Tag Archives: Adam Prudent

Patience Pays Off for Adam Prudent in $214k Wellington Agricultural Services Grand Prix CSI4*

Adam Prudent (USA) and Baloutinue © Sportfot.

Wellington, FL – April 3, 2021 – As the final week of the 2021 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) continues, Saturday’s feature class led to an exciting finish for Adam Prudent (USA) and Baloutinue, owned by Plain Bay Farm, as they raced to a victory in the $214,000 Wellington Agricultural Services Grand Prix CSI4* on Saturday, April 3, in the International Arena at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC).

A starting field of 42 horse-and-rider combinations set out over the 1.60m track designed by Olaf Petersen Jr. (GER) with eight pairs, representing four different nations, qualifying for the jump-off round.

First to return, Ioli Mytilineou (GRE) and Levis De Muze set the tone for the day with an impressive double-clear round making 40.20 seconds the time to beat. Multiple changes atop the leaderboard would continue from there as Canada’s Jim Ifko entered next guiding Un Diamant Des Forets, owned by Eventyre Farms Ltd, to a double-clear finish, besting the leading time in 36.54 seconds.

The next rider found a way to get the job done even faster as Prudent and the 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding by Balou du Rouet x Landor S, produced a double-clear round in a blazing 35.28 seconds.

Greg Crolick and Chappy Stay on Top to Win $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby

Hunter riders entered the Derby Field at Equestrian Village one last time for the $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby on Saturday of WEF 12. Twenty-seven of the top hunter horse-and-rider combinations entered the two-round class with the hopes of winning the top prize. In the end, Greg Crolick and Carole Chase’s Chappy produced two flawless rounds to earn a total score of 374.5 and take home the blue ribbon.

Havens Schatt, of Georgetown, KY, and Ken and Amy Wexler LLC’s Cascartini finished with a second place ribbon in the class and a total score of 371.5. Third place was awarded to Elizabeth Towell Boyd, of Camden, SC, and Rebekah Warren’s Cassico with an overall score of 370.

Riders were asked to navigate a classic round course, designed by Ken Krome, consisting of 13 fences and offering four high options. After completing the first round, the top 12 combinations returned for the handy course to impress the judges one last time. The 10-fence handy round included a trot jump to a two-stride line and four high option fences.

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

Hat Trick for Adam Prudent & Baloutinue with $73,000 Tryon Resort Grand Prix CSI 2* Win

Adam Prudent and Baloutinue ©Sportfot.

Mill Spring, NC – October 3, 2020 – With electrifying speed, Adam Prudent and Baloutinue claimed their third consecutive FEI win this week, leaving the competition in their dust with jump-off time of 38.67 seconds in the $73,000 Tryon Resort Grand Prix CSI 2* at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC). With a time of 39.76 seconds, Beat Mandli (SUI) and Vic Des Cerisiers, a 2009 Cheval de Selle gelding (D’anguerny x Niagara de May) owned by Grand Road Partners GMBH, landed closely behind in second place, while Abigail McArdle (USA) and Victorio 5, the 2006 Hanoverian stallion (Uccello x Graefin) owned by Victorio Equine Group LLC, claimed third place on a fault-free time of 39.89 seconds.

With back-to-back FEI wins under his belt in Tryon Fall 3 – the $37,000 Horseware Ireland Welcome Stake and the $10,000 EquiSafe Global Power & Speed – Prudent proved his horse’s prowess for speed after bringing the Plain Bay Farm 2010 Hanoverian gelding (Balou Du Rouet x Utika) down to the CSI 2* level to focus on the skill in particular. TIEC’s special guest live stream commentator Frank Madden praised Prudent’s impressive performance, saying, “He deserved to win; he did everything correctly.”

To learn more, visit www.Tryon.com.

Tryon Fall 3 Starts with Back-to-Back Wins for Adam Prudent and Baloutinue

Adam Prudent and Baloutinue ©Sportfot.

Mill Spring, NC – October 2, 2020 – The start of FEI Jumping competition at Tryon International Equestrian Center at Tryon Resort (TIEC) resulted in back-to-back wins for Adam Prudent (USA) and Baloutinue, claiming both Wednesday’s $10,000 EquiSafe Global Power & Speed Stake CSI 2* and Thursday’s $37,000 Horseware Ireland Welcome Stake CSI 2*. Besting a field of 73 entries around the Catsy Cruz (MEX) course, Prudent and Baloutinue stopped the jump-off timers at 33.62 seconds to earn the Welcome Stake win. In second, Fernando Cardenas Jr. (COL) piloted Quincy Too, the 2009 Zangersheide gelding (Unknown x Unknown) owned by Fernando Cardenas, to a time of 34.39 seconds, while Beezie Madden (USA) sped to third aboard Breitling LS, the Abigail Wexner-owned 2006 Dutch Warmblood stallion (Quintero x Acord II), clearing the short course in 34.41 seconds.

Prudent and the 2010 Hanoverian gelding (Balou Du Rouet x Landor S) owned by Plain Bay Farm were one of 21 horse-and-rider pairs to challenge the jump-off track, and he relayed that focusing on speed has been paying off this week: “He’s a work in progress, but an amazing horse. He’s top quality. With this week being a little smaller [at the two-star level], the plan was to really teach him to go fast. We’ve never really gone fast,” Prudent elaborated. “We have the first round nearly to a tee. He goes clear most of the time, but in the speed round, he can be a little all over the place. We worked on going fast with the smaller fences this week, and it’s paid off!”

Prudent and Baloutinue Excel in $10,000 EquiSafe Global Power & Speed Stake CSI 2*

September 30, 2020 – Adam Prudent (USA) and Baloutinue sped through the speed phase of Wednesday’s $10,000 EquiSafe Global Power and Speed Stake CSI 2* in 30.979 seconds to tope a field of 59 entries. In second, Luis Larrazabal (VEN) and Luminaria LS La Silla, the 2011 Mexican Sport Horse mare (Unknown x Unknown) owned by San Francisco Stables, LLC, put in a 32.798 second round, while Doug Payne (USA) and Quintessence, Jane Dudinsky’s 2011 Holsteiner gelding (Unknown x Unknown), stopped the clock at 35.286 seconds to take home third.

Prudent and the 2010 Hanoverian gelding (Balou Du Rouet x Landor S) owned by Plain Bay Farm avoided collecting time faults in the first round where many were caught out, he relayed, and put in a tight time that couldn’t be caught in the speed phase. “It was a nice course. The power phase was a bit tight on time, with a lot of time faults there, but my horse managed that very well, and the second part was quite speedy! We got it done.”

To learn more, visit www.Tryon.com.

Adam Prudent and Romeo de Villaret Dominate in $134k Adequan CSI 3* Grand Prix at TIEC

Adam Prudent and Romeo de Villaret ©Sportfot.

