January 6, 2021 – Wellington, FL – The 2021 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) opened up its first day of competition on Wednesday, January 6, 2021, at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC). It is a welcome return of the largest and longest-running equestrian circuit in the world after an early cancellation of the final two weeks of competition in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 WEF runs for 13 weeks through April 4. Ramiro Quintana (ARG) started the show season off on a high note with a victory on the first day in the $8,000 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 1.45m Jumpers.
For more information and results, please visit www.PBIEC.com.
Lexington, KY – May 7, 2015 – Seventy-four horse and rider combinations faced off Thursday evening in the first $34,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic CSI2* of the season, but it was Ramiro Quintana (ARG) who took the night’s victory with Whitney. The talented combination beat out a field of 24 during the nail-biting jump-off, tripping the timers in a speedy 41.27 seconds.
Quintana and Whitney, owned by St. Bride’s Farm of Upperville, VA, have proven their partnership over the last two years, claiming top honors at shows across the country. They are now amping up for the Pan American games in Toronto, Canada this summer. Their efforts kicked off the seven-part Hagyard Challenge Series featuring the $50,000 Leading Rider Award.
“She’s a really seasoned horse,” Quintana said of his winning mount. “We’re campaigning her for the team to make the Pan Ams, so this is kind of like her preparation. It’s a bit of similar venue for what we’re going to see in Toronto in July, so this is why we’re here. The courses, the competition and the venue all put our training on the right path for Toronto.”
Richard Jeffery designed the long track, creating a course that would ask the right questions without over facing the horses. He utilized a water jump, liverpool oxer, three double combinations and long stretches of the Rolex Stadium to challenge the pairs.
Alise Oken and Kaid Du Ry, owned by High Hopes Farm LLC of Charlotte, NC, were the first to post a double clear effort over the shortened track. Their time of 46.56 seconds set the pace to beat; however, it would prove conservative with the South American riders hot on her heels. Three trips later, Daniel Zetterman (SWE) surpassed her time with Chellana B, owned by Gyllebo Farm of Wellington, FL, soaring over the final oxer in 43.34 seconds to take the lead.
Wilton Porter was in hot pursuit of Zetterman’s time, but he was a fraction off with Patriot, owned by Sleepy P Ranch of Bartonville, TX, finishing in 44.680 seconds without fault. It was not until Venezuela’s Andres Rodriguez and Fifty Fifty 111, owned by Arao Enterprises, took their turn at the track that defeat seemed a possibility. They put in a blazing time of 41.64 seconds, surpassing Zetterman by nearly two seconds to take the lead.
Andres Rodriguez and Fifty Fifty 111
“It was a great round,” Rodriguez said. “I knew there were two very fast guys, Roberto Teran and Ramiro [Quintana], at the end, and Kaitlin [Campbell] also; there were many fast horses after me. I was really pleased with her round; she jumped amazing. She’s been great this year; she won at WEF and she won a ranking class in Wellington. I’ve had her since she was 5 years old, and this year everything seems to be coming together, and she’s bringing home great results. We’re using her more and more, and we’re counting more on her as one of the main horses for the string. I think she’s going to keep getting better and better.”
Three-time Hagyard Challenge Series winner, Pablo Barrios, attempted to catch Rodriguez’s time, and he did. An unfortunate rail in the double combination, as well as a final nick on the final fence would cost Barrios and Antares the victory, even with their faster time of 40.68 seconds.
Quintana and Kaitlin Campbell were the final two of the class, and as the penultimate rider, Quintana knew he had to leave no stone unturned. He kept a consistent pace from beginning to end, however, and early distance to the second to last fence would shave off the crucial four-tenths of a second that would knock Rodriguez out of the lead and have Quintana’s name take the top spot on the leader board.
“It was really close; I honestly wasn’t sure how fast I was going,” Quintana laughed. “I think maybe I was a bit quicker than Andres [Rodriguez] to the last jumps. I was lucky I saw an early distance, and I took it, and it was quite a severe angle; it was risky, but it paid off. I think to win tonight you had to take a shot like that. This was our first class back from Wellington, so it is nice to be back in the winner’s circle.”
Campbell and the 17-year-old Rocky W were the last to go, but they were a nickel shy of the top two times, breaking the beam in 42.71 seconds for the third place.
This is the first time in two years that the Kentucky Horse Shows have reinstated the FEI competition, offering two weeks of CSI2* and CSI3* classes.
“This is the way the sport is going,” Quintana said of the FEI competition. “Congratulations to Hugh Kincannon for getting the FEI status here once again. It’s nice to see the managers catching up to which direction the sport is going. The Europeans show pretty much every week at the highest level under International rules, and I think that’s a good step for the shows here, especially in the summer. In the summer it’s a little bit hard to find shows, and I like that this venue is doing the FEI shows.”
