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Phelps Media Group, Polo

Audi Turns On the Cruise Control, Beats CT Energia 12-10 in Ylvisaker Cup

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Nic Roldan, Kris Kampsen Lucas Lalor. Photo: Liz Lamont Images/Phelps Media Group.

Orchard Hill Still Undefeated after 10-9 OT Win over Enigma; Lucchese Wins the Battle of the Cousins 16-12 over Villa del Lago

Wellington, FL – February 1, 2015 – The fields at the International Polo Club Palm Beach on Sunday at times looked more like a Formula One racetrack than a polo grounds, as players ran each other ragged (or tried their hardest to) in three whiz-bang 20-goal games in the Ylvisaker Cup. Some of the highest-speed and most hotly contested polo so far this season played out before a sea of spectators in packed stands.

In the featured match on Engel & Völkers field, Audi went into overdrive in the second half to seal a 12-10 victory over CT Energia. Orchard Hill, fresh off its win in the Joe Barry Cup, beat Enigma 10-9 in overtime, and Lucchese triumphed over Villa del Lago 16-12.

Nic Roldan was a scoring machine, making seven of Audi’s 12 goals and smacking in one or two in every chukker except the sixth (by which time Audi already had the win pretty much sewed up). He moved like a speed demon – usually of his own accord, but at other times forced to by Kris Kampsen, who chased him down on dozens of plays and scored two goals for CT Energia in the process. It was a rough-and-tumble game, played for the most part in unusually tight quarters.

“We got it over with – that’s all I can say,” said a laughing Roldan afterward. “It wasn’t pretty, and that’s a scrappy team to play against, so we knew it was going to be choppy.”

And that it was, from the first horn to the last. One particular span of controlled chaos was best described by the announcer Tony Copolla: “Wow, they’re going in about seven different directions!”

CT Energia’s ability to mix it up and still manage to score became evident when Joao Ganon kicked off the game with two goals in rapid-fire succession. Under heavy pressure by Kampsen on a racehorse, Roldan snuck one in for Audi on a nearside neck shot. Then the scoring force of Ganon and Nic Manifold kicked into gear, bringing CT Energia into a 4-1 lead at the end of the first chukker.

Roldan continued to ride it like he stole it, slamming two in more goals at the top of the second chukker. Not long afterward, Marc Ganzi suddenly emerged from the pack and slammed the ball downfield, tying the game at 4-all. Manifold and Freddie Mannix quickly brought it to 5-5. The third chukker opened with Roldan propelling the ball so high and fast that it went through the goalposts like a guided missile, breaking the tie and bringing Audi into the lead for the first time. The score stood at 6-5 at the end of the first half.

Ganon didn’t let that stand for long, though. He reinstituted a tie in the opening moments of the fourth chukker, which turned out to be a pivotal one for Audi (the team started the chukker tied 6-6 and ended it with a three-point lead). The score ping-ponged back and forth between a tie and a tight Audi lead. Roldan swooped in, scoring twice in a row to make it 8-7 for Audi. Working both sides of the pony, Mannix widened Audi’s lead to two points.

Audi was in the fast lane and clearly determined to stay there. In a slick display of passing and shooting, Mannix sent the ball on a backshot to Roldan (who was yelling “Open! Open!”). Roldan picked it up and scored on a neckshot. Audi, which had been trailing or tied for most of the game, now held a commanding 12-7 lead at the end of the fifth chukker.

CT Energia amped it up mightily, keeping Audi from scoring in the final chukker and, through great teamwork, put in three goals of its own. Had the clock not run out before CT Energia could keep on the move like the runaway train it had become, the scoreboard may have shown a different result. The game ended 12-10 for Audi.

How did Audi manage to turn the game around? “We were a little excited to play the first game of the Ylvisaker, and we want to win this tournament,” said Mannix.” We’ve really been focusing on today, and I think we were a little too nervous at the start, with too much energy. Then we settled down, and some of our team play showed through. Poor start, good ending.”

Ganzi gave an interesting take on his opponents. “You’ve gotta play 42 minutes of polo against those guys!” he said. “They’re very physical; they try to the end. You see the way they played the last two minutes – hey, they’re dying and dying, but they keep going. You have to respect a team that puts as much into it as they do into the game. They’re four good players, and we knew it was not going to be a pretty game. But I think when we had the moments to impose our will on them and open the ball up and spread the field out and make the game a little more open, that’s when we excel.”

Added Ganzi: “We have really good moments to learn from today. We’ll clean up a few things and get ready for Thursday; we’ve got a tough Enigma team coming at us.”

Orchard Hill Still Undefeated after 10-9 OT Win over Enigma

Orchard Hill narrowly defeated Enigma 10-9 in overtime in its first game in the Ylvisaker Cup at the International Polo Club Palm Beach.

The first chukker started off with a bang as Jeff Hall maneuvered through traffic to score in the first 30 seconds of the match. Remy Muller picked the ball up at the north end of the field and drove it in to score shortly afterward to tie the match up 1-1. Lucas Criado received a pass from Facundo Pieres and took off out of the pack to score, moving Orchard Hill into the lead. Enigma caught right back up as Carlucho Arellano converted to make the score 2-all at the end of the first chukker.

Criado started out the second chukker by showing off his pickpocket skills, repeatedly stealing the ball from Enigma players in pursuit of goals. Pieres scored on a 30-yard undefended penalty shot to put one up on the board for Orchard Hill. Matias MacDonough tied the score 3-3, racing down the field and weaving in and out of the pack until he found a window and made a deft neck shot that no one anticipated. (The announcer called it “all Matias, all the way!”) Pieres responded with an incredible last-second flip shot as he was running out of field to score. Criado took off on a breakaway, but his shot went wide due to intense defensive pressure from Hall. Enigma poured the pressure on Orchard Hill, repeatedly forcing Criado – and once, even Pieres – to hit wide and miss just yards from goal. In one play Pieres stole the ball from Hall, but Wirth laid a stealth hook on him, causing Pieres to miss the shot.

“He’s not 10 goals, and one of the best of them in the world, for nothing,” Wirth said, paying homage to Pieres after the match.

The third chukker started off with more speed from Criado, who announcer Gus Whitelaw compared to “a Jack Russell chasing a tennis ball.” MacDonough picked up a backshot from Remy Muller and sent the ball downfield. Before Pieres could steal it, Wirth swooped in, took control and handed the ball off to MacDonough, who quickly tapped it into goal. MacDonough followed up that impressive play by sending a pass downfield to Hall, who dueled it out in a horse race with Pieres to score, putting Enigma ahead 5-4. Pieres took one of his signature neck shots, but it sailed wide under immense pressure from Hall once again.

Hall continued his stellar performance in the fourth chukker, flipping the ball into the goalmouth in heavy traffic to make the score 6-4. After a foul in the goal mouth caused Orchard Hill not to score, a penalty one was applied in favor of Orchard Hill. The throw-in to begin play was within yards of the goal, and Pieres quickly took it in to tie up the game again 6-6. An appeal foul was applied on a later call, and Pieres made a neckshot to put one up on the board. A series of two penalty calls in favor of Enigma and converted by Arellano put Enigma back in the lead 8-7. A penalty number three and an appeal foul allowed Pieres to tie the score back up 8-8 at the end of the fifth chukker.

The sixth chukker started with an Enigma knock-in, and Hall took a neck shot that went wide. Pieres stunned the crowd with his ability to place the ball exactly where he wanted it with a lofted neckshot to bring to score to 9-8. MacDonough stole the ball from Pieres at midfield, took it 150 yards and scored, tying the game at 9-all.

That’s when things got really interesting. An umbrella of suspense hung over the field as the umpires reviewed the sidelines footage to determine whether the sixth chukker had ended on a safety. Once it was determined that was not the case, the ball was thrown in on the south end. Four seconds into play, a reaching penalty was called in favor of Orchard Hill. Pieres took the shot, clinching the game 10-9 and cementing his team’s undefeated streak. (Just a week ago Orchard Hill won the 20-goal Joe Barry Cup.)

Criado credited Enigma for its tough play. “I think Enigma is one of the best teams in the tournament,” he said. “I think we played well, but we missed a lot of goals. The horses went well after playing in the (Joe Barry) finals. We’re happy that we won.”

Pieres voiced similar opinions. “It was a difficult game. It was tough for us, and after the final it’s difficult to get on it again,” said Pieres. “This was a very tough team (to play against). We missed a lot of goals, and we’re lucky that we won it. I think that this is really good for us, and hopefully we can win another game and qualify for the quarter-finals.”

Lucchese Wins the Battle of the Cousins 16-12 over Villa del Lago in Ylvisaker Cup
New Lineup Successful for the Team from Texas

The only thing certain in the first round Ylvisaker Cup game at International Polo Club between the high-octane Lucchese and Villa del Lago teams was that a Pieres and an Obregon would be on the winning team. Lucchese’s Nico Pieres and Geronimo Obregon lined up across from Polito Pieres and Augustine Obregon, their respective cousins on the Villa del Lago side. Lucchese triumphed 16-12 and won family bragging rights while adapting well to their new lineup of Geronimo Obregon starting in place of the injured Andres Weisz.

Lucchese team owner John Muse was very satisfied after the game. Muse had missed the Joe Barry Cup semifinals due to illness.

“It was really nice to be back in the lineup with Nico and Magoo,” said Muse. “Geronimo is a great kid and doing the job well, and Nico and Magoo really know how to use me on setting picks and working with the team, we know each other well on the field.”

Geronimo Obregon was elbow to elbow with his cousin Augustine for most of the match as the two cousins were marking each other closely.

“It was good to play against him (Augustine),” said Geronimo. “I have to go a little harder when I play against him!”