Mill Spring, NC – July 6, 2019 – Adam Prudent (USA) and Romeo de Villaret prevailed in the $134,000 Adequan® CSI 3* at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC), stopping the jump-off timers at 42.412 seconds. Fernando Cardenas Jr. (COL) and Quincy Car, a 2004 Oldenburg stallion (Galiani Car x Amour Parfait) owned by Fernando and Meredith Cardenas, followed with a second-place performance of 49.35 seconds in the short course. Finishing out the podium, Sharn Wordley (NZL) aboard Sky Group’s Casper, a 2006 Oldenburg gelding (Contender x Baloubet du Rouet), claimed third-place honors on a four-fault effort in 42.769 seconds.

Alan Wade (IRL), who also designed the course for the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018 at TIEC, set a track that truly tested the 30 pairs attempting the first-round course, as only six pairs returned for the jump-off round. “It was a good course for this horse,” Prudent revealed. “By the end of the course he was definitely a little tired with the heat here, but he managed to come through quite well and, I think, with the jump-off being a little cooler he really dug in and showed what he had.”

Prudent and the 2005 Selle Francais stallion (Mr. Blue (NL) KWPN x If de Merze), owned by Plain Bay Sales, were one of only two pairs to finish the jump-off round fault-free. Although Prudent and the stallion have only been teamed together for a month, Prudent kept his strategy simple heading into the six-person jump-off: “My strategy heading into the jump-off was just turn and go fast!” Prudent elaborated: “I planned to do seven strides in the last line but had to add one [more stride] last moment because I just didn’t see it coming up, but that was the only thing I hadn’t been expecting.

“He [Romeo de Villaret] is a great horse and I feel great heading into next week [Tryon Summer 5 Series at TIEC] with him.” Prudent continued, “This was my first FEI show with him, so I’m very happy with his performance. I’ve just been starting to get to know him and just figuring him out.” Prudent also revealed that this was his own personal first Grand Prix win in Tryon Stadium.

For full results from $134,000 Adequan® Grand Prix CSI 3*, click here.

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

Adam Prudent and Vasco Earn Third $35,000 1.50m Suncast Welcome Victory in a Row at TIEC

Adam Prudent and Vasco. Photo ©LizCrawleyPhotography.

Mill Spring, NC – July 21, 2016 – Adam Prudent (FRA) and Vasco have dominated the $35,000 1.50m Suncast® Welcome classes at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) throughout the four-week Tryon Summer Series, taking three of the four Thursday classes offered this season. Prudent and Vasco sped to victory again, stopping the clock in 35.821 seconds, while David Blake (IRL) and Binkie took second place, finishing in 42.568 seconds. Kevin Babington (IRL) and Shorapur moved forward to the jump-off round, but retired on course to finish in third.

Prudent and Vasco took their third consecutive win in the $35,000 1.50m Suncast® Welcome at TIEC, and have amassed a number of top placings during their time at the venue. Thursday’s class featured 32 entries and saw only three contestants return for the jump-off round. Catsy Cruz (MEX) designed the intricate track, which saw eleven combinations drop a single rail to accumulate four faults and proved to be a thoroughly testing course.

Vasco and Prudent have had a fruitful season so far in 2016, as the pair have finished in the top ten placings of FEI competition 15 times to date, with a long stretch of international competition approaching in the fall. Vasco is a seasoned mount, who understands his job and brings a sense of experience to the ring, which allows Prudent to select bolder strategies on course.

The duo made a tight rollback turn to the Horseware® Ireland one stride combination, while adjusting in the air to land in perfect time with an accurate set up a strong gallop to the massive Suncast® oxer. Prudent and Vasco took the opportunity to test the adjustability and athleticism that will be needed in the $216,000 Tryon Estates Grand Prix CSI 4*, which will be featured on Saturday, July 23.

Vasco, a 2006 Dutch Warmblood gelding (Andiamo x Clinton) owned by Plain Bay Sales, has exemplified his seasoned demeanor over the course of the Tryon Summer Series and the pair will look to finish atop the results in the remainder of competition this week. As Prudent’s top FEI mount, Vasco has been relied on heavily this season, but continues to enjoy competition and brings a sense of fire and will to win to each competition.

Before their arrival at TIEC, Prudent and Vasco dominated at the Upperville Horse Show CSI 4*, capturing two top three finishes before continuing their streak at TIEC. While Prudent builds a successful business and remains a shining young talent for France, the pair has caught the attention of the many riders and spectators who have praised their consistency and fearlessness in the ring.

Competition at TIEC will begin Friday at 8:00 a.m. featuring the $35,000 1.45m Horseware® Ireland Speed Stake, as well as the $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby beginning at 12:40 p.m. For more information on TIEC and to see a full list of results, please visit www.tryon.com.

Adam Prudent and Vasco Speed to Victory in $35,000 1.50m Suncast Welcome CSI 4*

Adam Prudent and Vasco. Photos ©LizCrawleyPhotography.

Mill Spring, NC – July 14, 2016 – Adam Prudent (FRA) and his veteran partner Vasco took home top honors in the highly competitive $35,000 1.50m Suncast® Welcome CSI4* at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC). The pair secured the win with a jump off time of 34.566 seconds, while legendary talent Margie Engle (USA) and Royce earned themselves second place honors with a speedy time of 34.933 seconds. Sharn Wordley nearly kept his streak alive, this time aboard mount Barnetta, but ended in third with a time of 35.076 seconds.

Prudent and Vasco have experienced incredible success at TIEC since arriving for the 2016 Summer Series, as the duo also captured a similar win in last week’s $35,000 Suncast® Welcome. Along with the wins, the duo has consistently placed in the top ribbons, including a top two finish in the $130,000 Wellington Equestrian Realty Grand Prix CSI 3*. Prudent spoke of the first round, detailing the course design by Manuel Esparza (MEX).

“The first round was very straightforward. Everyone was doing the same numbers of strides in between the lines, so there was not much that I changed about my ride compared to the other competitors,” said Prudent. “It was pretty big for a Welcome class and it was technical enough, but I thought the jumps were much bigger today.”

Going into the jump-off, Prudent knew he had to be smart about his strategy on course in order to shave time on the clock, but also ensure the win. In the first line of the jump-off, the pair did not leave out a stride, but Prudent went on to explain why he felt this plan was better suited for Vasco.

“Vasco is never one to leave out a stride in the first line. This allowed me to land collected and execute a very tight turn to the next fence,” commented Prudent. “I think that’s where I made up the majority of time; specifically it was in the last turn. I think I went two strides inside of where everyone else turned in that particular rollback.”

“That’s where I won the class,” he added with a smile.

Margie Engle and Royce
Margie Engle and Royce

Prudent and Vasco’s success can be attributed to experience and enthusiasm for competition. Prudent spoke of their strengthening relationship, saying, “He is an older horse, but he loves to show. We do every class of the week. We get him out every day to stretch his legs and we spend a lot of time walking. I also work on a lot of laterally movements to stretch his old joints out.”

