Tag Archives: Turf Tour

Sara Wayda and Faroukh Top $15,000 Grand Prix during Turf Tour Week 7

Sara Wayda and Faroukh. Photos courtesy of Equinium Sports Marketing/The Ridge at Wellington.

Wellington, Florida (February 23, 2016) – A quick and careful ride from Sarah Wayda aboard her own Faroukh put her at the head of the class following a day of competition for Turf Tour Week 7 at the International Polo Club. With only 11 horses putting in clear rounds to advance to the jump off, Wayda set the jump off time at 40.078 seconds, just beating out big names like Katherine Dinan, Olympian Beat Mandli, Darragh Kenny, and Conor Swail in the Turf Tour’s seventh week of Grand Prix competition.

Faroukh, an 18-year-old Rheinlander gelding by Rembrandt, is owned and trained by Wayda and Andrew Philbrick of Hunter Farms in Princeton, New Jersey, and their plan for this week included using the Turf Tour’s Grand Prix to prepare Faroukh for Sunday’s Grand Prix at the PBIEC Stadium. “The Turf Tour is a fantastic option to compliment the winter equestrian season,” said Philbrick. “We planned far in advance to have Faroukh come to the Turf Tour on Friday and then the Stadium on Sunday. Sara always rides very clean rounds, and we have been working on her getting faster in the jump offs. Today she really stepped on it and it went fantastic; this horse tries very hard and is very special to us.” Sara and Faroukh were trailed by only seven other double clear efforts, all within a few tenths of a second of her time.

Week 7’s Turf Tour lineup included some of the best in the business, including Beat Mandli, Katherine Dinan, Debbie Stephens, Beth Underhill, Darragh Kenny, and Conor Swail. Second place went to Sandra Dalman of Southview, Inc. riding A-Frieda-O, with a double clear round and final time of 40.627. Maria Schaub riding Hilfinger van de Celemnhoe was third, also with a double clear and a time of 40.687, and fourth was Katherine Dinan took fifth and sixth aboard Zander and Simba, with final times of 40.825 and 40.850 seconds. She was followed by Darragh Kenny in sixth, seventh, and eighth with Caliber (double clear, 42.43.080), Utopia Di San Patrigi (double clear, 44.116 seconds), and Glamour Van De Kakebee (four faults in the jump off, 42.960). Ninth and tenth place were awarded to Tina Yates riding Valencia and Chelsea Ross riding Calida.

Beat Mandli aboard Stakorado
Beat Mandli aboard Stakorado

“This week’s Grand Prix is a bit more technical, building on the basics as we progress more into season,” said course designer Nick Granat. The spacious polo fields of the International Polo Club require riders to ride accurately and find their distances correctly, or sacrifice time and rails. Friday’s competition also included Low, Medium, and High Schooling Jumper and Young Horse classes in addition to the Grand Prix, and on Wednesday Beth Underhill aboard Count Me In and Brianne Goutal with Zemike K were victorious in the $2,400 1.30-1.35m classes. Hosted by The Ridge at Wellington, the 2016 Turf Tour is the brainchild of Olympian Nona Garson, George d’Ambrosio, and Craig Bergmann, who intended for the series to act as a catalyst for the growth and development of horses and riders. The Turf Tour combines breathtaking venues with amenities as world class as its competitors. Week Eight of the Turf Tour will again take place on the beautiful grounds of the International Polo Club on Wednesday and Friday, February 24 and 26, 2016.

On March 18, The Ridge at Wellington will also host the second of its Hunter Derby Days competitions, featuring a $5,000 Dietrich Insurance USHJA National Hunter Derby and $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby. Set in the evening under the lights of the spectacular covered arena at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center and attended by some of the top names in hunter competition, the second and final Hunter Derby Days competition this season is not to be missed!

For more information, visit www.theridgefarm.com. For up-to-date information, please follow The Ridge at Wellington on Facebook.