Quintana continued, “Just look at the numbers. It’s been incredible, the effect; the show is sold out. It proves that people want the points, and they don’t want to get left behind in the FEI ranking list. I think a lot of the riders that stay home and they don’t go to Europe, they get left behind in the ranking, and it’s really hard to get to shows when you’re not in the top 50 in the world.”
Tonight’s victory will also earn Quintana valuable points towards the Hagyard Challenge Series, which seven grand prix classes to be held during the 2015 show series at the Kentucky Horse Park. Following the final event, a cash prize of $50,000 will be awarded to the rider accumulating the most points throughout the series, as well as a $10,000 prize for the reserve champion.
The jumper action at the Kentucky Spring Horse Show will continue tomorrow with the 1.45m Open Jumpers and the Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumpers in the Rolex Stadium. This week’s highlight events also include Saturday evening’s $85,000 Mary Rena Murphy Grand Prix CSI2*, the $25,000 Bluegrass on Sunday and the $25,000 Under 25 Grand Prix.
For more information on Kentucky Horse Shows LLC and the Kentucky Spring Horse Shows, please visit www.kentuckyhorseshows.com.
Kentucky Horse Shows 2015 Horse Show Series Fast Facts
Events: 2015 Kentucky Spring Horse Shows
What:
The Kentucky Horse Shows 2014 series includes two weeks of top hunter/jumper competitions during the month of May. The Kentucky Horse Show Series is the host of the Hagyard Challenge Series and Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby Series.
Where:
Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, KY, site of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™, home to the United States Equestrian Federation.
When:
KENTUCKY SPRING HORSE SHOW – May 6-10, 2015
$34,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic CSI2*
$85,000 Mary Rena Murphy Grand Prix CSI2*
$25,000 Bluegrass Classic
$25,000 U25 Classic
$15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby
$5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby
WCHR Recognized Hunter Competition
KENTUCKY SPRING CLASSIC – May 13-17, 2015
$34,000 Welcome Speed CSI3*
$34,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic CSI3*
$127,000 Hollow Creek Farm Grand Prix CSI3*
$50,000 Commonwealth Grand Prix
$20,000 Bluegrass Classic
$5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby
Sponsors:
A special thanks to the generous sponsors of the Kentucky Spring Horse Shows: Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, Hallway Feeds, Hollow Creek Farm, Audi of Lexington, Sleepy P Ranch, CWD, Farm Vet, Dietrich Insurance, Take2 Thoroughbred Program and the Official Hotel The Clarion.
Hours:
8am – 5pm daily
Parking:
Horse Show Exhibitors may purchase a weekly parking pass at the main Horse Park entrance for $15.00. Dogs are permitted at the Kentucky Horse Park on a leash.
Directions:
The Kentucky Horse Park is located 8 miles northeast of Lexington, Kentucky at Exit 120 on Interstate 75.
Information:
Before Show – (859) 233-0492, Email: hakshows@earthlink.net
During Show – Telephone: (859) 254-3343, Fax: (859) 231-6097
Stabling – Email Tom Blankenship at tomblank@bellsouth.net
Stable office – Before Show: (843) 269-4737, During Show: (859) 255-0605
Prize List Advertising – Email Cindy Bozan at cindy@kentuckyhorseshows.com or call (859) 608-3709
Vendors – Email Cindy Bozan at cindy@kentuckyhorseshows.com or call (859) 608-3709
Shownet – www.shownet.biz
Shopping:
Vendors offering equestrian equipment, apparel, jewelry and home furnishings are located adjacent to the Stonelea Ring.
Hotels:
CLARION HOTEL (Formerly Holiday Inn North) – 859-233-0512 – Approximately 4 miles (OFFICIAL HOTEL)
Discover the place where elegant comfort in an ideal location meets excellent service and affordability. At the Clarion Hotel Lexington, you’ll find well-appointed accommodations with options of double/doubles, double queens, king rooms or suites, exceptional amenities such as our free hot breakfast buffet, and Southern hospitality at its finest. The best hotel for Keeneland – located in the heart of Kentucky’s Bluegrass Region – home of the Kentucky Horse Park, the Lexington Convention Center, University of Kentucky, and the Kentucky Bourbon Trail – our Lexington hotel is on Newtown Pike at Exit 115 on I-75, close to all the big attractions, and is the perfect place to stay whether you’re here to get down to business or have some fun. Best of all, bring your furry friends for any trip because the Clarion Hotel in Lexington is also pet-friendly.