“All in all, he comes out every day fresh and happy. Vasco loves to do his job,” he detailed.

Vasco’s happiness and joy for life also comes from the love and immaculate care he receives from Prudent’s groom Emeline Heot. Heot is always with Vasco, whether it be in the barns, in the schooling ring, or standing beside him at the in-gate.

“She is in love with him and he loves her too. She takes amazing care of him, which is a huge part of our whole success,” said Prudent, as he spoke of the affectionate relationship between Vasco and Heot. “He is a calm horse as soon as he is with her, but the moment I get on him, he fires up and is ready to go. She is Vasco’s down time.”

Friday, July 15, will feature a $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby, a $10,000 Pre-Green Hunter Incentive, and a $35,000 1.45m Speed Stake. The third installment of the “Saturday Night Lights” of the 2016 Tryon Summer Series will be featured on Saturday, July 16, presenting the $216,000 Hollow Creek Farm Grand Prix CSI 4* with gates opening to the public at 6:00 p.m. and entertainment beginning at 7:15 p.m. Competition will commence at 8:00 p.m. For more information on TIEC and to see a full list of results, please visit www.tryon.com.

Adam Prudent and Vasco Deliver Impressive Win in $35,000 1.50m Suncast Welcome CSI 3*

Adam Prudent and Vasco. Photos ©LizCrawleyPhotography.

Daniel Geitner and Aviator Take $10,000 Pre-Green Hunter Classic

Mill Spring, NC – July 7, 2016 – Adam Prudent (FRA) and his mount Vasco produced two fast clear rounds with a jump off time of 34.213 seconds to earn themselves the blue ribbon in the $35,000 1.50m Suncast® Welcome CSI 3* at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC). Trailing closely behind to finish in second place was Amanda Derbyshire (GBR) and Lady Maria BH, stopping the clock in 34.720 seconds. Third place honors were claimed by Todd Minikus (USA) and Vita 24, finishing in 34.823 seconds.

Prudent and Vasco, a 2002 Dutch Warmblood gelding (Andiamo x Clinton), have solidified themselves as a competitive team and have been partnered together for three years. The duo has traveled the world to compete in multiple FEI competitions and spent ample time at the venue throughout the 2015 season. Prudent was thrilled with his win, which he said started off their week on the right foot. With only six out of 41 competitors advancing to the jump off, Prudent spoke about the technicality of the track set by Martin Otto (GER).

“For the second class of the week, it was quite a hard course; however, it was very well built and the fences were inviting, yet technical. Not many made it to the jump off, which attests how tough the track rode,” he detailed.

Amanda Derbyshire and Lady Maria BH
Amanda Derbyshire and Lady Maria BH

Prudent was second to last in the jump-off order, which played to his favor as he was able to observe the rounds of other riders before strategizing the win. Vasco is a notoriously fast mount for Prudent and can execute tight turns at blazing speeds during the open gallop portions of the track. Derbyshire, who finished in a close second, nearly took the win, but Prudent felt the extra time observing and preparing ultimately helped him to steal the win.

“I was able to watch Amanda go and she did a six up the first line. I tried to get the six, but I was not able to make that happen, so I settled in and did seven strides,” he explained. “I wasn’t worried because my horse is incredibly fast so I planned on cutting corners to make up for the extra stride.”

“I knew what I had to do today, and I executed the plan,” he added.

Prudent spoke about his growing relationship with Vasco and the strengths that allow them to earn exciting victories, similarly to the one they secured Thursday. He said, “Vasco is not only extraordinarily fast; he is also very careful. In the middle of the course he will open up his stride and allow us to cover an impressive amount of ground.”

Looking forward to the remainder of the week after their win, Prudent and Vasco will be a pair to watch on Saturday, July 9, in the $130,000 Wellington Equestrian Realty Grand Prix CSI 3*. Prudent feels confident that the duo will maintain their consistency, especially coming off of their strong win in such a competitive class early in the week.

Prudent and the Plain Bay Sales team will remain based at TIEC for the remainder of the Tryon Summer Series, contesting their abilities each week in numerous national and international classes.

Prudent touched on the expansion and continual growth occurring at TIEC, stating, “I love Tryon. It gets bigger and bigger and better and better every year! Each time we come back there is something new and I’m already enthusiastic about the new derby field because I really enjoy showing on grass footing.”

Daniel Geitner and Aviator Top $10,000 Pre-Green Hunter Classic at Tryon Summer II

Daniel Geitner of Aiken, SC piloted Aviator, owned by Katie Kittrell, to a first place finish in the $10,000 Pre-Green Hunter Classic at Tryon Summer II, besting a class of 10 entries, and securing the victory with a two round score of 163. Pomme Du Coeur, ridden by Samantha Senft of Wellington, FL and owned by Sandalwood Farms, finished in second, collecting a total score of 161, while Jennifer Hannan of Wakefield, RI and Commodore, owned by Jennifer Smith, earned third place, receiving an overall score of 160 for their performance in the class.

Geitner and Aviator tied with Josh Dolan of Wellington, FL and Hidden Lane, owned by Page Tredennick, for the highest first round score, as both combinations received an 86 from the judging panel. Geitner made his move for the win in the second round, earning a 77 to solidify the victory. Geitner will return to the hunter ring Friday, July 8, as he will pilot two mounts in the $2,500 USHJA National Derby, which is set to showcase more than 30 entries.

Competition resumes Friday at TIEC with the $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby, before international jumper competition returns this weekend. On Saturday, July 9, the $5,000 Pony Hunter Derby will take to the George H. Morris Arena before the popular “Saturday Night Lights” series, which will present the $130,000 Wellington Equestrian Realty Grand Prix CSI 3* beginning at 8:00 p.m. For more information and to see a full list of results, please visit www.tryon.com.

Adam Prudent and Madeleine Stover Capture Kentucky Summer Classic Opening Day Wins

Adam Prudent and Joy Ride.

Lexington, KY – July 28, 2015 – If their performances on Tuesday are any indication, Adam Prudent and the team at Plain Bay Sales are in for a great week at the Kentucky Summer Classic. The show got underway on Tuesday morning at the Kentucky Horse Park, and Prudent and student Madeleine Stover kicked things off by earning back-to-back victories in the largest jumper classes of the day.

Prudent’s win of the day came in the $5,000 1.40m Open Jumpers aboard IAG Syndicate LLC’s Joy Ride. Prudent and Joy Ride were one of six to go clear over the Florencio Hernandez designed course, but their time of 69.567 seconds is what would clinch them the victory in the Table II, Sec. 1 speed class.

While no one else was able to break below the 70-second mark, Denise Wilson came the closest. She finished in both second and third, taking second on Nimbus, who finished clear in a time of 70.550 seconds, and third on Catuso, who finished clear in a time of 74.857 seconds.

“This is a great win today for her. I’m very happy,” Prudent said of Joy Ride, a 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare owned by Dorothy Cox’s IAG Syndicate LLC. “Dot has owned her for the past six years I believe, and I started riding her last year.”

