Doda de Miranda and AD Nouvelle Europe Z. Photos copyright Sportfot.

Wellington, FL – January 14, 2016 – The first week of the 2016 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) continued Thursday at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) with top honors in the $35,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 1 presented to Brazil’s Doda de Miranda and AD Nouvelle Europe Z. WEF, which kicked off on Wednesday, continues through April 3 and awards $9 million in prize money.

Highlights of the first week of WEF include the $75,000 Battle of the Sexes on Saturday, January 16, at 7 pm, and the $75,000 Rosenbaum Mollengarden PLLC Grand Prix at 2 pm on Sunday, January 17. Both events will be live streamed at www.COTH.com.

AD Nouvelle Europe Z, a 12-year-old Zangersheide mare owned by Victory Equestrian Sport BV & A.A de Miranda Neto, carried de Miranda to the win to best a field of 48 horses. Course designer Eric Hasbrouck (USA) set the track, which produced 12 clear trips in the first round. Laura Kraut (USA) returned first over the jump-off course aboard Andretti S for owner Stars and Stripes. She stopped the clock clear in 36.07 seconds before de Miranda bumped her to second in a speedy 35.26 seconds.

Kraut held on for second place after another four double-clear efforts, while Filip de Wandel (BEL) and his own Gentley jumped to third in 36.22 seconds. Kraut also earned fourth place with Cherry Knoll Farm’s Constable in 37.81 seconds, and Denise Wilson (USA) rounded out the top five for Blue Gate Farm, LLC in the irons of Galous in 37.94 seconds.

De Miranda has had the ride on AD Nouvelle Europe Z since 2014 and is pleased with her success at the grand prix level. She last jumped at Doha in November before arriving in Wellington in early December to rest up for the WEF season.

“I am very proud of her today. She is a very competitive horse who always does her best for the rider and is very fast,” said de Miranda. “She jumped so well today that George Morris asked me to not enter Sunday’s grand prix and save her for FEI competition during Week 2.”

Morris, who watched from the sidelines on Thursday, has coached de Miranda and his wife Athina Onassis de Miranda on and off since 2013. Most recently, the Brazilian Equestrian Federation announced his appointment as team trainer in preparation for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games in August, a decision de Miranda is ecstatic about.

“I’m very happy to work with George, and I am lucky to have that opportunity,” said de Miranda. “He’s a legend and knows a lot about horses, but also gives confidence to the rider. When he coaches you, you believe you can do anything.”

In addition to the winning his portion of the $35,000 in prize money, de Miranda was awarded the $3,000 SSG Gloves “Go Clean for the Green” bonus. Each week of the WEF Challenge Series, a $3,000 bonus will be awarded to the winning rider if they are wearing SSG ‘Digital’ Riding Gloves in all rounds of competition with the SSG logo clearly visible.

Other highlights in the International Arena included Cian O’Connor riding to first and second in the $8,000 Douglas Elliman 1.45m Jumpers, winning aboard Crespo PKZ and taking second with Sam Du Challois. Also on Thursday, Cristina Heurtematte won the $2,500 MAYBACH – ICONS OF LUXURY High Amateur-Owner Jumper class in the irons of Holala Z.

Havens Schatt and Custom Made Come Out on Top in Equine Tack & Nutritionals Second Year Green Hunter Division

Havens Schatt of Georgetown, KY rode Shaw Johnson Price’s entry, Custom Made, to the Equine Tack & Nutritionals Second Year Green Working Hunter championship on Thursday. Over the two days of competition, the pair earned first, second and third place ribbons over fences.

Courtney Carey’s gelding, Overjoyed, ridden by Jennifer Bauersachs, proved to be strong competition for Schatt. Though they tied for points over jumps, Schatt’s second place finish in the under saddle secured her spot in the winner’s circle.

Bauersachs and Overjoyed settled for reserve champion after second and third place ribbons over fences and a win in the stake.

Schatt was delighted with the 11-year-old Mecklenburg gelding’s performance amidst such tough competition. “It was really a tough class with a lot of the best First Year horses from last year,” Schatt explained. While the pair ended 2015 with First Year Hunter championships at both Capital Challenge and the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, Schatt was happily surprised with the gelding following a three-month break before WEF.

“It took him one class and then he was good to go,” Schatt remarked before adding that she hopes Custom Made and his owner Price start the year by also continuing their winning ways. The pair earned the championship in the 3’3″ Amateur-Owner Hunter division at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show.

The first week of WEF continues on Friday with the Illustrated Properties 1.40m Speed Challenge and the Triple Crown Adult Amateur 36-49 Hunters. The week also features the Battle of the Sexes, which will be the first Saturday Night Lights event of the season. Competition will come to a close on Sunday with the $75,000 Rosenbaum Mollengarden PLLC Grand Prix, held in the International Arena.