The match kicked off with Nico and Polito Pieres going head to head. Polito drew first blood with a quick run to goal, but Nico countered with three field goals in the first chukker, including an athletic nearside flip shot under the mallet of cousin Polito. Julian de Lusarreta on Villa del Lago achieved the first non-Pieres field goal with a quick run down the field under pressure.

The teams stayed relatively even through the first two chukkers. Lucchese began to pull away in the third chukker as Nico scored a flashy goal out of the air on an equally flashy bald faced chestnut gelding named Cuenta, which was quickly followed by a Geronimo Obregon goal. Lucchese headed into halftime leading 8 to 6, and added to that lead at the start of the fourth chukker with a Magoo Laprida goal.

Down three goals, Villa del Lago now found a sense of urgency. De Lusarreta scored a tricky goal when the Lucchese defenders double-teamed Polito, leaving de Lusarreta alone to hit a cutaway backshot and run to goal. That freed up Polito for two high speed goals and all of the sudden the score was tied 9-all at the end of the fourth.

The fifth chukker started off with a Lucchese knock-in. Nico hit the ball to a fast moving Magoo Laprida on a speedy black mare. Magoo turned on the afterburners and went downfield to goal through the Villa del Lago defenders like they were not even there. Another goal by Nico and Laprida had Lucchese up by three goals, and a frustrated Polito had words with the umpire which led to his ejection from the game for the remainder of the 5th chukker. Lucchese added two more penalty goals in the 5th to close out the chukker with an impressive 14-9 lead.

“We knew we had to turn it on when Polito returned to the match and not relax,” said Nico Pieres after the match.

Lucchese did just that to start the sixth chukker. Nico added one more tally to maintain the momentum, and Geronimo put the nail in the coffin with a final field goal for Lucchese and 16 goals total for the boys in blue. Villa del Lago tried to rally, but the deficit was too large and Lucchese rode away with the victory, final score 16-12. Nico Pieres led all scorers with 10 goals in the match.

The action continues Wednesday at 10 a.m. with FlexJet playing Palm Beach Illustrated at IPC.

International Polo Club Palm Beach Fast Facts

What: Created by players for players, the International Polo Club Palm Beach was born out of the dream to build a facility to showcase the incredible skills of the ponies and players that dominate the sport.

Members and guests enjoy panoramic views of the action from field side box seats or lawn and terrace seating. Sponsors and fans convene at The Winners Circle to congratulate the players during the awards presentation following the games.

Gourmet brunches, après polo celebrations and the prerequisite charitable events will take place in The Pavilion, designed to accommodate large parties, corporate clients, as well as family and friends.

Featured Highlights:

Herbie Pennell Cup – 20 Goal
Jan. 1-4, 2015

Joe Barry Memorial Cup – 20 Goal
Jan. 4-25, 2015

Ylvisaker Cup – 20 Goal
Jan. 28 – February 22, 2015

Iglehart Cup – 20 Goal
Feb. 28 – March 8, 2015

USPA C. V. Whitney Cup – 26 Goal
Feb. 15 – March 1, 2015

Piaget USPA Gold Cup® – 26 Goal
March 4-22, 2015

111th Maserati U.S. Open Polo Championship® – 26 Goal
March 25 – April 19, 2015

Directions:

From the Turnpike:
Take the Lake Worth Exit
Head west on FL-802 W/Lake Worth Rd toward Hooks Rd
Continue to follow Lake Worth Rd (3.9 miles)
Turn right onto 120th Ave S
Destination will be ahead on the left (0.4 miles)

From I-95:
Exit Forest Hill Blvd, head West
Make Left turn onto 441/St Rd 7
Make Right turn onto Lake Worth Rd
Make Right turn onto 120th Ave S
Destination on Left

Information:
3667 120th Ave S, Wellington, FL 33414
International Polo Club Palm Beach: 561-204-5687
Mallet Grille: 561-282-5340
Spa & Fitness Center: 561-282-5288
Tennis Pro Shop: 561-795-7228
Polo Operations Office: 561-282-5283
Polo Hotline: 561-282-5290

Website:
www.internationalpoloclub.com

For Tickets:
http://internationalpoloclub.ticketleap.com/

Hotels:
Hampton Inn & Suites – (561) 472-9696 – Approximately 2 miles
Hampton Inn – (561) 472-5980 – Approximately 4 miles
Four Seasons Resort – (561) 582-2800 – Approximately 9 miles
The Breakers – (561) 655-6611 – Approximately 9 miles
Kimpton Tideline Ocean Resort & Spa – (561) 540-6440 – Approximately 9 miles

Management:
John Wash – President of Club Operations
jwash@internationalpoloclub.com
561-282-5353

MEDIA CONTACT:
Phelps Media Group, Inc.
12012 South Shore Blvd #105
Wellington, FL 33414
561-753-3389 (phone)
561-753-3386 (fax)
pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com
PhelpsMediaGroup.com

Eventing/H.T., Jennifer Wood

Boyd Martin & Trading Aces Take Home the Win in $50,000 Wellington Eventing Showcase

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Boyd Martin and Trading Aces landing from the final cross-country jump for victory. Photos copyright SusanJStickle.com.

Wellington, FL – January 31, 2015 – Boyd Martin (USA) and Trading Aces proved to be unbeatable this weekend at the first-ever $50,000 Wellington Eventing Showcase presented by Asheville Regional Airport. Martin and Trading Aces led the competition from start to finish, completing the weekend on their original dressage score of 24.80. Michael Pollard (USA) and Cyrano Z finished in second place on a 25.7 with Laine Ashker (USA) and her own Anthony Patch in third, ending the weekend with their original score, 29.1.

The Derby Field at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center was packed with more than 2,000 spectators on a beautiful Saturday afternoon as visitors from around the country came to see the first-ever eventing competition in Wellington unfold. Martin commented that the entire competition was first-class, and it was a privilege to be a part of such a unique competition. “I’ve been lucky enough; I’m 35 and I’ve competed in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Holland, U.S., France, England, and this is by far the best competition I have ever been to,” he expressed. “The organizers have put on something I have never seen before, and I am just so proud to be here.”

From the incredible footing of both the dressage and show jumping arena and out on the cross-country course, the riders were all very pleased with the event as many of them used it to begin their spring season and prepare for the Rolex CCI4* in Lexington, Kentucky later in the spring. “I think this was the right test for this time in the year and certainly for those who haven’t seen this type of atmosphere before. It is always great to get some experience in a place like this because it is similar to Kentucky,” commented Pollard.

Martin concluded a wonderful weekend aboard Trading Aces, piloting the 2004 Irish Sport Horse gelding, to his first big win of the 2015 season. The two performed a lovely dressage test yesterday late in the afternoon to take the lead in the large class on a 24.80, the score on which they would finish. Martin was ecstatic to take home the win this weekend and felt the course was perfectly suited for Trading Aces. “For me, at this time in the year, my horses are not that fit yet, so it was perfect. It was right around the three and a half, four-minute mark, and it was a well-designed course with a few galloping questions and then double corners to test for accuracy and Mt. Wellington down to the narrow (jump) is probably a 3 or 4 star question,” he said. “It was spot on for this time in the year.”

Ashker agreed with Martin’s comments, adding that the course had every type of question you need to be asked when going out at the Advanced level. “I was nervous before we left the start box. It had all of the questions you need: water, a ditch, corners, and skinnies. I definitely respected it and felt like I had a horse who was super happy and healthy coming off when we finished. This was pretty much my cross-country school for the Carolina International 3* in March, and it was tough but fair at the same time.”

Captain Mark Phillips, the designer of the cross-country course, was also pleased with the way the course rode for the riders this early in the season. “A lot of the infrastructure was already here. We tried to put together a 3* test that was appropriate for the time of year and the fitness of the horses. When we talk about the future of the sport in this sense, I think we will see a lot more of these types of events as build-ups to Rolex and other large international competitions,” he continued to explain. “It is a huge benefit to the riders, the horses and in particular the owners and the sponsors. When everyone is happy we have a good sport to look forward too.”

Pollard and Cyrano on the stadium jumping course
Pollard and Cyrano on the stadium jumping course

Earlier in the day, all of the riders tested themselves on Richard Jeffery’s show jumping course in The Stadium Arena. The course was very technical and proved to be challenging for many of the pairs as numerous rails fell throughout the morning. “I think there are a couple of designers who do a good job at testing event horses, and Mr. Jeffery is one of them,” stated Pollard. “I thought it was tough. You had to have some sort of plan coming to many of the lines and needed to ride well for them to work.”

Ashker agreed that Jeffery’s course was more technical than what she expected when she walked it, as this arena is smaller than what most are used to competing in. “They are always very technical. You had to use a lot of leg, which made it a bit deceiving in that way. You had to really ride forward, but that is exactly what you need before going out on cross-country and it kind of set the precedent for what to expect out there.”

Cyrano Z arrived in Pollard’s barn only a few weeks ago from his father-in-law Carl Bouckaert, who rode the horse in the 2012 London Olympics. The pair, who has only had a few weeks to familiarize with each other, had a stellar performance across the board, and Pollard was thrilled. “He was perfect today. I don’t know him that well, but it couldn’t have gone a whole lot better. Carl has had a lot of clear rounds on this horse and I thought I’d better do a good job so I just held on and let the horse do his job, which he did quite well,” he said.

As for the future, all three riders have different plans for their mounts. Ashker plans on heading Anthony Patch towards the Rolex Kentucky CCI4* in April while Pollard and Martin are still trying to figure out where their partnerships will go with Cyrano Z and Trading Aces. “To be honest, this may or may not be the last time I ride Trading Aces. We’ve had some massive highs and lows, and we will just have to see,” said Martin. He also piloted Pancho Villa to a 7th place finish this weekend. According to Pollard, the plan was to just give Cyrano Z a leg up to prepare him for sale, but those plans could be changing after their finish this weekend. “We’ll take it one day at a time and if someone with the right situation comes around we will figure that out, but I wouldn’t mind keeping him around for a while,” he stated.