CAMPGROUND RESERVATIONS:
Reservations may not be made through the Horse Show office. To reserve a campsite at the Kentucky Horse Park for any of the horse shows, please call the Campground store at (800) 370-6416 or 859-259-4157 or email Sherry Logan at sherryd.logan@ky.gov. Be specific as to the show name and the dates you wish to stay. Check-in time is 2:00 p.m. and check-out is 12:00 noon. You must make arrangements with the Campground store if you plan to arrive earlier than 2:00 p.m. or stay later than 12:00 noon. Vehicles that are not removed from a campsite by check-out time will be towed.
Lexington, KY – July 26, 2014 – Argentine rider Ramiro Quintana has been partnered with Whitney for two years, but their hot streak just began this summer. After winning their first grand prix together two weeks ago in New Jersey, they traveled to the Kentucky Summer Horse Show to showcase their winning ways. In front of a packed house at the Kentucky Horse Park for Hats Off Day, the pair raced away with the $50,000 Rood and Riddle Kentucky Grand Prix victory against an international field.
Thirty-eight entries took their turn over Steve Stephen’s technical and large track this evening, but only five managed to have a perfect round and advance to the jump-off. “I was expecting a little bit softer,” admitted Quintana. “It was quite big. I thought it was a really, really big 1.50m. The triple combination was quite scopey and careful. That got a lot of people. Whitney has a lot of experience though, so she was fine, but there were a lot of big jumps.”
The jump-off included the end of the triple combination, as well as multiple sharp rollbacks. The first to return was Great Britain’s Gemma Paternoster with Osiris, owned by Julia Harrison-Lee. They were the pathfinders, leaving each rail intact as they stopped the clock in a tidy 40.926 seconds to set the time to beat. Venezuela’s Emanuel Andrade tried to catch Paternoster’s effort with Hardrock Z, owned by Hollow Creek Farm, but their attempt led to a rail in the combination for four faults and the fourth place award. Paulo Santana of Brazil was even less lucky, bringing down all of the final oxer in the combination and having to retire from the round with Taloubet, owned by Santana Stables, taking home fifth place.
Quintana was prepared to face the challenge at hand with his experienced mount Whitney, owned by St. Bride’s Farm. Tight turns at the end of his round and a stride left out to the final oxer paid off when he dashed across the finish line in a speedy 38.008 seconds with all the fences up to take over the top spot. Venezuela’s Juan Ortiz was the only remaining contestant with Tina De Noyelles, owned by the Synchronicity Group. He gave it his all, but one extra stride to the final fence proved costly when he stopped the timers at 38.700 seconds, just 7/10ths of a second shy of Quintana for second place.
Juan Ortiz and Tina De Noyelles
“I was second in this same class last year, and I sold that horse because of that placing to Jenny Booth,” said Ortiz. “She’s become a big part of my support team and family. Thanks to her we were able to acquire this mare and develop her with the goal of going to the Pan Am Games next year.”
Talking about the jump-off, Ortiz noted, “Because of my Latin blood, I tend to get too greedy. Tonight I tried to be very efficient through the beginning of the track so that I could slow it down and not take any chances at the end. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of going a little wider than I should have to roll back. That’s where I lost the class.”
Quintana said regarding the jump-off: “My mare is naturally fast. I thought if I stayed tighter on my track and kept the natural pace that she likes to have that she was going to get ahead of Gemma. Whitney left the last jump up, which was kind of nice. I’ve lost a lot of classes with her at the last fence trying to chase. I stayed calm and just gave her a better ride and the jump stayed up. It worked out well.”
Quintana continued, “I was nervous watching Juan because he was on it for a while. He went a little bit wider on the rollback to the second to last fence. I think that’s where he put one more stride there than I did, and I got him there.”
Quintana is thrilled with Whitney’s performance today. He has owned the 11-year-old mare for the last two years and has been working hard to get her in top form. “This is her second win with me at the grand prix level,” he said. “She’s had a lot of ribbons, a lot of good results, but not a win. Now this is her second grand prix win back-to-back which is quite exciting.”
Today’s event was a part of Hats Off Day, a special celebration of the horse and its impact on the state of Kentucky hosted by the Kentucky Horse Park. A large crowd filled the Rolex Stadium to cheer on Quintana during his winning round.
“The crowd was wonderful,” he smiled. “I had a good time with them. It’s exciting. It felt like an event with people watching and clapping and cheering. It’s a lot of fun. I wish we had more of that at the shows here in the States.”
Quintana also gave a special thanks to his owners at St. Brides Farm in Upperville, VA. “David and Barbara Roux have been fantastic. They’ve been supporting my career for the past two years. This win means a lot to us, and we’ve been working hard to get here.”
