clear competitor.

It was a solid win for Smith and Picobello Full House Ter Linden Z, a horse he has only had the ride on since last month thanks to Belgian show jumper Gregory Wathelet, David Simpson, and the horse’s owners, Picobello Horses. Wathelet was the horse’s previous rider, and they competed in 10 five-star shows in 2021.

Second place went to Karl Cook (USA), this time riding Kalinka Van’t Zorgvliet, owned by Helen Signe Ostby. They finished the jump-off clear in 40.66 seconds. Emily Moffitt (GBR) and Poden Farms’s Bacara d’Archonfosse were double clear with a time of 41.56 seconds for third place.

The winner of the $10,000 Hermès Under 25 Welcome was Tanner Korotkin (USA) riding Ideal, owned by Castlewood Farm Inc. and Sandalwood Farm. They were also presented with the Champion Equine Insurance Jumper Style Award. Emilie Conter (BEL) and Legolas Ter Wilgen, owned by Stephex Stables, won the $1,000 Hermès Under 25 1.40m.

For more information and results, please visit www.PBIEC.com.

Competitions, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Ali Wolff and Karl Cook Share Victory in $37k Adequan WEF Challenge Cup Round VI CSI3*

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Ali Wolff and Casall. © Sportfot.

Wellington, FL – February 18, 2022 – The 2022 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) continued on Friday, February 18, with international show jumping on the grass Derby Field at Equestrian Village. Out of a field of 102 entries and in a California split, Ali Wolff (USA) with Blacklick Bend Farm’s Casall and Karl Cook (USA) riding Fecybelle, owned by Helen Signe Ostby, came away with victory in the $37,000 Adequan® WEF Challenge Cup Round VI CSI3*.

As the only class on the Derby Field on Friday, the Adequan® WEF Challenge Cup Round VI featured a challenging course from designer Ana Catalina Cruz Harris (MEX), who was able to narrow the field down to 16 for the jump-off with nine countries represented. Of those, three chose not to return.

In the fifth spot of 13 in the returning order, Cook and Fecybelle took to the field for their jump-off round. They were chasing a time of 40.52 with a clear round set by Samuel Hutton (GBR) on H&C Kirlo van den Bosrand, owned by Abdel Saïd. They finished second in Section B.

Cook was able to lower the leading time to 39.22 seconds, which would hold up for the Section B victory.

It was a welcome return to the show ring for Cook and Fecybelle, a horse he has ridden since May 2019. After the mare’s injury at her first show in the winter of 2021, Cook brought her back slowly and only competed in one 1.45m class in December 2021.

Second to last to go in the jump-off, Wolff guided her veteran partner Casall through the jump-off to record the fastest time of 39.15 seconds for the Section A victory.

John Ingram and Koala Capture Victory in the $5,000 WCHR Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’3” Classic

Thirty-six top combinations of the Amateur-Owner 3’3” division decided to try their luck under the lights as the day concluded with the $5,000 WCHR Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’3” Classic. The event ran as a two-round format as all competitors were asked to contest the first round, and the top 12 entries with the highest scores were invited to return. Andy Christiansen, Jr. set a flowing track to challenge the mounts.

As the first into the arena, Kelly Sims took no chances setting the tone early and went straight to the top of the leaderboard with a score of 90 aboard her own Private I. Nearing the class’s first-round end, many had tried but none were able to rise to the bar that Sims had set. John Ingram and Koala put forth the closest effort and produced a round earning a score of 89, but as the second track was set it was Sims that remained on top.

The lineup changed throughout the second round and Nashville, TN native John Ingram emerged as the victor aboard the 14-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding Koala (Carmargue x Falma Hastak). Ingram paired his original score of 89 with an almost identical 88.5 for a total of 177.5.

The partnership of Callie Seaman, of New York City, NY, and her own 13-year-old Zangersheide gelding Prolific (Cassini II x Alette) earned the runner-up title with a second-round score of 90 and a combined overall score of 177, just half a point shy of the winning combination. Division champion of the Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’3” 36 and Over, Brad Wolf, of Memphis, TN, and his 12-year-old Holsteiner gelding Sebastian (Cancara x Luna XVII) rose to the third position on a total score of 167.

For more information and results, please visit www.PBIEC.com.

