Tag Archives: Show Jumping

Community/Charity, Competitions, Show Jumping

An Entire Community Inspired to #BeTheChange

Photo © Wellington International.

Over $1.5 Million to Be Distributed at 14th Annual Great Charity Challenge

Wellington, Florida – February 2, 2023 – After a record year for the 2022 Great Charity Challenge sponsored by Fidelity Investments® (GCC), donors, riders, and charities are at the edge of their seats to see what this year holds. Inspired by this enthusiasm, this year’s event aims to motivate the community to #BeTheChange and empower individuals to get involved locally!

As J. K. Rowling reminds us, “We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided,” and the GCC is an incredible example of how unity amplifies impact. On Saturday, February 4, people from all walks of our community will come together as one at Wellington International to cheer the night away. Home of the Winter Equestrian Festival, the venue will transform into Candy World and the night will feature an exciting relay style show jumping competition with horses and riders alike decked out in their most creative candy themed costumes.

Founded by father/daughter team of Mark and Paige Bellissimo in 2009, the GCC has acted as a catalyst for charitable giving over the last 13 years, distributing a phenomenal $17.7 million to 294 local non-profit organizations. This united community effort will set out in its 14th year to help build a path to a sweeter future for our Palm Beach County neighbors in need.

Thirty-four non-profit organizations, who were randomly selected at our first annual Charity Drawing Party and leading up to the event, will meet their paired equestrian teams and sponsors as they compete for a share of the $1.5+ million purse. The winning team’s nonprofit will receive $100,000 while all pre-selected participants are guaranteed a minimum grant of $15,000. To view the full list of participating charities (listed alphabetically), CLICK HERE.

“Our community never fails us when it comes to the GCC. This year, especially, we want to extend this generosity beyond just that night and inspire more people to get involved with the amazing organizations this event highlights,” comments Kelly Arani, GCC Event and Marketing Coordinator.

To contribute to this community effort, visit https://unitedwaypbc.org/great-charity-challenge/.

Children of all ages will be back again this year for the Pet Parade and Costume Contest, generously presented by the Postage Stamp Farm Foundation. By dressing up with their favorite pet, children will represent pre-selected non-profit organizations and celebrate the power of doing good at any age! Exciting news this year: thanks to matching sponsor The Wedell Family Foundation, the 15 pre-selected non-profit organizations will share $50,000 in prize money.

Each year new and recurring donations and sponsorships from local families, foundations, businesses, equestrians, and more, ranging from $5 to $100,000, are the key to reaching our fundraising goal of more than $1 million.

Equestrian Sport Productions, the Wellington International operating organization that oversees equestrian events at the venue throughout the year, and Wellington International owner Global Equestrian Group donate the facility, staff, and infrastructure to ensure the success of the charitable event and guarantee that 100% of the funds raised are redistributed in the community.

The GCC competition will offer free general admission and will be held Saturday evening, February 4, 2023, at 6 p.m. at Wellington International during WEF’s “Saturday Night Lights.” Free parking will be located at 13500 South Shore Blvd., Wellington, FL 33414, home to the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival show grounds.

For the latest event information, please visit www.greatcharitychallenge.com.

Wellington International | (561) 793-5867
news@wellingtoninternational.com
www.wellingtoninternational.com

Competitions, Equinium Sports Mktg., Show Jumping

Daniel Coyle and Amalia Swoop In to Claim Victory in Week 4’s $5k 1.30m Rising Star Classic

Daniel Coyle and Amalia.

Loxahatchee Groves, FL (February 3, 2023) – Daniel Coyle and the sporty, spotty bay mare Amalia were the last to go and the fastest pair in Wednesday’s $5,000 1.30m Rising Star Classic. The pair edged out two previous jump-offs to win the class, and with just tenths of a second separating the three.

Coyle, an internationally acclaimed show jumper representing Ireland, was contested by Abbygale Funk and Ryan Sassmannshausen over the course designed by Jaime Morillo. Sassmannshausen was an early double clear effort, galloping around the jump-off in 38.814 seconds. His round stood most of the day, until Abbygale Funk and Alastor edged them out by less than a tenth of a second, flying through the timers in 38.806 seconds. Coyle, however, would establish his dominance with the nimble Amalia, taking an amazingly tight inside turn to the final vertical to post a time of 38.039 seconds and win the class.