Mark Bellissimo, CEO of Equestrian Sport Productions, was excited and grateful to the competitors, sponsors, and owners for coming together to be a part of such a unique opportunity for the sport. Equestrian Sport Productions and the Bellissimo family, who now own both the Tryon International Equestrian Center in Tryon, North Carolina, as well as the Colorado Horse Park in Parker, Colorado, are looking to help grow and elevate the stature of eventing in the United States.

“We had been contemplating doing this event for probably three or four years, trying to figure out something interesting we could do with eventing,” Bellissimo stated. “When we threw out the idea of doing an event, we talked about what it would take to get people to come down here and my colleague, Jim Wolf, said maybe $25,000 (in prize money). So we decided to double it, and I didn’t realize that it would turn into the second largest event in terms of prize money in the country, which really is a shame. The athletes are spectacular and the owners are amazing in this sport. It is a great group of people, and we are encouraged and inspired to take this sport to the next level.”

As for the fantastic turnout for a first-time event, Bellissimo said this is just the beginning of the vision to bring the sport to the forefront of equestrian competition. “We want to make eventing a major force at all of our venues. We’re talking to a number of different sponsors and we really want to elevate the sport. We’re fired up to take this sport to the next level and are excited to work with other organizers and organizations so that we can make something really interesting here,” continued Bellissimo. “There is a great trajectory, and we’ve already been approached by new sponsors and owners wanting to get involved. This event will only get better and we are anticipating that the prize money will double, as well as the charitable gifts we were able to give. I am very excited about this sport and this group of people. I was honored to see this incredible group of athletes perform at such a high level in an experimental venue.”

Bellissimo was proud to award the owners of the top three placed horses large charitable donations. Aside from their earned prize money, they will be able to donate to any 501c3 charity of their choice. “We are so thankful to the sponsors for giving us an opportunity to host an event like this. Asheville Regional Airport stepped up in a very big way very quickly, and Land Rover is always a great partner of ours. Allyn Mann and Adequan® have been spectacular, as has our longtime partner Rolex,” Bellissimo said. As for the future, there are big plans on the horizon to host fully recognized FEI events, with a CCI3* being held in Tryon in August and the hopes of hosting the country’s second CCI4* event, aside from Rolex Kentucky CCI4*, at Tryon International Equestrian Center as well.

For more information on Equestrian Sport Productions and the $50,000 Eventing Showcase presented by Asheville Regional Airport, please visit www.pbiec.com.

Carly Weilminster for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
info@jenniferwoodmedia.com

Competitions, Show Jumping

Marie Hecart and Myself de Breve Win $372,000 FEI World Cup™ Grand Prix CSI-W 5*

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Marie Hecart and Myself de Breve. Photo © Sportfot.

Kate Eagleton and My Mr. Darcy Take Home the Blue Ribbon in the THIS Children’s Medal 15-17

Wellington, FL – January 31, 2015 – France’s Marie Hecart and Myself de Breve were the winners in Saturday night’s $372,000 FEI World Cup™ Grand Prix CSI-W 5*, presented by Fidelity Investments®, at the 2015 Winter Equestrian Festival. Earning her first five-star victory as well as her first major Saturday night win in Wellington, Hecart topped a roster of major competition, including Olympic gold medalists Ben Maher (GBR) and Eric Lamaze (CAN). Maher was second with Diva II; Lamaze finished third aboard Fine Lady 5.

Held under the bright lights of the International Arena at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC), Saturday’s class featured 45 starters with 10 clear rounds over the course set by Guilherme Jorge of Brazil. In the jump-off, only two were able to clear the short course without fault.

Sixth to go in the second round, Marie Hecart and Myself de Breve produced the first double clear in the winning time of 38.61 seconds. Kent Farrington (USA) and Amalaya Investments’ Willow immediately followed with a faster time of 36.79 seconds, but had a defeating rail at the last fence to finish fourth. Ben Maher and Tatiana Korsakova’s Diva II came one round later to produce the second clear in a time of 40.55 seconds. Last to go, Eric Lamaze and Artisan Farms LLC’s Fine Lady 5 completed the fastest round of the night in 36.54 seconds, but dropped one rail to finish third.

Myself de Breve is a 15-year-old Selle Francais mare by Quidam de Revel x Grand Veneur. One of the smallest horses in the class at just over 15 hands, what “Myself” (or “Mini Me” in the barn) lacks in height, she makes up for in heart. Hecart has had the mare since she was four years old and has developed a great partnership over the years.

“We know each other really, really well and she has been more and more consistent,” Hecart stated after her win. “The older she gets, the better she gets, and it is really nice to have her in good shape and competitive.”

“I was always really close with Myself,” Hecart said of winning the big classes. “We were always clear and really consistent, but there was always one down in the jump-off or we were not fast enough. Today, I don’t know why, but it happened and she was amazing. It is always a really nice atmosphere and a good crowd here on Saturday, so it is always really exciting to ride here. She loves it. She likes the noise, the crowd, and the night. She even jumped better at night.”

“I was really excited (to win),” Hecart smiled. “It has been a lot of work with my team, my grooms, and all of the people around me. We have always been so close, but couldn’t win, so today is really important.”

Of her jump-off round, the rider detailed, “I cannot go over my speed because she can get really excited and have a rail down. I wasn’t fast in the beginning, and I just took a chance at the last jump. I wasn’t really that fast, so it was good that Eric had a rail.”

With his second place finish, Ben Maher was happy with a great result aboard his mount Diva II and was pleased to see the mare in good form for the night’s class after a good end to the 2014 season.

“She’s fantastic. She has a little bit her own style,” Maher admitted. “She was great in Olympia in London; she won there. I jumped her last week when she came out of quarantine and she was really fresh and crazy, but tonight she was back to herself.”

“I think the first round was a long course actually. It was a difficult course,” Maher noted. “Some of the horses coming back in the jump-off were not necessarily tired, but they didn’t jump quite as well. It was big money, a lot of people making mistakes. I decided to play it a bit safe and take a check home. It is not in my nature to not have a try and go to win to be honest, but I went around to the second fence and I thought I would be a bit closer to Marie than I was actually. I was way off the pace, but I’m happy for her and it is nice to get a good result early on in the circuit.”

Eric Lamaze has been on excellent form with numerous wins in the beginning of the WEF circuit, including wins in all four rounds of the Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Series. The last two wins were back-to-back with Fine Lady 5.

“She felt the same,” Lamaze said of Fine Lady’s performance tonight. “I rode her last Saturday night, and I was pleasantly surprised. She had no reaction and was the same under the lights. With the atmosphere, she jumped an incredible first round. Marie was very fast in the jump-off, so she didn’t leave much on the table and we had to try. For my horse, going last in the first round and then into the jump-off right away, there wasn’t a lot of recovery time. She barely touched that fence. She’s a great mare and I’m very happy to be riding her in these 1.60m grand prix because she wasn’t really bought to do this. For me, it is exciting to have another horse to do it.”

With all of his latest wins, Lamaze was not disappointed with a third place finish.

“Not when you’re third to Marie and Ben,” he stated. “It’s great competition. When you go at this speed, you need a little luck and that’s the way it goes sometimes. My horse jumped very well, and there is no shame in being third on this circuit.”

The Winter Equestrian Festival has some of the toughest competition in the world with many of the top horses and riders competing, and Lamaze and Maher each spoke to the addition of four five-star weeks this year.

“We used to be in Florida to prepare our horses to go compete in Europe or somewhere else in the U.S., but now with the five-stars and the increase in prize money, it becomes a serious competition. It is a serious circuit,” Lamaze acknowledged. “I think a lot of riders are preparing their horses to be here and not train them, but really compete. That is the difference. Florida used to be a training circuit for the rest of the year, but now it is a real competition: a real show with real riders and great horses.”

“It is a long season, so you have to be careful, but it is definitely always great to ride here on a Saturday night and the increase in prize money brings all the best horses out and the best riders,” Maher added. “I think it was a great competition and it is always good to see the amount of horses in the jump-off and not everybody going totally crazy. It was good jumping tonight. They were big jumps, and it was good sport.”

Kate Eagleton and My Mr. Darcy Take Home the Blue Ribbon in the Taylor Harris Insurance THIS Children’s Medal 15-17

On Saturday morning Kate Eagleton, from Miami, FL, took home first place in the Taylor Harris Insurance Services (THIS) Children’s Medal 15-17. Eagleton earned a score of 85 in the first round with Catherine Cech’s horse, My Mr. Darcy, on her way to topping the field of 20 competitors.

After the first round was complete the riders with the top four scores came back for a work-off. Eagleton went into the work-off with the top score and remained consistent to finish as the winner. Second place honors went to Raleigh Hiler, who received a first round score of 82. Isabella Usenza ended the day in third place and Phoebe Alwine rounded out the top four.

“This is my first time winning a Taylor Harris [Children’s Medal] so I was really excited!” Eagleton exclaimed after the final results were announced.

At the beginning of the WEF circuit Eagleton was unsure if she was going to be able to show after her own horse was injured. Eagleton is thankful that My Mr. Darcy was available as a two-week substitute. “He [My Mr. Darcy] is very simple. He helps me out when I don’t know what to do,” Eagleton said about her new horse.

Despite little practice time, Eagleton was still able to master the first course. Eagleton commented, “My first round was really good. The first jump was a little deep. I didn’t see the distance, but I stayed calm and it worked out. The other jumps in the course just came up.”

Even with the success that Eagleton has had with My Mr. Darcy, she is excited to have her own horse back in the show ring. When Eagleton’s horse is ready they will compete in the 3’6″ equitation medals as well as the THIS Children’s Medal. Eagleton hopes to qualify for THIS National Children’s Medal Finals, held at Capital Challenge Horse Show in the fall, as well as qualify for their ASPCA Maclay Regional.

