Tag Archives: Grand Prix

Isabell Werth & Warum Nicht Win Exquis World Dressage Masters Grand Prix Freestyle

Isabell Werth and Warum Nicht in Cannes. © 2010 RBPresse

CANNES, France, June 12 – Isabell Werth rode Warum Nicht FRH to victory in the Exquis World Dressage Masters Grand Prix Freestyle Saturday night, the event providing the first victory for the German pair in more than a year and since returning to competition after a six-month break to give birth to a son.

Isabell, competing in her third straight €100,000 (US$121,000) WDM CDI5*, scored 77.950 per cent with Belgium’s Stefan van Ingelgem and Withney van’t Genthof in second place on 70.90 per cent and Poland’s Michael Rapcewicz on Randon third on 69.20 per cent.

She was smiling happily at the end of the ride on the 14-year-old Hanoverian gelding on whom she won the World Cup Final in 2007, although she did not get to give her final salute until about midnight as the €60,000 (US$72,700) freestyle did not start until completion of the Global Champions Tour jumping Grand Prix in this French Riviera resort.

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Isabell Werth Tops Field for Exquis World Dressage Masters Cannes

Luiza Almeida of Brazil on her Lusitano stallion Samba on whom she competed at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. © Ken Braddick

CANNES, France, June 9 — Isabell Werth on her World Cup champion mount Warum Nicht top the field for the Exquis World Dressage Masters starting Thursday and that will include riders from Brazil for the first time, including Luiza Almeida who was the youngest ever dressage Olympian at the 2008 Beijing Games.

This glamorous French Riviera resort was the launching pad for WDM two years ago and is now the midway point in the lineup that this year has been enlarged to five premier competitions on both sides of the Atlantic each offering €100,000 (US$119,350) in prize money.

The Cannes CDI5* event kicks off Thursday with the €10,000 (US$11,935) Grand Prix presented by Exquis, Lusitano Sport/Elevage Massa. The €30,000 (US$35,800) Grand Prix Special presented by Moorlands and Massa Autopneu on Friday and the €60,000 ($71,600) Grand Prix Freestyle presented by Exquis World Dressage Masters and Groupe Massa on Saturday, will both be at night under lights.

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Pablo Barrios and G&C Quick Star 11 Notch Second Place Finish in $55,000 BC Open World Cup Grand Prix at Thunderbird Show Park

Pablo Barrios and G&C Quick Star 11. Photo © 2010 Totem Photographics

Langley, BC, Canada – June 8, 2010 – In another strong week of competition, Pablo Barrios of Wellington, FL, finished second in the $55,000 BC Open World Cup Grand Prix on Saturday, June 5, at the BC Open Tournament at Thunderbird Show Park in Langley, British Columbia, Canada. Barrios rode G&C Quick Star 11, owned by G&C Farm and Gustavo and Carolina Mirabal, to the top placing. G&C Farm’s state-of-the-art jumper facility is based in Wellington, FL.

Barrios and G&C Quick Star 11, a 12-year-old KWPN mare by Quick Star x Grannus, were one of 26 entries in the World Cup qualifying grand prix.  The course designer was Peter Grant, and Barrios commented, “It was a pretty tough course. There were a few tall verticals, and the oxers had a good spread. The track was very nice, and it was good for our first World Cup qualifier (this season).”

In the jump-off, Barrios was chasing the winning time set by Rich Fellers and Flexible. “Unfortunately in the jump-off I had a rail down. I was trying to catch Rich’s time. I did it but had the second to last fence down. I ended up second because Ashlee Bond had the same rail down but wasn’t as fast,” Barrios recalled.

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Pablo Barrios and G&C Quick Star 11 Win $25,000 BC Timberframe Grand Prix at Thunderbird Show Park

Barrios and G&C Quick Star 11. All Photos © 2010 Totem Photographics

Langley, BC, Canada – June 1, 2010 – Pablo Barrios of Wellington, FL, took the top prize in the $25,000 Timberframe Grand Prix on Sunday, May 30, at the Canadian Premier Tournament at Thunderbird Show Park in Langley, British Columbia, Canada. Barrios rode G&C Quick Star 11 to the win. G&C Farm’s state-of-the-art jumper facility is based in Wellington, FL, and owned by Gustavo Mirabal.

