Category Archives: Hunter/Equitation

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Shane Sweetnam and Amaretto D’Arco Win $32,000 WEF Challenge Cup Round 10

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Shane Sweetnam and Amaretto D'Arco. Photos © Sportfot

Wellington, FL – March 15, 2012 – The FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) continued on Thursday with round ten of the $32,000 WEF Challenge Cup Series and a victory for Irish rider Shane Sweetnam and Spy Coast Farm’s Amaretto D’Arco. In a twelve horse jump-off, the pair was fastest of just two clear rounds, topping Canada’s Tiffany Foster and Victor, owned by Torrey Pines Stables and Artisan Farms LLC.

Sponsored by Artisan Farms, week ten features two classes on Sunday, March 18, on the grass field at The Stadium. Starting at 10:30 a.m., the $15,000 Artisan Farms Young Rider Grand Prix Final runs first and is followed by the $80,000 Pennfield Feeds Grand Prix CSI 2* at 2 p.m.

Today’s WEF Challenge Cup saw 46 entries showing over a course set by Michel Vaillancourt of Aiken, SC. Twelve posted clear rounds to return for the jump-off, but just two were able to clear the second round.

Continue reading Shane Sweetnam and Amaretto D’Arco Win $32,000 WEF Challenge Cup Round 10 →

Classic Company, Classic Company, Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Atlanta Spring Classic I, II – Conyers

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We are finishing up our winter circuit in Gulfport on Sunday and heading direct to Atlanta.  I will fly home for a day to pick up any mail and such but if you need stalls you need to call us at 843 768 5503 and leave a message or you can email me at bbell@earthlink.net.  We will be arriving on Monday so if you plan to arrive earlier, please let us know.  The horse park has stalls but they do need to know you are coming and get bedding delivered.

Three More Things

Hunter Breeding will be held at Atlanta Spring Classic I, II, 2pm Friday

Performance Hunter 3’3″ and 3’6″ will be held on Thursday and Friday

Stalls for Atlanta – 843 768 5503

Continue reading Atlanta Spring Classic I, II – Conyers →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Events, HITS, HITS, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Sponsored Purina Mills Rider Aaron Vale Wins the $50,000 Purina Mills Grand Prix

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©ESI Photography. Aaron Vale and Tibor sail over the Purina Mills sponsored fence on their way to winning the Purina Mills Grand Prix

OCALA, FL (March 12, 2012) – Purina Mills was on hand this weekend at HITS Ocala as the title sponsor of the $50,000 Purina Mills Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health. The weekend was full of Purina Mills sponsored festivities and Purina sponsored rider Aaron Vale, of Morriston, Florida, put the exclamation point on the weekend when he captured the coveted first place prize in the Grand Prix aboard Bonnie Smith’s Tibor. To put the icing on the cake, he also won a ton of Purina Mills feed through the Purina Mills Rider’s Bonus.

Canada’s Danny Foster of Milton, Ontario designed the course, and saw 33 competitors attempt to conquer it.

“It’s been awhile since I’ve won a big Sunday Grand Prix and I was hoping to do it this circuit, so I was pretty thrilled,” said Vale, who showed two mounts on Sunday and finished in tenth place aboard Honeyland’s Douglason, owned by Doug’s Crew. “I think Danny [Foster] did a fantastic job today giving us a big course to jump. The line to the triple combination gave a lot of difficulties today and the six strides made the horses kind of dive at the jump and take a down. I was able to do seven strides with both of my horses and was able to sneak them through it. The jumps came up quick and there was a lot of riding to do in 88 seconds. There were 14 fences and it was about the same time allowed for a 12 jump course, so it kept you busy.”

Continue reading Sponsored Purina Mills Rider Aaron Vale Wins the $50,000 Purina Mills Grand Prix →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Pessoa and HH Palouchin Keep Winning Streak Going in $32,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Classic

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Chapot Picks Up Two Spy Coast Farm 1.40m Victories

Rodrigo Pessoa and HH Palouchin. Photos © Sportfot

Wellington, FL – March 14, 2012 – There were three competitive classes in the International Arena on the opening day of week 10 of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival. Starting out the day was another win for Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA) and HH Palouchin, owned by Double H Farm, in the $32,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Classic. Following that, another familiar face in the winner’s circle, Laura Chapot entered again and won the $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m speed class with Bradberry. In the last class, the $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m Jump-off class, Chapot rode Quointreau Un Prince, owned by Laura Chapot and McLain Ward, to the win.

