Tag Archives: Eric Lamaze

Hunter/Equitation, Jennifer Wood, Show Jumping

Three for Three: Lamaze Tops $35,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 4

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Eric Lamaze and Check Picobello Z. Photos copyright Sportfot.

Kelley Farmer Clinches the Equine Tack and Nutritionals First Year Green Hunter Championship aboard Like I Said

Wellington, FL – February 4, 2016 – Week four of the 2016 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) continued on Thursday with a win for Eric Lamaze (CAN) and Check Picobello Z in the $35,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 4. The win marks three in a row for Lamaze in this year’s Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Series, with victories in weeks two and three aboard Rosana du Park.

WEF 4, sponsored by Ariat®, runs February 3-7, 2016, at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, FL. The week will feature the Great Charity Challenge presented by Fidelity Investments® on Saturday, February 6. Other highlights include the $35,000 Illustrated Properties 1.45m Classic in the WEF International Ring and the $25,000 Artisan Farms U25 Grand Prix Team Event, presented by the McNerney Family, at The Stadium at PBIEC on Friday; the $35,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic on Saturday; and the $216,000 Ariat® Grand Prix CSI 4* at The Stadium at PBIEC on Sunday. Also held on Friday and Saturday at The Stadium at PBIEC is the Asheville Regional Airport Wellington Eventing Showcase, presented by Wellington Equestrian Realty. All of these events will be live streamed at www.COTH.com. The 12-week WEF circuit runs through April 3, offering more than $9 million in prize money.

Guilherme Jorge (BRA) is the international course designer for WEF 4 and set the track for 56 entries in Thursday’s Challenge Cup. Fourteen jumped clear in round one, and 12 continued on to the jump-off, where six double clear rounds were completed.

Kevin Babington (IRL) and Mark Q set the pace in 42.02 seconds, which eventually placed third. Daniel Bluman (COL) and Conconcreto Believe were next to clear the short course in 42.57 seconds to finish fourth. Lillie Keenan (USA) and Chansonette Farm LLC’s Super Sox were next to go, clear in 41.86 seconds to take over the lead, but eventually finish second. Audrey Coulter (USA) also cleared the jump-off with Copernicus Stables LLC’s Alex, placing sixth overall, with a time of 43.46. Lamaze and Check Picobello Z followed with the winning round in 41.43 seconds, and last to go, Pedro Muylaert (BRA) jumped into fifth with a time of 42.90 seconds riding Rubens Takaneo’s Colorado.

Tiffany Foster (CAN) and Brighton, and Todd Minikus (USA) and Babalou 41 were each faster than Lamaze, but incurred faults.

Check Picobello Z is a 10-year-old Zangersheide gelding (Cardento x Orlando) that Lamaze purchased from Ilan Ferder when the horse was seven years old. Check Picobello Z is owned by Artisan Farms, LLC & Torrey Pines. The gelding had an injury that kept him from competing at the end of the 2015 season, but he came back to place second in the $35,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic during week one and now picked up a win.

“I am really excited, especially today,” Lamaze stated following his round of honor. “I believed in this horse from the beginning, but it was a long time in the making. He was not the easiest horse to ride, and he was always really careful. He is still a little hard to maneuver at times, but I always believed that he could be a really good horse. He started to show us that by the middle of Spruce Meadows in the summer tour, and then he got hurt, so he missed the rest of the summer. I was not sure what I was going to have at the beginning of this circuit with him, but he came right back where he left off, so I could not be happier.”

Lamaze watched some of the early jump-off rounds and made his plan to do nine strides in one line where everyone else paced ten, but once in the ring, he did not need to leave out the stride.

“I did not count between jumps one, two, or three, to be honest,” Lamaze detailed. “After fence one, we landed a little right, so I just got back on track and then I stayed on ten strides. I got a good slice at the Liverpool and then I knew I could trust him at the double. He has a big stride, so coming home was good. I was not sure if I was on it. It did not feel like the fastest jump-off to me, but today it was good enough.”

The rider spoke further about Check Picobello Z and the transformation that the gelding has made in the last couple of years, specifically coming back for jump-off rounds.

“His ride is a bit different,” Lamaze said. “He does not really appreciate help. He likes to go his own way, and you have to just leave it up to him and he really does amazing things. At the beginning of last year in Florida, he jumped a lot of clear rounds, but I had trouble coming back in the jump-offs. I always had a rail or two, either from conditioning or from him trying so hard in the first round and being tired for the jump-off, or me trying too hard in the warm-up. It just did not work in the jump-offs. Now a year later, things have changed. This is his first big win.”

“As an eight-year-old, I never went fast in any classes because he was not so easy to ride, and I did not believe it was a good thing for him to learn,” Lamaze continued. “When he was nine I tried, and by then I was a little bit confused about how to come back with him in a second round, but by the summer he started getting things.”

With another win under his belt, Lamaze plans to bring out his big guns next week with another horse, Fine Lady 5. ‘Fine Lady’ was the rider’s mount for three out of his five Challenge Cup wins in the 2015 circuit and will contest the class in next week’s CSI 5* competition.

“That is my most ready, competitive horse,” Lamaze stated. “She is so dependable, and I know her so well. She is so quick. She will do two 1.40m classes this week and come out in the WEF (Challenge Cup) next week, so we will see what comes of it. I am starting every horse very easily. I do some easy classes and then I come into these classes with horses that are fresh and capable, but you need a certain amount of luck as well, which I seem to be having on Thursdays.”

In addition to the winning prize money, Lamaze picked up a $3,000 bonus for the third week in a row for wearing SSG ‘Digital’ style riding gloves as part of the SSG Gloves ‘Go Clean for the Green’ promotion. That brings his tally up to $9,000 in bonus money for the circuit so far.

Also showing in the International Ring on Thursday, Darragh Kenny (IRL) and Kerry Anne LLC’s Glamour van de Kakebeek won the $8,000 Douglas Elliman 1.45m jump-off class. Emanuel Andrade was victorious in the $2,500 MAYBACH – ICONS OF LUXURY High Amateur-Owner Jumper speed class with Belita.

Kelley Farmer Clinches the Equine Tack and Nutritionals First Year Green Hunter Championship Aboard Like I Said

The First Year Green Hunter division, which was presented by Equine Tack and Nutritionals, awarded Kelley Farmer and Like I Said championship honors on Thursday morning in the E. R. Mische Grand Hunter Field. Kelley Farmer and Tara Metzner had to stand out in a competitive field of 23 entries in an intense battle for the championship win. Having earned only a second-place finish over fences on Wednesday, Farmer needed wins in both jumping classes on Thursday to beat out Tara Metzner and Davlyn Farm’s Cy Young. Farmer succeeded, winning both over fences classes on Thursday.

Kelley Farmer and Like I Said
Kelley Farmer and Like I Said

Farmer shined in the second over fences class, earning an impressive score of 98 and securing her championship victory by one point. Metzner and Cy Young settled for the reserve honors, after winning both over fences classes on Wednesday, placing fourth in an over fences class on Thursday, and earning a third in the under saddle.

Like I Said is an eight-year-old Mecklenburg mare owned by David Glefke and Kent Farrington. The mare is a recent import from Europe, and this was Farmer’s inaugural show with her. The cancellation of professional hunter divisions due to rain prevented them from competing last week.

“Wow,” was Farmer’s excited response to her impressive score of 98 today over fences. It was an unexpected honor that left Larry and Kelley visibly overjoyed. “This was her maiden voyage. She was great!” Farmer remarked.

“She just does it so easily, and she jumps so careful and high. You never have to pick up the reins on her,” Farmer explained about what she believes makes this horse and her round today so special. “She goes so smooth and then gets high and crisp,” she added.