Coyle and Amalia have been successful up through the FEI level and the Irish rider stated that the course at The Ridge was a great warmup for the future FEI rounds they had planned during their 2023 Wellington show season. Coyle and his cousin, Jordan, have won multiple titles over the years at The Ridge.

Funk, an aspiring U25 Grand Prix rider, is new to The Ridge’s events this year, having discovered them during USEF Equitation Tuesdays in 2022. “I had two great rounds over the lovely course here at The Ridge,” said Funk. “It’s an amazing chance to show at the Grand Prix level while also still being able to develop the horses and prepare for bigger classes.”

For more, visit www.RidgeShowJumping.com.

Competitions, Show Jumping

Santiago Lambre Successful in CHF50k CSI4* Adequan WEF Challenge Cup Round 4

Santiago Lambre & Casey. Photo © Sportfot.

The pinnacle event of Thursday’s competition on the Equestrian Village derby field during the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) Week 4 was heavily populated with some of the sport’s best international competitors. Athletes representing eleven different nationalities lined up to contest Anderson Lima’s (BRA) first round track in the CHF50,000 CSI4* Adequan® WEF Challenge Cup Round 4.

From an original starting field consisting of 51 horse-and-rider combinations, 13 produced clean efforts to advance to the short course. No stranger to the winner’s circle, Mexico’s Santiago Lambre was at the bottom of the returning order but shot straight to the top to claim the day’s featured victory.

“This horse is quite new for me; I’ve only had her for eight months,” Lambre stated. “I jumped her on the grass two weeks ago for the first time and she did very good, so I felt she was ready for this week.”

While she is new to his string, Lambre’s brother had Casey for several years in Mexico and Lambre believes she has all the makings to become an international star.

“She originally was competing in Mexico with my brother before she got sent to me last year,” he added. “I know the mare and she just needs some miles, but she has proved that she is a fast horse and I think she is ready for the five-star next week.”

Wellington International | (561) 793-5867
news@wellingtoninternational.com
www.wellingtoninternational.com

Competitions, Show Jumping

Ben Maher Soars in CSI4* NetJets Grand Prix

Ben Maher (GBR) & Dallas Vegas Batilly. Photo © Sportfot.

Reigning Olympic champion Ben Maher (GBR) claimed victory in the CHF216,000 NetJets CSI4* Grand Prix in front of a packed house at Wellington International during “Saturday Night Lights” on January 28. The Wellington Equestrian Festival (WEF) welcomed forty-five international combinations to vie for top honors during the NetJets-sponsored WEF 3.

Maher and Dallas Vegas Batilly have been partnered together for only four months. The mare was previously campaigned by France’s Nicolas Delmotte. “She’s taken some time to get used to me and my system. She’s jumped some great rounds and was clear in the grand prix in Geneva. But every time we come to the jump-off, we’ve had problems with the steering.

“She’s very sensitive, but the jump-off really suited me tonight,” continued Maher, who is currently ranked sixth on the FEI world rankings list. “I could take strides out everywhere and tried to keep it smooth and trust her. I’ve learned I have to ask her to do things, not tell her. Everything worked and it certainly paid off this evening.”

Course designer Peter Grant (CAN) built a testing track that started with a bang as five early clears promised a thrilling second round. The code was cracked on his course by fourteen advancing to a tie-breaking jump-off. Talent from Brazil, Belgium, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, and the United States made up the list of riders with their eye on the prize over the short course.

Appearing halfway through the original order, Maher clocked his clear round aboard Dallas Vegas Batilly, a 2013 Selle Français mare (Cap Kennedy x L’arc Triomphe *bois Margo) owned by Charlotte Rossetter and Pamela Wright. He returned in the jump-off to chase down current leader and Irish Olympian Shane Sweetnam aboard Namaste van het Eyckeveld, owned by Voquest LLC. By one tenth of a second, Maher unseated Sweetnam from the top of the leaderboard and posted an eventual winning time of 38.35 seconds.

