Category Archives: Show Jumping

Flexible, Jersey Boy Named 2012 USEF Horses of the Year

Flexible & Rich Fellers (Shannon Brinkman/USEF)

Louisville, KY – At the USEF Annual Meeting on Friday horses Flexible and Jersey Boy were named 2012 USEF International Horse of the Year and USEF National Horse of the Year respectively. These two winners, determined by a vote that was open to the public, were superstars of their disciplines in 2012 and earned the admiration of voters with big wins and sustained successes.

Flexible (Cruising x Flex)
1996 Irish Sport Horse Stallion
Owners: Harry and Mollie Chapman
Discipline – Show Jumping

He’s a little horse that wins big and in 2012 he won the hearts of fans all over the U.S. Flexible’s victories at U.S. Olympic Team observation events in Del Mar (the $50,000 Surfside Grand Prix and the $100,000 Hermes Grand Prix of Del Mar) and at Spruce Meadows (the $35,000 Husky Energy Cup and $200,000 CN Performance Grand Prix) never seemed in doubt and earned him a ticket to London where he and rider Rich Fellers led the U.S. Team. Their 8th place finish in the Olympic Individual Jumping competition made them the highest placing American pair, but it was a performance earlier in the year against Olympic Gold medalists Steve Guerdat and Nino des Buissonnets at the Rolex/FEI World Cup Jumping Finals that was the highlight of their 2012 campaign.

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Vale and Fenney Ride for the Upper Hand during First Day at HITS Ocala

©ESI Photography. Aaron Vale traded the lead with Tracy Fenney several times during today’s $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix.

OCALA, FL (January 17, 2013) – The first grand prix of the season at HITS Ocala took place this afternoon as Aaron Vale of Morriston, FL and Flower Mound, TX’s Tracy Fenney put on quite a show during the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health. It was Vale who piloted Amen Corner Farm, LLC’s Palm Sunday to the winner’s circle for their first victory of the season.

Vale, a native of Dallas, Texas, committed SmartPak user and HITS Ocala regular, showed three horses in today’s class and made it to the 14-horse jump-off with all of them. It was Palm Sunday, however, who was able to execute a tricky inside turn to the second fence in the jump-off, a skinny vertical next to the water.

“There were plenty of distractions and reasons why that turn wasn’t attractive, but if we had any chance of beating Tracy, that was going to be where it would happen,” said Vale.

And happen it did as Vale posted the winning time of 36.18 seconds. Fenney and MTM Farm’s MTM Timon were just fractions behind, but settled for second in 36.66 seconds.

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Laura Kraut and Jubilee d’Ouilly Top $33,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 2

Ivory Coast and Peter Pletcher Triumph in Second Year Green Working Hunter Division

Laura Kraut and Jubilee d'Ouilly. Photo © Sportfot

Wellington, FL – January 17, 2013 – Laura Kraut and Jubilee d’Ouilly jumped to victory in the $33,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 2 on Thursday afternoon at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) in an exciting jump-off of top competitors. Last to go in a 24-horse tie breaker with McLain Ward holding the first and second positions, Kraut and Jubilee shaved fractions off of the leading time to win in a dramatic finish.

The second week of FTI WEF competition, sponsored by Wellington Equestrian Realty, will run January 16-20. Highlight events include the $50,000 Wellington Equestrian Realty CSI2* Grand Prix on Saturday evening and the $25,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Series Classic on Sunday afternoon. The 2013 FTI WEF runs through March 31 featuring 12 weeks of world-class competition.

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$175,000 Invitational Grand Prix Series Continues at The Ridge at Wellington

Kevin Babbington and Mark Q contesting The Ridge's first class

Wellington, FL – January 17, 2013 – The second session of the 11-week $175,000 Invitational Grand Prix Series at the Ridge at Wellington takes place on Friday, January 18, 2013. The 1.40m Grand Prix is the highlight of the season for Level 2 Jumpers, with $15,000 offered in prize money each Friday throughout the series.