“She is easy, brave, simple… she just wants to do it,” Farmer said. Like I Said also competed in the High Performance Hunter division on Wednesday, earning a second and a sixth over fences.

“I think she can do a little bit of everything. I think she has it all,” Farmer noted about her future plans with the mare that she will continue to show throughout circuit in the First Years and the High Performance Hunters.

The fourth week of competition at the 2016 Winter Equestrian Festival continues on Friday with a busy schedule on two sides of the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. The $35,000 Illustrated Properties 1.45m Classic will be featured in the International Ring, and the Asheville Regional Airport Adult Amateur Hunter 36-49 Section A will award championship honors in the Rost Arena in the morning. The $25,000 Artisan Farms Under 25 Grand Prix Team Event, presented by the McNerney Family, will be held at The Stadium at PBIEC in the evening. For more information and full results, please visit www.pbiec.com.

Lauren Fisher and Callie Seaman for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
info@jenniferwoodmedia.com

Hunter/Equitation, Jennifer Wood, Show Jumping

Eric Lamaze and Rosana du Park Make It Two in a Row in 2016 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Series

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Eric Lamaze and Rosana du Park. Photos copyright Sportfot.

Hardin Towell and Pepperpot Top $35,000 Illustrated Properties 1.45m Classic

Wellington, FL – January 29, 2016 – Week three of the 2016 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) got off to a late start due to inclement weather at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) Wednesday and Thursday, but competition was in full swing on Friday with wins for Eric Lamaze (CAN) and Hardin Towell (USA) in the International Ring. Lamaze and Rosana du Park took home the top prize in the Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Series for the second week in a row, and Towell and Pepperpot were victorious in the Illustrated Properties 1.45m Classic.

Week three of the Winter Equestrian Festival continues through Sunday, January 31, sponsored by Adequan®. The weekend will feature the $130,000 Adequan® Grand Prix CSI 3* on Saturday night and concludes on Sunday with the $35,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic. The 12-week WEF circuit runs through April 3 offering more than $9 million in prize money.

Luc Musette of Belgium returns to WEF as course designer in the International Ring for week three competition. In Friday’s $35,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 3, Musette saw 71 entries jump his first round course, with 15 qualifying for the jump-off. Thirteen chose to return for the second round, where Canadian Olympic Champion Eric Lamaze took the win for the second week in a row aboard Artisan Farms LLC and Torrey Pines Stable’s Rosana du Park.

Nick Skelton (GBR) was the first rider to clear the short course aboard Niel Moffitt’s Untouched in a time of 46.45 seconds that eventually finished fourth. Lamaze and Rosana du Park blazed through the course next in the winning time of 38.57 seconds. Lacey Gilbertson (USA) and Seabrook LLC’s Echo D were next to clear the track in 43.65 seconds to finish third. Last to go, Conor Swail (IRL) rode Ruben’s LS La Silla to second place honors for owner Vanessa Mannix with a clear jump-off in 42.12 seconds.

Lamaze continues his success with the 11-year-old Selle Francais mare, Rosana du Park (by Kannan), who also topped two Challenge Cup classes in a row in 2015. The rider followed that up with three more wins aboard Fine Lady 5 to total five victories in the series over the 2015 circuit. This year, he is off to another great start.

“It is always great to go in a jump-off knowing that you have one of the fastest horses in the class,” Lamaze proclaimed. “Nick was fast on his horse. He made seven strides from (jumps) one to two, which I was hoping I could see somebody do before I did it. I saw everybody do eight strides, and I thought it could be seven, but it always makes you feel better when somebody does it before you. Once Nick did it, I said, ‘Okay, the door is open to make seven.’ I did eight strides to the double, and then I had the skinny on a big stride and I turned to the other oxer on a big stride, and the last one came forward again. In these jump-offs, the distance has to be in front of you to take. If it is not, it makes a difference.”

“She is really careful; she is made up,” Lamaze said of Rosana’s consistency. “She knows her job. There is nothing she does not know, and she fits in any distances. You are not going from one to two in seven strides thinking that she is going to have a chance to knock it down. If you get one little rub in the warm-up you have full confidence. Her technique is impeccable. Her front end is so quick, and she has a great desire to want to do it.”

In addition to the winning prize money, Lamaze picked up a $3,000 bonus for the second week in a row for wearing SSG ‘Digital’ style riding gloves as part of the ‘SSG Gloves Go Clean for the Green’ promotion. That brings his total up to $6,000 in bonus money for the circuit so far.

Lamaze will compete with Rosana du Park again in Saturday night’s $130,000 Adequan® Grand Prix CSI 3*. The mare will then have a well-deserved holiday for a week or two.

Towell Opens WEF 3 with a Win

The $35,000 Illustrated Properties 1.45m kicked off competition in the International Ring on Friday morning with a win for Hardin Towell (USA) and Jennifer Gates LLC’s Pepperpot. Course designer Luc Musette had 66 entries jump his one-round speed track with eight clear entries. Second to go, Towell laid down a time of 60.48 seconds that would go unbeaten.

Shane Sweetnam (IRL) and Spy Coast Farm LLC’s Eregast van’t Kiezelhof clocked in three rounds later with a time of 61.53 seconds to eventually finish third. Richard Spooner (USA) came 54th in the order with a time of 61.41 seconds aboard Little Valley Farms’ Chivas Z to take second place honors.

Hardin Towell and Pepperpot
Hardin Towell and Pepperpot

Owner Jennifer Gates purchased Pepperpot, a 14-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare (Heritage Fortunus x Diamonds Are Trumps), following the Spruce Meadows Summer Series in 2015. The experienced mare previously competed under Egypt’s Sameh el Dahan, followed by USA’s Caitlin Ziegler, and Canada’s Tiffany Foster.

“She is just a great horse,” Towell stated after his win. “Jenn and I have both shown her. When we first got her, and Jenn and I were away, my girlfriend showed her a little bit to get her in the ring. She is just a really nice horse.”

“I jumped the mare last week in the grand prix, and she was very good,” Towell continued. “Today I went early in the class. The strides did not suit a big-strided horse because they were all a little bit waiting, but then it was hard to do the leave-outs, so it actually suited her because she has a bit of a choppy stride. All of the lines just ended up really smooth. After I went, I really did not feel like I was that quick, but she is just naturally a quick horse.”

“I watched some rounds at the beginning, but I did not see the end,” Towell noted. “I know McLain (Ward) said he had my time, but he had a rail. I just stayed on the rhythm and tried to be smooth. I think I did the same strides as most people, but she is just quick. I went in there early in the class, and did not have any thoughts about what I had to beat, so I just went around and the mare jumped really well.”

Towell plans to compete Pepperpot again in Sunday’s $35,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic. He might also jump the mare in next week’s Great Charity Challenge, presented by Fidelity Investments®.

“You can kind of use her for everything,” Towell stated. “She is a nice Irish mare, and she is a little older, but she has jumped everywhere. You ask anything out of her, and she would do it.”

WEF 3 continues on Saturday featuring the $35,000 Douglas Elliman 1.45m Classic in the International Ring in the morning and the $130,000 Adequan® Grand Prix CSI 3* in the evening. The Large Junior Hunter 15 & Under division, sponsored by Charleigh’s Cookies, will award championship honors in the E. R. Mische Grand Hunter Ring. For more information and full results, please visit www.pbiec.com.

Lauren Fisher for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
info@jenniferwoodmedia.com

Competitions, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Eric Lamaze Begins Another WEF Circuit with Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Victory

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Eric Lamaze and Rosana du Park. Photos copyright Sportfot.

Wellington, FL – January 21, 2016 – The Winter Equestrian Festival saw an unprecedented streak of wins last year in the Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Series by Olympic Gold Medalist Eric Lamaze of Canada. He took home five victories in the Series in 2015, including four in a row and the top placing in this same class with the same horse, Rosana du Park, owned by Artisan Farms. Lamaze topped a large jump-off field on Thursday, which included Laura Kraut (USA) on Andretti S, who placed second, and Beezie Madden (USA), who rode Breitling to third.