The Kentucky Summer Horse Show will conclude tomorrow with the Show Jumping Hall of Fame Classics for the High Junior and Amateur-Owner Jumper divisions. Riders will return next Tuesday for the kick-off of the Kentucky Summer Classic, featuring the fourth $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic and the $50,000 Kentucky Summer Grand Prix, sponsored by GGT Footings.
Events:
Kentucky Summer Horse Shows, USEF National Pony Finals, Bluegrass Festival Horse Show and KHJA Horse Show, and the 2014 USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals.
What:
The Kentucky Horse Show LLC’s 2014 series includes five weeks of top competition throughout the summer. These premier hunter/jumper competitions host the Hagyard Challenge Series with seven grand prix competitions that culminate with a Leading Rider Award, as well as the Hallway Feeds National Derby Series.
Where:
Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, KY, site of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™. Home to the United States Equestrian Federation.
When:
NORTH AMERICAN JUNIOR & YOUNG RIDER CHAMPIONSHIPS – July 15-20, 2014
KENTUCKY SUMMER HORSE SHOW – July 23-27, 2014
$25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic
$50,000 Rood & Riddle Kentucky Grand Prix
$5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby
KENTUCKY SUMMER CLASSIC – July 29 – August 3, 2014
$25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic
$50,000 Kentucky Summer Grand Prix sponsored by GGT Footings
$5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby
2014 USEF PONY FINALS – August 5-10, 2014
BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL HORSE SHOW – August 12-17, 2014
USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals
USHJA Pre-Green Incentive Championship
$25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic
$40,000 Bluegrass Festival Grand Prix
$5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby
WCHR Member Event
KHJA HORSE SHOW – August 20-24, 2014
$10,000 Hagyard Welcome Stake
$30,000 KHJA Grand Prix
$5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby
Sponsors:
A special thanks to the generous sponsors of the Kentucky Summer Horse Shows: Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, Hallway Feeds, Audi of Lexington, GGT Footing, Equestrian Services International, Johnson Horse Transportation, Farm Vet, Dietrich Insurance, Take2 Thoroughbred Program, Sleepy P Ranch, and the Official Hotel The Clarion
Hours:
8am – 5pm daily
Parking:
Horse Show Exhibitors may purchase a weekly parking pass at the main Horse Park entrance for $15.00. Dogs are permitted at the Kentucky Horse Park on a leash.
Directions:
The Kentucky Horse Park is located 8 miles northeast of Lexington, Kentucky at Exit 120 on Interstate 75.
Information:
Before Show – (859) 233-0492, Email: hakshows@earthlink.net
During Show – Telephone: (859) 254-3343, Fax: (859) 231-6097
Stabling – Email Tom Blankenship at tomblank@bellsouth.net
Stable office – Before Show: (843) 269-4737, During Show: (859) 255-0605
Prize List Advertising – Email Cindy Bozan at cindy@kentuckyhorseshows.com or call (859) 608-3709
Vendors – Email Cindy Bozan at cindy@kentuckyhorseshows.com or call (859) 608-3709
Shownet – www.shownet.biz
The Stonelea Ring, Murphy Ring, Walnut Ring, Stonelea/Murphy Schooling Ring, the Alltech Arena and the Rolex Stadium have Otto Sport footing consisting of fine sand and synthetic fiber on pvc mats. The Claiborne, Annex, and Covered Arena (old) rings’ footing consists of a sand cushion on limestone base. The dimensions of the competition areas are as follows:
Shopping:
Vendors offering equestrian equipment, apparel, jewelry and home furnishings are located adjacent to the Stonelea Ring.
Hotels:
CLARION HOTEL (Formerly Holiday Inn North) – 859-233-0512 – Approximately 4 miles (OFFICIAL HOTEL)
Discover the place where elegant comfort in an ideal location meets excellent service and affordability. At the Clarion Hotel Lexington, you’ll find well-appointed accommodations with options of double/doubles, double queens, king rooms or suites, exceptional amenities such as our free hot breakfast buffet, and Southern hospitality at its finest. The best hotel for Keeneland – located in the heart of Kentucky’s Bluegrass Region – home of the Kentucky Horse Park, the Lexington Convention Center, University of Kentucky, and the Kentucky Bourbon Trail – our Lexington hotel is on Newtown Pike at Exit 115 on I-75, close to all the big attractions, and is the perfect place to stay whether you’re here to get down to business or have some fun. Best of all, bring your furry friends for any trip because the Clarion Hotel in Lexington is also pet-friendly.