Wellington International | (561) 793-5867
news@wellingtoninternational.com
www.wellingtoninternational.com

Competitions, Equinium Sports Mktg., Show Jumping

Corbie and Bluman Double Up on Rising Star Wins

Daniel Bluman and Corbie V.V.Z Et (Photo by Romeo Ghete)

Loxahatchee, FL (January 26, 2023) – Israel’s Daniel Bluman and Corbie V.V.Z Et added a second $5,000 1.30m Rising Star Classic Grand Prix win to their roster on Wednesday, kicking off Week 3’s jumper classes at The Ridge at Wellington Groves.

The Ridge’s weekly $5,000 1.30m Rising Star Classic is designed to be a dynamic option for riders looking to develop their skills at the higher levels. Bridging the gap for young or green horses, as well as their riders, the Rising Star Classic utilizes FEI and Olympic level materials, course designing, footing and more to help bring the Grand Prix within reach. Week 3’s Rising Star Classic featured a field of 29, with Bluman and the scopey gray gelding Corbie V.V.Z Et taking first for the second time this season. Second went to Samuel Perot Jr. and Ioussoupov Db, and Samuel Hutton and Verona 13 rounded out the top 3.

For more, visit www.RidgeShowJumping.com.

To enter, visit www.HorseShowing.com.

Competitions, Show Jumping

Lacey Gilbertson and Karlin van’t Vennehof Claim Adequan WEF Challenge Cup

Lacey Gilbertson & Karlin van’t Vennehof. Photo © Sportfot.

Lacy Gilbertson (USA) impressed in the CHF50,000 CSI4*Adequan® WEF Challenge Cup Round 3 on Thursday afternoon during Week 3 of the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) at Wellington International. Course designer Peter Grant (CAN) welcomed 55 pairs to the International Ring and set the stage for a nine-horse jump-off.

Despite her conservative jump-off plan, Gilbertson and Karlin van’t Vennehof were deceivingly fast and accurate to stop the clock at 41.41 seconds over the short course. The 2010 Belgian Warmblood mare (Fantomas de Muze x Quasimodo van de Molendreef), owned by Seabrook LLC, bested Lillie Keenan (USA) and Argan De Beliard, coming in at 43.09 seconds for the runner-up position. Jacob Pope (USA) and Highway FBH, owned by The Highway Group, rounded out the podium positions in 44.78 seconds.

Gilbertson partnered with Karlin van’t Vennehof, the former mount of her trainer Shane Sweetnam, at the beginning of the 2022 WEF season. Since day one, the pair has been extremely consistent in the show ring.

“I think I have so much confidence in her that when I go in the ring, no matter what happens if I do it half right, we are going to be clear,” said Gilbertson. “She’s so scopey and she’s my type of ride so I’m very comfortable on her. I think that’s the main thing that’s helped us click and keep the consistency.”

Wellington International | (561) 793-5867
news@wellingtoninternational.com
www.wellingtoninternational.com

Competitions, Equinium Sports Mktg., Show Jumping

Ali Wagstaff and Great Thing Clinch Second Title of Ridge at Wellington Groves Season

Ali Wagstaff and Great Thing.

Loxahatchee, FL (January 25, 2023) – Ali Wagstaff and Great Thing have knocked out their second winning title of the 2023 Ridge at Wellington Groves show season. The pair put in an amazingly fast jump-off as the last ride of the day to edge out the competition in a field of 18 in the $15,000 1.40m Grand Prix held during Week 2. Wagstaff also won the first $5,000 1.30m Rising Star Classic during Week 1, and her super fast and fault free jump-off over a challenging course set by Olympic course designer Leopoldo Palacios proves she will be a major contender this year.

Palacios set a series of fences for Week 2’s Grand Prix that gave just enough of a challenge to help riders progress and prepare for more international level jumping courses. Round one asked a few questions that for some prevented progression to the jump-off, including a triple bar to vertical to skinny line and a skinny wall. The jump-off was designed to allow riders to go fast but reinforced those questions asked in the first round, with horse and rider given the option of tight turns, a few long gallops, and two jumps, including the wall jump, going the opposite way. Jordan Coyle secured first and second with his mounts Picador (39.178 seconds) and Lisaniska Cool Quality (39.239 seconds), solidifying his reputation as a speed merchant. But Wagstaff, as the last to go, asked Great Thing for his speed and flew through the timers in 38.205, edging out Coyle for the win.