Week two of the Winter Equestrian Festival continues through Sunday, January 24, and is sponsored by Marshall & Sterling Insurance. The week will feature several major classes including the $86,000 Marshall & Sterling Insurance Grand Prix CSI 2* on Saturday, January 23, and the $25,000 Artisan Farms Under 25 Grand Prix, presented by Equine Couture/TuffRider, on Sunday, January 24.

Today’s class had 96 entries, and while 24 were clear to advance to the jump-off, only 20 chose to return. Setting the winning pace as the first entry back in the second round, Lamaze and Rosana du Park blazed through the course in 35.58 seconds. Finishing second in the Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup for the second week in a row were Kraut and Andretti S, owned by Stars and Stripes. They were just off the pace in 36.35 seconds. Third place went to Madden and Breitling, owned by Abigail Wexner, in 36.66 seconds. Finishing in 37.67 seconds, Margie Engle (USA) and Indigo, owned by Griese, Garber, Hidden Creek and Gladewinds, were fourth, while Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum (GER) and Comanche 28, owned by Artemis Equestrian Farm LLC, were fifth in 38.92 seconds.

Lamaze followed the same plan as 2015 for the start of the WEF circuit; he gave his horses a long break so that they were “really fresh” to start the winter show season. He noted that Rosana du Park, an 11-year-old Selle Francais mare by Kannan, was ready for WEF to start. “She did two little classes the first week and then geared up toward this class, and it paid off today,” he confirmed.

Praise for Rosana du Park comes easily as she is a jack-of-all-trades. Lamaze explained, “She’s a really competitive horse so if you’re in a jump-off with 20 horses – even if you’re first – it’s clear what you have to do, so strategy is simple and I’m very much sitting on the right horse. She’s versatile; she can do anything.”

Lamaze will compete on Saturday night in the $86,000 Marshall & Sterling Insurance Grand Prix CSI 2* with Rosana du Park and plans to aim her at some other big classes throughout the circuit.

Building a 1.45m course today in the second week of WEF with 96 starters was no easy feat, but Lamaze praised the design by Course Designer Catsy Cruz of Mexico. “I thought it was very fair, time allowed was short, (and) the triple combination was very careful, but not overly scopey, so a lot of young horses could make a debut in this competition. It was a good introduction,” he said.

In addition to his class victory, Lamaze picked up a $3,000 bonus for wearing SSG ‘Digital’ style riding gloves as part of the ‘SSG Gloves Go Clean for the Green’ promotion.

Kelley Farmer and Clever Conversation Capture the Shapley’s Grooming Products Regular Conformation Hunter Championship

Kelley Farmer of Keswick, VA kicked off her week with the tricolor honors in the Regular Conformation Hunter division, which was sponsored by Shapley’s Grooming Products. Farmer piloted Clever Conversation to two wins and fourth place over fences and also won the model and the under saddle. Scott Stewart and Stephanie Danhakl’s First Light settled for the reserve title after winning both over fences classes on Thursday and jumping to second and fifth on Wednesday. They were third in the model and fifth under saddle.

Kelley Farmer and Clever Conversation
Kelley Farmer and Clever Conversation

Clever Conversation is a seven-year-old Warmblood gelding, owned by Woodland Way, Inc. and Kensel, LLC. “He is still a First Year horse and does the Green Conformation Hunters as well,” Farmer remarked.

Farmer noted that the young horse easily jumps the 3’9″ height in the Regular Conformation division.

She added, “He still has his baby moments, but he is a really good horse. He is super brave, super quiet, super easy and very straightforward.”

Farmer only showed the horse a handful of times last year, but she has high hopes for him this season. “He has all the parts and wants to do it right,” she commented.

Competition was fierce during this second week of WEF. Farmer was thrilled with the quality and quantity of horses in the division. “It’s lovely to see. It’s really nice to have some [good] numbers in the hunter divisions,” Farmer commented.

WEF 2 continues tomorrow with a full day of jumper competition, including the $2,500 MAYBACH – ICONS OF LUXURY High Amateur-Owner Jumpers, as well as championship presentations in the Animal Medical Center Low Adult Hunter 2’6″ Section A. For more information and full results, please visit www.pbiec.com.

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

Competitions, Show Jumping

Eric Lamaze Closes 2015 Season with Top Three Finish in Geneva

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Eric Lamaze riding Fine Lady 5. Photo by Kit Houghton/Rolex.

Geneva, Switzerland – Canada’s Eric Lamaze closed out the 2015 season with a top three finish in the Rolex Grand Prix on Sunday, December 13, in Geneva, Switzerland.

One of three legs comprising the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping, Geneva attracted 40 of the world’s best riders looking to claim the coveted title and a portion of the 1 million Swiss Francs (approximately $1.4 million CAD) in prize money on offer. A total of 16 riders were clear in the first round to advance to the jump-off where the leading time became increasingly faster and faster. Lamaze moved to the top of the leaderboard with a time of 41.45 seconds following his performance with Fine Lady 5, but would see it eclipsed by Steve Guerdat of Switzerland, who stopped the clock in 40.94 seconds for the win, and Simon Delestre of France, who posted a time of 40.97 seconds to finish runner-up riding Qlassic Bois Margot.

While Lamaze was crowned the Olympic Champion in 2008 with the great Hickstead, fellow Rolex Testimonee Guerdat is the reigning Olympic Champion with Nino des Buissonnets. It was Nino who came out on top in Geneva, giving the home crowd an incredible victory to celebrate. With the win, 33-year-old Guerdat starts his quest to win the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping, a title that goes to any rider who wins the Grand Prix of Geneva, Aachen, Germany, and Calgary, Canada, in succession.

“It is very exciting for me to be back competing at this level,” said Lamaze, who claimed the Rolex Grand Prix of Geneva in 2008 and also placed second in 2010 riding Hickstead on both occasions. “It brings back great memories of having won the Grand Prix here before. It was an incredible jump-off, and is a great end of season result for me.

“Geneva is the best indoor show in the world, and it is extremely important to the riders,” continued Lamaze, who was also third in Thursday evening’s Credit Suisse Grand Prix after jumping double clear with Fine Lady 5. “The level of competition is so high, and the classes are very competitive. Everyone is very excited for what the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping has brought to our sport; the three venues comprising the Grand Slam are the best in the world, and all are unique events like no other.”

Gilbert De Roock of Belgium, who has coached Lamaze to many wins over the years as well as his individual bronze medal at the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games in Lexington, KY, helped Lamaze in both Paris and Geneva. While Geneva may have been his final event of the season, Lamaze’s performance with Fine Lady 5 begins a new chapter on the road to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

“After the Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ tournament in September, I rested my horses with the plan to compete at Paris and Geneva with Powerplay and Fine Lady,” explained Lamaze of the back-to-back five-star indoor shows. “Powerplay was intended to be my lead horse but he wasn’t feeling well and wasn’t able to go. Fine Lady had to step up to be my main horse, doing the Grand Prix in Paris and the Grand Prix here in Geneva. I must say, she is growing into the role.”

Lamaze was partnered with Fine Lady 5, a 12-year-old Hanoverian mare (Forsyth x Drosselklang II), in the spring of 2014 when the Ziegler family of Artisan Farms purchased her from Germany’s Holger Wulschner. They have since scored numerous victories at the 1.45m and 1.50m levels, especially when Lamaze could use Fine Lady 5’s naturally quick pace to his advantage.