Eagleton is currently a senior in high school and makes the commute to Wellington to compete on weekends. Along with balancing a busy riding and commuting schedule, Eagleton is a part of her high school’s yearbook staff.

Week four of the 2015 Winter Equestrian Festival, sponsored by Fidelity Investments®, concludes on Sunday with the $85,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Classic featured in the International Arena at PBIEC. The Camping World Adult Amateur Hunter 50 & Over Section B will award championship honors in the E. R. Mische Grand Hunter Ring. For full results and more information, please visit www.pbiec.com.

Lauren Fisher and Maddy Stover for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
info@jenniferwoodmedia.com

Phelps Media Group, Polo

Valiente Zooms Past FlexJet 9-7 in 2015 Ylvisaker Cup Opener

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Melissa Ganzi, Miguel Novillo Astrada and Tommy Beresford. Photo: Liz Lamont Images/Phelps Media Group.

Coca-Cola Effervescent after 12-8 Win over Tonkawa

Wellington, FL – January 31, 2015 – Maintaining consistent leads over their opponents, Valiente took FlexJet 9-7 and Coca-Cola beat Tonkawa 12-8 in Saturday’s 20-goal Ylvisaker Cup opener at the International Polo Club Palm Beach in Wellington, Florida.

If the teams weren’t wearing different colors, you’d almost have thought you were having déjà vu in the second match. In an unusually balanced day of play, both games played out in similar fashion (with the exception of the astonishingly electric pace Valiente set in the first game). Neither team was dominated by an individual goal-maker. All 16 players scored, each making between one and three goals.

But that’s not to say there was no suspense. For a time, the final results could have gone either way. Although FlexJet and Tonkawa were never able to take the lead, both managed to give their opponents a few grey hairs, briefly tying the score (FlexJet in the sixth chukker and Tonkawa in the third).

In the first match Valiente moved at warp speed, with watertight team play. Its performance was particularly impressive, given that three of its four players were subbed in at the eleventh hour. Late Friday afternoon a revised roster showed a swap of 10-goalers for Valiente. Sapo Caset moved into the number 3 position, replacing Adolfo Cambiaso, the number one ranked player in the world (who, word has it, is not expected to start playing until the 26-goal tournaments begin at IPC in mid-February). As for the other two changes to Valiente’s lineup, no one knew for sure until Saturday morning – including the players who subbed in – that Peke Gonzales and Tommy Beresford would replace Bob and Rob Jornayvaz. Rob had a fall in practice Friday, which prompted Bob, his father, to re-evaluate the roster.

With its original lineup intact, FlexJet made the first goal of the game. It came courtesy of Cody Ellis, the only FlexJet player to score in the first chukker. Caset and Santi Torres, a strong 7-goaler, each scored in quick succession, giving Valiente a 2-1 lead at the top of the second chukker. All three goals were made from the field, as were the rest of the points until Miguel Astrada scored on a penalty shot at the very end of the third chukker. The first half was punctuated with numerous shots by both teams that went wide.

FlexJet hit the throttle in the second half. Astrada continued his scoring streak, with superb ball handling for goals in each of the fourth and fifth chukkers. One of his strongest plays was a nearside necks hot in the first minute of play during the fifth. FlexJet also mounted a strong defense, keeping Valiente from scoring in the fourth.

In a show of sportsmanship during the fourth chukker, Melissa Ganzi didn’t hesitate to pick up Torres’ dropped mallet and hand it back to him. She got in a lot of plays throughout the game, many of them on passes from Astrada and Ellis amidst fast-paced pressure by Valiente.

Valiente maintained a three-point lead in both the fourth and fifth chukkers, ending the fifth with a 7-4 lead. The final chukker took a few tense turns as FlexJet made three goals to tie the game at 7-all. Valiente didn’t let that stand for long, though, smacking in two goals in quick succession to clinch a 9-7 victory.

“I know we could have played better, but it was the first game of the season,” said Caset. “We did okay, I think. We played much better in the first half than the second half. But a win is a win, and to start like this is good.”

For Gonzales, “It was my first time here playing with Sapo. It was amazing!”

As for being subbed in, Beresford said, “I knew I was subbed, but I didn’t actually know I was playing until 8:00 this morning. Obviously, you’ve always got to be prepared.”

Torres was beaming after the game. “The team was put together at last minute. When that happens, you have to (get to) know each other quick – and we did. It worked. I had fun!”

Coca-Cola Effervescent after 12-8 Win over Tonkawa

Coca-Cola defeated Tonkawa on its home turf of Everglades Polo Club 12-8 to win its first game of bracket play in the Ylvisaker Cup.

Julio Arellano scored the first goal of the match on a penalty shot for Coca-Cola. After some wide-open play in typical Coca-Cola fashion, Inaki Laprida put the first goal on the board for Tonkawa in a penalty conversion. Sugar Erskine maneuvered through traffic to bring the ball to the goalmouth for Mason Wroe, who swept the ball in to take the lead 2-1 at the end of the first chukker. Gonzalo Deltour started out the second chukker with a penalty shot to even out the score 2-2. In a series of penalty shots, Arellano converted to once again put Coca-Cola in a narrow lead. Inaki Laprida answered with a goal on a breakaway to end the second chukker 3-3.

Inaki Laprida and Gonzalo Deltour
Inaki Laprida and Gonzalo Deltour

Coca-Cola took the bit in its teeth in the third chukker as Arellano scored yet another penalty conversion for Coca-Cola. In a turning point in the game, Erskine powered the ball up-field to Gillian Johnston, who scored off of a powerful offside shot to make the score 5-3. Arellano built off of the momentum of his teammates as he scored the next two goals in quick succession, ending the chukker with Coca-Cola firmly in the lead 7-3. Tonkawa looked to turn the tide at the start of the fourth chukker with a goal by Deltour. Coca-Cola used outstanding team play to position Wroe for a near side neck shot that cemented Coca-Cola’s lead. Arellano made a penalty conversion to put one on the board and end the fourth chukker 9-4 in Coca-Cola’s favor.

Erskine and Johnston teamed up for another effective play to score 10-4 at the beginning of the fifth chukker. Arellano followed up with a near side neck shot to make the score 11-4. Deltour demonstrated his significant ball-handling ability, bringing the ball in for a goal for Tonkawa. Tonkawa gathered momentum going into the sixth chukker, starting off with a goal by Jeff Blake to narrow the gap and make the score 11-6. Deltour continued his hot streak with a goal of his own to deepen Tonkawa’s resurgence. In one of her signature speed plays, Johnston scored off of a breakaway to make the score 12-7. Deltour scored the final goal of the game with a lofted shot to convert and finalize the score at 12-8.

Erskine pointed to the third chukker as the turning point for Coca-Cola when it took charge of the match.

“I think we got super lucky in the third (chukker) because the game was backwards and forwards, maybe a little penalty-orientated for a bit,” said Erskine. “Those last two minutes of the third kind of gave us that little jump, but it wasn’t an actual reflection of what the game was like at that time – it could have gone both ways.”

When asked about his superior ability to place himself at the right place at the right time, Wroe said, “It’s the team and the captain, Julio. I give him the credit. He positions me really well so I know where to be and just be patient with the plays and let it come through us. It all goes back to your preparation and organization.”

And when it all comes down to it, polo is about fun for Arellano. “If you don’t have fun, it doesn’t work,” he said.

The Ylvisaker Cup continues Sunday at IPC, starting with Enigma vs. Orchard Hill at 10 a.m. Villa del Lago plays Lucchese at noon, followed by the featured 3 p.m. match between CT Energia and Audi.

International Polo Club Palm Beach Fast Facts

What: Created by players for players, the International Polo Club Palm Beach was born out of the dream to build a facility to showcase the incredible skills of the ponies and players that dominate the sport.

Members and guests enjoy panoramic views of the action from field side box seats or lawn and terrace seating. Sponsors and fans convene at The Winners Circle to congratulate the players during the awards presentation following the games.

Gourmet brunches, après polo celebrations and the prerequisite charitable events will take place in The Pavilion, designed to accommodate large parties, corporate clients, as well as family and friends.

Featured Highlights:

Herbie Pennell Cup – 20 Goal
Jan. 1-4, 2015

Joe Barry Memorial Cup – 20 Goal
Jan. 4-25, 2015

Ylvisaker Cup – 20 Goal
Jan. 28 – February 22, 2015

Iglehart Cup – 20 Goal
Feb. 28 – March 8, 2015

USPA C. V. Whitney Cup – 26 Goal
Feb. 15 – March 1, 2015

Piaget USPA Gold Cup® – 26 Goal
March 4-22, 2015

111th Maserati U.S. Open Polo Championship® – 26 Goal
March 25 – April 19, 2015

Directions:

From the Turnpike:
Take the Lake Worth Exit
Head west on FL-802 W/Lake Worth Rd toward Hooks Rd
Continue to follow Lake Worth Rd (3.9 miles)
Turn right onto 120th Ave S
Destination will be ahead on the left (0.4 miles)

From I-95:
Exit Forest Hill Blvd, head West
Make Left turn onto 441/St Rd 7
Make Right turn onto Lake Worth Rd
Make Right turn onto 120th Ave S
Destination on Left

Information:
3667 120th Ave S, Wellington, FL 33414
International Polo Club Palm Beach: 561-204-5687
Mallet Grille: 561-282-5340
Spa & Fitness Center: 561-282-5288
Tennis Pro Shop: 561-795-7228
Polo Operations Office: 561-282-5283
Polo Hotline: 561-282-5290

Website:
www.internationalpoloclub.com

For Tickets:
http://internationalpoloclub.ticketleap.com/

Hotels:
Hampton Inn & Suites – (561) 472-9696 – Approximately 2 miles
Hampton Inn – (561) 472-5980 – Approximately 4 miles
Four Seasons Resort – (561) 582-2800 – Approximately 9 miles
The Breakers – (561) 655-6611 – Approximately 9 miles
Kimpton Tideline Ocean Resort & Spa – (561) 540-6440 – Approximately 9 miles

Management:
John Wash – President of Club Operations
jwash@internationalpoloclub.com
561-282-5353

MEDIA CONTACT:
Phelps Media Group, Inc.
12012 South Shore Blvd #105
Wellington, FL 33414
561-753-3389 (phone)
561-753-3386 (fax)
pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com
PhelpsMediaGroup.com

*Featured/Spotlights, Dressage, FEI

Dujardin and Valegro Produce Another Amazing Performance in Amsterdam

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Reigning champions, Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro, strutted to victory once again at the sixth leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014/2015 Western European League in Amsterdam, The Netherlands today. (FEI/Arnd Bronkhorst)

Amsterdam (NED), 31 January 2015 – Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro swept to victory with the greatest of ease at the sixth leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014/2015 Western European League series in Amsterdam, The Netherlands today. The 29-year-old rider only returned from New Zealand a few days ago after presenting Masterclasses in Hamilton and Christchurch, and admitted to feeling “seriously jet-lagged”. But such is the exceptional relationship she has with the 13-year-old Valegro that she only fell 0.4 points short of the world-record Freestyle score the pair set at Olympia, London in December when coming out on top by a considerable margin again this afternoon.