Championships, Competitions, Show Jumping

Kent Farrington and Easy Girl Handily Win $75k CaptiveOne Advisors 1.50m Championship

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Kent Farrington and Easy Girl. © Sportfot.

Wellington, FL – February 13, 2022 – On Sunday, February 13, the final day of the 2022 Winter Equestrian Festival’s (WEF) fifth week sponsored by Fidelity Investments®, the $75,000 CaptiveOne Advisors 1.50m Championship CSI5* was the featured event. The class saw Kent Farrington (USA) and his newest partner, Easy Girl, fly to the top of the leaderboard.

The day was met with wet conditions as the skies opened up on the final day’s exhibitors. Despite the downpour, the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center’s (PBIEC) footing remained solid and international competition continued on without issue.

Featuring 56 horse-and-rider combinations, Kelvin Bywater’s (GBR) last five-star challenge defeated 16 entries with a single rail, but allowed for 17 pairs to advance forward to the short track. Ireland, Great Britain, United States, Italy, Egypt, and Belgium were well-represented by the returning field. Of the 17 to come back, only four managed to produce double-clear efforts. It was a win for the home team as Farrington did what he does best and sped to the top with Kent Farrington LLC’s 11-year-old Oldenburg mare Easy Girl (Conthargos x Nintender) with the unbeatable time of 37.27 seconds.

Margie Engle (USA) and Storm Ridge Show Horses, Garber, and Gladewind’s entry Dicas raced into the runner-up position. She and the 13-year-old Rheinlander gelding (Diarado x Cassini I) closed in on the leading pair but finished roughly a second behind with a clear time of 38.24 seconds. Great Britain got the remaining podium position as Matthew Sampson and his gelding Geneve R clocked in another clear effort with a finish on 38.24 seconds.

Chloe Reid Captures Only Clear in $50,000 Griffis Residential Grand Prix CSI2*

The weekend concluded with the $50,000 Griffis Residential Grand Prix CSI2* wrapping up competition in the International Arena. The course proved too challenging for almost all of the 43 entries as only Chloe Reid (USA) and Team Reid LLC’s Crossover 4 found the path to a clear first round.

The final jump on course was the downfall for a large group of the contenders and groans could be heard in the crowd each time it fell and dashed the hopes of a jump-off. Sophie Maher (USA) and Quentin Judge (USA) came the closest to producing a jump-off but suffered at the hands of a single time fault added to their score. As the last combination took down a rail, it was evident Reid’s single faultless round in 64.54 seconds would be the winner.

With her single time fault, Maher took the red-ribbon honors aboard her own 13-year-old SLS gelding Sentimiento LS La Silla (Casall x Santo Domingo) finishing just .17 seconds over the time allotted in 68.17 seconds. Judge rounded out the all-American podium with his time of 68.25 seconds on the Double H Farm’s nine-year-old Zangersheide gelding HH Zorro Z (VDL Zirocco Blue x Escudo I).

For more information and results, please visit www.PBIEC.com.

Competitions, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Philipp Weishaupt Scores First WEF Victory in $406k Fidelity Investments Grand Prix CSI5*

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Philipp Weishaupt with Coby 8. © Sportfot,

Wellington, FL – February 12, 2022 – A picturesque South Florida night set the scene for the highlight event of the 2022 Winter Equestrian Festival’s (WEF) fifth week, the $406,000 Fidelity Investments® Grand Prix CSI5* as part of “Saturday Night Lights.” WEF newcomer Philipp Weishaupt (GER) was victorious with Coby 8, owned by Mariko Kato, Noyuri Ko, and Beerbaum Stables.

Forty of the world’s best show-jumping athletes including 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games medalists Ben Maher, McLain Ward, Laura Kraut, and Jessica Springsteen showed up to contest Kelvin Bywater’s (GBR) tall and technical track. Germany’s Daniel Deusser emerged as the pathfinder to a clear round aboard Scuderia 1918 Tobago Z, but was followed swiftly by Nayel Nassar (EGY) and Mario Deslauriers (CAN), which ensured a jump-off.

At the conclusion of the first round, eight representatives of seven different countries had successfully completed Bywater’s challenge. A historic number of spectators filled the stands of the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) as preparations were made in the International Arena for the short track, and the remaining exhibitors geared up for their return.

Deusser re-entered as the first qualifier to contest the jump-off and put forth an incredibly efficient effort but finished with a four-fault score as the final fence toppled. As the third to return, Deslauriers and the Wishing Well Farm LLC’s 13-year-old Holsteiner mare Bardolina 2 were the first pair to go double clear.