“This mare, Fine Lady, is a possibility for the Olympics,” said Lamaze, 47. “She is showing more power and more heart at this level. Sometimes when you walk a course, some of the fences look too big for her to jump, but she never gives up, and she’s a true competitor who is starting to show me that she can do some of the biggest classes. She’s growing with every big event that I put her in. She seems to learn a way to do it. From a qualify aspect, she has all the quality you would want to have at the Olympics. We will have a good plan for her this winter, and see where that takes us.”

With the conclusion of Geneva, Lamaze returns to North America in preparation for the 12-week Winter Equestrian Festival, running January 13 through to April 3, 2016, in Wellington, FL.

“Next year is a big year, and I’m looking forward to gearing up for that,” said Lamaze, who will be training several Canadian Olympic Show Jumping Team hopefuls over the winter, including his TORONTO 2015 Pan American Games gold medal teammates Tiffany Foster and Yann Candele, as well as traveling alternate Elizabeth Gingras and Kara Chad. “We have a lot of students that are looking very promising to be on our team for the Olympics. Working with our chef d’equipe Mark Laskin, we are trying to put together teams to compete in the Nations’ Cups in Rome, La Baule and Aachen. Team competition is very important in preparation for the Olympics. We go back to work in January, and will see what comes out of next year.”

Lamaze and his mounts are based full-time at Andy and Carlene Ziegler’s Artisan Farms, with locations in Wellington, FL and Vrasene, Belgium. In addition, Lamaze, in partnership with the Chad and Edwards families of Calgary, AB, have purchased a new training facility in Grand Prix Village in Wellington, FL. Named Torrey Pines in honour of Lamaze’s iconic show jumping stable, the new facility enables all of Lamaze’s students to be based together for ease of training. Candele, working alongside Lamaze, will provide coaching and training support in the new Torrey Pines venture.

For more information on Eric Lamaze, visit www.EricLamaze.com.

Contact: Jennifer Ward
Starting Gate Communications
Cell: (613) 292-5439
www.startinggate.ca

Competitions, Show Jumping, Spruce Meadows

Eric Lamaze Claims Third Career Victory in ATCO Cup

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Photo © Starting Gate Communications.

Calgary, Canada – Canada’s Eric Lamaze scored victory in the $35,000 ATCO Structures & Logistics Cup for the third time in his career at the CSIO5* Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ tournament on Thursday, September 10. The five-day international show jumping tournament takes place September 9 through 13 in Calgary, AB.

Lamaze and Fine Lady 5 entered the $35,000 ATCO Structures & Logistics Cup as the defending champions, having taken the win last year. Lamaze had also been victorious in the same event in 2011 with Coriana van Klapscheut.

This year, the Canadian Olympic Champion faced a starting field of 40 challengers in his quest to defend his title. When a total of 17 riders cleared the first round track set by two-time Olympic course designer Leopoldo Palacios of Venezuela, Lamaze had his work cut out for him. A competitive jump-off saw Canadian Olympian Lisa Carlsen of Spruce Grove, AB move into the lead after crossing the timers in 39.88 seconds riding Worlds Judgement. Her time at the top would be short-lived, however, as Lamaze guided Fine Lady 5 around the jump-off track and through the timers in 39.70 seconds to take the win.

“This is an event that is always won by a really fast horse,” said Lamaze, who is the all-time leading money winner at Spruce Meadows with earnings totalling more than $4.3 million to date. “Fine Lady is very fast. It doesn’t matter what people tell you about how fast the person was before you; you know you always have a chance with her to beat it. With some horses, you know it is not possible, but with her, it is always possible.”

Lamaze has been partnered with the 12-year-old Hanoverian mare (Forsyth x Drosselklang II) since the spring of 2014 when owners Andy and Carlene Ziegler of Artisan Farms LLC purchased her from Germany’s Holger Wulschner.

On Saturday, Lamaze will ride Fine Lady 5 as Canada attempts to defend its title in the $300,000 BMO Nations’ Cup. Lamaze will ride alongside Yann Candele of Caledon, ON, Tiffany Foster of North Vancouver, BC, and Ian Millar of Perth, ON as members of the Canadian Team.

For Sunday’s $1.5 million CP International, presented by Rolex, Lamaze plans to saddle up Artisan Farms LLC’s 10-year-old Rheinlander stallion, Coco Bongo, his mount at the recent TORONTO 2015 Pan American Games where Canada won the team gold medal. Lamaze is a two-time winner of the richest grand prix event held on North American soil, having claimed victory in 2007 and 2011 riding the legendary Hickstead.

For more information on Eric Lamaze, visit www.EricLamaze.com.

Contact: Jennifer Ward
Starting Gate Communications
Cell: (613) 292-5439
www.startinggate.ca

*Featured/Spotlights, Show Jumping, Spruce Meadows

Gregory Wathelet and Algorhythem Win $126,000 CANA Cup at Spruce Meadows

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Gregory Wathelet of BEL riding Algorhythem. Photos © Spruce Meadows Media Services.

Eric Lamaze and Fine Lady 5 Top $35,000 ATCO Structures & Logistics Cup

Calgary, AB, Canada – September 10, 2015 – The 2015 Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament CSIO 5* hosted its second day of competition with the world’s best horses and riders Thursday. Belgium’s Gregory Wathelet celebrated his 35th birthday as well as his first trip ever to Spruce Meadows with a win in the $126,000 CANA Cup 1.60m riding Algorhythem. Earlier in the afternoon, Canada’s Eric Lamaze rode to victory in the $35,000 ATCO Structures and Logistics Cup 1.50m for the second year in a row aboard Fine Lady 5.

Watch highlights from Thursday’s competition at the Masters.

The ‘Masters’ Tournament features five days of competition through Sunday, September 13, with highlights including Saturday’s $300,000 BMO Nations’ Cup and Sunday’s $1.5 Million CP International, presented by Rolex. One of the most prestigious grand prix events in the world, the CP International is part of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping, where Scott Brash (GBR) will attempt to become the first rider to ever take the Grand Slam title. Brash already made history by winning two consecutive legs of the challenge with victories at CHI Geneva in December followed by a second victory at CHIO Aachen a few months later. An unprecedented €1 million in bonus money is on offer to any rider who can win all three grand prix events in succession.

On Thursday, the $126,000 CANA Cup was the feature event, shown over a 1.60m track set by Venezuela’s Leopoldo Palacios. Forty-seven entries contested the first round course, which yielded 14 clear rounds. Six entries were also able to clear the jump-off track without fault. Of the entries that were not able to clear the short course, two had refusals. An imposing wall set on a tight rollback turn became the bogey fence for the rest, dropping for six different pairs.

In the end, it was Gregory Wathelet and his ten-year-old Dutch Warmblood mount Algorhythem (Tampa x Calvados), who completed the fastest clear round in 43.70 seconds. The pair pushed Roger Yves Bost (FRA) into second place with a time of 44.90 seconds aboard Nippon d’Elle. France also finished third as Kevin Staut and Qurack de Falasie HDC clocked in at 47.42 seconds.

Wathelet captured the winning prize of $41,580 and hoisted the CANA Cup for his first win in Spruce Meadows’ esteemed International Ring. Commenting on his victory, the rider smiled, “I feel really good. It is always good to win and it is very special for me to win here in Calgary because it is a tournament that I have wanted to do for many years. I am really happy that I could come this year. It is an amazing place with amazing facilities and everything is perfect. The people are really nice and winning makes it even better.”

Algorhythem is a horse that is usually ridden by Wathelet’s girlfriend and has not competed much at this level, but the rider feels that he has the potential to become a championship horse.

“He just started at the big level three or four months ago,” the rider stated. “Normally my girlfriend rides him, but now she is studying and she does not have as much time, so lucky me, I get to ride him for one more year.”