Today’s result sheet reflected that of yesterday’s Grand Prix, with exactly the same horse-and-rider combinations filling the top five places. The Netherlands’ Danielle Heijkoop (Siro NOP) filled runner-up spot ahead of Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl (Unee BB) in third, and Dutch riders Diederik van Silfhout (Arlando) and Hans Peter Minderhoud (Glock’s Flirt) claimed fourth and fifth places. However, despite the quality of the field, Dujardin’s absolute supremacy was unmistakable as her nearest rival finished more than 11 marks behind her winning score of 93.900.

Great day of sport

The Amsterdam crowd was treated to a great day of sport, with Germany’s Isabell Werth and El Santo NRW lighting up the arena with a powerful and expressive test that just oozed with fun. When you have a trophy cabinet filled to the brim with Olympic and World Championship gold medals you are entitled to have as much fun as you like, and with her 14-year-old gelding grooving to the sound of David Bowie, the 45-year-old veteran swept into the lead on a mark of 76.775 just before the judging break.

However, Denmark’s Agnete Kirk Thinggaard, who has rocketed to prominence this season, went out in front as soon as the action resumed when posting 78.050. This pair is exciting to watch, showing great balance and rhythm in passage in particular, and demonstrating tremendous harmony between their music and their floorplan.

Two rides later, however, Dujardin and Valegro set the new target so high that there was never any doubt about the final outcome. The Olympic, European and World champion was smiling even before she began, and Valegro just settled to his job, drumming out that now familiar perfect piaffe and passage and sitting steady and low in canter pirouette as the scores came tumbling in thick and fast. Britain’s Stephen Clarke and Dutch judge Eduard de Wolff van Westerrode each awarded the pair artistic marks of 98.00 while Isabelle Judet from France gave them 96.00, and when their final total of 93.900 went up on the scoreboard it was very definitely a done deal.

Confident performance

Heijkoop wasn’t intimidated, however, following with a smooth, confident performance that highlighted her black gelding’s exceptional piaffe for a mark of 82.375. And Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl, who continues to lead the Western European League standings after today’s leg, once again presented her courageous floorplan that embraces difficult transitions including canter to piaffe/pirouette to walk, for a strong score of 80.900.

Penultimate performer, Diederik van Silfhout with Arlando NH, posted 79.950 for fourth place while fellow-Dutchman, Hans Peter Minderhoud, brought the competition to a close with a calm and elegant test from Glock’s Flirt for fifth spot.

Winning result

Dujardin was quick to thank her trainer, friend and mentor, Carl Hester, after today’s winning result. “Carl kept Blueberry (Valegro) ticking over while I was away in New Zealand; I’m always so grateful to him,” she said. She wasn’t too pleased with her ride in yesterday’s Grand Prix, however, even though she won that by more than a seven-point margin. “I was really jet-lagged and I was terrible; I was so angry with myself for the way I rode!” she insisted this afternoon.

She talked about what Valegro has been doing since re-setting the Grand Prix and Freestyle world records at Olympia last month. “He had a couple of weeks off over Christmas and then I started riding him for a couple of days before heading off (to New Zealand). But I only had three days to ride after I got back this week, so he’s a pretty amazing horse!” And looking ahead to the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014/2015 Final where they will be defending their title, she said, “He won’t be doing anything until then. He isn’t the kind of horse that needs competition all the time, so our next outing will be Las Vegas, and after that we’ll be concentrating on getting ready for the European Championships.”

Reflected

Runner-up, Danielle Heijkoop, reflected on her performance, saying, “We had a bigger score at Mechelen (BEL) in December, but I’m very happy with how we went today.” Talking about her trainer, Anky van Grunsven, who is a nine-time winner of the FEI World Cup™ Dressage title, 27-year-old Heijkoop said, “We think alike; our attitude is that things can always be better, but for me the most important thing right now is that you can see our score is getting a little higher everywhere from last year; it’s all improving.”

Now riders are already thinking ahead to how their horses will respond to the bright lights and electric atmosphere of the Thomas & Mack Arena in Las Vegas in just over two months’ time. “I’m so excited about it!” said Dujardin today. “I know the crowd starts clapping before the finish, and the place is buzzing all the time, but hopefully Blueberry will be OK with all that and will put on a great show.”

Runner-up, Danielle Heijkoop, says that her gelding, Siro, can be “a little bit crazy” during the prize-giving ceremony and after he comes out of the arena, but that he is usually a thorough professional during his test. “Actually I think he will love it in Las Vegas; when he’s doing a test he really enjoys the crowd, and I hope it won’t be a problem for him.”

For further information on the sixth leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014/2015 series at Amsterdam, The Netherlands, go to website www.jumpingamsterdam.nl or contact Press Officer Charlotte Gunnink, Email media@jumpingamsterdam.nl, Tel +31 20544 5720 or (mobile) +31 6383 25326.

The next leg will take place Neumuenster, Germany on Sunday 15 February 2015. For details of the German fixture, visit http://reitturnier-neumuenster.de or contact Press Officer Andreas Kerstan, Email andreas.kerstan@comtainment.de, Tel +49 4307 872 973.

Detailed result here.

Facts and Figures:

Amsterdam, The Netherlands presented the sixth leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014/2015 Western European League today.

15 riders from 8 nations, including six from the host country.

Today’s winners were the defending series champions and World No 1 combination, Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro from Great Britain, who re-set both the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Freestyle world records at the previous fixture at Olympia in London last month.

Their winning Freestyle score of 93.900 today was just 0.4 percentage points short of the world record they set in London at 94.300.

The British partnership also won yesterday’s Grand Prix at the Dutch fixture, with a winning mark of 86.140.

Today’s Ground Jury consisted of: At E, Stephen Clarke (GBR), At H, Isabelle Judet (FRA), At C, Eduard de Wolff van Westerrode (NED), At M, Adriaan F. Hamoen (NED), and at B, Peter Engel (GER).

There are three further qualifying legs left to run in the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014/2015 Western European League – at Neumuenster (GER) on 15 February, At Gothenburg, Sweden on 28 February and at ‘s-Hertogenbosch (NED) on 14 March.

The series Final will take place in Las Vegas, USA from 15-19 April.

Quotes:

Charlotte Dujardin GBR, talking about Valegro: “He was just fantastic today. It’s always such a pleasure to ride him; he’s so great!”

Danielle Heijkoop NED: “My next competition will be at Den Bosch I think, but I have to talk to Anky (van Grunsven) about it first.”

Full standings here.

FEI YouTube here.

Reem Acra FEI Hub http://fei.org/fei/sponsors/reem-acra-and-fei gives access to extensive information about the series.

FEI World Cup™ Dressage, the only worldwide series in this discipline, is now in its 29th season. The series, created in 1985, comprises four leagues: Western European, Central European, North American (including Canada) and Pacific (Australia, New Zealand, Asia). Each FEI World Cup™ Dressage qualifier consists of a Grand Prix test, which in turn is a qualification for the Freestyle to Music competition, where league points are accumulated towards places in the Final. Judged on both technical and artistic merit, the FEI World Cup™ Dressage combines art, sport and partnership between horse and rider at the highest level and consistently proves a winning formula with audiences all over the world.

The complete rules, calendar, updated ranking and results are available here.

By Louise Parkes

Media Contacts:

At Amsterdam:

Charlotte Gunnink
Press Officer
media@jumpingamsterdam.nl
+31 205 445 720

At FEI:

Grania Willis
Director Media Relations
Grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

Malina Gueorguiev
Manager Media Relations
Email: malina.gueorguiev@fei.org
Tel: +41 787 506 133

Dressage, Eventing/H.T., Jennifer Wood

Boyd Martin & Trading Aces Rise to the Occasion after Dressage in Wellington Eventing Showcase

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Boyd Martin and Trading Aces. Photo © SusanJStickle.com.

Wellington, FL – January 30, 2015 – Boyd Martin (USA) and Trading Aces bested the competition in the first phase of the Wellington Eventing Showcase presented by Asheville Regional Airport, which was held at The Stadium at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. Martin and Trading Aces performed a lovely dressage test to the take the lead on a 24.80 as the second-to-last ride of the afternoon. Michael Pollard (USA) and Cyrano currently hold onto second place with a 25.70 followed by Marilyn Little (USA) and RF Scandalous in third scoring a 26.60. Tomorrow’s competition will continue with show-jumping beginning at 10:30 am followed by cross-country at 1:30 pm.