CAMPGROUND RESERVATIONS:
Reservations may not be made through the Horse Show office. To reserve a campsite at the Kentucky Horse Park for any of the horse shows, please call the Campground store at (800) 370-6416 or 859-259-4157 or email Sherry Logan at sherryd.logan@ky.gov. Be specific as to the show name and the dates you wish to stay. Check-in time is 2:00 p.m. and check-out is 12:00 noon. You must make arrangements with the Campground store if you plan to arrive earlier than 2:00 p.m. or stay later than 12:00 noon. Vehicles that are not removed from a campsite by check-out time will be towed.
Wellington, FL – February 12, 2014 – The Ridge at Wellington’s Turf Tour returned to the International Polo Club Palm Beach today for its sixth week of competition. The 1.30m-1.35m Jumpers kicked off the halfway point of the series, where Ramiro Quintana piloted Largo to the pinnacle of the rankings in the red class, dominating the standings as all other contenders attempted to match their speed. It was Philip Richter and his veteran mount Ray Ray that took the top earnings in the green class.
The morning welcomed competitors to the open grass field at the International Polo Club (IPC) in Wellington, Florida. Quintana set the pace as the eleventh rider to traverse the track. He utilized the open field to keep a consistent rhythm and open his mount’s stride, shaving the seconds and breaking the beam in only 34.612 seconds. The victory was his for the taking as each consecutive rider attempted to best their speed and accuracy without avail.
“I had a nice rhythm from the start that I was able to carry throughout the entire course,” Quintana explained. “I was able to really open up my horse’s stride and use the size of the field. He turns really well, and we were able to make up a lot of time. I was very happy to win today’s class, and I will definitely be back.”
Quintana plans on returning to the Wellington Turf Tour once a week with a young horse. “It was my first time competing at one of these shows, but I was very surprised by how pleasant the show was. The footing was excellent, the course was very nice and the jumps were great. It provides a very nice option for younger horses, and provides good mileage.”
Peter Lutz finished in the second place position with Don’t Stop O in a speedy 35.471 seconds, while Jeffery Welles and Antaris S earned the third place award. Hillary Simpson and Arkansas rode to the fourth place position, and Mario Deslauriers piloted Hamlet to the fifth place. Leslie Howard and Zaragoza rounded out the top six with their quick and tidy jump off.
Earlier in the morning, Molly Ashe was the first of the field to clear the Eric Hasbrouck designed course. She rode to a double clear effort in the green class, setting the pace with a time of 37.719 seconds aboard Emerald B, owned by Monica Carrera, forcing competitors to chase her time while trying to duplicate her clean effort.
Andrew Bourns and Venice
Andrew Bourns and Venice, owned by Jaybird Farms, had their sights set on the prize today. Although it was their first trip to the Wellington Turf Tour for the 2014 circuit, they wanted to leave their mark. They easily navigated the opening course and moved into the jump off where they raced the clock, breaking the beam in 35.599 seconds.
“It is a nice basic course – I say basic but he [Hasbrouck] asks a few questions with unrelated distances to doubles, and a hard distance down the outside, which was quite difficult. It is the kind of course that could fool you into a false sense of security, but it took a little more riding than it looks,” Bourns said. “It was a little more challenging than what I thought it would be, which was good. For my horse it was ideal because it was her first day to be able to jump in a field like this. It was just a beautiful introduction. I am going to be all over the grand prix on Friday.”
Bourns continued, “I have to say that I am really impressed. The footing seems to be phenomenal. The setting is really nice, the course is nice, the building is good and you have ample room to warm up. Sometimes when you come to these big open spaces the horses can get a little unsettled if they are not used to it. It is great experience, and a beautiful setting. You just won’t find anything better. Being able to take clients and owners to a place like this is really invaluable.”
It seemed as though Bourns had victory in his grasp, until the final rider of the day, frequent weekend warrior Phillip Richter navigated the 18-year-old Ray Ray to the winning time of 34.506 seconds.
“It was a wonderful course; Eric did a great course, I think. Riding on this field is heaven,” Richter said. “I have older horses, so they love being on the grass, and the footing is super. It is really nice of IPC to let The Ridge do these classes here. It is great to have variety and get away from the show for a bit.”
Phillip Richter and Ray Ray
Richter shows Ray Ray very sparingly in Wellington, using a minimalist approach to train and prepare. The turf proved ideal for the young horses, but even more so for Richter’s veteran mount. The pair prepares on turf more so than sand, to avoid the consequences that could affect his horse’s tendons.
“The bigger the jumps the better,” Richter explained. “He is a wonderful horse, and our team is really a group effort. My wife hacks him during the week, and my trainer Norman is fantastic. He needs a lot of care, which goes with his age. He is a wonderful horse to ride. He has nothing to prove; my dream as an amateur was to win the Sunday Classic at the Hamptons, and it eluded me for 25 years. Ray Ray won it two years ago. I checked it off of my bucket list. Winning today was wonderful, and we will return on Friday.”