Barrios and G&C Quick Star 11, a 12-year-old KWPN mare by Quick Star x Grannus, went 16th in a class of 32 entries. In the jump-off, they went fifth out of eight. “There were only two double clear in the jump-off,” Barrios remembered. “I had the opportunity to watch Rich Fellers, and I watched his jump-off. He had one down, but at that point I still had to go fast because I had two or three after me and I didn’t know how fast they could go. I went pretty fast.”

Continue reading Pablo Barrios and G&C Quick Star 11 Win $25,000 BC Timberframe Grand Prix at Thunderbird Show Park

Todd Minikus and Pavarotti Win the $50,000 EMO Grand Prix, Presented by Pfizer Animal Health, at HITS Saugerties

© ESI Photography. Todd Minikus and Pavarotti in the $50,000 EMO Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health

SAUGERTIES, NY (June 1, 2010) — The $50,000 EMO Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, was the perfect stage as Pavarotti, with Todd Minikus in the irons, took home the win in Sunday’s class to highlight HITS-on-the-Hudson I.

“It was a good first round,” said Minikus, of Loxahatchee, Florida, who competed and placed in his third Pfizer Million Grand Prix qualifier. “The jumps were big enough and challenging. The second vertical downhill and the line across the middle had good rideability questions.”

Minikus and Little Annie were the first of 30 horse-and-rider teams to take to the field designed by Olaf Petersen, Jr. of Paehl, Germany. The team had a rail down on the second fence, which would also prove troublesome for four other riders in the first round.

Continue reading Todd Minikus and Pavarotti Win the $50,000 EMO Grand Prix, Presented by Pfizer Animal Health, at HITS Saugerties

Margie Engle Wins the $25,000 HITS Grand Prix at HITS-on-the-Hudson I

© ESI Photography. Margie Engle and Hidden Creek's Pamina L on course in Friday's $25,000 HITS Grand Prix

SAUGERTIES, NY (May 29, 2010) — Margie Engle and Hidden Creek’s Pamina L, owned by Hidden Creek Farm, won the $25,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, in the first Pfizer Million Grand Prix qualifier at HITS Saugerties on Friday which doubled as a fundraiser for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

“It was a very nice opening course,” said Engle, of West Palm Beach, Florida. “It was big enough, with some tight combinations.”

Engle and Hidden Creek’s Pamina L were one of 32 horse-and-rider teams to take the field on a course designed by International Course Designer Olaf Petersen, Jr. which saw an outstanding 10 riders return for the jump-off.

Continue reading Margie Engle Wins the $25,000 HITS Grand Prix at HITS-on-the-Hudson I

One for the Record Book! Minikus and Raether Tie for the Top in $55,000 Mary Rena Murphy Grand Prix at Kentucky Spring Classic

Todd Minikus and Pavarotti tied with Cara Raether and Ublesco for the first place prize in the $55,000 Mary Rena Murphy Grand Prix at the Kentucky Spring Classic. Photo By: Lindsay Y McCall/PMG.

Lexington, KY – May 22, 2010 – Tonight’s amazing finish in the $55,000 Mary Rena Murphy Grand Prix, sponsored by Audi of Lexington, will go down in history.  The crowd went wild when Todd Minikus and Pavarotti crossed the finish line in an exciting 35.24 seconds to take over the lead during the jump-off, but when Cara Rather and Ublesco managed to stop the timers at the same 35.24 seconds the night became historical.

The fantastic grand prix at the Kentucky Spring Classic was held in the Main Stadium, site of the show jumping events for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, with the course designed by Conrad Homfeld. The first round had 16 jumping efforts that included a liverpool, a double combination, and a triple combination. Ten riders were able to complete the first round without fault and advance to jump-off. The short course began over a single vertical and a made a sharp right turn to a single oxer before making a left turn to the oxer-vertical double combination. Riders then made a made dash to a single vertical, which they had to slice before continuing to a single oxer. Finally they made a full circle to a single vertical before galloping home over a large oxer towards the gate.

