Tag Archives: Lucas Porter

Lucas Porter Sails to Victory in $36,000 Douglas Elliman 1.45m CSI 5* at WEF

Lucas Porter and Diamante Darco. Photo © Sportfot.

Lucas Porter (USA), 21, started the final week of the 2019 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) with a CSI 5* win in the $36,000 Douglas Elliman 1.45m in the International Arena on Wednesday, March 27.

Course designer Guilherme Jorge of Brazil set the track for Wednesday’s two-round event with 54 entries breaking the timers. One of the youngest challengers of the day, Porter was also the fastest crossing the final finish line in 25.79 seconds aboard his long-time partner Diamante Darco, owned by Sleepy P Ranch. Jumping among the first 10 horses, Porter stopped the clock at 25.79 seconds with 44 to return after him.

“It feels great to close WEF with a win and cap it off like this at the highest level of our sport,” said Porter. “Guilherme had a great course for the opening class and there were parts of the speed phase where you could run, but also sharp turns. I was really quick to the double and then the last couple fences I really shaped the turns and did as few strides as possible.”

For full results, please visit pbiec.coth.com.

Beezie Madden Crowns Week 11 with Stylish Win in $205k Grand Prix CSI 4*

Beezie Madden and Breitling LS. Photo © Sportfot.

Wellington, FL – March 24, 2018 – The senior jumping finale class of the season on the derby field, the $205,000 CaptiveOne Advisors CSI4* Grand Prix, came right down to the wire. It was last-to-go Beezie Madden (USA) who clinched the win in the five-strong jump-off.

Madden was riding Breitling LS, a quick and careful 12-year-old stallion son of Quintero owned by Abigail Wexner, who was clocking up his second grand prix win of the season — the first having been in the $205,000 CSIO4* Grand Prix, presented by Lugano Diamonds, in WEF 8.

The 54-year-old Olympic gold medalist had the advantage of crafting her jump-off tactics after watching her fellow competitors tackle the course. She broke the beam in 47.19 seconds, cruising more than a second under Irishman Daniel Coyle’s time. He finished second with Cita, owned by Ariel Grange & Lothlorien.

Fellow Irishman Richie Moloney sewed up a success-fueled week, finishing third in this class to add to his 1.45m victory on Friday. This latest result came aboard Equinimity LLC’s Freestyle De Muze, a 13-year-old gelding by Lord Z, who finished in 50.68 seconds.

Lucas Porter Tops $132,000 Hollow Creek Farm 1.50m Classic Final

Fifty-six entries contested Saturday night’s $132,000 Hollow Creek Farm 1.50m Classic Final. In the class format, 25 percent of entries advanced to the second round, regardless of faults, and carried their first round faults through. Fourteen entries competed over the fast track designed by Olaf Petersen Jr. of Germany, and it was Lucas Porter (USA) who ended up clear in 47.90 seconds for the win on Diamonte Darco, a 13-year-old GBSH mare by Unbelievable Darco owned by Sleepy P Ranch LLC.

Second place with a double clear round were Amber Harte (USA) and Austria 2, owned by Take The High Road LLC, who recorded a time of 49.30 seconds. Kelli Cruciotti (USA) and Chamonix H, owned by Serenity Farm, were third after going double clear in 49.85 seconds.

Maggie Hill Pilots Cassanto to Large Junior Hunter 15 & Under Championship

A cool breeze accompanied riders into the E. R. Mische Grand Hunter for Saturday’s Large Junior Hunter 15 & Under division, which ultimately awarded the championship tricolor to Maggie Hill and her mount, Cassanto, an entry of Stella Styslinger. The pair secured the win with a first in the under saddle and a first, second, third, and sixth over fences, for a total of 30.5 points. Reserve honors went to Sam Walker and Monday Balous, owned by Redfield Farm, who were close behind by half a point after taking home a first, first, second and third over fences.

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Christine McCrea and Wannick WH Top $25,000 Tryon Grand Prix

Christine McCrea and Wannick WH. Photos ©Sportfot.

Lucas Porter Has Banner Day with Top Finishes in ASPCA Maclay and $25,000 Tryon Grand Prix

Mill Spring, NC – May 31, 2015 – Christine McCrea of East Windsor, CT and Candy Tribble’s Wannick WH concluded Tryon Spring 7 with a win in the $25,000 Grand Prix at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC). The duo bested the six-horse jump-off with a time of 41.528 seconds. Lucas Porter and Sleepy P Ranch, LLC’s Doma Sue finished followed in second, completing the course in 44.517 seconds. Kady Abrahamson and Abrahamson Equestrian LLC’s Bamiro placed in third, riding clear in 45.322 seconds. Competition at TIEC begins again on Wednesday, June 3, with the start of Tryon Spring 8 CSI 4*, the last week of the Tryon Spring Series.

