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Hunter2010 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival Week Eight Wrap-up: March 3-7, 2010Wellington, FL – March 10, 2010 – The 2010 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) was full of top competition during week eight, held March 3-7, 2010. The week featured the USEF World Equestrian Games (WEG) Show Jumping Trials 3, 4, and 5, presented by Fidelity Investments, and the $75,000 FEI Nations Cup, presented by CN, along with a full schedule of hunter, jumper, and equitation classes. The week eight title sponsor was CN. CN is North America’s railroad with a commitment to speed and precision, and they are proud to support the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival. Along with their weekly title sponsorships, they are the presenting sponsor of the $75,000 FEI Nations Cup and the title sponsor of the $150,000 CN U.S. Open Grand Prix, CSIO 4* during week eight. In week nine, they are the presenting sponsor of the $200,000 FEI World Cup Grand Prix, CSI 3*. They were also the title sponsor of the $50,000 CN Palm Beach Jumping Derby, which was held at The Stadium during week six. For more information on CN, please visit www.cn.ca. The $150,000 CN U.S. Open Grand Prix, CSIO 4* was Sunday’s highlight event and Laura Kraut (USA) with Cedric, owned by Happy Hill Farm, were victorious. Second place went to Beezie Madden (USA) and Danny Boy, owned by Abigail Wexner, while Nicole Shahinian-Simpson was third with Tristan, owned by Ilan Ferder and Tal Milstein. Nearly 3,000 spectators turned out to watch the grand prix, which also incorporated the USEF WEG Trial #5. Celebration of Hunters – Gulf Coast 4I am not even sure where to start to tell you about the stellar week in Gulfport. It was a “celebration of hunters” for sure. The show was a WCHR event and on Thursday afternoon, Janet McCarroll hosted a USHJA Lunging Clinic in both Spanish and English. She had about 50 people attend the clinic and I was told over and over what a great job she did along with Dr. Juan Gamboa to explain the safe and proper way to lunge a horse. Great Idea Janet and congrats on the success. On Friday, The Gulf Coast Magnolia Classic hosted the USHJA International Hunter Derby with 43 exhibitors. Paul Jewel and Allen Rheinheimer along with the entire Gulf Coast Classic Company crew worked long into the night cutting brush and setting an incredible course. If you want to watch a round or 12, click here: http://equisvideo.com/winnerscircle/index44.html. The days started with a breakfast sponsored by Dr. Gamboa and Adequan. Everyone loved those home made biscuits… Thanks Juan and Caroline for your support. We then watched great class. Solem Soars! Callan Solem and Allison win the $50,000 Ring Power Grand Prix, Presented by Pfizer Animal Health, on Sunday at HITS Ocala © ESI Photography. Callan Solem and Allison, owned by Quiet Winter Farm/BJ Maghan, on course in Sunday's $50,000 Ring Power Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, at HITS Ocala. OCALA, FL (March 8, 2010) — It was starting to feel like Florida again as the warm weather arrived just in time for Callan Solem and Allison, owned by Quiet Winter Farm/BJ Maghan, to win the $50,000 Ring Power Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, for their third Grand Prix victory this winter at HITS Ocala. “She’s [Allison] a good girl,” said Solem of New Jersey, who took second in Thursday’s $25,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health. “I thought the first round was really smooth – Allison just loves this sport so much, she knows when it’s Sunday and gets very excited.” Starting the class that featured 24 competitors on a course designed by Danny Foster, was Maryland native Tracy Magness and Tarco Van Ter Moude, owned by Mr. and Mrs. John Bartko. Magness set the bar high with a clean round to earn the first spot in the jump-off. Four rounds later, Aaron Vale of Morriston, Florida, and Paparazzi, who were the winning team of Thursday’s $25,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, followed Magness to the jump-off with a clean round. Without a moment to waste, Solem and Allison showed next with a clean round, as the jump-off continued to grow with the biggest names of High-Performance riders at HITS Ocala. All about Alfano! Jennifer Alfano Wins the $10,000 Devoucoux Hunter Derby at HITS Ocala © ESI Photography. Jennifer Alfano and Fantabulous on course in Sunday's $10,000 Devoucoux Hunter Derby at HITS Ocala. OCALA, FL (March 9, 2010) — Jennifer Alfano was both fantastic and fabulous on Fantabulous, as they beat out 51 other horse-and-rider pairs to win the $10,000 Devoucoux Hunter Derby on Sunday at HITS Post Time Farm in Ocala, Florida. “We’re thrilled!” exclaimed Alfano, of Buffalo, New York, who stood next to Fantabulous’ owner, Michelle Shaulinski. Fantabulous, a nine-year-old Dutch warm blood with the nickname “Fred”, is a First Year horse. “This was Fred’s first Derby,” said Alfano. “It was a really nice course and he handled it perfectly – even with jumping outside the ring he did really great and I’m very excited for him.” On the course designed by Jamie Alder, Alfano and Fantabulous had the highest score in the first round with an 89. Second place winner Callan Solem and Barbara Scott’s Cinderella followed closely with a first-round score of 88. Genn Family Dominates Jumper Rings at Gulf Coast Winter Classics Week IV Theo Genn & Paradox. All photos ©Flashpoint Photography. GULFPORT, MS – MAR. 8, 2010 – Lebanon, OH based Wilhelm Genn commented earlier in the season that a perfect event would have three big triumphs, one for each of his sons and one of his own. Week four of the Gulf Coast Winter Series found Genn’s fondest wish coming true. In Thursday afternoon’s $5000 Lucky Sevens Open Jumper Welcome Stake it was Theo Genn riding the Thomas Bruinsma owned Paradox, a 10-year-old Zweibruecker German Warmblood gelding, who bested both the field of 23 competitors and the technical layout of course designer Allen Rheinheimer. “I feel like I got lucky. He’s [Paradox] still young and just moving into this level so there were several who could have beaten us. He’s still developing speed,” a very modest Theo said after a victory gallop. Rheinheimer had an 82 second allowance in which riders were expected to weave their way successfully from one end of the vast grass field to the other while clearing 12 obstacles [15 jumping efforts] that included a double vertical combo and a triple combo of oxer into two verticals out. “It was a snaky ride, but pretty straight forward,” Theo said of their clean 79.284 first round. Eight more horses would join Paradox in the jump off, among them Theo’s dad Wilhelm with the up and coming mount Loredo, owned by Micaela Kennedy. The abbreviated 8 fence/46 second layout had a beat the clock theme as its design was one for a quick pace and quick thinking. While speed was not an issue for most, being delicate over the plank vertical was. In total, only 3 riders had a second clear run. “You had to be careful and fast. Paradox was great!” a happy Theo said of their winning clear time of 39.332. |
