McLain Ward and Best Buy.
Wellington, FL – January 23, 2015 – Set amidst lush pastures, voluminous trees and a cloudless sky, The Ridge at Wellington Turf Tour ended the third of its 12-week series. Today, McLain Ward and Best Buy would ride to the top of the leader board, tripping the timers in an untouchable 37.911 seconds, a second and a half faster than second place finisher Beth Underhill with Viggo.
Riders were faced with 15 efforts in a challenging course designed by Nick Granat and Eric Hasbrouk. Granat has been a staple of The Ridge Farm for years, assisting course designers at the facility’s shows in New Jersey, as well as in Wellington. He has trained alongside such names as Conrad Homfeld, Alan Wade, Hasbrouk and studied at the Aachen School of Course Design where he worked with Arno-Gego.
“It is really nice because each week we are in a different venue. I think it is a good place to bring young horses along. There is a lot of exposure to different venues, environments and factors they may not see in the everyday ring,” Granat said of The Ridge at Wellington Turf Tour. “George [D’Ambrosio] and Nona [Garson] have given me an opportunity to be part of their show. I assisted the designers last year and they let me step in this year and do a little more of my own work. I try to keep it simple, ask questions, but present the course in as friendly of a way as possible. I thought it went pretty well today; it was just hard enough to make the class fun, but for sure it wasn’t boring.”
McLain Ward had similar thoughts on the course, riding to one of only five double-clear rounds of the day. He tackled the track with Ansgar Holtger’s Best Buy, a young horse that he has been developing since she was a 5-year-old.
“She is exciting, but very careful, so we do these events to get her feet wet at a bigger height,” Ward explained. “The course was very good; it was nicely presented, and the jumps were beautiful. It is really nice for the horses; it is a great experience for them.”
Ward continued, “I think it is nice to have options. This series is great for producing a young horse or rider; it proves very beneficial.”
Kevin Crosby was the only rider to catch Ward’s pace, riding towards the end of the day to an extremely quick jump-off time of 37.476 seconds. He had a heartbreaking rail at the final fence, unfortunately plummeting him to the sixth place position.
Beth Underhill and Viggo rode to the second place in 39.455 seconds; while Miranda Scott and Quick Latinus rounded out the top three with their double clear posted in 40.754 seconds. Randy Johnson and Allegretta finished fourth, and Katelyn Hess completed the day in fifth with Watson.
The fourth week of The Ridge at Wellington Turf Tour will be hosted by the International Polo Club Palm Beach. Both Wednesday and Friday’s events promise to be exciting, with the 1.30m-1.35m classes and the $15,000 1.40m Grand Prix running from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. The turf will see low and medium schooling jumpers with two classes running concurrently offered at each height on both days. The schooling jumper classes will continue to be offered on Friday throughout the remainder of the Turf Tour.
For week five of the Wellington Turf Tour, Meadowbrook Horse Transport will provide a complimentary shuttle to and from the Wanderer’s Club in Wellington, FL. Parking and space is limited, so please arrange to make plans to jump on one of Wellington’s most prestigious turfs.
Meadowbrook Horse Transport will provide transportation to and from the horse show and other locations throughout Wellington for both the Wednesday and Friday events. The transportation is a nominal fee of $50 per horse, and will be calculated into the final show fees. To make a reservation for one of the three pickup times, 8 a.m., 11 a.m., and 2 p.m., please call Peter Tufano of Meadowbrook Horse Transport at (954) 415-7217, or call Nona Garson at (908) 500-0996.
For video of Friday’s rounds, please visit www.shownet.biz.
The Ridge at Wellington Horse Show Series Fast Facts
Events:
The Ridge at Wellington Turf Tour offers their popular 1.40m Invitational Grand Prix for its third year, with an open in gate format taking place once a week at beautiful venues throughout Wellington. The Ridge at Wellington Grand Prix Finale will take place March 27, 2015.
The Turf Tour also will host 1.30m-1.35m Jumpers every Wednesday beginning January 7, 2015 and running until March 18, 2015.
Young Jumper Classes and both Children’s/Senior Jumper Classics will find their home intermittently throughout the Wellington Turf Tour, running concurrently with the 1.30-1.35m and 1.40m Jumpers.
The Ridge at Wellington offers Equitation Shows every Tuesday of the month from January 6 – March 23, 2015. There will also be a series of schooling shows at the Ridge at Wellington for all experience levels.
Two USHJA International Hunter Derbies will take place February 6, 2015 and March 20, 2015.
What:
The Ridge at Wellington series includes several weeks of competition throughout the Winter Season with USEF Rated Equitation Shows. This winter will also feature five two-day schooling shows. The Ridge at Wellington Turf Tour will offer 1.30m-1.35m Jumpers, 1.40m Invitational Grand Prix, Young Jumpers, Children’s/Adult Classics, Masters Jumpers, Junior/Amateur Classics, two hunter derbies and the Pre-Green Incentive Stake.
Information:
Before Show – (561) 791-1471, Email: RidgeShows@aol.com
During Show – Telephone: (561) 791-1471, Fax: (561) 791-1543
Text: (908) 500-0996
Website: http://www.theridgefarm.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/359668144211383/
Management:
Nona Garson
14415 Palm Beach Point Blvd. East
Wellington, FL, 33414
(561) 791-1471 (show office)
(908) 839-3859 (show cell)
(561) 791-1543 (show fax)
Email: RidgeShows@aol.com
Website: http://www.theridgefarm.com
Media Contact:
Phelps Media Group, Inc.
12012 South Shore Blvd.
Suite 105
Wellington, FL 33414
561-753-3389 (phone)
561-753-3386 (fax)
pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com
PhelpsMediaGroup.com