Martin was very pleased with Trading Aces’ test and felt he put in one of the best efforts in their partnership together. “He’s one of my favorites. We’ve had some highs and lows in our career; we’ve won lots and came up short a number of times, but today he was absolutely fabulous,” said Martin. “It was the first time I’ve really done a test and felt like I pretty much got everything out of him. It’s great to be riding him here, and I’m so thankful for the group that owns him and who has stood by him for the past couple of years.”

Pollard was also very happy with this test aboard Cyrano, a relatively new mount for him. The horse was campaigned by his father-in-law, Carl Bouckaert, for Team Belgium and competed with him at the 2012 London Olympic Games. “I’m really pleased with him today. When I got here yesterday I probably wouldn’t have bet on myself to be sitting at this press conference,” he laughed. “We’ve basically had him for two months in the barn, and I’m really happy with the progress we’ve made over the past couple of weeks.”

Marilyn Little, a familiar face in Wellington from her days in the show jumping arena, was excited to be back in Florida, this time competing in the sport of eventing. “This is certainly an odd weekend for me, a wonderful weekend in many ways, but funny to be eventing in Wellington,” she commented on returning to the familiar grounds. “It is certainly home turf but also new turf. I’ve jumped a lot of jumps out in that field, but none of them have looked quite like this. It’s just such a pleasure to be back here.”

Little’s horse RF Scandalous is new to the Advanced level, and she will look to give the mare an educational and competitive ride tomorrow. “She is coming from the CCI 1* and Intermediate level. She’s qualified for Advanced on paper, but she is 10 years old now and is still very new to the level,” Marilyn commented. “She put in a great test today and I’m looking for a good performance from her, but there may be some bobbles. It is still early in the season.”

All three riders commented on what can be expected for the next two phases of the competition. The cross-country course, designed by Captain Mark Phillips, gives riders an opportunity to ride fast but also carefully, as there are many technical questions scattered throughout the course. “I think Captain Phillips did a great job building this course. I think it’s going to be very fast out there, and it will be influential as there are a few corners and skinnies that we may see some glances off of and riders will need to take their time, steady up, and balance,” said Martin.

Pollard agreed that the course will be tough, as it is still early in the season for most of these pairs. “They have the time right to make it a competitive day,” he continued. “Going at Intermediate speed would be too intense for this point in the season. These types of courses are always tough, but it is built really well and beautifully presented.”

Little also offered insight on what to expect from Richard Jeffery’s show jumping course in The Stadium arena. “Richard Jeffery always has challenging courses. He is one of the best, and it will be interesting to see how the eventers feel about competing and jumping on the amazing dressage footing. The horses have jumped well on it in competitions past, but it will be interesting to see the response tomorrow.”

Not only did each rider comment on the spectacular footing and the incredible venue of the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, but they each thanked the organizers and sponsors – Asheville Regional Airport, Rolex, Land Rover, and Adequan® – for their support of the event. “It is an absolute honor and privilege to be competing in Wellington,” said Martin. “It is probably the best horse trials I have ever been to when you consider the organization, the arenas, and the marquee tent for the owners. It is fantastic to feel like our sport is climbing up to that caliber, and I think all of the riders are just blown away by the standard of competition.”

Pollard echoed Martin’s response by stating that competitions like these only help to strengthen the sport in the United States. “It is a real major addition to the calendar and hopefully we can continue to get more big atmosphere events like this and maybe we will start attracting some Europeans to ride here instead of going over there. To the extent that it is possible, this is exactly what we need to make that sort of thing happen,” he stated.

Little, familiar with Equestrian Sport Productions from previous travels to Wellington, thanked the Bellissimo family and their partners for hosting eventers this weekend at PBIEC. “Knowing I was going to be in Wellington, I knew that there would be a great opportunity here. Mark [Bellissimo’s] family is very involved as his daughters are both great up-and-coming riders and he is an owner himself. He understands what it takes to keep and produce horses of this caliber. Only someone who understands that can appreciate the time and effort it takes to get these horses to this level.”

Competition continues beginning at 10:30am with show jumping followed by cross-country at 1:30pm. To see the full dressage results, stadium jumping order of go, and course map, please visit http://bit.ly/1zp5Lss.

To watch the live stream of tomorrow’s stadium jumping, go to: http://bit.ly/1Dbofgc.

To watch the live stream of tomorrow’s cross-country, go to: http://bit.ly/1EqwYze.

For more information on Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, please visit www.pbiec.com.

Carly Weilminster for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
info@jenniferwoodmedia.com

Competitions, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Darragh Kenny Earns One-Two Finish in $34,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.45m at the 2015 WEF

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Darragh Kenny and Picolo. Photo © Sportfot.

Tomeu, Burlington, Gilbertson and Foley Claim $25,000 Artisan Farms Under 25 Team Event; T. J. O’Mara and Kaskade Receive High Score in the WIHS Equitation Hunter Phase

Wellington, FL – January 30, 2015 – Show jumping action at the 2015 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) took place on both sides of the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) on Friday with classes for top international show jumpers as well as young up-and-coming talents.

In the International Arena on the main show grounds, Darragh Kenny (IRL) took the top two spots in Friday’s $34,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.45m speed class aboard Oakland Ventures LLC’s Picolo and Toffolon Partners LLC’s Gatsby. The $25,000 Artisan Farms Under 25 Grand Prix Team Event, presented by the McNerney Family, was held in the International Ring at The Stadium at PBIEC with a win for the team of Kaely Tomeu, Brett Burlington, Lacey Gilbertson and Tom Foley.

Week four of the 2015 Winter Equestrian Festival, sponsored by Fidelity Investments®, continues through Sunday, February 1. 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 $85,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Classic on Sunday, February 1.

The $50,000 Wellington Eventing Showcase, presented by Asheville Regional Airport, will finish with their final two phases on Saturday, January 31. The cross-country begins at 1:30 pm on The Stadium derby field. 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.

Both of tomorrow’s 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.

Guilherme Jorge (BRA) set the track for Friday’s 1.45m with 51 competitors and 23 clear rounds. Tiffany Foster (CAN) and Artisan Farms LLC’s Melody des Hayettes Z set the leading pace at 60.31 seconds to eventually finish sixth. Alvaro de Miranda (BRA) upped the time in 59.49 seconds with his own and Victory Equestrian Sport BV’s AD Amigo B, but was later pushed to fifth place. Darragh Kenny jumped into the lead with Gatsby in a time of 57.87 seconds, but soon topped himself to put Gatsby in second. Jessica Springsteen (USA) followed with a clear round in 58.20 seconds to take third place honors riding Stone Hill Farm’s Davendy S. The only person who could beat Darragh Kenny was Kenny himself as the rider topped his own time in the winning round with Picolo in 57.13 seconds. Conor Swail (IRL) jumped into fourth place in the end in 59.26 seconds aboard Vanessa Mannix’s Grand Cru vd Jijf Eiken.

“I just said to somebody that for these classes with those two horses, it is difficult not to be in the top six,” Kenny said of Picolo and Gatsby after his top-two finish. “They are two incredible horses. They are so careful, they are really fast, and you can do whatever you want with them.”

Kenny’s winning mount, Picolo, is a 12-year-old Selle Francais gelding by Diamant de Semilly x Alme. With Kenny in the irons, Picolo jumped to an impressive eight FEI victories in 2014 alone. The horse had a four-month break and started back last week with a couple of 1.40m classes. He stepped right up to the 1.45m this week and never missed a beat.

“Honestly, this horse is just amazing. Every time I ride him he is unbelievable. I have never, ever had a horse like this,” Kenny proclaimed. “He just wants to win so much, and he tries so hard. He is so competitive, and he is just an incredible horse.”

Second place finisher, Gatsby, is an 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse stallion (Simba x Cruise On) that normally competes with amateur rider Allison Toffolon.

“Ali usually shows him, and she is coming in two weeks. I thought I’d show him this week just to give him a round, and it is just easy,” Kenny stated. “Their styles are a little bit different. I know Picolo so well. I know Gatsby quite well, but not as well. I went fast with Gatsby. I did four strides along one line, and I think Conor (Swail) was the only other person that did four there. Gatsby has such a big stride, so that is where you can be faster with him.”

“I saw Jessie (Springsteen) go and she was really fast and really good and that made me a little bit nervous,” Kenny admitted of his hold on the lead. “Then Eric (Lamaze) was really fast. He was actually faster than Gatsby, so I was a little more nervous. When I went with Picolo, I just wanted to make sure that I went as fast as I could possibly be. He is just incredible when you go against the clock. He is so easy. You just gallop at the jumps, and you never really worry that he is going to knock them down.”

Now that Picolo is off to a great start for his 2015 season, Kenny plans to move the horse up to some bigger classes.

“I am just starting to build him up,” the rider explained. “This is his second week back showing. He will probably jump the 1.50m this week. My goal is to jump him on the Nations Cup team here in week eight. Then he might jump one of the under the lights grand prixs after that. He has just been such a great horse. You can do whatever you want with him, so it is great to have him.”

Gatsby will continue to show in the High Amateur-Owner Jumpers with Toffolon, and they also have plans to compete in the Artisan Farms Under 25 Grand Prix Series throughout the circuit.

Also showing in the International Arena on Friday, the $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m Speed Challenge was held in a California Split with 95 total rounds. Laura Chapot (USA) was the fastest clear aboard Mary Chapot’s Zealous to win Section A. Roberto Teran, Jr. (ARG) won Section B aboard ARK Partners LLC’s Farina.

A $500 Shapley’s Groom’s Class was also held in the afternoon. The winner was Miguel Barrera with Revelation, owned by Lori Harvey from Laura Stern Stables. Second place went to Fernando (Uno) Mendoza with Parlay, owned by Laura Stern of Laura Stern Stables.