The lead continued to change hands in quick succession, and just when it seemed Conor Swail (IRL) would add another victory to his growing collection, Weishaupt (GER) determined the final result. Weishaupt held the optimum position as the last entry to return and piloted the 12-year-old Hanoverian gelding Coby 8 (Contagio x Escudo 19) straight to the top, clear in 40.96 seconds.

Callie Seaman Seals the Deal with Dual Greys

Callie Seaman of New York, NY rode a pair of grey geldings to the champion and reserve champion titles in the Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’6” 18-35 sponsored by Palm Beach Equine Clinic.

Seaman was a bit nervous coming into the day, but ultimately finished with Silver Lining, an eight-year-old Westphalian, as champion, and Champs Elysees, a 10-year-old Selle Francais, in reserve.

In the over fences class on Friday, Champs Elysees placed first with a score of 88 with Silver Lining in second on a score of 86. In the handy, the two swapped placings and scored 86 for second and 88 for first with Champs Elysees and Silver Lining, respectively.

For more information and results, please visit www.PBIEC.com.

Competitions, Show Jumping

Erynn Ballard Leads the Way in $37k Bainbridge Companies 1.45m CSI5* at WEF

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Erynn Ballard and Nanini van d’Abelendreef © Sportfot.

Wellington, FL – February 11, 2022 – The fifth week of the 2022 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF), sponsored by Fidelity Investments®, featured the $37,000 Bainbridge Companies 1.45m CSI5* on Friday, February 11, 2022, with the world’s top-ranked female show jumping athlete, Erynn Ballard of Canada, taking the victory with Nanini van d’Abelendreef, owned by Esperanza Imports.

Just over 50 international combinations made their way into the arena to contest Kelvin Bywater’s (GBR) technical speed track with just under 20 of those entries coming home fault-free. Those that managed to have a successful round represented 10 different nations with Canada, Ireland, and Egypt leading the charge. Ballard and the nine-year-old Belgian Sport Horse mare Nanini Van d’Abelendreef (Kannan x Heartbreaker) found the fast track at every turn for the win in 57.82 seconds. While Matthew Sampson (GBR) was slightly faster, a rail left him out of the ribbons.

“We have been able to take our time with this mare, and she is truly just such quality and so competitive,” detailed Ballard. “We had an unlucky rail on Wednesday of this week, so when she came out today, she was like, ‘I do not knock jumps down, and today we are winning.’ She is just the kind of horse that you could bring out to jump in a halter and lead rope, and she would do her best to try and win.”

Ballard has had the ride on the young mare since the beginning of her eight-year-old year and has taken the time to bring her up slowly over the summer and into FEI ranking classes starting this past fall.

Stephen Moore Snags the Victory in $37,000 Griffis Residential CSI2* Qualifier

International competition continued to roll right along with the $37,000 Griffis Residential CSI2* Qualifier debuting as the largest and last class to take place in the International Arena on Friday. An impressive 78 horse-and-rider duos took their turns over the first round track as they hoped to earn a returning spot in the jump-off to qualify for Sunday’s $50,000 Griffis Residential Grand Prix CSI2*. As the light faded, 16 entries chose to return for their chance at the winning honor.

A total of 19 pairings had qualified but Enrique Gonzalez (MEX), Eliza Lehrman (USA), and T. J. O’Mara (USA) chose to save their jumps for another day. The jump-off track appeared to give each returning competitor a more difficult time as each exhibitor landed with at least one downed fence until Lacey Gilbertson (USA) managed to find the path to a clear round. Several more rounds followed until the USA’s Rebecca Conway found her way around an even faster track aboard Con Coleur.

As the battle concluded, Ireland’s Stephen Moore gave it his all, and his all was good enough to steal the win aboard Albert K. Moore and the Vlock Show Stables LLC’s 13-year-old DWB gelding Albert K (Heartbeat x Quidam de Revel). They turned on the turbo and stopped the clock at 42.04 seconds to finish over a full second ahead of the closest challengers.

For more information and results, please visit www.PBIEC.com.

Competitions, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Adrienne Sternlicht Shines in $75k Adequan WEF Challenge Cup Round V CSI5*

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Adrienne Sternlicht aboard Benny’s Legacy. © Sportfot.