Bourns finished in the second place position with Venice, while Roberto Teran and ADC Chef Z took home third. Ashe nabbed the fourth place finish for her early lead aboard Emerald B, and Henrik Gundersen with Adlanteur was awarded the fifth. Emily Hill and Rio finished with the sixth place ranking.
The Ridge still has available sponsorships for the Invitational Series. For more information, call (908) 500-0996 or download information at www.theridgefarm.com.
Sponsorships are available for the $25,000 Finale, $15,000 Weekly Grand Prix, $2,000 Weekly Hospitality Text, $3,500 Show Jump Sponsor for series, $750 Ring Banner for the series and $500 Weekly Class Presenter.
All checks should be made payable to the Ridge Farm LLC.
The Ridge at Wellington Grand Prix Series
C/O Eda Tordiff
110 Edwards Rd.
Parsippany, NJ, 07054
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 second 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 22, 2014.
The Turf Tour also will host 1.30m-1.35m Jumpers every Wednesday beginning January 8, 2014 and running until March 19, 2014.
Young Jumper Classes and both Children’s/Senior Jumper Classics will find their home intermittently throughout the Wellington Turf Tour.
The Ridge at Wellington offers Equitation Shows every Tuesday of the month from January – March 2013. 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 7, 2014 and March 21, 2014.
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/Senior Classics, and two hunter derbies.
Barn & Show Phone 561-791-1471 | Barn Fax 561-791-1543
When:
Wednesday, January 8, 2014 – 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Friday, January 10, 2014 – 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Hours:
8:30am-5pm daily
Directions:
From the Florida Turnpike: Take the exit for LakeWorth Road West. Continue on Lake Worth Road approximately 6 miles to South Shore Blvd. Make a left on South Shore Blvd. Continue to the stop sign at 50th Street. Make a Right on 50th Street. Continue to Stables Way and make a right. Continue to the end of Stables Way and make a right on Palm Beach Point Blvd. Driveway to farm is 50 feet on the left.
From Route 95: Take the exit for Forest Hill Blvd West. Continue on Forest Hill Blvd to South Shore Blvd. Make a left on South Shore Blvd. Once on South Shore Blvd, continue straight at light at Pierson Road and again straight through the intersection at Lake Worth Road, to the stop sign at 50th Street. Make a Right on 50th Street. Continue to Stables Way and make a right. Continue to the end of Stables Way and make a right on Palm Beach Point Blvd. Driveway to farm is 50 feet on the left.
Information:
Before Show – (561) 791-1471, Email: RidgeShows@aol.com
During Show – Telephone: (561) 791-1471, Fax: (561) 791-1543
Fifteen-year-old Maria Brugal takes opening class with Arann DV
Hampton Falls, NH – August 7, 2013 – Five days of exciting show jumping got underway on Wednesday as the inaugural Silver Oak Jumper Tournament lifted off under gorgeous partly sunny skies in what’s known as the Seacoast region of the Granite State. For those that have never made the trip to New Hampshire, we suggest you put it on your to do list right away. This is a beautiful part of the United States that stretches for miles along the Atlantic Ocean from New Hampshire’s border with Massachusetts to the Piscataqua River and New Hampshire’s border with Kittery, Maine.
Hampton Beach is a wonderful beach town, right on the ocean with classic old hotels with balconies overlooking the main drag, magnificent beach houses, the famous “Shell” and some of the best seafood (and fried dough) you’ll ever get a chance to eat.
Here are a few other things you might not know about New Hampshire.
Of the thirteen original colonies, New Hampshire was the first to declare its independence from Mother England, a full six months before the Declaration of Independence was signed. In 1833 the first free public library in the United States was established in Peterborough. New Hampshire adopted the first legal lottery in the twentieth century United States in 1963. The Pierce Manse in Concord is the home of the only New Hampshire citizen ever elected President, Franklin Pierce, and most importantly, the Bavarian-style hamlet of Merrimack is home to one of the famous eight-horse hitches and the Clydesdales maintained by the Anheuser-Busch Brewery.
Just a couple of miles down the road from the beach is the Silver Oak Equestrian Center, a horseman’s jewel in Hampton Falls, NH.
Show Chairman Jeff Papows has spent a year and a lot of money getting the property ready for this year’s event, including a complete makeover and change of location of Jumper Ring #2 and making sure the stunning grass grand prix field is in perfect condition. His hard work has been rewarded with nearly four hundred horses turning out for this inaugural offering. “We couldn’t be more excited,” said a delighted Papows. “The phone hasn’t stopped ringing this past week and all of us are delighted with the turnout for the show. We had to overcome a lot to get the show rolling this year. We had to deal with cautious exhibitors who were scared by the terrible press the previous event garnered and then the worst blow of all, the death of my dear friend David Birdsall,” he said.