Prudent continued, “She’s a very hot horse, so no leg whatsoever. You just have to place her to the distance using your eye from far back. She’s a very fun ride and a very fast horse. She has a huge stride, is very, very fast and turns well, so she’s always a good one to have in a speed class.”

Joy Ride has recently been competing to much success in the 1.30m to 1.35m divisions, but the mare made the move up seamlessly to the 1.40m today.

Also making a move up the heights this week were Madeleine Stover and Royal Des Etisse. Stover has been a student of the Prudents for approximately 10 months, and has been seeing great success aboard Royal Des Etisses, a 10-year-old Sell Francais gelding, owned by Chester Ridge LLC. Tuesday was no exception, as the pair produced a double clear effort to win the day’s 1.35m Open Jumpers in a jump-off time of 48.336 seconds.

“[Royal] was doing the 1.30m over in Europe, and Adam [Prudent] found him,” Stover explained. “I got the ride on him all through Florida; we did the medium amateur-owner jumpers, and we did a couple of 1.40m classes. We went up to Spruce Meadows for six weeks, and he was amazing up there. He was super on the field. He just really grew up up there with me, and we got some good ribbons in the 1.30m.”

Stover continued, “Last week here we just did the medium amateur-owners to get back in the swing of things. Then we decided to try to move up this week. We started in the 1.35m today, and he was amazing. It was the perfect way to start. We’re really starting to put it together. It’s just been really fun to go for it now in the jump-offs. Usually I go really slowly, so today I really tried to gallop around. He just stayed right with me. He was super.”

Stover was one of four riders to complete the first round without fault and one of only two to produce a double clear effort. The second double clear and the second place ribbon went Callie Schott and Lori Custer’s Paratrooper, who finished on a jump-off time of 52.277 seconds. Rounding out the top three were Sharn Wordley and Gran Canyon, owned by Ashland Stables.

Jumper competition continues on Wednesday in the Rolex Stadium at the Kentucky Horse Park beginning at 8 a.m. with $5,000 1.40m Open Jumpers. Jumper highlights during the Kentucky Summer Classic include the $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic at 7 p.m. on Thursday and the $50,000 Kentucky Summer Grand Prix sponsored by GGT Footing on Saturday night.

Tim Goguen Tops Professional Hunter Divisions at Kentucky Summer Classic

During last week’s Kentucky Summer Horse Show, Tim Goguen consistently conquered the top spots in the professional hunter divisions with his trio of dark bay geldings: Rookie, Capella and Ransom. The proven combinations returned this week, duplicating their winning ways at the Kentucky Summer Classic.

Tim Goguen and Rookie
Tim Goguen and Rookie

In the First Year Green Hunters, Goguen piloted last week’s reserve champion, Garland Alban’s Capella, to blue ribbons in both over-fences classes, coming in second to Belhaven Stables LLC’s Rookie in the under saddle. In addition to winning the hack, last week’s champion, Rookie, picked up two second-place ribbons over fences.

“They went awesome,” Goguen said. “Capella went really well today. I thought Rookie went better last week, but he was good.”

As the day continued with the Conformation Hunters, it was Robert Crandall and Casallo who swept the field, claiming all three of the division’s blue ribbons. Last week’s champions, Winn Alden and Covert, followed closely behind and placed second to Crandall in both over-fences classes.

Crandall and Casallo are old friends whose relationship dates back to Crandall importing the now-11-year-old Casallo as a 3-year-old stallion from Europe. The pair was recently reunited after Casallo’s current owner, Erin McGuire, put the gelding up for sale as she heads to college. Crandall jumped at the opportunity to lease the gelding for the year: an arrangement both parties are thrilled with.

“It’s just been great having him back,” Crandall said. “He was very good; he’s a joy to ride, really. He’s a big-strided, scopey horse, and if you have him prepared, he’ll canter down to anything. It’s easy for him. He’s always been successful at everything he’s done. Today was hard because I sat last week at Blowing Rock judging, so I feel like I can’t breathe; he had to do a lot of the work today.”

The Second Year Green Hunters were the next to show, with last week’s reserve champions, Goguen and Ransom, coming back to earn the top spot in all three classes.

“Ransom went well,” Goguen said. “He’s a good horse. It was nice to just have those three to go today; I’m very happy with them, very pleased.”

The division’s reserve championship is in question, however, as second place went to a different horse-and-rider combination in each class: once to Just D’o, once to Covert and once to Fusagers Carma.

The professional hunters conclude on Wednesday with the awarding of the division champions and the week’s overall grand hunter championship, sponsored by Visse Wedell at Douglas Elliman.

To learn more about the Kentucky Summer Horse Shows, please visit www.kentuckyhorseshows.com.

Kentucky Horse Shows 2015 Horse Show Series Fast Facts

Events:
Kentucky Summer Horse Shows, USEF National Pony Finals, Bluegrass Festival Horse Show and KHJA Horse Show, and the 2015 USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals and the Pre Green Incentive Championship.

What:
The Kentucky Horse Show LLC’s 2015 series includes five weeks of top competition throughout the summer. These premier hunter/jumper competitions host the Hagyard Challenge Series with seven grand prix competitions that culminate with a Leading Rider Award, as well as the Hallway Feeds National Derby Series.

Where:
Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, KY, site of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™, home to the United States Equestrian Federation.

When:

NORTH AMERICAN JUNIOR & YOUNG RIDER CHAMPIONSHIPS – July 14-19, 2015

KENTUCKY SUMMER HORSE SHOW – July 22-26, 2015
$25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic
$25,000 Under 25 Grand Prix
$50,000 Rood & Riddle Kentucky Grand Prix
$5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby

KENTUCKY SUMMER CLASSIC – July 28 – August 2, 2015
$25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic
$50,000 Kentucky Summer Grand Prix sponsored by GGT Footings
$5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby

2015 USEF PONY FINALS – August 4-9, 2015

BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL HORSE SHOW – August 11-16, 2015
USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship
USHJA Pre-Green Incentive Championship
$25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic
$40,000 Bluegrass Festival Grand Prix sponsored by Audi of Lexington
$5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby
WCHR Member Event

KHJA HORSE SHOW – August 19-23, 2015
$10,000 Hagyard Welcome Stake
$30,000 KHJA Grand Prix
$5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby

Sponsors:
A special thanks to the generous sponsors of the Kentucky Summer Series: Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, Hallway Feeds, Hollow Creek Farm, GGT Footing, Rood and Riddle, Audi of Lexington, Sleepy P Ranch, CWD, Farm Vet, Dietrich Insurance, Take2 Thoroughbred Program, and the Official Hotel The Clarion

Hours:
8am – 5pm daily

Parking:
Horse Show Exhibitors may purchase a weekly parking pass at the main Horse Park entrance for $15.00. Dogs are permitted at the Kentucky Horse Park on a leash.