Wellington, FL – February 10, 2022 – International show jumping returned to the International Arena at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) on Thursday, February 10 during WEF 5, presented by Fidelity Investments®. All eyes were on the $75,000 Adequan® WEF Challenge Cup Round V CSI5* as 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games Tryon team gold medalist Adrienne Sternlicht (USA) and Benny’s Legacy emerged as the class winners.

Fifty-six of the world’s best combinations seized the opportunity to challenge Kelvin Bywater’s (GBR) technical track in order to qualify for the grand prix on Saturday night. An even dozen entries representing eight different nations qualified to return for the jump-off. 2020 Olympic gold medalist Ben Maher (GBR) put forth a performance that said ‘come and get me’ from the start as he and Faltic HB were the first to return for the short track with a double-clean effort and tight time of 39.92 seconds. Maher held on to that lead until young professional Adrienne Sternlicht and Starlight Farms 1 LLC’s 14-year-old Oldenburg gelding Benny’s Legacy (Lupicor x Voltaire) found the fastest route in 38.60 seconds.

Lorenzo De Luca (ITA) put forth two solid performances to edge Maher out of the second-place honors aboard Poden Farms’ 12-year-old KWPN gelding F One USA (Toulon x Tangelo Van De Zuuthoeve) by clearing the timers in 39.69 seconds. Rounding out the victory gallop was Maher and Oakingham Stud’s 12-year-old KWPN stallion (Baltic VDL x Concorde) just three-tenths of a second behind.

ARI Green Hunter 3’3” Ends in Wonderous Win

The Equine Tack and Nutritionals Ring 6 had 20 entries on Thursday in the Green Hunter 3’3” division sponsored by ARI.

Of the horse-and-rider teams, Wonderous and Christopher Payne, of Cincinnati, OH, rose to the top and secured another tricolor in the division after they won three classes, were third in the stake, and second under saddle.

Payne has competed Wonderous in the Green Hunter 3’3” division in WEF 3, WEF 2, and WEF Premiere Week with results of Champion, Champion, and Reserve Champion, respectively.

While the pair has already been successful in the division, Payne was cautiously optimistic today.

For more information and results, please visit www.PBIEC.com.

Competitions, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Samuel Hutton Wins $75k CaptiveOne Advisors 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic CSI4*

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Samuel Hutton and H&M Kirlo Van De Bosrand. © Sportfot.

Wellington, FL – February 6, 2021 – Week 4 of the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) concluded its international events on the turf on Sunday with two top-level jumper classes. The morning started with the $75,000 CaptiveOne Advisors 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic CSI4* which saw victory for Samuel Hutton (GBR) and Abdel Saïd’s 13-year-old BWP gelding H&M Kirlo Van De Bosrand (Cardento 933 x Utrillo VD Heffinck).

Anderson Lima’s (BRA) final 1.50m track of the week stumped a majority of the 42-horse field with several finishing on time faults and a multitude of others enduring a four-fault ending. Only a total of nine pairings were successful in their navigation of the course, and consisted of representatives of Ireland, United States, Great Britain, Canada, and Belgium. Shane Sweetnam (IRL) set the pace in the jump-off as the first to return and produced another clear round for a double-clean effort in a tight time with the Gizmo Partners LLC’s James Kann Cruz. Sweetnam held tight to the lead until Great Britain’s Samuel Hutton made his way back onto the field as one of the last to go. Hutton executed another flawless round to shave seven-tenths of a second from Sweetnam’s final number and finished in a time of 37.35 seconds.

Sweetnam’s time was still good enough to join the victory gallop with the red ribbon. He and the nine-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding (Kannan) had put forth a clear round through the timers in 37.42 seconds. Hyde Moffatt (CAN) rounded out the top three with Ariel Grange’s 14-year-old KWPN gelding Donjo (Zirocco Blue x Ahorn) after leaving all rails standing with a time of 39.55 seconds at the finish.

Grace Debney Races to Win the $50,000 Helgstrand Jewellery 1.45m Grand Prix CSI2*

The afternoon culminated in a total of 45 combinations vying for the prize in $50,000 Helgstrand Jewellery 1.45m Grand Prix CSI2*. The USA’s Christine McCrea celebrated her birthday in style as the first on the field to produce a clear round and earn a spot in the jump-off with Julieta. Tom and Max Wachman (IRL) were the next to carve out space for themselves in the short track with Lazzaro Delle Schiave and Berlux Z, respectively. By the halfway mark, only Lexi Ray (CAN) and Lucy Deslauriers (USA) had managed to add their names to the call back. Several more saw success in the second half and, at the first round’s end, an even dozen entries had qualified to return for Lima’s final jump-off test.