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Happy Z and Wilhelm Genn Wow Crowd with Victory in Inaugural $40,000 Nutrena Show Jumping Grand Prix in Madison

Happy Z and Wilhelm Genn won the $40,000 Nutrena Grand Prix at the Midwest Horse Fair in Madison, WI, in front of a crowd of 10,000. Photos © 2010 Jon Kassel.

Fantastic Reception as Showplace Productions Brings World Class Jumping to Midwest Horse Fair

April 27, 2010 – Madison, WI – The 10,000 seat John Deere Coliseum at Madison’s Alliant Energy Center was standing room only Saturday night as five of 38 entries passed the course’s first test and were asked back for the tie-breaking round. Ultimately it was the feisty chestnut mare Happy Z and Ohio’s Wilhelm Genn who laid down an unbeatable jump off track for the win. Laura Linback and As di Villagana, competing last, also put in a flawless round to finish a close second.

The difficult course was designed by Puerto Rico’s Hector Loyola in collaboration with Pat Boyle, whose company Showplace Productions managed the first ever Show Jumping event at the Midwest Horse Fair.

“It was a great event, Hector and Pat built a very nice course, and the audience was the best I have ever experienced; they were supportive, electrifying, generous even. When you had some rails they made you feel like you were still doing something special,” said the 49-year-old Genn, who first competed in the United States 22 years ago before moving from his native Germany to Lebanon, Ohio.

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Margie Engle and Indigo Soar to $50,000 Grand Prix of Tampa CSI 2*-W Victory at Tampa Bay Classic

Margie Engle and Indigo were the winners of the $50,000 Grand Prix of Tampa CSI 2*-W after completing a clear round over the fences, but crossing the finish line with two time faults. Photo By: Anne Gittins.
Margie Engle and Indigo were the winners of the $50,000 Grand Prix of Tampa CSI 2*-W after completing a clear round over the fences, but crossing the finish line with two time faults. Photo By: Anne Gittins.

Tampa, FL – April 4, 2010 – There were no rabbits this Easter at the Tampa Equestrian Festival during the $50,000 Grand Prix of Tampa CSI 2*-W. When four riders were unable to complete today’s jump-off round without bringing down a rail Margie Engle and Indigo were determined to have a steady, clear ride. The pair left all the jumps standing, and despite accruing two time faults, Engle and Indigo claimed today’s top prize.

Today, riders competed over courses designed by Michel Vaillancourt in the Covered Arena at the Bob Thomas Equestrian Center at the Florida State Fairgrounds. The first round featured an early triple combination to a liverpool fence, followed by a triple bar. As the course came to a close, riders had to show over a large oxer line, followed by a tight double combination, before finishing over a tall, single vertical.  Many riders had a difficult time at the oxer line, the double combination, and the final vertical.

Six riders were able to complete the first round without fault and advance to the jump-off. The course began with a bending line, and then riders could take a difficult inside turn to a vertical, before making another inside turn to the second half of the triple combination. Finally, riders made their way to the triple bar before galloping to the tall vertical and finishing over the final oxer.

Continue reading Margie Engle and Indigo Soar to $50,000 Grand Prix of Tampa CSI 2*-W Victory at Tampa Bay Classic

Sapphire and McLain Ward Repeat Huge Victory in $500,000 FTI Consulting Finale Grand Prix, CSI 5* at 2010 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival

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Rodrigo Pessoa Wins $100,000 FTI Rider Challenge


Wellington, FL – March 27, 2010 – Tonight’s $500,000 FTI Consulting Finale Grand Prix, CSI 5* drew the largest crowd in the history of equestrian sport in Wellington. More than 9,000 spectators came to see who would win one of the biggest show jumping purses in North America. Sapphire, ridden by McLain Ward (USA) and owned by Ward and Blue Chip Bloodstock, came home with the win and repeated their victory from last year over Laura Kraut (USA) and Cedric, owned by Happy Hill Farm, and Todd Minikus (USA) with his own Pavarotti.

Tonight’s class was also the final qualifier for the $100,000 FTI Rider Challenge, where the top four riders of the circuit were awarded with bonus checks. The top four riders were Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA), who earned $50,000, Pablo Barrios (VEN) who received $25,000, McLain Ward, who took home $15,000, and Laura Kraut, who received $10,000.

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