Directions:
The Kentucky Horse Park is located 8 miles northeast of Lexington, Kentucky at Exit 120 on Interstate 75.

Information:
Before Show – (859) 233-0492, Email: hakshows@earthlink.net
During Show – Telephone: (859) 281-7979, Fax: (859) 231-6097
Stabling – Pat Duncan (503) 510-8797
Stable office – Before Show: (503) 510-8797, During Show: (859) 255-0605
Prize List Advertising – Email Cindy Bozan at cindy@kentuckyhorseshows.com or call (859) 608-3709
Vendors – Email Cindy Bozan at cindy@kentuckyhorseshows.com or call (859) 608-3709
Shownet – www.shownet.biz

Website: www.kentuckyhorseshows.com

Shopping:
Vendors offering equestrian equipment, apparel, jewelry, and home furnishings are located adjacent to the Stonelea Ring.

Hotels:
CLARION HOTEL (http://www.clarionhotellex.com) (Formerly Holiday Inn North) – 859-233-0512 – Approximately 4 miles (OFFICIAL HOTEL)
Discover the place where elegant comfort in an ideal location meets excellent service and affordability. At the Clarion Hotel Lexington, you’ll find well-appointed accommodations with options of double/doubles, double queens, king rooms or suites, exceptional amenities such as our free hot breakfast buffet, and Southern hospitality at its finest. The best hotel for Keeneland – Located in the heart of Kentucky’s Bluegrass Region – home of the Kentucky Horse Park, the Lexington Convention Center, University of Kentucky, and the Kentucky Bourbon Trail – our Lexington hotel is on Newtown Pike at Exit 115 on I-75, close to all the big attractions, and is the perfect place to stay whether you’re here to get down to business or have some fun. Best of all, bring your furry friends for any trip because the Clarion Hotel in Lexington is also pet-friendly.

CAMPGROUND RESERVATIONS:
Reservations may not be made through the Horse Show office. To reserve a campsite at the Kentucky Horse Park for any of the horse shows, please call the Campground store at (800) 370-6416 or 859-259-4157 or email Ryan McGaughey at Ryan.mcgaughey@ky.gov. Be specific as to the show name and the dates you wish to stay. Check-in time is 2:00 p.m. and checkout is 12:00 noon. You must make arrangements with the Campground store if you plan to arrive earlier than 2:00 p.m. or stay later than 12:00 noon. Vehicles that are not removed from a campsite by check-out time will be towed.

Management:
Kentucky Horse Shows, LLC
P. O. Box 11428
Lexington, KY 40575-1428
859-233-0492 (phone)
859-233-0495 (fax)
email: hakshows@earthlink.net
website: www.kentuckyhorseshows.com

Media Contact:
Phelps Media Group, Inc.
12230 Forest Hill Blvd.
Suite 214
Wellington, FL 33414
561-753-3389 (phone)
561-753-3386 (fax)
pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com
www.phelpsmediagroup.com

Adam Prudent Rides Vasco to the Win in the 1.30-1.35m Class at Wellington Turf Tour

Adam Prudent and Vasco.

Wellington, FL – March 25, 2015 – The final Wednesday of the Ridge at Wellington Turf Tour was incredibly successful, with both rings staying busy throughout the day. Adam Prudent topped the first 1.30-1.35m class riding Vasco for Plain Bay Sales. Prudent brought the horse over in order to prepare for the Finale Grand Prix on Friday.

“It was a great course as usual at The Ridge. I love showing here because you always get to ride on the grass. I have won a couple classes here, and it’s always a pleasure to come. This is one of my speed horses; I brought him over this week to give him a bit of a break from WEF. He loves the grass, so he’s very easy to ride on this big open field.”

Prudent posted a very fast time of 46.192 seconds to beat the early class leader Oliver McCarthy’s time of 46.235 seconds on the course designed by Nick Granat and Eric Hasbrouck.   McCarthy had the ride on Crossfire 10 for McLain Ward. Ansgar Holtgers finished in third on his own Wisconsin, and fifth on Quick Petite Folie. Darrin Dliin claimed the fourth place finish with Tennyson for Susan Grange. Rounding out the top six was Linda Sheridan, riding her own Vantina HPF.

In the second class, Lauren Hough rode Olivia Pirovano’s Spirit to the top prize with a time of 43.626 seconds. Christine McCrea, the first double clear of the day, stopping the clock at 45.861 seconds, finished in second aboard Ronaldo De La Pomme for Candy Tribble. Conor Swail clinched the third spot with Game Ready for Susan Grange. Eric Flameng saw a great deal of success with Balous Boy, who just moved up to the 1.30-1.35 class last week, with a fourth place finish. Cassandra Herman rode SCCA Ventures’ Casis to a fifth. Darrin Dliin rounded out the top six placings with another of Grange’s horses, Dillinger.

In addition to the resurgence of the traditional horse shows, a tradition of breeding and producing top caliber horses has been very evident with some of the competitors during the turf tour. One owner who has an incredible amount of time and knowledge invested into producing such top horses is Susan Grange.

Throughout the turf tour, there has been a set of names that are consistently on the top of the results chart. Grange and her team of riders of Brady Hayes, Darrin Dliin and Conor Swail have attended ten of the twelve weeks of competition during the Turf Tour, garnering significant ribbons along the way. Grange was eager to express her support for the Turf Tour.

“We love it here. It’s a great opportunity to show our young horses and get them out on a big field with nice jumps and good footing. It’s just much more inviting for the young horses. We bring a lot of them over for that reason. They can only handle so much at the other show; it’s nice to swap it out every now and then.”

Her unique custom shirts stand out, with half of the Canadian flags colors on one side and half of the Irish flags on the other, representing both her home country and that of her Irish rider’s, Swail’s. It’s quite clear that she is very proud of what her team is accomplishing through classical, correct training of very gifted young horses.

Grange produces her own horses and purchases promising young talent to bring up through the ranks with the help of her outstanding riders. She has been producing horses since she was 16.

“I do a lot of breeding; a lot of these are my homebreds. It’s the only way to go. It’s too expensive to go buying grand prix horses. Ultimately we want to get up to the grand prix with them, so we start with nice young ones, go with them, and if they look like they’ll make the very top we keep them and if not, we sell them as really nice amateur horses. I love the young horses. I love watching them and developing them, and training them at home.”

She elaborated, “To me, it’s not as much fun (to just buy a made horse). If you buy a horse, you expect it to go in the ring and be good. But the young ones, you remember them as babies and you think, ‘Wow, this horse is actually doing this now!’ and it’s a whole different level of fun for me. I like to work with them at home a lot, developing them. All of my riders don’t live anywhere near me. Darrin Dliin is from Calgary, Conor Swail of course is in Ireland, and Ian Millar lives in Perth. Between Brady Hayes and me, I set up the gymnastics and we train them all to have them ready for the riders. It makes both of us feel great when they go well for the riders.”