Sponsored by Artisan Farms, week ten features two classes on Sunday, March 18, on the grass field at The Stadium. Starting at 10:30 a.m., the $15,000 Artisan Farms Young Rider Grand Prix Final runs first and is followed by the $80,000 Pennfield Feeds Grand Prix CSI 2* at 2 p.m.

Continue reading Pessoa and HH Palouchin Keep Winning Streak Going in $32,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Classic →

Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

$20,000 Artisan Farms Young Rider Team Event Victory Goes to Zone Two

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Charlotte Jacobs and Promised Land helped the Zone Two team claim their victory during the $20,000 Artisan Farms Young Rider Team Event. Photo By: Rebecca Walton/PMG

Wellington, FL and East Aurora, NY – March 13, 2012 – The third leg of the four-part Artisan Farms Young Rider Grand Prix Series was held on Thursday of Week IX of the Winter Equestrian Festival. Amidst rough weather with rain and thunderstorms, eight teams of four gathered to compete under the looming storm clouds hanging over the International Ring for the $20,000 Artisan Farms Young Rider Team Event. Team E was comprised of riders from Zone 2, which included Charlotte Jacobs with Promised Land, Lydia Ulrich riding Santos Utopia, Gabrielle Bausano showing Ubico H, and Lillie Keean aboard Vanhattan, and they outshone the competition with five clear rounds and only a four-fault total score.

Overcast skies and bouts of torrential rain plagued the two-round competition, but riders remained focused on the course that included many technical aspects. A number of riders found fault at a skinny vertical following the open water, as well as the vertical-vertical double combination at the end of the course, which was designed by Leopoldo Palacios. Only five riders from the teams produced clear efforts during the first round, but after jumping it once the rounds only improved with 12 fault-free rounds during the second half of the event.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Equus Events Inc. Presents the 2012 Atlanta Spring Challenge Horse Show

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Photo copyright Shawn McMillen photography: Daniel Geitner and Sympa soar to the victory over the Fenwick Equestrian jump in the 2011 $25,000 Atlanta Spring Challenge Grand Prix

March, 13th, 2012 – This May the Georgia International Horse Park will once again play host to the Atlanta Spring Challenge Horse Show.  Produced by Aiken, SC based J. P. Godard and Equus Events, the show offers a fitting end to the spring season and a perfect stop for those on their way to Devon.  The show now in its 9th year has become a favorite of those attending events at the Horse Park which was site of the equestrian portion of the 1996 Olympic Games.

“We have added new classes and special events each year,” said show organizer J. P. Godard.  The show started out a single “A” rated horse show in 2004 and has now grown to a five day “AA” rated event that attracts some of top hunter and jumper riders throughout the country.  In today’s economy it takes a lot more than the average horse show to survive and to actually grow throughout the last 8 years is a major feat in itself.  Godard believes this consistent growth can be attributed to Equus Events and its staff striving to offer more than just the average horse show.

Continue reading Equus Events Inc. Presents the 2012 Atlanta Spring Challenge Horse Show →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Events, HITS, Hunter/Equitation, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

Jennifer Alfano and Jersey Boy Win $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby at HITS Ocala

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Jennifer Alfano and Jersey Boy took the top honors Saturday night at HITS VI Ocala Winter Finals. Photo By: Hunter Messineo

Ocala, FL – March 12, 2012 – It was an incredible night for the 2012 $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby at the HITS VI Ocala Winter Finals. Spectators gathered together as the anticipation continued to rise, waiting to see who would take home the victory. In the end, it was SBS Farms’ Jennifer Alfano who executed brilliant rides throughout the two-round event, rising to the top of the leaderboard with four horses. She and her veteran mount Jersey Boy took the top honors and led the victory gallop, proving unbeatable throughout the competition. Alfano also guided Miss Lucy to the second place finish, completing flawless rounds and earning top scores from the judges.