Tomeu, Burlington, Gilbertson and Foley Claim $25,000 Artisan Farms Under 25 Team Event

Competition in the $25,000 Artisan Farms Under 25 Team Event was tight to the very end Friday evening with the final placings being determined by a two-horse jump-off. Under the lights of The Stadium at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, Kaely Tomeu led her team of Sweet Oak Farm riders to victory in a head-to-head duel against Eugenio Garza.

Two teams jumped clear in the first two rounds of competition, but only Tomeu kept the streak alive riding to her third clear trip of the night aboard Fidalgo van het Leliehof and delivering a win to fellow teammates Brett Burlington, Lacey Gilbertson and Tom Foley.

The Team Event is one phase of 2015 Artisan Farms Under 25 Grand Prix Series, presented by the Dutta Corp. in association with Guido Klatte which will offer $170,000 in prize money in seven featured events throughout the Winter Equestrian Festival.

In total, 16 teams competed in two rounds over a 12-effort course designed by Richard Jeffery (GBR). Jeffery will also set the track for the stadium jumping phase of the $50,000 Wellington Eventing Showcase, presented by Asheville Regional Airport highlighting Week 4 of the WEF on Saturday. After the evening’s first round, each team dropped their lowest score before advancing. In the second round, 15 teams returned in order of highest to lowest total faults. The winner was determined by the lowest total score after two rounds and a tie-breaking jump-off.

Garza’s four jump-off faults with Bariano – his only in the class – settled his team of Spencer Smith, Shawn Casady and Michael Murphy in second place. Smith with IV Ever and Casady on Twister jumped to a pair of double-clear efforts, while Murphy ended on 12 faults from two rounds.

Making Chef d’Equipe Shane Sweetnam and fellow trainer Michael DelFiandra proud, 19-year-old Tomeu jumped the final round of the night with a win hanging in the balance. “It was a lot of pressure, but it made me do better knowing that other people were counting on me,” she said. “It was going to be exciting no matter how I did because we would have had good results being second, but it was great going clear and winning.”

Fellow Sweet Oak Farm riders Gilbertson aboard Record De Pleville and Foley on Petrushka III ended on zero faults. Burlington and Anders Wictor L had a single rail in each round.

While not the oldest on the team, Tomeu brought the most Under 25 Grand Prix Series experience. After competing in 2012 and 2013, Tomeu didn’t chalk the win up to being a veteran, but rather gave credit to 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding Fidalgo van het Leliehof.

“This horse is amazing,” she said of the mount Sweetnam found for her in June. “I actually didn’t ride my best in the jump-off, but he pulled through for me. I landed off that last jump, realized we had won and knew it was all him that did it. I ride him in the High Amateur Jumpers and he really takes me around – he knows his job.”

Camaraderie from the barn aisle spilled over into the show ring during competition, according to 21-year-old Gilbertson. “Obviously we always want each other to do well because we ride in same barn, but it was special to be able to ride together on a team,” she said.

“We don’t get to do this very often,” added 15-year-old Burlington. “Showing in this stadium ring under the lights on a team was a fun experience.”

Riding last in the second round, 18-year-old Foley kept his team’s hopes for a win alive going clear and guaranteeing a jump-off. “It was good to go last – the pressure makes you try a little bit harder. My horse fought to the end for me,” he said of the 10-year-old KWPN mare he piloted. “It was more the horse than me to be honest.”

Third-place was a two-way tie between two four-person teams including Taylor Reid, Ryan Genn, Theo Genn and Richard Neal as well as Michael Hughes, Catherine Tyree, Katherine Strauss and Lucy Deslauriers. Both teams finished with four faults after two rounds.

The Artisan Farms Under 25 Grand Prix Series is designed to give young riders a valuable stepping-stone from the junior and amateur ranks to the grand prix level and culminates with the $50,000 Artisan Farms Under 25 Grand Prix Series Final. The Final will take place Sunday, March 22 on the grass derby field at The Stadium at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center during WEF 11.

T. J. O’Mara and Kaskade Receive High Score in the WIHS Equitation Hunter Phase

This morning in the Rost Arena, 58 junior riders came to compete in the WIHS Equitation Hunter Phase. After three hours of competition, T. J. O’Mara’s score of 90 was unbeatable, and O’Mara earned top honors in section A. Madison Goetzmann finished in second with a score of 88.5 and Katherine Bundy rounded out the top three with a score of 87 in section A.

Kelli Cruciotti won section B with a score of 89. Just behind Cruciotti was Ailish Cunniffe who earned a score of 88 to take home second place in section B. Lucy Deslauriers was the third place finisher in section B of the WIHS Equitation Hunter Phase with a score of 86.

O’Mara, from Rumson, NJ, was partnered with his own horse, Kaskade, today for the winning ride. Kaskade came to O’Mara two years ago having been a hunter, but O’Mara and his trainers at Beacon Hill thought Kaskade could be a good fit in the equitation. “We saw how much potential she [Kaskade] had, and we decided she would be an amazing equitation horse,” O’Mara explained.

Having come from the hunter ring, O’Mara and his trainers have been working on getting Kaskade softer and more accustomed to doing the tight turns required in the equitation. Talking about the preparation, O’Mara said, “This past week the trainers have been working with her [Kaskade], and she felt amazing today.”

While O’Mara and Kaskade started off the day on a high note winning the WIHS Hunter Phase, they also went on to win the WIHS Jumper Phase section A with a score of 91. With top scores in both phases, O’Mara was awarded the overall first place prize.

“I was worried about the jumper phase. The first line was forward and going to the right, so I was worried about Kaskade’s left drift and not making it up the line. Also, the last line was a very steady six to one and I thought she collected very well, making it easier than I thought it was going to be,” O’Mara commented about his Jumper Phase round.

After today’s win, O’Mara is qualified for the George Morris Excellence in Equitation class and is excited to compete in it during WEF 11. Looking past the WEF circuit, O’Mara has set his sights on continuing to win equitation classes throughout the summer, as well as have a successful equitation finals season this fall.

Equitation continues tomorrow with the THIS Children’s Medal 15-17 in ring 8. For full results and more information, please visit www.pbiec.com.

Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
info@jenniferwoodmedia.com

HITS, HITS, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Rocky W and Kaitlin Campbell Victorious in HITS Ocala $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix

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(c) ESI Photography. Kaitlin Campbell and her Rocky W win the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix.

Ocala, Florida (January 29, 2015): Kaitlin Campbell and her Rocky W jumped to victory in 38.220 seconds in a nine horse jump-off in the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix in the Ocala Horse Properties Stadium on Thursday.

Campbell, of Georgetown, Kentucky, went second-to-last in the jump-off. Only two riders had jumped clear to that point. Campbell and her Holsteiner/Dutch Warmblood cross, fondly known as Rocky, finished clean to collect the winning check for $7,500.

“I’ve had Rocky nine years now. We actually bought him in Ocala in 2006 and this is our first time back. He obviously likes it here,” said Campbell, 23, who works as a trainer at Marigot Bay Farm in Lexington, Kentucky, and aims to jump Rocky in the Great American $1 Million at HITS Post Time Farm on March 23. “He’s 17 years old now – I really want to jump in a big class with him.”

Wannick WH, owned by Candy Tribble and Windsor Show Stable and ridden by Christine McCrea of East Windsor, Connecticut, posted the first clear round of the jump-off. Their time of 40.598 held the lead until Campbell rode, putting them in second place to earn $5,500.

Third place went to the only other clear jump-off round, posted by Dorothy Douglas of Flower Mound, Texas on S&L Farms’ S&L Elite with a time of 40.635, over the course designed by Danny Foster of Ontario, Canada.

Mary Goldman’s Centurion B, ridden by Lisa Goldman of Hawthorn Woods, Illinois, had the fastest time of 36.542 in the jump-off but failed to clear a rail at Fence 11, dropping them to fourth place. HH Dauphin, owned by Woodrun and ridden by Laura Linback of Mundelein, Illinois, finished with four faults and a time of 40.660 to take fifth place.

Derek Petersen and Cassevel Top the Brookledge Welcome at HITS Ocala

Derek Petersen of Archer, Florida, riding his and Maddie Skimming’s Cassevel, came out on top in the $2,500 Brook Ledge Open Welcome on Wednesday at HITS Post Time Farm, after placing second in the same class during the first week.

The Brook Ledge Welcome included two combinations set in the course designed by Foster, and proved to be a challenge for the competitors. Only two, Petersen with Cassevel and Manuel Torres on Pluto, negotiated the course with no jumping faults and went on to the jump-off.

Petersen and Cassevel went first in the jump-off. Failing to clear a rail at the second fence, and a time of 42.895 seconds, left the door open for Torres of Waterford, Virginia, riding Pluto, owned by his own Santa Catalina Farm, to win it. But a refusal at a combination and resulting time faults put Torres in second place with seven total faults and a time of 57.238.

Seven had four faults in the first round. Among them, Lisa Goldman, from Hawthorne Woods, Illinois, and her Rocs to Riches, an 8-year-old who will be moving up to the Grand Prix level, were the fastest combination, but placed third at 67.816 seconds. Sam Pegg, riding Michael Pegg’s Shaia De Macheco, was fourth at 69.231, and Andrea Torres Guerreiro, riding Santa Catalina Farm’s Victoria, rounded out the top five in 72.545 seconds.

For more information and a complete schedule of classes and events, visit HitsShows.com. Stay connected with HITS: join us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter!

HITS, Inc. • 319 Main Street • Saugerties, NY 12477-1330
845.246.8833 Tel • Media_Info@HitsShows.com • HitsShows.com

Competitions, Show Jumping, Wellington Turf Tour

Conor Swail and Ariana Win Week 4 Wellington Turf Tour 1.40m Grand Prix

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Conor Swail and Ariana.