For more information and full results, please visit www.pbiec.com.

Lindsay Brock and Callie Seaman for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
info@jenniferwoodmedia.com

Doda de Miranda and AD Amigo B. Photo © Sportfot.

Wellington, FL – February 18, 2015 – The 2015 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) began its seventh week of competition at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) on Wednesday with a win for Brazila’s Alvaro ‘Doda’ de Miranda and AD Amigo B in the $34,000 1.45m FEI speed class. Andrew Ramsay (USA) and Welfare finished second; Samuel Parot (CHI) and Tailormade Anna Chacca placed third.

Suncast® is the title sponsor of week seven at WEF. Competition runs February 18-22 featuring the $372,000 Suncast® CSI 5* Grand Prix on Saturday, February 21. Other highlights include the $127,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 7 on Thursday afternoon and the $85,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic on Sunday morning. All three of these events will be livestreamed at www.COTH.com. Watch tomorrow’s class HERE: http://bit.ly/19y8urf. The 12-week WEF circuit continues through March 29, 2015, awarding over $8.2 million in prize money.

Steve Stephens (USA) is the course designer in the International Arena for week seven. He set the speed track for 69 competitors in the 1.45m class and saw an even thirty clear rounds. Third to go, Doda de Miranda and AD Amigo B set the leading pace at 55.16 seconds and held on to the end for victory. Ramsay and Welfare clocked in at 56.46 seconds to finish in second place. Parot and Tailormade Anna Chacca had a time of 57.82 seconds to place third.

“He was very good today. The course was super for him because it had long lines, and he has a big stride,” De Miranda said of his round. “I was a little unsure if it would be possible to win because normally he takes more time on the jumps. He jumps very high over the oxers and I knew there were a few horses coming that are very quick on the ground and don’t lose too much time in the jump, but it was good. Going in the beginning like that I knew that I needed to go as fast as possible. It worked. We had a good plan, and I am very happy.”

De Miranda and the ten-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Tadmus x Heartbreaker) won the same class during week four and AD Amigo B had last week off to rest. He will have a day off tomorrow and jump again in Friday’s 1.45m.

“I hope now with one day off he will be good again on Friday,” the rider expressed. “Sometimes he can get very difficult in the mouth when you go fast one day. It is good that he will have one day in between classes that he can flat a little bit and do some poles on the ground just so he’s more relaxed.”

“He is a very sweet horse,” De Miranda detailed. “He is spooky, not in the fences, but in the warm-up. I have to watch out because he sees something, and he will spin very quickly. He gets scared with noise or quick movement, like in the wind today he was like that a little bit, but when he goes in the arena he is very focused and he is 100% with the rider. Some horses are okay in the warm-up arena and then they go in the show ring and they give you trouble, but he is the other way around, which is nice. You cannot relax in the warm-up because you don’t want to fall off for a stupid reason, but when he is in (the show ring) you can press him one thousand percent and he is going to do everything to do his best for the rider.”

Also showing on Wednesday, the $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m speed class was held in a California Split with wins for Lisa Goldman and her own Morocco as well as Ben Maher aboard Niko Detlef’s Contigo. Goldman also won the $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m jump-off class later in the day riding Mary Goldman’s Centurion B.

Competition continues on Thursday with the $127,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 7 featured in the International Arena and the presentation of championship honors to the Pre Green Hunter 3′ division in the Rost Arena. For full results and more information, please visit www.pbiec.com.

Lauren Fisher for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
info@jenniferwoodmedia.com

Doda de Miranda and AD Amigo B. Photo © Sportfot.

Wellington, FL – January 28, 2015 – The 2015 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) began its fourth week of competition, sponsored by Fidelity Investments®, on Wednesday with a $34,000 1.45m speed class to kick things off in the International Arena at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC). Following a win in Sunday’s $34,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic with AD Argos to conclude week three, Brazil’s Alvaro ‘Doda’ de Miranda kept his winning momentum going with a victory in the first class of week four aboard AD Amigo B.

WEF four runs January 28 – February 1, 2015. The week will feature the $372,000 FEI World Cup™ Grand Prix CSI-W 5*, presented by Fidelity Investments®, on Saturday, January 31. Other highlights include the $127,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 4 on Thursday, January 29, the $25,000 Artisan Farms Under 25 Grand Prix Team Event, presented by the McNerney Family, on Friday, January 30, at The Stadium at PBIEC, and the $85,000 Suncast® 1.50M Championship Classic on Sunday, February 1.

The $50,000 Wellington Eventing Showcase, presented by Asheville Regional Airport, will also be held during week four on January 30-31, 2015. The special showcase will feature some of eventing’s top horses and riders competing for phenomenal prize money in the winter equestrian capital of the world.