Any members of the media that require special interviews of any special assistance, or wish to cover this event, please contact Phelps Media Group, Inc. International.

Mason Phelps – (561) 371-0118
Kendall Bierer – (561) 309-9873

The 1.40m Invitational Series allows riders the chance to compete on a horse they would not normally ride at the Wellington Equestrian Festival (WEF), or reserve a time to show their favorite mount after their simultaneous activities at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. With the additional higher stakes, this series is sure to become a hit for the winter season.

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Conor Swail and Carlotta Singular Win $8,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Jumpers

Conor Swail and Carlotta Singular. Photo © Sportfot

Wellington, FL – January 16, 2013 – The second week of competition at the 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) kicked off on Wednesday, January 16, with a win for Conor Swail (IRL) and Carlotta Singular in the $8,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Jumpers at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center.

The second week of FTI WEF competition, sponsored by Wellington Equestrian Realty, will run January 16-20. Highlight events include the $33,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 2 on Thursday afternoon, the $50,000 Wellington Equestrian Realty CSI2* Grand Prix on Saturday evening, and the $25,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Series Classic on Sunday afternoon. The 2013 FTI WEF runs through March 31 featuring 12 weeks of world-class competition.

Luc Musette of Belgium is the course designer in the International Arena for week two jumper competition. In the first class of the week, 24 entries showed in the $8,000 G&C Farm 1.45m speed class. Only six entries were able to clear the course without fault, and the fastest clear round belonged to Ireland’s Conor Swail and his mount Carlotta Singular, owned by Susan Grange. The pair was first to go in the class and set an unbeatable pace at 61.578 seconds.

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New Hope LLC Starts Season Strong with Three Championships at WEF 1

Elizabeth Morgan and As Always

Wellington, FL – January 15, 2013 – If week one serves as any indicator of how the rest of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival season will pan out, it’s going to be an extremely successful one for New Hope LLC. New Hope owners Christopher Payne and David Belford come to Wellington, FL, from Cincinnati, OH, bringing with them an impressive lineup of top horses. With only five days of showing complete, they have already captured wins across the board, and are looking forward to the remainder of the season.

Elizabeth Morgan started things off strong for New Hope Farm, riding away with the championship in the Adult Amateur 18-35 Hunters aboard As Always. Morgan and As Always, a 12-year-old bay Westphalian stallion, swept the division, winning all four over fences classes as well as the under saddle. The dynamic pair has been training together at New Hope Farm for the past four years.

“Major [As Always] is really funny,” Morgan laughed. “Although he is a stallion, he definitely doesn’t act like one at all. I bought him at the 2009 Capital Challenge, and have gotten to know him so well. He is definitely a lover; you can go into his stall and he will lick your hand; he is so sweet and gentle.”

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Opening Weekend Spells Success for Venezuela’s Emanuel Andrade

Emanuel Andrade, riding Crossfire 10, enjoyed a top 10 finish in the $25,000 Suncast 1.50m Jumper Classic. Photo Credit – Sportfot

January 15, 2013 – Wellington, Florida – Venezuela’s Emanuel Andrade opened the 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida, by earning two championship titles.

Andrade, 16, captured the Low Junior Jumper Championship title, having won the $1,500 Maria Mendelsohn Low Junior Jumper competition on Saturday, January 12, and placing second in the $10,000 Maria Mendelsohn Low Junior Jumper Classic on Sunday, January 13.  Both finishes came aboard Casanova Junior, a 14-year-old Oldenburg gelding owned by Hollow Creek Farm.