“The first big grand prix he did was four weeks ago in Valkenswaard (NED) on the Global Champions Tour. He was fifth and double clear,” Wathelet continued. “I really think it is a horse for the big level in the future, maybe for a championship I am sure. Now I am just working to build him up and bring him to the real top level and I think having him here is really a good step in that direction. It is really an easy horse. He has good mentalities. When you come in the ring, nothing is difficult. He does not spook at all. Yesterday I was maybe a little bit scared because I had to go straight in the big competition, but he acted like he had already jumped many times here. It was more me who had to get used to that ring and the big fences.”

Wathelet knew that the only way he would win against the talented list of horses and riders in Thursday’s jump-off was to go as fast as he could.

“When we go to the jump-off, if I know that I have a horse who can win and be in front, for sure I am going to try. That is the sport,” he declared. “With that horse, even if it does not have the most experience and has not done that many speed competitions or jump-offs, I know that he can go fast. I took my chances and he did really well.”

“I did not see the riders before me. I did not see Bosty; I just knew that he was in the lead and he is always really fast,” Wathelet continued. “I saw the jump-offs yesterday and they were crazy fast. I did not know where I could win, but I knew that I needed to take all the risk and go full speed from the beginning. That was the only way to win and I think it will be the same every day for the competitions here.”

With his first Spruce Meadows win under his belt, Wathelet now plans to compete Algorhythem on Belgium’s team for the $300,000 BMO Nations’ Cup. He is also already pre-qualified for Sunday’s $1.5 Million CP International, presented by Rolex, after winning the individual silver medal at this year’s European Championships in Aachen with Conrad de Huis.

Lamaze Tops ATCO Structures & Logistics Cup for Second Year in a Row

The ‘Masters’ Tournament continued in the International Ring at Spruce Meadows Thursday morning with the $35,000 ATCO Structures and Logistics Cup shown over a 1.50m course set by Leopoldo Palacios (VEN). For the second year in a row, Canada’s Eric Lamaze raised the trophy for a win aboard Artisan Farms LLC’s Fine Lady 5, a 12-year-old Hanoverian mare (Forsyth x Drosselklang II).

Eric Lamaze of CAN riding Fine Lady 5
Eric Lamaze of CAN riding Fine Lady 5

“It is an event that is usually won by a really fast horse,” Lamaze remarked on his victories. “Actually, all of the competitions here are won by a fast horse and she is very fast.”

Thirty-eight entries jumped the first round course, with 21 qualifying for the jump-off and ten double clear rounds. Lamaze and Fine Lady 5 carved out a victory in 39.70 seconds over Lisa Carlsen (CAN) and Worlds Judgement in 39.88 seconds. Chile’s Samuel Parot jumped into third with a time of 40.24 seconds aboard Couscous van Orti, and Guy Williams (GBR) finished fourth riding Casper de Muze in 40.43 seconds.

“It is great to go in the ring when it does not matter what people tell you about how fast the person was before you. You know you always have a chance with her to win it,” Lamaze stated. “Some horses you know it is not possible, but with her it is possible.”

Commenting on his jump-off track, Lamaze continued, “I had a lot of help at the back gate telling me what Lisa had done. The word was that it was very fast. Fine Lady is a very quick turner and she is very quick at landing and going places, so she is not a difficult horse to go fast with.”

The ‘Masters’ Tournament continues on Friday featuring the $210,000 Tourmaline Oil Cup 1.60m and the $75,000 ATCO ELECTRIC ‘Circuit’ Six Bar. For a complete tournament schedule and full results, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.

Lauren Fisher for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

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Competitions, Show Jumping

Lamaze & Coco Bongo Take 2nd Win of the Week in $34k CIBC Cup at Spruce Meadows

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Eric Lamaze of CAN riding Coco Bongo. Photos © Spruce Meadows Media Services.

Calgary, AB, Canada – June 27, 2015 – Another day, another win for Eric Lamaze (CAN) in the ‘Canada One’ Tournament at Spruce Meadows. Lamaze guided Coco Bongo to his second win of the week with a victory in Saturday’s $34,000 CIBC Cup 1.50m. In a three-horse jump-off, the pair topped Nicola Philippaerts (BEL) and Challenge vd Begijnakker, and Shane Sweetnam (IRL) aboard Easy Contact Humlan. Also competing on Saturday, Molly Ashe (USA) and Balous Day Date won the $34,000 Friends of the Meadows 1.45m.

The day’s feature competition saw 29 entries come forward to contest the $34,000 CIBC Cup, with three clear rounds to advance to the jump-off. Lamaze and Artisan Farms LLC’s Coco Bongo were first to go over the short course and set the challenge with a clear round in 43.30 seconds. Sweetnam and Sweet Oak Farm’s Easy Contact Humlan jumped next, with one rail down in 46.96 seconds to eventually finish third. Philippaerts followed with four faults in 46.00 seconds to take the second place prize aboard Bart Keisse’s Challenge vd Begijnakker.

Peter Grant (CAN) set the tracks for Saturday’s competition in the Meadows on the Green and earned high praise from Lamaze for his efforts this week.

“I think Peter is building some very nice courses,” Lamaze noted. “That 1.50m last night was very difficult, but very fair. This one was also difficult with only three clears. The time was short, but doable, and I think his jump-off tracks are good. These days, the course designer has a lot to do with the outcome of our sport and the outcome of the week. It is important to have very good, knowledgeable course designers that understand our sport and the modern horse of today, and Peter is doing a great job this week.”

Going first in the jump-off, Lamaze had the task of setting an unbeatable pace and putting the pressure on the other riders. He did just that with Coco Bongo, the ten-year-old Rheinlander stallion (Caretino x Calido) that also won Thursday’s $34,000 Cargill Cup 1.50m.

“It was three horses, but you cannot assume that just because it is three, you only have to go a certain speed,” the rider explained. “I think going first in a three-horse jump-off, I had to go as fast as I thought I could go with him. The other two riders were very well capable of going fast. It does not really change whether you have three or twelve, if you go first, you have to go for it and that is what I did.”

Lamaze has used the first three weeks of the Summer Series at Spruce Meadows to develop Coco Bongo and work on the horse’s speed in the jump-offs.

“These weeks are nice because you do learn a lot about your horse competing in the different arenas and it gives them some good mileage,” Lamaze acknowledged. “One thing I have learned about Spruce Meadows is that even if it is a 4* or it is in the Meadows in the Green or it is in the International Ring, there is no competition that is easy. It is always good sport and it is always difficult to win here.”

“Really until the jump-off in the grand prix two weeks ago, I had never asked Coco Bongo to go fast,” Lamaze continued. “I really chose these 1.50m competitions to teach him to go fast and to learn more about him going fast over a height that is not 1.60m. I was in a couple jump-offs at 1.60m and I did not risk very much. I just took my fifth or sixth place and went home, so this is great for me to learn about him and his reaction at different speeds. It is part of the learning process of any horse.”

With the Pan American Games on the horizon in July, Lamaze has also planned the schedule for his horses accordingly.

“We have strategy for the Pan American Games in the back of our minds,” he explained. “We have a big event coming up, so this week it would be tempting to do the grand prix for $126,000 tomorrow, but for his schedule and what I am doing with him right now, these two 1.50m were well fitted for him.”

Molly Ashe and Balous Day Date Earn Victory

Molly Ashe (USA) rode to victory in Saturday’s first competition in the Meadows on the Green aboard Louisburg Farm’s Balous Day Date. Ashe and the ten-year-old Oldenburg mare (Balou du Rouet x Domino) won an 11-horse jump-off out of 67 original starters to top the $34,000 Friends of the Meadows Cup 1.45m. They completed the fastest of six double clear rounds in 46.12 seconds.