Thursday’s $127,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 4, all three phases of the $50,000 Wellington Eventing Showcase, presented by Asheville Regional Airport, and Saturday night’s $372,000 FEI World Cup™ Grand Prix CSI-W 5*, presented by Fidelity Investments®, will be live streamed at www.COTH.com.

The course designer in the International Arena at PBIEC for week four is Guilherme Jorge of Brazil. Jorge set the morning’s 1.45m speed course for 58 starters with 18 clear rounds. Darragh Kenny (IRL) set the pace with an early clear aboard Toffolon Partners LLC’s Gatsby in 60.30 seconds to eventually finish fourth. Eric Lamaze (CAN) soon came along with Artisan Farms LLC’s Rosana du Park to take the lead in 59.72 seconds. They held on through most of the class, but were later pushed into second place. Andres Rodriguez (VEN) and Arao Enterprises LLC’s Caballito jumped into third place in 60.05 seconds, followed by Doda de Miranda and AD Amigo B, who took the winning edge with their time of 59.61 seconds.

Owned by de Miranda and Victory Equestrian Sport BV, AD Amigo B is a ten-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding by Tadmus x Heartbreaker. De Miranda bought Amigo B when the horse was six years old and explained that they have developed a great partnership over the past few years.

“He is a very nice horse. It is very good when you ride a horse since they were young like that because you know exactly how they feel,” de Miranda stated. “You know what to do in the warm-up and you can see when you walk the course whether it is a good class for them or not. Today, the class fit him very well.”

AD Amigo B has not shown since August when de Miranda made the decision to geld the horse and he has since made a lot of progress.

“He was a stallion and he was very fresh and would get distracted sometimes,” the rider detailed.

“This is the first show after that. I did one week of a national show and a lot of training at home. I have not competed with him for almost six months, but I did a lot of rounds at home. I think the program was very good because he got here fresh and happy.”

Although de Miranda did not get a chance to see the leading round of Eric Lamaze before he went, he knew the time to beat was quick.

“I walked the course in the morning and then I went to FEI to ride him a little bit because I didn’t want him so fresh. I saw a few going and I saw Eric’s time, so I knew it was very fast,” de Miranda said. “Since I didn’t see his round I can’t compare, but one place that I took a lot of risk was to the last combination because I came in completely at an angle against the fence. The horse was very clever because I took all the risk there and he jumped quite well. I think if I had not taken that option I would not have been in the top three.”

De Miranda enjoyed jumping the morning’s course set by fellow Brazilian, Guilherme Jorge, noting, “When I was living in Brazil I jumped a lot of his courses and I have also jumped them in the United States and Europe and Canada. I like the way that he builds very much. He really respects the horse and the rider, especially the horse. I think that is important. He is one course designer who builds up day after day and in the most important class, he gets the best of the horses and riders without taking too much from the horses.”

With back to back wins, de Miranda is having a great start to the winter and explained that he enjoys the opportunity to compete at the Winter Equestrian Festival each year.

“Apart from escaping the winter in Europe, it is very nice to show here because it is such a top organization,” he stated. “Everybody that works here is the best professional in what they do. It doesn’t matter if it is in the show office or the in-gate; they are all very good.”

“Nowadays, you also have the top riders here,” de Miranda continued. “Before, you would see three or four top riders in the results and a lot of very good American riders, but now we have more top riders also coming from Europe, which makes it even more special. You can prepare the horses here for the rest of the season and the classes here are tougher than anywhere else. They are very fast. I think this is a perfect place also for the fact that you can compete in the same arena a lot. If you have a horse that you want to prepare for the grand prixs it can give them a lot of confidence. Also, if you want to give them a fresher mind you can go to the small classes. This is a great place to show and I hope we can keep coming every year.”

De Miranda plans to show AD Amigo B again on Friday and, if the horse continues to jump well, he hopes to compete in the CSI 3* grand prix next week. In addition to the win, AD Amigo B was awarded the Champion Equine Insurance Jumper Style Award, presented by Laura Fetterman.

Also showing on Wednesday, Thomas Cerra and Three Sister Farm’s Cassandra Z won Section A in a California Split in the $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m speed class. Julie Welles was the winner in Section B with Missy Clark and Stephex Stables’ Twan. Meagan Nusz and Amalaya Investments’ Vesuvius won the $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m jump-off class.

Competition continues on Thursday with the $127,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 4 featured in the International Arena and the presentation of championship honors to the CWD Performance Hunter 3’6″ in the Rost Arena. For full results and more information, please visit www.pbiec.com.

Lauren Fisher for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
info@jenniferwoodmedia.com