Dliin explained his role in the Lothlorien team. “I first started just doing the young ones and brought them along. We won several young horse finals with her horses, mostly homebred. Those are mostly grown up, so now I’ve got a whole new batch to bring along. We each them how to jump, teach them how to canter, and just how to do it on their own. That lets them develop the confidence so they know what to do without us, basically.”

The young horses have a bit of a break following the long Florida circuit. “After the winter here they have a big break, and then I go back in May to start them back up again for Spruce. They’re at Spruce for six weeks, then they have a break again. We do some local shows and get them organized for the Young Horse Finals in Toronto.”

Like Grange, Dliin was quite vocal about his praise for The Ridge. “I really want to say a big thank you to George and Nona for bringing this to Wellington. It’s such a welcome addition it’s so nice to get the horses out here, especially for us, because Spruce is such a big part of our summer. We get to get ready here so they’re ready to go when we get there. Spruce is so big and open, but after being here they’re ready for it. This is a great thing.”

Swail, The Turf Tour’s leading rider this year, has really enjoyed working with Grange and her program. “She has a great team that does a great job with the horses as young horses. I come in and ride the older ones when they’re ready to do a bit of a higher level. For me it’s great that Sue and Ariel and their family have a great interest; they’re very devoted to the sport. It’s great for me that they’re so involved.”

He has high hopes for the future, especially given the quality of the horses that are being produced. “She’s a great owner and I thought we’d be a good match and so far so good – we’re both trying to go in the same direction and we’re being quite successful in everything we’re doing. I think in the future we’ll be getting even more successful as time goes on.”

Brady Hayes is an integral part of the team with the horses at home, but he is quick to give credit where it is due. “The management of Lori Green and the grooms, and everyone involved – they really put a lot of hard work into what goes on every day at Lothlorien Farm.”

Hayes does much of the behind-the-scenes work, riding them at home and flatting the horses at shows. He flats the young ones just under saddle and spends a lot of time doing gymnastics with the horses, something Grange is a very firm believer in.

“I’m very fortunate to be in the position that I’m in; there’s a lot of great people around that I’ve learned, and am learning, a lot from. I think every day we work with the horses as individuals and try to accomplish what we can. It’s nothing but a great learning experience. I just can’t say enough about Sue and Ariel and her family. They’ve given me a very wonderful opportunity, and to work with some of these very top riders in the farm has been nothing but great for the past few years.”

Hayes was incredibly enthusiastic about his support for the Turf Tour.

“I can’t say enough about The Ridge. It’s a great atmosphere, especially for the younger horses. It’s so open. You can take all the time in the world to get ready. If you go in and have one or two fences down there’s always the second course up. You can go back in and make sure you get it done the right way, whereas other venues you can’t always do that; it’s kind of a one shot kind of deal. I think the footing is always fabulous; the fences are just enough, not overly impressive to the point of being scary, but not just poles on the ground.”

He continued, “They’ve done a super job; they let you have refreshments and food, and it’s a very nice atmosphere. The course designers and Nona and George who put it on are nothing but very generous and it’s a very well put together venue, for sure!”

Friday will be the last day of competition for the 2015 Turf Tour. IPC will be hosting a champagne brunch to celebrate the conclusion of the series. The highlight of the day will be the Grand Prix Finale, running from 8:00 a.m. through 4:30 p.m. with an award presentation at 4:30 p.m. The 1.40m Grand Prix will offer just under $25,000 in prize money, the largest purse offered by The Ridge at Wellington. With some of the top names during the Tour bringing their most competitive horses, Friday’s action is sure to be nail biting. The second ring will offer low and medium schooling jumpers. At the conclusion of competition on Friday, March 27th, the Turf Tour will name the Leading Rider for the twelve-week series. Current standings have Irish rider Conor Swail at the top of the rankings.

The winner of the Leading Rider Award will receive an incredible prize of an Equestrian International Polo Club Palm Beach membership. This exclusive membership is typically available through invitation only and is highly sought after. Valued at $6,000, the membership starts January 2016 and is good through mid-April, the duration of the winter circuit.

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

Adam Prudent and Vasco Victorious in $50,000 Equestrian Sotheby’s Jumper Derby at WEF

Adam Prudent and Vasco. Photos © Sportfot.

Zetterman and Flecu Top 1.50m; Garza and Lucca Toni Win Under 25 Speed; Classics for Adult, Amateur-Owner and Junior Hunters Highlight Final Day of WCHR Week

Wellington, FL – February 15, 2015 – Week six of the Winter Equestrian Festival, sponsored by Salamander Hotels & Resorts, concluded on Sunday with jumper action featured on the beautiful grass field at The Stadium at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC). The $25,000 Artisan Farms Under 25 Grand Prix speed class, presented by EnTrust Capital, the $34,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic, and the $50,000 Equestrian Sotheby’s Jumper Derby were the day’s highlight events.

Course designer Richard Jeffery (GBR) saw 16 entries jump his course in the $50,000 Equestrian Sotheby’s Jumper Derby with a win for Adam Prudent (FRA) aboard Patrick Flin and Plain Bay Sales’ Vasco. The class featured 20 numbered obstacles, including the derby bank, table bank, open water, devil’s dyke and more. The number of challenging natural obstacles along with the length of the course tests the stamina of both horse and rider.

Held in a faults converted format, Prudent and Vasco finished their course with four faults in 134.22 seconds to win on 138.22. Chris Sorensen (CAN) and Wriomf had two rails down and finished second with a 144.54 total. Andrew Ramsay (USA) and Shalanno Farms LLC’s Woitcek placed third with two rails to bring their total time to 151.56 seconds.

“It is one of my first big wins here at WEF. It was such a pleasure coming here and showing on the grass,” Prudent said following his win. “It is always amazing showing on grass, and the horse loves it. It was fun. Derbies are fun, and I had a great time.”

Prudent (25) has had Vasco, a 13-year-old KWPN gelding (Andiamo x Clinton), for a year and a half and mostly competes the gelding in speed classes here at WEF.

“I have been showing this horse throughout the summer in the bigger classes. He does have the ability to do big grand prixs, but I decided to put him in the lower classes for the beginning of season and by the end of season I will pop him back up into some bigger competitions,” Prudent said of his mount. “I have done a few derbies, but this is one of the bigger derbies that I have done and he has done one derby previously.”

Riding with a broken finger made Prudent’s job a little harder, but as he explained, the class is great experience for any rider.

He said, “I am young in the sport and I don’t have that much experience yet, so it is always fun to do derbies and bigger courses. It is great experience.” As for his strategy on course, the rider explained, “You have to try to be as fast as you can between the jumps. You have to have your course plan, and you have to have a fast horse that leaves the rails up.”

With the biggest win of his career, Prudent left the derby field happy with a great afternoon and a nice round for his horse.

It feels good. It was a great day,” he acknowledged. “My horse was amazing. He performed very well, and it is a pleasure to win.”