For the second day in a row, Eric Lamaze settled for second place in the 1.45m competition with Artisan Farms and Torrey Pines Stables’ Rosana du Park, just off the mark in 46.98 seconds. Emanuel Andrade (VEN) finished third in 47.84 seconds aboard Bon Jovi. Shane Sweetnam (IRL) and Spy Coast Farm LLC’s Cyklon 1083 placed fourth in 48.53 seconds.

Molly Ashe of USA riding Balous Day Date
Molly Ashe of USA riding Balous Day Date

Ashe started riding Balous Day Date this winter in Florida and was quickly impressed with the mare’s incredible talent and natural style.

“She is feisty,” Ashe detailed. “She is a great horse. She is a trier and she is a fighter. She is very sure of who she is, and she is just one of those point and shoot, super fun horses to ride. She does not want to touch the jumps, and she naturally knows how to get out of the way, so you just have to not get in her way. Her technique is incredible. I have to thank Louisburg Farm and Beth Johnson for the opportunity to ride her.”

Heading into the jump-off, Ashe knew the group of very fast horses and riders that were still to come, and knew she needed to execute a flawless round to be victorious.

“I have not met a jump-off here yet where you have not had to be spot on,” the rider stated. “It is incredibly competitive here, so I knew there was no margin for error. I just tried to go as neat and tidy and smooth as I could with her and make all the inside turns. She was spot on every step of the way. I was lucky because the one oxer turned up perfectly off the turn; I just turned and it was right there. That was giving people some trouble, but everything just turned up for me today. That was nice; it does not always happen that way.”

Balous Day Date was a little over faced with a 1.55m competition during the first week of the Summer Series, so she moved down for a couple of weeks to get her confidence back. With the boost of a good win this weekend, she will now move back up to compete in the International Ring during next week’s ‘North American’ Tournament.

“We sort of made a mistake the first week and put her in the big 1.55m competition. Then we backed off a little bit to make sure she did not lose her confidence,” Ashe explained. “I think we got everything back to where it should be. She feels solid as a rock now, so back we go in the big ring next week.”

“I think the 1.45m is very comfortable for her now. She still does not have a lot of experience with the big guns, but she is getting there,” Ashe noted. “She is learning to go faster. Today she was right there and I think she got it because she was so smooth. She jumped great.”

The ‘Canada One’ Tournament concludes on Sunday highlighting the $34,000 West Canadian Cup and the $126,000 Imperial Challenge.

For a complete tournament schedule and full results, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.

Lauren Fisher for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
info@jenniferwoodmedia.com

*Featured/Spotlights, Show Jumping

Eric Lamaze and Coco Bongo Win $34,000 Cargill Cup at Spruce Meadows ‘Canada One’

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Eric Lamaze of CAN riding Coco Bongo. Photo © Spruce Meadows Media Services.

Calgary, AB, Canada – June 25, 2015 – Following a week-long break from competition, Spruce Meadows’ Summer Series continues this week with its ‘Canada One’ CSI 4* Tournament. International competition began on Thursday with three contests featured in the Meadows on the Green. Eric Lamaze (CAN) won the highlight $34,000 Cargill Cup 1.50m in the afternoon. Rodrigo Lambre (BRA) and Eric Navet (FRA) topped the two $34,000 Friends of the Meadows 1.45m competitions earlier in the day.

The ‘Canada One’ Tournament features over $431,000 in prize money with top horses and riders from around the world competing in eight FEI sanctioned events through Sunday, June 28. The weekend’s headlining events are the $34,000 WestJet Cup, the $34,000 Duncan Ross Cup, the $34,000 CIBC Cup, the $34,000 West Canadian Cup, and the $126,000 Imperial Challenge.

Peter Grant (CAN) is the international course designer in the Meadows on the Green for this week’s ‘Canada One’ Tournament. In Thursday’s $34,000 Cargill Cup 1.50m, Grant saw 27 entries, with nine advancing to the jump-off and five double clear rounds.

Eric Lamaze and Artisan Farms LLC’s Coco Bongo led the way in 43.67 seconds. Paulo Santana (ESA) and Taloubet finished second in 44.31 seconds. Shane Sweetnam (IRL) and Spy Coast Farm LLC’s Chaqui Z took the third place prize in 44.54 seconds. Nicola Philippaerts (BEL) guided Frans Lens’s Bisquet Balou to fourth place in 46.16 seconds, and Nina Fagerstrom (FIN) jumped into fifth place aboard Finca Horses, Inc.’s Flower in a time of 48.61.

Coco Bongo, a ten-year-old Rheinlander stallion (Caretino x Calido), was originally purchased as a mount for Artisan Farms’ young rider Caitlin Ziegler. Ziegler showed the horse throughout 2014, but when he started to show his quality, it was decided that Lamaze should take the horse to the next level. The rider began competing Coco Bongo this winter and gives the stallion high praise.

“I like him because he really tries to leave the fences up,” Lamaze remarked. “He is very careful and he is very scopey. He is not always predictable; sometimes he will back up to something that you are not expecting him to, but I am getting to learn a lot about him here. I think by the time he leaves Spruce Meadows he is for sure going to be a better horse.”

“It is lovely to ride a horse with that quality,” Lamaze continued. “With all of these skinny fences and planks, your odds improve a lot when you have a horse this careful, and he is careful every time out. He is a horse that consistently tries to leave the rails up and he is a horse that has the scope to do big things.”

Coco Bongo was competing with Great Britain’s Daniel Neilson before Artisan Farms bought him. He then jumped at the 1.45m level with Ziegler last summer.

“We thought it was a lovely horse for Caitlin, but right from the very beginning he showed way more quality than we expected,” Lamaze noted. “I felt he needed to do some bigger classes, so we made a switch. I really like him.”

Coco Bongo has had some good results since starting with Lamaze, but the rider is taking his time to develop the horse a little more.

“I have a lot of respect for how careful he is, so I do not want to risk taking it too fast,” Lamaze explained. “The jump-off two weeks ago was the first time that I really asked him to go fast, so I learned that he can actually move fast. That is why I am picking these 1.50m competitions, to try to get into these jump-offs and ask him to go quick. He is so careful that I am always a little bit timid to really send him fast in the 1.60m or the 1.55m. This is a great height for him to learn to be quick. Today I went faster than I even thought he could go, so I was happy.”

Lambre and Navet Get Wins at ‘Canada One’

Two separate $34,000 Friends of the Meadows 1.45m speed competitions were held Thursday morning at Spruce Meadows with wins for Rodrigo Lambre (BRA) and Eric Navet (FRA).

In the first competition of the morning, Rodrigo Lambre and Mario Onate’s Melbourne emerged victorious. Lambre and the nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare (Verdi x Zeus) completed the fastest clear round with a time of 59.35 seconds out of 50 starters. Fifteen clear rounds were accomplished in total.

Meagan Nusz (USA) and Amalaya Investments’ Leoville 2 finished second in 59.84 seconds. Mario Deslauriers (USA) guided Lisa Deslauriers’ Scout de la Cense to third place honors in 60.23 seconds. Juan Manuel Luzardo (URY) and Mauricio Guerra Colorado’s Stan placed fourth in a time of 60.36.

“She is young,” Lambre said of Melbourne. “We bought her in the Eurocommerce auction. This is only the second week that she has done 1.45m in her life, so she is moving up. She is fast and I am really glad that I won my first class with her. Of course it is always tough to win here, but I got lucky. She is a really nice mare and I hope she keeps winning like that.”

“My track was pretty fast,” Lambre said of his round. “I did not see many riders trying to go as fast as usual here today, which helped me a lot. Most of the ones that tried had rails. It was a delicate course. I liked my track actually. I think I had a good plan and it worked out.”

The second 1.45m competition saw a win for Eric Navet aboard Signe Ostby’s ASB Conquistador. Navet and the 14-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion (Clinton x Heartbreaker) blazed an early clear track in 55.03 seconds to win out of 53 entries.