The evening began as riders were tested over a classic hunter course, with the top 12 horse and rider combinations advancing to the handy hunter course. The scores earned in the classic hunter round were combined with the handy hunter round, combining the two round totals for the event’s overall results. The course definitely proved to be no easy feat. It mimicked a picturesque hunt field, testing horse and rider alike as they navigated the course and vied for the top honors and the chance to make it into the esteemed top 12. Jersey Boy took an early lead with the high scores in the first round totaling 187 points from the panel of judges, and Miss Lucy did not fall far behind with her first-round score of 170 points.

Continue reading Jennifer Alfano and Jersey Boy Win $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby at HITS Ocala →

Classic Company, Classic Company, Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Gulf Coast V

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We just finished another great week in Gulfport.  We are so lucky how the weather man just can’t seem to guess anything right.  Anyway, we had a great week with great weather.  On Friday, Jeanne Pitre and Jeanne Hines threw a great party… complete with tenderloin, shrimp, smoked salmon, and the like.  Fresh flowers on all the tables and another wonderful band.  Thanks Jeanne.

Today was a giant day in Gulfport.   Today we started with a wonderful brunch free for all the exhibitors.  It was sponsored by Daniel and Cathy Geitner, Vick Russell, Fox Ridge Farm, M/M Travis Lubow, Pam Hayden, Holly Adams, Oakwell Farm, Equi-Fab, Tim Patrick – Farrier, Jewel Jumps, David Q Wright and Hunters Court, Benny’s Wash n Fold, and Gamboa Veterinary Services.   The show thanks all of you, the exhibitors thank you and management thanks you.  Wonderful way to start a Sunday and end five weeks of showing.  Special thanks to Jennifer Gamboa for coordinating these events each week.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Community/Charity, Hunter/Equitation, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

Bruce Duchossois Named to Board of Directors of National Horse Show Association of America

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PHOTO ©Kenneth Kraus/PhelpsSports.com - R. Bruce Duchossois, pictured here during the Winter Equestrian Festival

Lexington, Kentucky – March 11, 2012 – The National Horse Show Association of America announced today that R. Bruce Duchossois has been named to the Board of Directors.

Duchossois, from Aiken, South Carolina, is one of the country’s leading exhibitors in the Adult Amateur Hunter division and has been deeply involved in numerous aspects of equestrian sports, as has his family. Duchossois’ mother competed on saddlebreds, and his father owned Arlington Park near Chicago, Illinois.

Competing in the hunters, Duchossois first gained national attention when riding his famed hunter Kim’s Song to AHSA Horse of the Year and to championships at the Pennsylvania National, the Washington International and the National Horse Show in New York City.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

Charlie Jacobs and Flaming Star Claim $15,000 SJHoF High Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic Victory

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Charlie Jacobs and Flaming Star won the $15,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame High Amateur-Owner Classic. Photo: Kenneth Kraus

Wellington, FL and East Aurora, NY – March 11, 2012 – Charlie Jacobs of Deeridge Farm proved himself as an all-weather rider during Week IX of the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL. Thunderstorms approaching the International Ring caused Saturday’s $15,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame High Amateur-Owner Classic to be split into two days, but not before Charlie Jacobs and CMJ Sport Horse’s Flaming Star produced a clear effort and were named co-winner with two other riders.

“They cancelled the competition because of the rain, but declared all the riders who jumped clean to be co-winners,” explained Jacobs. “If the numbers had held true, it looked like it was going to be a six horse jump-off, and I was excited for that, but I understand why they had to cancel the rest of the class.”

Venezuela’s Leopoldo Palacios designed the course, which featured a number of short turns where riders had to carefully steady their mounts. Jacobs expertly maneuvered Flaming Star over each obstacle and left every rail intact before crossing the finish line. “There was also a skinny G&C vertical that was late in the course, so when I made the turn I made sure I had my horse back together,” Jacobs commented. “I think a lot of horses thought they were probably done by that point in the course, so they had it down. I was really happy with how Flaming Star jumped during the first round. It’s a four-star week and the courses are a bit more challenging; Leopoldo’s course certainly reflected that.”

Continue reading Charlie Jacobs and Flaming Star Claim $15,000 SJHoF High Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic Victory →