Birdsall, who passed away unexpectedly earlier this year, was the owner of the Silver Oak Equestrian Center. There will be a special ceremony honoring his memory during Sunday’s Grand Prix festivities.
There’s a new Vendor Village location, with a number of fun shops located there and others situated across the grounds. And the food… the food is going to be great if last night’s opening staff meeting and get together is any indication. The White Apron, located in Dover, will be providing their delicious delicacies throughout the week. They have won numerous awards and it’s easy to see why.
Germany’s Olaf Petersen, Jr. is on hand to design the course for this year’s Silver Oak Tournament. Petersen, one of the world’s most popular and respected builders, has worked the world’s best shows, including the 2004 Athens Olympic Games and the North American Junior and Young Rider Championships.
Maria Brugal and Arann DV
In the first event of the day, the 1.20m Open Jumpers, Time First Jump-Off class, it was junior rider Maria Brugal scoring the victory with her feisty gray horse Arann DV. The fifteen-year-old rider ripped through the short course in 45.357 seconds for the win, topping a starting field of forty-one in the opening affair.
Of the forty-one that went to the post, fifteen went on to the jump-off, fourteen of those going double clear.
Second through fourth places were tightly bunched within the 46 second range. Eight tenths a second behind in second place was Kevin McCarty and Ambitious who tripped the timers in 46.127 seconds. Third place went to Allyson Shryoc, piloting Cheval D’Espoirz to a final time of 46.227 seconds, just a tenth of a second off the pace for second place. Rounding out the top four was Maria Brugal’s second mount, Diabolo Van Cadzandhoeve, crossing the finish line in 46.780 seconds.
“This is my first time here,” smiled Brugal, who rides with “Titi” Mills. “Riding out on the big field was great fun. The grass is in wonderful shape, the footing is great and you could do a lot of galloping. It’s refreshing to come to a new place that’s so beautiful.”
Speaking of her equine partner, Brugal said, “He’s an eight-year-old. I just got him last year. We’ve been working with him a lot. He’s a little bit strong, but I think our hard work is beginning to pay off.”
The 1.30m Jumpers, also scored at Table II, Sec 2b Time First Jump-Off class was next with thirty-one going to the post.
The last proved to be the best as Ramiro Quintana stormed to victory on Bialda, a top seven-year-old Young Jumper owned by St. Bride’s Farm of Upperville, Virginia. Quintana blasted through the finish line in 34.719 seconds to steal the win from Darragh Kenny and Mantana, owned by Oakland Ventures. Kenny had held the lead since the thirteenth to go in order. Kenny’s second place time was 35.483 seconds. Kenny also secured third place with Quiz, second to last to go in the class. Quiz, also owned by Oakland Ventures, tripped the timers in 36.454 seconds.
“David and Barbara Roux bought the horse a year ago for me to bring along. She’s very scopey, she’s very brave and she’s really quite fast as you saw in today’s class,” Quintana said of Bialda. “She’s going to the Hampton Classic to compete in the Seven-Year-Old Young Jumper Finals and then I’ll bring her along through the program, advancing her to the Eight-Year-Olds next year.”
Ramiro Quintana and Bialda
Quintana, who outdistanced Kenny by almost a full second, explained where he found the faster track. “I got a chance to watch Darragh go,” he said. “I left out a stride in the last line and did seven there where everyone else was doing eight and I was quite neat to one-two-three and back on the double combination.”
“Awesome. A great venue,” Quintana said of the Silver Oak facility. “This is the first time here for me and I couldn’t be happier that I came. I have a bunch of young horses here. I have six-year-olds, seven-year-olds, eight-year-olds and I wanted to give them the experience and mileage on grass because they are all headed to the Hamptons. It’s hard to find shows in America in the summer where there’s a grass field and this field is absolutely perfect,” he noted and added, “Plus, I was really pleased with Olaf; you’ve got a great course designer in Olaf Petersen, Jr. with good footing and beautiful jumps so the horses are jumping really, really well. I couldn’t be happier.”
Rounding out the top six were Lauren Tisbo and Tequesta Farms’ Sting Van de Withoeve, Peter Leone aboard Alias, owned by Kiva Iscol and Candice King with Bellissimo LLC’s VDL Maleklou. Tisbo clocked in at 37.133 seconds, Leone broke the beams in 37.548 seconds and King came home in 37.670 seconds.
Of the thirty-one that started, sixteen went clear the first time and fourteen went on to be double clear.