Adam Prudent (FRA) finished second aboard his own Vasco with a time of 55.21 seconds. Todd Minikus (USA) jumped into third aboard Matthew De Grande’s Cordonas in 55.42 seconds, and Abigail McArdle (USA) guided David McArdle’s Cosma 20 to the fourth place prize in 56.02 seconds.

Navet’s student, Karl Cook, usually rides ASB Conquistador, but it was decided that Navet should take over the ride for a while.

“I have fun showing him,” Navet smiled. “He has a lot of experience now. He is a very competitive and very fast horse.”

“He has been doing very well,” the rider detailed. “I was second the first week in the International Ring in a good competition that Rich Fellers won. The horse has been jumping very well, so I am very happy that he could win today. He likes to compete. He is a horse with a lot of blood and I have really had fun riding him.”

Commenting on his winning round, Navet explained, “My goal was to try to win obviously because this horse was ready to win. He is not a younger horse that you are just showing for experience. I went in the ring for a win. I followed the track that I walked and I just tried not to interfere with the strides and let him go and turn to win in the turns. He did the rest; I just had to follow him.”

The ‘Canada One’ Tournament continues on Friday with the $34,000 WestJet Cup 1.45m and the $34,000 Duncan Ross Cup 1.50m.

For a complete tournament schedule and full results, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.

Lauren Fisher for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
info@jenniferwoodmedia.com

Competitions, Show Jumping

Judge, Lamaze, and Rodriguez Triumph on Opening Day at Spruce Meadows ‘National’

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Quentin Judge and HH Copin van de Broy. Photos © Spruce Meadows Media Services.

Calgary, AB, Canada – June 3, 2015 – Spruce Meadows kicked off its ‘National’ Tournament CSI 5*, presented by Rolex, on Wednesday with a full day of show jumping at the world-renowned venue in Calgary. The first day of competition saw wins for Quentin Judge (USA) and HH Copin van de Broy in the $34,000 Roadtrek Motorhomes Cup 1.55m, Eric Lamaze (CAN) and Rosana du Park in the $34,000 Back On Track 1.50m, and Andres Rodriguez (VEN) with Fifty Fifty 111 in the $34,000 Bantrel Cup 1.50m.

The ‘National’ Tournament is the first in five weeks of competition during this year’s Summer Series at Spruce Meadows. Riders will vie for nearly $1.2 million in prize money throughout the week, with competition concluding on Sunday, June 7. The highlight event will be the $400,000 RBC Grand Prix, presented by Rolex, on Saturday, June 6. Other features include the $85,000 ATB Financial Cup on Thursday, the $60,000 TransCanada Parcours de Chasse on Saturday, and the $210,000 CNOOC Nexen Cup 1.50m Derby on Sunday.

The course designer in the International Ring for the ‘National’ Tournament is Uliano Vezzani of Italy. Vezanni began Wednesday’s competition with the $34,000 Roadtrek Motorhomes Cup 1.55m and a win for Quentin Judge aboard Double H Farm’s HH Copin van de Broy. Judge and the 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion (Darco x Brownboy) topped a 15-horse jump-off out of 65 original starters. They completed the fastest of eight double clear efforts in 37.77 seconds.

Eric Lamaze and Artisan Farms LLC’s Powerplay set the pace to beat in 38.59 seconds, eventually ending second. Rich Fellers (USA) and Harry and Molly Chapman’s Flexible landed in third place with their time of 39.24 seconds.

“I was surprised we won to be honest because I saw Eric go and I thought he was pretty fast,” Judge remarked. “My original plan was not to try to win. I wanted to be in the top four or five to get qualified for Saturday’s grand prix, but McLain Ward who trains me said, ‘Go,’ so I did. My horse felt really good and really schooled all the way around.”

Egypt’s Sameh el Dahan completed the fastest jump-off round in 37.71 seconds just before Judge entered the ring, but a rail at the last fence put the rider in ninth place overall. Judge was able to watch his round, however, and knew what he had to do.

“I saw Sameh go and I saw that he was really fast to the last line, but I am a little superstitious, so I did not watch him do the last jump,” Judge admitted. “I knew Eric did eight strides from jump one to two. I saw everyone else do nine and I knew that my horse has a similar stride as Powerplay and could also do eight. From there I just tried to be quick to the Roadtrek oxer and back to the coins oxer and the last line. Then I just let him gallop to the last jump. I knew if I was neat enough I could really trust him to the last jump and it worked out.”

Judge started riding HH Copin van de Broy, just before Spruce Meadows last summer and felt good heading into this first competition knowing they already had experience in the International Ring together.

“I feel like our partnership has come a long way,” he acknowledged. “We got along pretty well from the beginning, but Spruce Meadows last year was really my first big international show with him, so I know him the best at this venue. The horse obviously likes it here, so I know that day one I can ask him to go and do his job.”

With a win under his belt, Judge has his sights set on Saturday’s grand prix and also looks forward to defending his title in the $210,000 CNOOC Nexen Cup Derby, which he won last year aboard HH Dark de la Hart.

“This win gives me a big confidence boost,” Judge noted. “We all come here to Spruce Meadows trying to be guns loaded and ready to be competitive going into the first week. It gives me confidence that the plan I made coming up to this was right and my horses are ready to go. Having one win earlier in the week takes a little of the weight off my shoulders to be able to concentrate on the weekend.”

Lamaze Starts Out Strong

The next competition of the day was the $34,000 Back On Track 1.50m, which was held in a one round speed format. Thirteen out of 31 entries cleared the course, and Eric Lamaze completed the fastest clear round in 61.06 seconds for the win aboard Artisan Farms LLC and Torrey Pines Stable’s Rosana du Park.

Just fractions of a second separated the top three, with Conor Swail (IRL) and Ariel and Susan Grange’s Grafton stopping the clock in 61.13 seconds to finish in reserve, and McLain Ward (USA) with Double H Farm’s HH Carlos Z finishing third in 61.60 seconds.

Lamaze
Eric Lamaze and Rosana du Park

Following his win, along with a second place finish in the first competition of the day, Lamaze commented on the great afternoon that kicked off the ‘National’ Tournament.

“The first day is always an important day,” he stated. “I love doing well here. It is fun. It doesn’t matter if the stands are full or empty; it is still a five-star. You get ranking points and you get good prize money, so I love competing.”

Lamaze and Rosana du Park had a fantastic winter jumping at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL, with multiple wins. The ten-year-old Selle Francais mare (by Kannan) then placed on the Longines Global Champions Tour in Miami and continued on to good results competing in Antwerp and Rome.

“She is super. She is going to be a great horse,” Lamaze noted. “She can do a grand prix and she can do a speed competition. I love those horses. She can do both.”

Although the mare has been jumping very well, Lamaze was careful to put her in the right level to get things started on the grass field this week.

“She is usually very timid here on the grass, so that is why I chose that competition today,” Lamaze explained. “Last year it was too much for her almost; even the 1.45m and 1.50m felt too much. Carly Anthony rode her for me last year and then I took her over a little bit toward the end, but she felt very timid. She was still a fairly green horse that was very careful then. She was really holding herself up, but this year she feels really different. She really handled it beautifully. It is just a year later, more mileage, more everything, so I am very happy.”

Rodriguez Earns First International Ring Victory

International competition concluded on Wednesday with the $34,000 Bantrel Cup, held over a 1.50m speed track, with 46 starters and eight clear rounds. Tenth in the order, Venezuela’s Andres Rodriguez and Arao Enterprises LLC’s Fifty Fifty 111 sped to the lead in 63.92 seconds and held on to the end for their first win in Spruce Meadow’s International Ring.