Andrade tied with Michael Hughes for the Medium Junior Jumper Championship aboard Boccaccio, owned by Hollow Creek Farm, after winning the $1,500 Hollow Creek Medium Junior Jumper class on January 12.  Andrade’s trainer, Angel Karolyi, who operates Hollow Creek Farm with business partner Andrea King, was Boccaccio’s former rider, having competed with the 12-year-old grey Belgian Warmblood gelding as part of the Venezuelan team in last year’s $75,000 G&C Farm Nations’ Cup in Wellington, FL.

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Live Oak International Returns with Driving and Show Jumping

Rodrigo Pessoa competing in the inaugural Live Oak International show jumping tournament. Photos - www.PicsOfYou.com

January 14, 2013 – Ocala, Florida – Live Oak International, the only equestrian event in North America to feature both world-class driving and show jumping, returns to Ocala, FL, from March 20 to 24, 2013.

For more than 20 years, Live Oak International has been known for its international driving competition.  This year, it will offer the highest amount of prize money of any driving event in North America.

While driving has a long history at the Live Oak International, each year improvements are made for the benefit of competitors and spectators alike.  Held in three phases, beginning with Dressage on Thursday and Friday morning, Saturday’s Driving Marathon phase is especially thrilling as carriages negotiate complex obstacles, each individually sponsored.  Last year, over 5,000 spectators enjoyed Saturday’s Driving Marathon competition, followed by the $50,000 CSI2* Grand Prix for show jumping.

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Charlie Jacobs and Flaming Star Capture $30,000 Mar-O-Lago Club Grand Prix at WEF I

Charlie Jacobs and Flaming Star. Photo By: Kenneth Kraus

East Aurora, NY and Wellington, FL – January 14, 2013 – Charlie Jacobs of Deeridge Farms took the first week of the 2013 Winter Equestrian Festival by storm on Sunday. The talented amateur rider piloted his top mount Flaming Star to an impressive victory during the $30,000 Mar-O-Lago Club Grand Prix. The pair outraced nine other double clear entries to take home the winning honors as they head into the twelve-week circuit.

Fourteen riders managed to navigate the first round of the grand prix without fault, which meant the competitors needed to be perfect in the final footrace. Jacobs showed in the middle of the pack, but knew that the time to beat would be tough. He picked up a quick gallop with Flaming Star and never looked back, shaving off seconds through each of the turns. They dashed through the finish line in 37.163 seconds, three-tenths of a second ahead of the leader to claim the top spot and eventually lead the victory gallop.

“I didn’t think I was going to catch the leader,” admitted Jacobs. “I was having discussions with my trainer about maybe taking a stride or two out in the first line. Then I elected to slow down a bit so I could make the turn quickly after jump three. Flaming Star was real catlike through one of the turns, and we just sort of sliced the next fence and kept going. Three tenths of a second split the top three, so it was really a horse race.”

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Michael Hughes Pockets SSG Riding Gloves Bonus

Michael Hughes won a $1,000 bonus from SSG Riding Gloves for wearing SSG ‘Digitals’ at the 2013 Equestrian Festival. Photo – Sportfot

January 13, 2013 – Wellington, Florida – Michael Hughes of Allendale, NJ, scored his first bonus in the SSG Riding Gloves ‘Go Clean for the Green’ promotion by winning the $10,000 High Junior Jumper Classic on Sunday, January 13, at the 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL.

Of the 21 entries in Sunday’s $10,000 High Junior Jumper Classic, 17 were wearing SSG ‘Digital’ style riding gloves to be eligible for the $1,000 cash bonus.  Nine horses qualified for the jump-off, including Hughes who posted a clear round in the winning time of 32.25 seconds riding MacArthur.

“It’s a great way to get people to wear the gloves,” said Hughes, 17, of the SSG ‘Go Clean for the Green’ promotion.  “They are great gloves.  They never seem to wear down.  Even after lots of wear, they are still totally fine.”

Coached by his father, Eamonn Hughes, Hughes is a veteran of the Junior Jumper division.  He has been riding MacArthur for the past year and, in September, competed with him in the $1 million Grand Prix in Saugerties, NY.

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