For Chris Sorensen, his mount Wriomf has been preparing for this class and put in a great performance to land her rider in second place. Sorensen has had the mare for about two years and has great derby experience.

“She is probably one of the more experienced derby horses here,” Sorensen explained. “She did the big derbies in Spruce Meadows, and she did the big derbies in Aachen this summer. This is something she is very good at. We came and hoped to win, but Adam was fantastic today. She was very good. That mare is very brave and experienced at that kind of competition.”

Knowing the test of endurance for horse and rider, Sorensen and his mount both worked on their fitness to get ready for the class.

“They are getting fatigued by the end for sure, but she has done specific training for this,” Sorensen detailed. “She did gallop sets and a little more endurance than normal in the weeks leading up to this. Personally, they send me to the gym every morning. I was on a special program last month.”

“We really were aiming her at this specific class,” Sorensen continued. “It is great prize money, and it is really fantastic experience and exposure for us, for our sponsors, and for our customers to come watch. Everybody is excited for this day. It is fun, and it is a beautiful day in the sun. The obstacles they have here are equal to all those that I have seen in the world. It is a very fun class for us to focus on, but at the end of the class no matter how hard you prepare, those horses are tired. They are fighting to concentrate, they are fighting to jump, the lactic acid is pumping, and you start to test the heart of the horse.”

“I think these kinds of competitions are important,” Sorensen added. “It is good that the horse show supports them. They are great for spectators, they are exciting, and it is great to have a good sponsor. That is really important.”

Third place finisher, Andrew Ramsay, also has some experience in derby classes with his mount, Woitcek, and was happy to finish in the top three with his mount on Sunday.

“This is my fourth derby. My first one was with this horse about three years ago at Eindhoven,” Ramsay stated. “He is a good boy. I had never jumped a natural until he did his first derby, and he just picked right up and did it. He was brave, and it was quite easy.”

“To be honest, I didn’t really prepare specifically for the derby here,” Ramsay explained. “I was just working on riding and keeping him fit. He came out and I had confidence that he is a player and he wants to do his job. I think I had more hesitation than he did. He was good to me today, and I am happy to be up here.”

Representing Equestrian Sotheby’s, Ryan Beckett spoke about his company’s sponsorship of the class and the day’s great competition.

“Two years ago we sat down, and we wanted to do something that differentiated ourselves. That kind of mirrors our philosophy in business as well,” Beckett noted. “It is something that, even for the lay person, is fun to watch. It is different. When you have guys like these three gentlemen that really put their best forward, and hearing that Chris had the horse specifically for this class, as a sponsor it is a good thing to hear that it is starting to get traction. When we put our heads together, this is something that we thought was unique and it is fun. It is something that we would like to continue going forward, to enjoy growing with it.”

Alexander Zetterman and Flecu Top $34,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic

The $34,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic was the second class of the day on Sunday with 22 entries jumping on the grass field at The Stadium at PBIEC. Five made it through to the jump-off, where Sweden’s Alexander Zetterman and Flecu were the winners.

Samuel Parot (CHI) and Carla TM were first to jump-off and finished fourth with their time of 41.30 seconds. Chris Ewanouski (USA) and Rosiano Farm’s Chicago 88 were next to return and jumped into third place with a time of 40.80 seconds. Katie Dinan (USA) followed with the second place time of 40.20 seconds aboard Grant Road Partners LLC’s Bijou de Balou. Up next, Jessica Springsteen (USA) had a great time in 38.37 seconds with Stone Hill Farm’s Lisona, but a rail at the last fence put the pair in fifth place. Zetterman and Flecu were last to go with the winning clear round in 37.78 seconds.

Alexander Zetterman and Flecu
Alexander Zetterman and Flecu

Zetterman won the same class last year with his mount Cafino, whom he recently sold. This time it was Flecu’s turn to take the round of honor, and the 11-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding (Hip Hop x Flamingo) jumped a fantastic round to carry his rider to victory.

“He is the horse that I have had for the longest amount of time; I have had him since he was six,” Zetterman explained after the class. “He is a horse who kind of took a year or two longer to bring along, but I always felt that he has the ability to do great things in the big classes. It is a good age. He is 11 now. It is nice when you sell a good one that you are not completely gone.”

Last season, Flecu carried Zetterman to a win in the $50,000 Artisan Farms Young Rider Grand Prix Series Final, which was also held on the grass field at The Stadium, and the horse has since stepped up to the next level.

“He was great last year here on the grass,” Zetterman noted. “He has always had really good results on big grass fields like here and at Falsterbo at home. He really likes to cover ground, and once he starts getting momentum, he is very quick.”

“His style is quite special,” Zetterman detailed. “He is a very careful horse. He used to go up very high, and it took a while for him to learn how to go more across the jump. He has always had the scope, but he was always going up and now he is getting across. Careful-wise, he has always been super careful. I just really had to take my time with him in the small classes and never make him go too high. Now he is jumping more modest, and I am really happy with him. He is super consistent.”

Eugenio Garza and Lucca Toni Win $25,000 Artisan Farms Under 25 Grand Prix, presented by EnTrust Capital

Sunday’s events at The Stadium at PBIEC kicked off in the morning with the $25,000 Artisan Farms Under 25 Grand Prix speed event on the field. Sponsored by EnTrust Capital, the class was held in a faults converted format. Eugenio Garza (MEX) and El Milagro’s Lucca Toni were the winners with a clear round in the fastest time of 89.47 seconds. Catherine Tyree (USA) and Mary Tyree’s Free Style vh Polderhof finished second in 91.79 seconds. Mavis Spencer (USA) and Mike Collins’ Cornetiero were last to go and jumped into third with a clear round in 92.67 seconds.

Garza’s winning mount Lucca Toni is a 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Lando x Caretano Z) that the rider has had for one year since last winter.

“He is a really, really nice horse. He covers a lot of ground, so we chose him for this class because it is a very open field and we knew we would have the chance to gallop a lot,” Garza detailed. “My trainer (Darragh Kenny) just said go in and have the same rhythm all the way through and just keep galloping. We were able to leave out strides where we could, and we made up some time in the short turns. The horse jumped amazing, I have to give it to him.”

Second place finisher Catherine Tyree is also at the one-year mark of riding her horse, Free Style vh Polderhof, since purchasing the mare from Stephex Stables at the end of circuit last year.

“This is the first time that I have ever asked her to jump a serious 1.45m course, and she was great,” Tyree said of her mount. “She is so quick across the ground, so naturally careful and incredibly brave, so I knew that she would be really game when I went in the ring. She was great at the bank. That is the first time that she has ever done it in her life, so I was really happy with her today.”

Mavis Spencer finished third with Cornetiero and was thrilled with the great result after not riding for three years.