McCrea kicked off competition across the short course with another fantastically flawless effort by leaving all rails in the cups with an impressive time of 41.03 seconds. Tom Wachman followed suit by producing a quicker time but faulting one rail. The lead changed hands rapidly after that, with Max Wachman first shaving two seconds off of McCrea’s time, and Grace Debney (GBR) immediately knocking off an additional two seconds to shoot to the top.

Many followed and gave it their best shot, but none could come close to the young rider’s blazing fast time of 37.57 seconds with Temple Equestrian LLC’s 11-year-old CDE mare Zarina De Vidau (Diamant De Semilly).

For more information and results, please visit www.PBIEC.com.

Competitions, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Ward Leaves It All on the Field in $216k Bainbridge Companies Grand Prix CSI4*

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McLain Ward aboard Contagious. © Sportfot.

Wellington, FL – February 5, 2022 – A picturesque South Florida day set the stage for Saturday’s feature class at week 4 of the Winter Equestrian Festival, sponsored by The Bainbridge Companies. The $216,000 Bainbridge Companies Grand Prix CSI4* was the highlight on the Derby Field at Equestrian Village and ended with yet another victory for the home team as McLain Ward (USA) went two for two this week with his 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games mount, Contagious, owned by Beechwood Stables.

Anderson Lima (BRA) designed the course for the event, and the majority of the 46-horse starting field was unable to produce a fault-free effort. Lima’s last-line triple combination proved to be the Achilles heel for a large number of riders at the wide-oxer in fence, and the open water obstacle played a factor for several others. Two riders were kept from the jump-off after notching slightly over the 84-second time allowed while an additional nine fell victim to a single unforgiving rail. As the last horse cleared the final obstacle of round one, only four entries of the original field would return to contest the jump-off. It was a battle of the elite as Ward and 2020 Olympic individual gold medalist Ben Maher (GBR) contested Ali Wolff (USA) and Zoe Conter (BEL) in round two.

Ward was the first to return and immediately left no room for error as he and the 13-year-old Rheinlander gelding (Contagio x For Keeps) flew over the field in what proved to be the fastest time of 42.95 seconds. Maher followed Ward and put forth a solid effort but took down one heartbreaking rail to end as the only four-falter in the group. Young up-and-comer Conter piloted her long-term mount Davidoff De Lassus, a 13-year-old Belgian Sport Horse stallion by Ugano Sitte owned by Stephex Stables, through another clear round as did professional Wolff with tried-and-true partner Casall. The Olympic combination proved impossible to beat with the pedal to the floor from start to finish and scored the win with over two seconds of leeway between them and the next challenger.

The victory was extra special as Contagious’s owners, Lise and Annie Revers, were able to attend the event.

Twenty-one-year-old Zoe Conter found herself in a victory gallop for one of her biggest finishes to date as she slid in just behind Ward with a time of 44.92 seconds.

The podium was rounded out by Wolff and Blacklick Bend Farm’s 17-year-old Holsteiner gelding Casall (Casall x Capitol I) who have been successful partners for many years. As the final pair to return, they produced an efficient and clean performance with a landing time of 45.70 seconds.

Gigi Manigault Wins NHS/THIS Adult Medal

Saturday morning began with 14 entries in the NHS/THIS Adult Medal which took place in the Equine Tack and Nutritionals Ring 6.

Of those horse and rider combinations, Gigi Manigault, of Charleston, SC, rode to victory aboard Wizzard of Odds after entering the flat work-off sitting in third place.

Wizzard of Odds is a nine-year-old KWPN gelding by Chacco Blue owned by Don Stewart that Manigault has been riding for about a year.

For more information and results, please visit www.PBIEC.com.

Competitions, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Laskano and Jimmy Torano Three-Peat in Hunter Derby Performances

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Jimmy Torano aboard Laskano. © Sportfot.