McCrea and Wannick WH were the last pair in the George H. Morris Stadium for the jump-off, riding in hot on the heels of Lucas Porter and Doma Sue, who had just put in the fastest clear round of the jump-off. McCrea had scoped out the tracks she believed would save her time on course and made two bold inside turns to ultimately finish three seconds faster than Porter.

“Winning here in Tryon feels great. It’s our first time here and I was so impressed with how everything went this week. I thought this class would be great for him so we went today and got really lucky,” said McCrea.

The duo has built a solid partnership together as Wannick WH has been with the McCreas for nearly seven years. McCrea knows the ins-and-outs of the stallion’s style and the win today served as a great moment for the pair.

“We’ve had him forever. We bought him when he was five-and-a-half and now he’s twelve. It’s like putting on an old sneaker, you just know. I can feel really secure about what I think is going to happen and hopefully it does happen,” she commented. “He’s just a really good horse and he really tries. He’s a bit on the smaller side and for him to jump these big jumps is really cool. He gives you a great feeling.”

Abrahamson and Porter were the first two riders to finish with clear rounds in the jump-off and McCrea knew she was going to have to ride competitively to keep all of the rails up and lay down a fast and efficient ride.

“The kids really put the pressure on this old lady today,” laughed McCrea. “To be honest, I wasn’t sure that I wanted to go inside to the double because it was quite short but I said to myself, ‘Okay, we’re going inside of the double and if you clear that then you have to make an effort to get inside of the next two standards,'” she explained. “I sort of forced that turn but he slowed down and that allowed me to turn him quite tight and I got a great line. It really worked out to my advantage. It almost gave him enough of a half halt to rock back on his hocks, which pushed us through the next fence.

Christine and her husband Jonathan will stay at TIEC to contest the next week of FEI CSI 4* competition before returning to Connecticut for small summer break. The duo has a strong string of horses here and will look to continue their winning ways moving into Tryon Spring 8 next week.

“We’ll be here for next week and then we’ll head back to Connecticut for a bit. I haven’t been home since December so I’m really looking forward to spending some time there. We’ll do some of the more local stuff there, but will 100% be coming back here within the year. We’ve already put it on the schedule,” commented McCrea. “We love it here and I think what Mark [Bellissimo] is doing with the FEI classes, for me as a rider, is what I want and it’s what we’ve all been begging for. We’re so thrilled to be here and to win this class was just great.”

Adding TIEC into their show schedule has been a huge advantage for McCrea, as she can not only compete in FEI sanctioned competitions on U.S. soil, something she has been looking forward to for a long time, but also gives her the opportunity to choose from a wide range of classes and decide which are most fitting for her horses.

“I think the footing has been perfect. It has a give and it feels soft but firm. You can turn in it without slipping. The layout of the facility is really cool and I like the way it’s starting to layout,” said McCrea. I realize there’s a lot more work to do, but I can say that if it was just this alone, it’s amazing, but I think moving forward with the plans is just going to make it that much better and we’re really excited for that.”

Lucas Porter Has Banner Day with Top Finishes in ASPCA Medal Maclay and $25,000 Tryon Grand Prix

Lucas Porter has been a force at Tryon International Equestrian Center this week, collecting several top finishes in both the jumper and equitation rings. Finishing his first week of competition at TIEC, Porter collected second place in the $25,000 Tryon Grand Prix after winning the ASPCA Medal Maclay earlier in the day. Porter rode Sleepy P Ranch, LLC’s Punch to victory in the Maclay and piloted Sleepy P Ranch’s Doma Sue to a second place finish in the Grand Prix.

Lucas Porter and Doma Sue
Lucas Porter and Doma Sue

“I got Doma Sue from David Blake last August and I competed her in the High Junior classes in Wellington and just started making the move to Grand Prix in the past few months. This is my first really great result on her at this level so I’m really pleased with how it went,” commented Porter. “I thought the course was great for the number of starters and I thought there were a perfect amount of clears and I was fortunate to come towards the end in the jump-off. I wanted to put in a really tidy clear and she did.”

Porter and his equitation mount Punch gathered wins in the ASPCA Maclay and the USEF Pessoa Hunt Seat Medal during Tryon Week 7. Punch has been an important horse in Porter’s young career, as he has helped him to better his position and give him experience in the equitation and hunter rings.