“This is probably only my fifth class with him. I took three years off from riding,” Spencer noted. “I started working for Neil Jones in April, but I only started showing again in November. He is a really special horse. The feeling that he gives is unbelievable. He is so scopey and brave, which helps in a class like this. Especially after you haven’t ridden for so long, it helps to know that they are always behind you. I have to say, I have a really good team behind me and people who help me, but he was on form today. It was nice to go in the ring and get a good result like that after not showing for so long.”

“He has a bit of a special way of going and you sort of have to do it his way, so it took me a little while to figure him out,” Spencer added. “That is why I had not shown him so much, but I think we are really starting to get each other now and hopefully I can start jumping some bigger classes with him soon.”

The Artisan Farms Under 25 Grand Prix Series, presented by the Dutta Corp. in association with Guido Klatte, will award a total of $170,000 in prize money throughout the circuit this year in seven events. It gives young riders a valuable stepping-stone from the junior and amateur ranks to the grand prix level. All three of Sunday’s top riders praised the series and thanked the sponsors for their generous support.

“I could not thank the sponsors enough, the Ziegler family and everyone,” Garza said after his win. “It is a really nice series to have. It kind of bridges a gap between the juniors and the pros, especially in Florida where the classes are very big. It is a very big step to have a series like this and to be able to compete with riders that are doing the same thing is one of the most important things that young riders like us can do. I think it is a great series, and I could not thank enough everyone who is behind it.”

“I think it is a really good stepping stone when you don’t necessarily have a horse that is ready to jump the really big classes and be competitive,” Spencer acknowledged. “It is nice to have this because the courses are big enough, they are tough enough, and the competition is obviously still at a very high level, but if you have one that isn’t really ready to go in and jump the bigger FEI classes, this is a really good place to start and be able to move up.”

Tyree added, “I think it is great how we have opportunities to jump in different venues with different class types. We have the team event week four, the faults converted today on the field, and then week nine we get to jump under the lights. It gives us a lot of opportunities, not only to bridge the gap between the high amateur level and the national level grand prixs, but we also get to test the waters in different formats that we are not used to.”

The next event in the series will be the $25,000 Artisan Farms Under 25 Grand Prix Semi-Final presented by Kingsland Equestrian on Friday, March 6, during week nine. The $50,000 series final will be held week 11 on Sunday, March 22.

Classics for Adult, Amateur Owner and Junior Hunters Highlight the Final Day of World Champion Hunter Rider Week in the International Arena

On the final day of WCHR week, 73 horse and rider combinations came to compete in the Peggy Cone Memorial WCHR Adult Hunter Classic, held in the International Arena. After the first round, the riders with the top 24 scores came back in reverse order for a second course. At the end of the two rounds, Schaefer Raposa of Clinton, NY, and Lucille were crowned the winner of section A. Finishing behind Raposa in section A was Brooke Banks riding Brodeur and Caitlin Boyle with her own Iceman rounded out the top three.

This week was Lucille’s first show in the United States and the first time competing in the International Arena. The six-year-old mare was imported earlier this year from Europe by David Raposa and got to the WEF show grounds for the first time on Tuesday. “I flew in from school on Thursday night, and we debuted in the [E. R. Mische] Grand Hunter ring on Friday,” Raposa stated. “She [Lucille] was super brave and marched right around. My dad decided that we should do the classic, and today she was great!”

Returning from the first round in third place, Raposa earned a score of 86 in the second round to move into the top spot. “Going into the second round I thought to myself, ‘Okay, don’t chip the last jump,'” Raposa laughed. “She [Lucille] felt really nice and after the first few jumps, I knew she was on it and I just had to find my distances.”

The section B winner of the Peggy Cone Memorial WCHR Adult Hunter Classic went to Megan McCann, from Washington, D.C., riding Laura Flanagan’s horse, First Look. First Look remained consistent over both rounds earning scores of 84 and 84.5. Cynthia Sulzberger piloted Red Carpet to a second place finish in section B and Kimberly Maloomian and Urlala ended the day in third place.

McCann started showing First Look, an 11-year-old Warmblood gelding, two years ago after her sister stopped competing. Today was McCann’s first time in the International Arena, but she knew First Look was ready for the new environment. “I felt good. I knew when I went in for the first round that he felt really relaxed. We went in there, took a breath and he was great,” McCann noted.

Currently, McCann is flying down to Florida on weekends as much as she can to compete in the Adult Hunters. McCann balances working full time in commercial real estate while riding at a competitive level. Despite a busy schedule, McCann hopes to return to WEF at least a few more times during the second half of the circuit.

In the $5,000 Amateur-Owner 3’3″ Classic, Caroline Moran and her own Bacardi bested a field of 37 entries. A score of 89 in the first round advanced them to the top 12 where a 92 handily took the victory.

In a borrowed shadbelly – because she couldn’t find her own this morning – Moran took all the luck she could get to redeem a rough ride earlier in the week in the International Arena. “My horse [Bacardi] has been amazing all week, but I did not ride the best out here on Friday,” she said. “I wouldn’t have done the class except that I wanted to end on a good note, and I definitely accomplished that.”

Jumping to second behind Moran was Becky Gochman and David Gochman’s Touchdown, while Missy Luczak-Smith and her own Askaro rounded out the top three.

Moran rides and trains with Havens Schatt and gave credit where credit was due after her class. “Without the prep of Havens and my groom Danielle, there would have been no way this was possible. Havens and I bought Bacardi as pre-green horse, and she brought him up the ranks slowly so he would have confidence,” explained Moran. “I’ve been showing him at three or four horse shows a year, and I am actually still learning him.”

Moran admits that she retired from riding about seven years ago, but that Bacardi is slowly creeping her back into the sport. “If you can have a horse like this, it always stays fun,” she concluded.

The $5,000 Junior 3’3″ Classic capped WCHR week in the International Arena and saw 25 entries. Hannah Fuller was consistent on scores of 85 and 86 in the irons of Susan Fuller’s Alcado for the win. Sabrina Kalimian and Paige Mawson’s Latino were second with Raegan Rast and KOR, LLC’s Peter Pan finishing third.

A memorable trip for Fuller, her score of 86 marked the highest of her career. “I just wanted my second round to be as good as my first, so when I heard them say ’86’, I was really happy,” she said. “He [Alcado] is always usually pretty calm and doesn’t really look at much, so I wasn’t surprised that he was as good as he was,” she added.

The 2015 season marks Fuller’s second year with Alcado and she says she loves him for his classic style and appreciated the chance to ride in the International Arena at WEF. “The ring is so big it gives me a chance to show off his nice canter,” she said.

Fuller is 16 and currently a junior at Morristown-Beard school in New Jersey.

The 2015 Winter Equestrian Festival will continue with its seventh week of competition, sponsored by Suncast®, on February 18-22, 2015, featuring CSI 5* jumper and “AA” hunter competition. The highlight event of week seven is the $372,000 Suncast® CSI 5* Grand Prix on Saturday, February 21.For full results and more information, please visit www.pbiec.com.

Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
info@jenniferwoodmedia.com