For more, visit www.RidgeShowJumping.com.

To enter, visit www.HorseShowing.com.

Competitions, Show Jumping

No Worries for Akuna Mattata in Adequan WEF Challenge Cup

Nicole Shahinian-Simpson & Akuna Mattata. Photo © Sportfot.

Fifteen years together has created a winning partnership between U.S. rider Nicole Shahinian-Simpson and Akuna Mattata. The pair topped a field of 64 to win the CHF37,000 Adequan® WEF Challenge Cup Round 2 on the grass derby field at Equestrian Village on Friday afternoon.

Shahinian-Simpson has known Akuna Mattata since she was born, one of three triplet fillies by embryo transfer out of her former mount SRF Dragonfly de Joter. Akuna Mattata, a 2008 Holsteiner mare (Quinar Z x Landwind II), took some time to develop and hit a winning stride with Shahinian-Simpson in the international ranks.

“There were so many clear, I was questioning whether I was going to jump-off to get ready for Sunday,” admitted Shahinian-Simpson. The decision to give it a go, however, paid off.

“She feels fit and strong, and I don’t show her a lot, so I figured why not. The jump-off was nice with a lot of gallops. She covers the ground so fast. When you gallop the jumps on her you never really think about the clear, you just go to the jumps and she does the rest.”

Wellington International | (561) 793-5867
news@wellingtoninternational.com
www.wellingtoninternational.com

Competitions, Show Jumping

Daniel Bluman and Corbie V.V.Z Et Win $5k 1.30m Rising Star Classic at The Ridge

Daniel Bluman and Corbie V.V.Z Et.

Loxahatchee Groves, FL (January 20, 2023) – Daniel Bluman and Corbie V.V.Z Et were unbeatable in The Ridge at Wellington Groves’ $5,000 1.30m Rising Star Classic, delivering a wire to wire victory after setting a blazing pace in the jump-off. The elegant grey with the Israeli rider in the irons leapt through the course set by Leopoldo Palacios in just 31.727 seconds, keeping the lead the entire class.

Bluman originally sat in first and second following his first two trips with Corbie V.V.Z Et (31.727) and Pinot Gris Di Fer (33.621). However, last week’s Grand Prix victors, Luis Larrazabal and Baroness, bumped Bluman and Pinot Gris Di Fer into third with a jump-off time of 32.385 seconds.

For more, visit www.RidgeShowJumping.com.

To enter, visit www.HorseShowing.com.

Competitions, Show Jumping

Luis Larrazabal and Baroness Win the Day in First Surf Tour Grand Prix of 2023

Luis Larrazabal and Baroness.

Loxahatchee Groves, FL (January 17, 2023) – Venezuela’s Luis Larrazabal and Leeann Albin’s mare Baroness are the first Grand Prix winner of the 2023 Surf Tour season. The pair bested a class of 16 over the course designed by Hector Loyola.

A passing cold front unleashed wind and rain to start off The Ridge’s first $15,000 Grand Prix of 2023, but the uncharacteristically cold and wet weather did not dampen the spirits of its riders, which persevered in both of The Ridge’s two rings of competition. Despite a hard downpour, the newly installed Premier Equestrian ProTex Footing remained ideal for jumping. The Ridge’s Grand Prix course was a welcoming track that included a skinny bicycle jump, three double combinations, and a liverpool oxer as the final fence, to keep competitors on their toes.

Larrazabal and Baroness were the second to last to go, and set out to contest the leading times set by the historically speedy Daniel Bluman of Israel and Ireland’s Jordan Coyle. But Larrazabal and Baroness were not to be intimidated, and delivered an amazing double clear effort to top both of his competitors, crossing through the jump-off timers in 32.746 seconds. Coyle finished second and third aboard Costa Diem (34.422) and Eristov (34.658) while Bluman took fourth aboard Ubiluc with a jump-off time of 34.662.

For a full list of dates and the 2023 Prizelists, visit www.RidgeShowJumping.com.

To enter, visit www.HorseShowing.com.