The final event on opening day was the 1.40m Open Jumpers, Table II Section 2b, Time First Jump-Off with twenty starters. This time around, Irish rider Darragh Kenny left no doubt, making sure he wouldn’t get bumped out of the top spot. In fact, he finished first and second to wrap up a very successful afternoon.
Riding Oakland Venture’s Picolo, Kenny secured the victory without really trying. “I didn’t think I was that fast on my last horse. At that point, I knew I had the class won and I was only really schooling for the Welcome class tomorrow,” Kenny explained. “But, he’s naturally so fast; it’s so easy to gallop with him. In the jump-off I didn’t think I was faster, but he’s so quick across the ground and he’s so careful, you don’t have to worry about anything at the jumps. It’s so rare that a horse does both.”
Kenny, who had been leading with Quiz, another Oakland Ventures entry in 34.732 seconds, managed to slice a tenth of a second off of that time with Picolo to finish in 34.633 seconds for the victory.
“I bought him during the off week at Spruce Meadows,” Kenny noted. “He came from France two weeks ago and went straight to HITS Saugerties where he placed in all four grand prix over the two weeks in Saugerties. He was second last Friday and second in the $100,000 grand prix up there. I brought him here and wasn’t really intending on showing him today, but I’ve only had him two weeks and had never ridden him on grass, so I thought I’d get him out and see how it goes,” he said.
Kenny, who ventured out on his own after a long stint with top trainer Missy Clark, has developed a nice group of young horses and couldn’t be happier at this point of his life. “Really good,” he smiled. “I’ve got a great string of horses – very careful, very competitive and easy to ride. I think it’s going to be a little bit of fun for me now. I have some great clients and some wonderful horses underneath me, so I couldn’t be happier.”
As far as the Silver Oak facility, Kenny said, “I think the facility and the horse show is absolutely fantastic. I think it’s a brilliant show. The show is run well, the field is beautiful, the footing is super, so it’s really enjoyable to be here. The people are so nice. I can’t say enough good things about this horse show. And the course designer did a lovely job today.”
With a lot of clean rounds through the three classes today, Kenny expects that to change as the week progresses. “Nobody had anything bad happen. I think he was just trying to be fair today. Just get everybody in the ring, get everybody jumping around and get everybody happy. I think he will be a little tougher tomorrow and then I think he’ll be quite tough by the time we get to Sunday,” Kenny stated. “I think he has a good feel for the good riders that are competing here.”
Molly Ashe-Cawley finished third in today’s 1.40m class with Lincourt Gino, owned by Monica Carrera. Crossing the finish line in 34.883 seconds, Ashe-Cawley missed the mark by just 2/10ths of a second. Fourth place went to another Darragh Kenny mount, Cequila, owned by Oakland Ventures, who broke the beams in 35.248 seconds.
Fifth place went to Ziedento and Ramiro Quintana for the St. Bride’s Farm and sixth went to Wiesielottie from the Winley Farm.
The $20,000 Welcome Stake highlights tomorrow’s show schedule, along with a variety of Open and Junior-A/O Jumper classes.
The $75,000 Equestrian Estate Planning Group Grand Prix dominates the Sunday schedule in Hampton Falls as an elite group of top riders will vie for big prize money in the class and the $25,000 Boston Strong Bonus. The $25,000 cash prize will go to any horse and rider combination that win both the $75,000 Equestrian Estates Planning Group Grand Prix at Silver Oak and the Grand Prix at Fieldstone next week. Sunday’s Grand Prix is preceded by the $15,000 Agero Speed Classic.
Saturday’s session features a number of exciting show jumping competitions, including the Show Jumping Hall of Fame Classics for top Junior and Amateur Owner Jumpers and the $15,000 DG Ventures Speed Derby, a challenging test over 18-20 obstacles in a race for the title.
CULPEPER, VA (July 10, 2012) – Ramiro Quintana put just one month worth of work to good use as he piloted HH Narcos Du Marais to the top spot in Sunday’s $40,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, at HITS Culpeper. After just 30 days with the 11-year-old Selle Français gelding, owned by Double H Farm, Quintana found himself in the ribbons.
Despite a heat wave that blazed through much of the East over the weekend, horses and riders alike returned to HITS Culpeper to meet the Showday National’s qualifying opportunity for HITS Championship Weekend. Quintana of Wellington, Florida and “Narcos” led off the Sunday afternoon Grand Prix and were the first to go clear and pick up a qualifier for the famed Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix. He met four other pairs in the jump-off.
“The course was certainly suitable for the conditions, considering the heat,” said Quintana. “I think five was the perfect number clear and the course seemed to ask all the right questions.”