Conor Swail was the runner up in 64.31 seconds with Susan Grange’s Simba de la Roque. Brazil’s Rodrigo Lambre was first to go and placed third overall with his time of 66.25 seconds riding Mario Onate’s Charielle.

Andres Rodriguez and Fifty Fifty 111
Andres Rodriguez and Fifty Fifty 111

Rodriguez has owned Fifty Fifty 111, a ten-year-old Belgian Warmblood (Action Breaker x Major de la Cour), since the mare was five years old. He purchased the horse from Eric Lamaze and brought her up through the levels. ‘Fifty’ has continued to develop and Rodriguez started the season with the goal of competing her in the derbies at Spruce Meadows this summer. With a win on the field to start the Series, he looks forward to Sunday’s first derby competition.

“I really wanted to win a competition in the big ring this year. We brought ten horses and I brought a few good horses that I thought could do it. To win on the first day is an amazing feeling,” the rider said of his victory. “We have been training for the derby. It is actually going to be my first derby in my career, but we have practiced everything and the way she jumped today, if she keeps jumping like that Sunday might be a great day.”

“She just keeps developing and she keeps surprising me, so why not?” Rodriguez continued. “From that generation of horses born in 2005, I had six horses, and when they were seven we cut down to four. She was not the most talented of all of them, but the one thing she had was that she always wanted to do everything right. There were more talented horses in the pack, but she was always trying to produce clear rounds and she ended up being the best by far.”

Fifty Fifty 111 will now rest up for the derby on Sunday while Rodriguez competes his other top mounts. For the summer overall, his main goal is preparation for the Pan American Games that will qualify teams for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.

“You can feel the Pan American ambience in Spruce Meadows right now. Everybody is trying to put their teams together here,” Rodriguez noted. “I think for the first time really the Venezuelan team is working together. We are all on the same page and we are all really trying. We agreed that the best plan was for all of us to go to Spruce Meadows together as a team to try to get our horses comfortable. We knew we were going to have good footing and good courses. It is the best training we can get before we go there. It is very important for us because Venezuela has never jumped as a team in an Olympic Games. For any athlete, the Olympics are as high as you can get, so we are really trying to make that happen.”

Also showing on Wednesday, Leslie Howard (USA) earned the first international win of the week in the All Canada Ring this morning. Howard guided her own and Peter Howard’s Lennox Lewis 2 to victory in the $8,000 Thompson Family Cup 1.45m, a one round speed course set by USA’s Anthony D’Ambrosio. Mexico’s Antonio Maurer finished second aboard Everado Coronado’s Portena. Brazil’s Rodrigo Lambre and Mario Onate’s Melbourne placed third.

The Spruce Meadows ‘National’ Tournament, presented by Rolex, continues on Thursday featuring the $34,000 ATCO Pipelines Cup 1.50m, the $34,000 Westmoreland Coal Cup 1.50m, and the $85,000 ATB Financial Cup 1.55m.

For a complete tournament schedule and full results, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.

Based in Calgary, Canada, Spruce Meadows is the creation of the Southern family who built a Show Jumping complex at the foothills of the Alberta Rocky Mountains. It was in 1976 that the first Spruce Tournaments were held, with annual spectator attendances reaching over 50,000 by the end of the decade. Today, Spruce Meadows boasts one of the greatest outdoor equestrian venues in the world and offers an incredible experience for riders and fans alike. Spruce Meadows focuses on the organization and hosting of show jumping tournaments of unmatched quality for junior, amateur and professional athletes in a manner that reflects basic family values in a clean, green and welcoming environment that celebrates the horse and encourages the breeding and training of quality sport horses and the teaching and development of athletes. For more information on Spruce Meadows, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.

Lauren Fisher for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
info@jenniferwoodmedia.com

Competitions, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Eric Lamaze and Rosana du Park Race to Victory in $34,000 1.45m Speed to Start WEF 12

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Eric Lamaze and Rosana du Park. Photo © Sportfot.

Wellington, FL – March 25, 2015 – The 2015 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) began its twelfth and final week of competition at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) on Wednesday with a win for Eric Lamaze (CAN) and Artisan Farms and Torrey Pines Stable’s Rosana du Park in the $34,000 1.45m FEI speed class. Abigail McArdle (USA) galloped to second place with Cosma 20; McLain Ward (USA) and Azibantos finished third.

WEF 12, sponsored by Rolex, runs March 25-29. The week features the $500,000 Rolex Grand Prix CSI 5* on Saturday, March 28. Other highlights include the $50,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 12 on Thursday (*now at 8 am and livestreamed at http://bit.ly/1HHlzwD) and the $10,000 Holtgers 5-Year-Old Young Jumper Classic, $15,000 Adequan® 6-Year-Old Young Jumper Classic, and $20,000 Adequan® 7-Year-Old Young Jumper Classic on Friday. The $100,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic Final will be held on Saturday, and the $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby will host its first round on Saturday and its second round on the derby field Sunday. Saturday night’s 1.50m Final Round and Rolex Grand Prix, along with Sunday’s second round of the hunter derby will be live streamed at www.COTH.com.

Steve Stephens (USA) is the course designer in the International Arena for week twelve. Stephens saw 70 entries on his 1.45m speed track with 22 clear rounds. Lamaze and Rosana du Park raced to the winning time of 58.10 seconds. McArdle and David McArdle’s Cosma 20 finished in 60.34 seconds, and Ward and Group C LLC’s Azibantos clocked in at 60.36 seconds.

Venezuela secured the remaining places in the top six. Emanuel Andrade and Walter 61 were fourth in 61.03 seconds, Andres Rodriguez and Arao Enterprises LLC’s Caballito placed fifth in 61.40 seconds, and Luis Larrazabal and San Francisco Stables LLC’s G&C Close Up finished sixth in 62.56 seconds.

For Lamaze, Rosana du Park was the right choice to kick off the final week of WEF competition. The 10-year-old Selle Francais mare (by Kannan) is fast and careful, a perfect combination for the competitive speed class.

“It is a five-star week, so we try to put some very good speed horses in these 1.45m speed classes, for the ranking points alone, along with the prize money,” Lamaze stated. “I have a few horses for this week that I could play around with, and Rosana was the choice for today. This was a good opening event for me for the week.”

On what it takes to be the winner in a class that fast, Lamaze explained, “There is no secret to these 1.45m; just go as fast as you can go. If you are last to go and for whatever reason it has not been a super fast class, then you may have a plan, but usually the plan is the fastest track that your horse can possibly jump clear and take as much risk as you can. Then you hope the rails stayed up when you finish because they are going extremely fast.”

Lamaze detailed his winning round, stating, “She is really quick, she has a big stride, and she never gets too hot. This was a shorter type course; it was not as long as some of the other 1.45m, which by week number 12 is just fine. The horses have jumped a lot. It is hard to keep repeating speed classes in the same ring over the same jumps. These horses, they get clever and they get a little bit quick, but she is a super competitor. I went early enough in the order, and I knew with the field behind me I had to be fast. I took a lot of options. There was an inside turn where you could go inside a standard to a skinny, which was very, very short. I risked that, and it worked out. I had a great distance to come out of the turn with and take. Sometimes it does not always happen that way, but it did and then it made my last line kind of nice.”

Also showing on Wednesday, the $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m speed class was held in a California Split with wins for Alvaro Tejada and Voltaral Palo Blanco in Section A and Andrew Ramsay with Winn Winn in Section B. The Adequan® 7-Year-Old Young Jumper division held its speed class in the International Arena in the morning with a win for David Beisel and Patrice Schreiber’s Vigilante.

WEF 12 continues on Thursday featuring the $50,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 12 at 8 a.m. in the International Arena at PBIEC followed by another $34,000 1.45m speed class. The Loddon Stalls Pre-Green Hunter 3&4 Year Olds will award championship honors in Ring 7. 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