Week 5 at Wanderer’s Club on Wednesday and Saturday

Wellington, FL – January 30, 2015 – The competition was fierce Friday at the International Polo Club Palm Beach (IPC) as The Ridge at Wellington Turf Tour completed its fourth week of competition. Conor Swail and Ariana were the trailblazers, leading the class from start to finish with their phenomenal double clear effort completed 31.860 seconds. Alexander Zetterman and Avon finished in second place with a time of 34.072 seconds, while Andrew Bourns and Tzargazer rounded out the top three with their time of 34.372 seconds.

Over 50 horse and rider combinations gathered on the polo field at IPC, vying for the $15,000 offered in prize money for the fourth of 12 Ridge at Wellington Turf Tour 1.40m Grand Prix. Nick Granat designed the course for the day, setting a technical track that proved for a heart thumping jump-off.

Brianne Goutal was the first horse to post a double clear effort and continue onto the shortened track. She rode Ballade Van Het Indihof to the time of 34.960 seconds. The 2014 Ridge at Wellington Turf Tour Leading Rider Jeffery Welles aboard Callais followed her to the second clean round of the day, but his time of 36.350 seconds would only prove good enough for the tenth place, while Goutal would finish fifth.

Goutal said, “All of us riders are really grateful to have The Ridge as an option to come and jump away from the show grounds – it is a nice change of pace and atmosphere. It is always really fun to jump on grass. The weather and everything couldn’t have been better here today. Nona [Garson] and George [D’Ambrosio] do an amazing job maintaining everything. The management really shows.”

Current leading rider Conor Swail aboard Ariana cleared the first course with ease and moved into the jump-off. They were smoking as they covered the ground and completed all the possible options to shave the seconds, with Swail never touching the reins. As only the twelfth rider of the day, Swail admitted that he was riding fast with the hopes of staying in the top three by the end of the competition.

“The jump-off today was short, so it meant that I had to be very fast,” Swail said. “I left out a stride from one to two, then I did a good rollback. It was important to cover the ground efficiently. She was very good to jump the double today and we left out a stride to the final fence. I didn’t leave too much room out there, but I knew I was going to have to run quite hard; there are some great riders here.”

Swail continued, “Ariana is about 14 years old, and this is her first show since Toronto. The facilities are so great here to start your horses back. It is a great environment and good ground. It is a beautiful arena. She is well qualified to do this. She was my top horse over the winter, and she won some top classes over there. She jumped great today, as she always does. I always like to say that it is good enough for top three. I had a good day, so I am very pleased.”

Zetterman attempted to catch Swail’s speed with Avon later in the day, but he broke the beam two seconds behind Swail’s blazing time, surpassing Andrew Bourns with Tzargazer who finished in 34.372. Juan Andres Rodriguez completed the jump-off just behind Bourns in 34.372 seconds aboard Bugatti for the fourth place.

It seemed as though nobody would catch Swail’s time, but Sharn Worldey and Popstar Lozonais flew around the shortened course, racing to trip the timers. They nearly took over the lead with their time of 31.351 seconds, but four faults in the penultimate obstacle, a technical double combination, would put them out of the rankings.

Beth Underhill and Viggo finished sixth behind Goutal in 35.203 seconds, while Charley, with Juan Ortiz in the irons, captured the seventh place in 35.342 seconds. Angela Covert and Utan completed the day in eighth.

“We are getting set up for the rest of the season, and it is great to come and show over here. I try to bring a couple of horses every week. It is great to start with your better horses and bring your younger horses here and improve them,” Swail concluded.

Running concurrently in the second ring were the long-awaited schooling jumpers and classics. It was Sierra Ucci Peddie who rode to the win in the $2,000 M&S/NAL WIHS Child/Adult Jumper Classic with Big Easy. Paul Yanke and Carle captured the $3,000 NAL Junior/Amateur-Owner Classic victory.

“I think that this is a great opportunity for people that want to come and compete while having a good time,” Peddie said. “I think that it is definitely worth the trip out here, and I think everyone, horse and rider, will have a good experience. The courses were great, and it really was a good time showing.”

The Wanderer’s Club will host the fifth week of The Ridge at Wellington Turf Tour, at their private facility boasting a pristine polo field that will showcase the best show jumping has to offer. Both Wednesday and Saturday’s events promise to be exciting, with the 1.30m-1.35m classes and the $15,000 1.40m Grand Prix running from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. The turf will see low and medium schooling jumpers with two classes running concurrently offered at each height on both days. The schooling jumper classes will continue to be offered on Friday throughout the remainder of the Turf Tour.

For week five of the Wellington Turf Tour, Meadowbrook Horse Transport will provide a complimentary shuttle to and from the Wanderer’s Club in Wellington, FL, on Wednesday and Saturday. Parking and space is limited, so please arrange to make plans to jump on one of Wellington’s most prestigious turfs. The Ridge would like to thank their most recent sponsor, Dover Saddlery, for their support of the 12-week series as the cooler and banner sponsor.

Meadowbrook Horse Transport will provide transportation to and from the horse show and other locations throughout Wellington for both the Wednesday and Friday events. The transportation is a nominal fee of $50 per horse, and will be calculated into the final show fees. To make a reservation for one of the three pickup times, 8 a.m., 11 a.m., and 2 p.m., please call Peter Tufano of Meadowbrook Horse Transport at (954) 415-7217, or call Nona Garson at (908) 500-0996.

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

Dressage, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

International Polo Club Palm Beach to Host the 2015 Challenge of the Americas

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Show jumper Laura Kraut at the 2014 Challenge of the America. Photo by Meg McGuire.

Wellington, FL – January 30, 2015 – The Challenge of the Americas (COTA), presented by Deloitte, is a spectacular event that deserves a spectacular venue, and the International Polo Club (IPC) Palm Beach fits the bill. The dazzling setting under the lights is the perfect host for the evening of top-notch equestrian entertainment to benefit an important cause.

COTA, held this year on March 20 at 5:30 p.m., brings together elite international dressage and show jumping riders for a competition that assists The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) through their partner Play for P.I.N.K. (Prevention, Immediate Diagnosis, New Technology, Knowledge). The event provides much-needed funding for lifesaving research.

“It’s a very worthwhile charity event that we are thrilled to support,” said John Wash, IPC’s President of Club Operations. “The leadership and those on the event committee are wonderful people with big hearts.”

Wash said that although IPC’s focus is polo, he enjoys the opportunity to support other equestrian disciplines and feels COTA is an important addition to the diverse slate of events offered at IPC.

“I think people love a change of pace,” he explained. “Our members who are also dressage riders and jumpers are excited to have an event of this caliber, featuring top equestrian competitors, at the club. COTA is very well supported by our membership.”

Mary Ross, Chairman of COTA, is looking forward to a great event at IPC this year.

“The International Polo Club is a beautiful venue for both the equestrian entertainment and the Challenge Gala that follows,” Ross said. “The IPC team is so helpful and accommodating at every step as we prepare for the event, and we very much appreciate their support.”

With teams of top-notch dressage riders already beginning to prepare, competition is sure to be fierce in COTA’s musical quadrille competition. Show jumpers will join the fray and ensure an exciting evening at IPC.

“I’ve always enjoyed the Challenge of the Americas,” Wash said. “Between the show jumping and the musical quadrilles, it is such a fantastic and entertaining event for a great cause. We’re very glad to continue our involvement as the host site.”

Challenge of the Americas Fast Facts

The 2015 Challenge of the Americas, presented by Deloitte, is a spectacular event in which teams of high-performance dressage riders compete in intricate quadrilles set to world-class music and choreography. For the 2015 edition, teams will also include elite show jumpers competing to rack up more points for their teams.

This annual fundraiser is a one-of-a-kind affair. Competing riders include the “Who’s Who” of top equestrian competitors in the United States, Canada, Latin America and Europe. The 2015 Challenge of the Americas will once again raise money to help find a cure for breast cancer by benefiting the Breast Cancer Research Foundation through their partner Play for P.I.N.K.

When:

Fri., March 20, 2015
5:30 p.m.     Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres
6:00 p.m.     Opening ceremonies
6:10 p.m.     Challenge of the Americas Competition
7:30 p.m.     Award Presentation
7:45 p.m.     The Challenge Gala: Dinner and Dancing

Where:
International Polo Club Palm Beach
3667 120th Avenue South
Wellington, FL 33414
www.internationalpoloclub.com

Ticket Information:
Mary Ross
8067 Montserrat Place
Wellington, FL 33414
(561) 433-0988
Anglot@aol.com

Ticket prices:
VIP Tables of 10:   price includes competition and gala dinner and dancing
Gold Patron           $6,500 per table
Silver Patron        $4,500 per table
Bronze Patron       $2,500 per table
Individual Seating: $250 per person
Partners for Pink: $1,500 special sponsorship package that includes two VIP tickets along with advertising and media promotion
General Admission seating $20 per person at the gate
Children 12 and under admitted free (General Admission)

Website:
www.challengeoftheamericas.com

Facebook:
www.facebook.com/ChallengeOfTheAmericas

The Challenge of The Americas Beneficiary: The Breast Cancer Research Foundation through their partner Play for P.I.N.K

Play for P.I.N.K.
Play for P.I.N.K.® (Prevention, Immediate Diagnosis, New Technology, Knowledge) is a 501(c)(3) grassroots organization dedicated to raising funds to fight breast cancer through lifestyle and sporting events. Our commitment is to contribute 100% of all proceeds to our sole beneficiary, The Breast Cancer Research Foundation in order to fund the world’s top researchers. In 2014, PFP donated $4.5 million to BCRF for a cumulative total of $38.5 million.

Website: playforpink.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/playforpink

Website: www.bcrfcure.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheBreastCancerResearchFoundation

Mary Adelaide Brakenridge for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International

MEDIA CONTACT:
Phelps Media Group, Inc.
12012 South Shore Blvd #105
Wellington, FL 33414
561-753-3389 (phone)
561-753-3386 (fax)
pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com
PhelpsMediaGroup.com