“He’s really a hybrid. He used to be a jumper and then my trainer and I thought that we needed to work on my position so he started to do some of the equitation and he’s turned out to be a perfect horse for it,” said Porter. “He’s slow tempered and he has a big stride, which has made him ideal in those classes.”

When Porter is competing, it is all hands on deck to ensure that he gets to each of his rings on-time, as he has a number of horses entered in classes throughout the grounds. Today was no different, as he hopped off of his ride in the Junior/Amateur Owner Medium Classic and headed straight to the equitation ring for the ASPCA Maclay and the USEF Pessoa Hunt Seat Medal.

“I rode the Maclay first and was able to use that to an advantage in the USEF Pessoa Hunt Seat Medal because I already knew the lines and the striding in between the jumps and I tried to do the same thing in both,” he commented. “He was perfect just like Doma and everything worked out perfectly today, in the Grand Prix and in both of those classes.”

The Porters and the Sleepy P Ranch team will continue competing at TIEC through Tryon Spring 8 of the Spring Series and have been thoroughly impressed with the facility and competition.

“The facility here is unbelievable. The rings are huge and the barns are incredibly nice. I personally like the ample schooling rings, which allows you school your horses in a calm place if you want to get away from the rest of the show,” commented Porter. “The weather here is perfect and we’ve all been really happy. I want to thank the Bellissimos for putting on this show and the sponsors for supporting these classes and to my sponsors for helping me get to where I am.”

Tryon Spring 8 CSI 4* will begin on Wednesday, June 3, and will continue through Sunday, June 7. Tryon Spring 8 will be the biggest week of the Tryon Spring Series, hosting FEI CSI 4* competition alongside an array of activities for the general public to enjoy at the venue including the Festival of the Carolinas Craft Beer Festival, the unveiling of the Rolex Clock Tower and much more on Saturday, June 6. For more information on the competition and the events to come at TIEC, please visit www.tryon.com. Please “Like” the TIEC Facebook page at www.facebook.com/tryonresort to be eligible for various contests and promotions.

About Tryon International Equestrian Center

The Tryon International Equestrian Center is destined to become one of the premier centers in the equestrian world. This new facility opened in June 2014 with sanctioned horse shows and initial supporting amenities including 10 riding arenas, 850 permanent stalls, a covered riding facility and fitness center. Future expansion includes a sports complex, two hotels, sporting clay course, and an 18-hole golf course plus a full calendar of equestrian competitions and activities. It is a spring, summer and fall haven for eastern and northeastern American equestrian competitors and enthusiasts. For more information, call 828-863-1000 or visit www.tryon.com.

Ward and HH Carlos Z Win Ashcor Technologies Cup at Spruce Meadows

McLain Ward and HH Carlos Z. Photos © Spruce Meadows Media Services.

Lucas Porter and Mill’s Georgia Top $15,000 CIBC Junior/Amateur Jumper 1.40m

Calgary, AB, Canada – July 11, 2014 – The ‘Pan American’ Tournament CSI 5* continued at Spruce Meadows on Friday with an exciting showdown between two of the world’s top riders in the $33,500 Ashcor Technologies Cup 1.55m. In a two-horse jump-off in the Meadows on the Green, McLain Ward (USA) and HH Carlos Z came out on top against Kent Farrington (USA) and Uceko.

The $15,000 CIBC Junior/Amateur Jumper 1.40m competition was also featured on Friday with a win for Lucas Porter (USA) and Mill’s Georgia. The ‘Pan American’ Tournament runs July 10-13, featuring the $400,000 Pan American Cup presented by Rolex on Sunday, July 13.

Uliano Vezzani of Italy set a difficult track for the 24 competitors vying for Friday’s Ashcor Technologies Cup. Just two entries were able to clear the first round course without fault, leaving McLain Ward and Kent Farrington to battle it out over the short course. Farrington went first with RCG Farm’s Uceko, but had a rail down with a time of 39.46 seconds. Ward and Double H Farm’s HH Carlos Z followed with the winning clear round in 40.97 seconds.

Ward and the 12-year-old Zangersheide gelding (Chellano Z x Voltaire) had the fastest time in Thursday’s jump-off for the $33,500 G&C Farm Cup 1.50m, but dropped an unlucky rail in the short course to finish seventh. Today, the pair was out for redemption.

“It was really unlucky yesterday. He jumped great,” Ward recalled. “The horse is on fire. He was first, second, and had one class with a time fault last week. Yesterday he jumped brilliant. It was kind of a shame of a rail because he had a very good round and he really didn’t do anything wrong. I thought today was really difficult when I walked it and obviously the results proved it. I’m just thrilled with the way this horse is going.”