Wellington, FL – February 4, 2022 – The 2022 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) continued on Friday, February 4, with major competition in a multitude of arenas. While international jumpers competed at Equestrian Village, the hunters were featured in the International Arena. A field of 51 entries faced the “Hunt & Go” Format of the $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby with Jimmy Torano and Laskano, owned by Isalou, Inc., securing yet another win.

The Hunt & Go Format for the hunter derby consolidates two rounds into one round with both a classic and a handy portion of the course.

Laskano is a 10-year-old Westphalian gelding owned by Daryl Portela of Isalou, Inc., and he and Torano have been quite successful together so far, capturing a derby win in December with the start of the new show year and winning the $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby 2* during WEF Premiere week.

Second place in the derby with a score of 380.25 went to Mindful and Jennifer Hannan, who rode for Kensel LLC, while third place on a score of 375 went to Meaningful, owned by Emma Vandenhouten and ridden by Kelley Farmer.

Nicole Walker Wastes No Time in $37,000 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 1.45m CSI4* Win

A busy weekend of competition started promptly Friday morning with all FEI riders heading back to the Derby Field at Equestrian Village. The day was packed with action from the beginning as 49 elite entries debuted in the $37,000 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 1.45m CSI4* where Canada’s Nicole Walker stole the show.

Anderson Lima’s (BRA) first track was held as a single-round speed class at the 1.45m height with a time allowed of 80 seconds flat. A little less than half of the field managed to produce fault-free efforts while 12 entries ended on a single downed rail. Olympic team silver medalist Jessica Springsteen (USA) and Stone Hill Farm’s Volage Du Val Henry looked set to take the victory, but Walker managed to shave over a second off of the pair’s time. She and her own 12-year-old Selle Francais gelding Atout Des Trambles (Nectar Des Forets*hn x Apache D’Adriers) left no room for contest as they stepped on the gas and flew through the finish line in a time of 58.36 seconds.

For more information and results, please visit www.PBIEC.com.

Competitions, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

McLain Ward Saves Best for Last in $50k WEF Challenge Cup Round IV CSI4* Victory

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McLain Ward aboard Contagious. © Sportfot.

Wellington, FL – February 3, 2022 – International competition resumed Thursday, February 3, 2022, with athletes from across the globe setting up to challenge the track on the Derby Field at Equestrian Village. Week 4, sponsored by The Bainbridge Companies, is the second week of the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) circuit to feature FEI classes on the turf. The highlight event of the day was the $50,000 Adequan® WEF Challenge Cup Round IV CSI4* which saw 65 of the world’s best combinations. Olympic team gold medalist McLain Ward (USA) once again saved the best for last as the final contender to return and captured the victory aboard successful partner, Contagious, owned by Beechwood Stables.

Anderson Lima (BRA) designed the two-round test and at the halfway mark only seven entries were lined up for the return. By the end of the first round,12 of the original field had qualified for the jump-off, but three entries – made up of Kent Farrington, Margie Goldstein-Engle, and Carlos Hank Guerreiro – chose to save their jumps for another day and withdrew. The nine pairs that remained represented the United States, Egypt, Brazil, Spain, and Mexico.

Each duo gave it their best effort and the lead was exchanged several times, but Spain’s Sergio Alvarez Moya and his own 10-year-old BWP gelding Malibu De Muze (Nabab De Reve x Tornedo FCS) had a flawless round with a time of 43.34 seconds. However, the victory was not yet sealed and, as the last to take the field, Ward once again proved his skill with an effortless round, shaving almost an entire second off of the previous leading time in 42.57 seconds.

Tamara Provost and Cayman Lead the Way in the TRM Green Hunter 3’ Division

The Equine Tack and Nutritionals Ring 6 played host to the young and green hunter divisions where Tamara Provost, of Westfield, IN, rode Cayman to the championship title in the Green Hunter 3’ division, sponsored by TRM.

It was an auspicious start as Jennifer Hannan piloted Surf City, owned by Nina Winoker, to a win in the under saddle class, as well as first and second places over fences with scores of 88 and 83. Provost was right behind, finishing in second in the under saddle and trading first and second places with Hannan over fences with scores of 83 and 86.

The close results made for a deciding second day of competition. Provost and Cayman bested the field in both over fences classes on Thursday with scores of 86 and 88 to push them to the top of the leaderboard for the overall championship title. Hannan and Surf City finished with the reserve championship honors.

For more information and results, please visit www.PBIEC.com.