“The course was very big,” Ward noted. “He (Vezzani) used a lot of the twelve-foot poles and even ten-foot poles, which obviously are lighter than the 14-footers. I thought it was just a very legitimate 1.55m track and the results showed that.”

When Farrington had a rail down in the jump-off, Ward just needed the clean round to win, but he still had to keep the time in mind.

“I wanted to be fast enough at least until deep into the course,” he explained. “When you are in that situation, you want to always try to win two ways. If you go in and you go very slow and you have a fence down, you lose the class. If you go in and you carry pace, not crazy, but carry pace and you have a jump down, you still have a chance to beat them on time as well. Kent wasn’t crazy fast either and Carlos is a very fast horse, so my thought was to get through the blue vertical over there neat, and if I was clear, then gear down and jump the last two clean. You’re trying to take your risk level out a little bit, but that is normally my strategy in that situation.”

The first round course proved difficult for many of the horses in Friday’s competition, but two of the most successful and experienced came out on top. It was a great match-up of talent between Uceko and HH Carlos Z in the jump-off, and Ward knew he could count on Carlos to take the challenge.

“Uceko is a proven veteran. He has won some of the biggest grand prixs in the world,” Ward acknowledged. “Carlos has had a little bit more of an interesting career, but he has always been a horse thought of as the utmost in quality. We were really, I think in the end, very lucky to be able to purchase him in the beginning of this year. I think with a little luck the next few years are going to be really a lot of fun with this horse because I think he is going to do this week in and week out.”

Lucas Porter and Mill’s Georgia Top $15,000 CIBC Junior/Amateur Jumper 1.40m

The final competition in the Meadows on the Green on Friday was the $15,000 CIBC Junior/Amateur Jumper 1.40m, which saw a great jump-off that gave 16-year-old Lucas Porter (USA) of Bartonville, TX, the win aboard Sleepy P Ranch LLC’s Mill’s Georgia. Uliano Vezzani (ITA) set the track for 49 competitors in the first round of competition and yielded eight clear rounds for the jump-off with three riders from USA and five from Mexico. A tight time allowed kept 10 others from advancing with just one time fault.

Over the short course, three jumped clear, where the first time was set by Chloe Reid (USA) and Shalanno Farms LLC’s Absie in 40.70 seconds to finish third. Antonio Chedraui (MEX) and Corcega la Silla upped the pace with the next clear in 39.79 seconds, but were bested in the end by Lucas Porter and Mill’s Georgia, last to go in 37.83 seconds.

Lucas Porter riding Mill's Georgia
Lucas Porter riding Mill’s Georgia

Porter has had the 11-year-old Swedish Warmblood mare (Iowa x Moulin) for a little over two years now and trusted her speed and accuracy in the jump-off. Things got a little tricky at the skinny jump, but it did not fall, and he and Mill’s Georgia raced on.

“She is a very fast horse. I mainly use her as a speed horse, but this week we decided to step her up a bit and put her in this big class,” Porter stated after his win. “The jump-off was super fast. Antonio was very fast before me. I knew that I could have the fastest time, but I had to really take time to the skinny because that is a really careful jump. I kind of chipped the jump actually, so I didn’t follow that plan, but I got really lucky there. Then she lost a shoe, but her natural pace is just so fast that I was able to beat the time.”

“She is careful enough that she takes a little look at the jump, but she’s not spooky, so that really helps in classes like these where you have to gallop to a vertical for the last jump,” Porter added. “They have to be really careful there.”

Porter has had a lot of success with Mill’s Georgia, including recent wins abroad, but for the summer at Spruce Meadows this was his first win.

“Actually this is my only win here,” he said. “We just came for three weeks this year and the past few classes I have been knocking on the door a bit. I was second yesterday and second last Sunday. I really wanted to win today because this is my last class here and I finished off with a win, which makes me really happy.”

Porter is now headed home to Texas for a couple of days before flying to Lexington, KY to represent Zone 7 at the North American Junior/Young Rider Championships where he hopes to have an equally great performance. He acknowledged the great sponsorship of CIBC for Friday’s competition.

“It’s really great for juniors and amateurs to have classes with a lot of prize money because it gives us practice before we go into the professional divisions,” Porter stated. “At Spruce Meadows, I like how they combine the juniors and amateurs because sometimes the amateurs are better than the juniors, but it makes us better. It makes us try harder and it makes us hungrier. I would like to thank CIBC for sponsoring this class and also my trainer, John Roche, and my whole team.”

The ‘Pan American’ Tournament at Spruce Meadows will continue on Saturday with the $83,000 Investors Group Cup 1.50m in the Meadows on the Green. For more information and full results, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.

Lauren Fisher for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

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