Media Contact:
Holly Johnson
Equinium Sports Marketing, LLC
holly@equinium.com
954 205 7992

Luck of the Irish Rules during Turf Tour Week 6

Conor Swail and Fortis Fortuna (Photos courtesy of Andrew Ryback Photography)

Wellington, Florida (February 14, 2016) – In one of its busiest shows yet this season, week 5 of The Ridge at Wellington’s Turf Tour series combined world-class competition and ideal weather as Olympians, amateurs, juniors, and young horses vied for top honors on Wednesday and Friday, February 10 and 12, 2016. Irish riders rode to top finishes across the major divisions, including the Grand Prix and 1.30-1.35m divisions, as Darragh Kenny, Cian O’Connor, and Conor Swail dominated the standings to make it a true Irish sweep.

With a backdrop of the verdant polo fields of the International Polo Club, the fast and accurate pair of Conor Swail and Fortus Fortuna, owned by Susan and Ariel Grange, delivered the winning ride in the $15,000 Grand Prix on Friday, over a course designed by Nick Granat. His double clear effort was contested by only a handful others, while his jump off time of 36.078 proved unbeatable in the course of the day. Another Irish native and 2012 Olympic Bronze Medalist, Cian O’Connor, took reserve honors with a final jump off time of 38.161 aboard his own Enriques of the Lowlands. O’Connor also took fourth place with Duke of Carnival behind two-time US Olympic Gold Medalist McLain Ward and HH Ashley. 2000 Olympic Silver Medalist Beat Mandli of Switzerland settled into fifth with Grant Road Partners’ Celina, followed by 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist Ben Maher and Jane Forbes Clark’s Aristo Z in 6th, Stephen Moore and Teddy Vlock’s Team de Couquerie in 7th, and Cathrine Dinan aboard Grant Road Partner’s Galan S in 8th. Maher, who has competed on the Turf Tour for the past three weeks, has made use of the venues and divisions to prepare the experienced Aristo Z for bigger classes later in the season. “We had a holiday towards the end of last year, and have been using a few classes here to build him up for the bigger Grand Prix next week,” stated Maher. “[The Turf Tour] is great, a nice change from what is on offer, with a relaxed environment and excellent venues. It’s been great for me so far this year.”

Darragh Kenny and Gatsby
Darragh Kenny and Gatsby

To round out the Irish dominance during week 6, Darragh Kenny and Gatsby, owned by Toffolon Partners, LLC, won both of the 1.30-1.35m classes, with Beth Underhill aboard Cadermie and Edward Levy aboard Starlette de la Roque taking the reserve in each class. Granat’s designs in the Grand Prix and 1.30-1.35m made excellent use of the expansive turf course, and was intended to present a challenge that relied upon the use of strong basics and tactful riding to adjust between the first round and jump off. Thanks to the generosity of the Turf Tour’s newest sponsor, Bright’s Creek, the winner of Friday’s Junior/Amateur Owner Classic and Grand Prix will receive a 3-day, 2-night trip to their beautiful destination in the mountains of North Carolina. From equestrian activities and fine dining to luxury accommodations and an exclusive BMW Off Road Excursion through 7.2 miles of wilderness trails, hardwood forests, and ancient rock formations, the Turf Tour’s competition now have even more reason to put their best foot forward as Bright Creek will be sponsoring the Grand Prix and Junior/Amateur Owner Classic through the rest of the season. For more information visit the Bright’s Creek website.

In addition to the Grand Prix and 1.30-1.35m divisions, the second arena featured Low, Medium, and High Schooling Jumpers, 5-, 6-, and 7-Year-Old Jumper classes and qualifiers, a Junior/Adult Amateur Classic, and Speed/Jump Off classes. Intended to act as a catalyst for the growth and development of horses and riders, the Turf Tour combines breathtaking venues with amenities as world class as the riders to consistently draw some of the top competitors in Wellington. Week Seven of the Turf Tour will again take place on the beautiful grounds of the International Polo Club on Wednesday and Friday, February 17 and 19, 2016.

For more information, visit www.theridgefarm.com. For up-to-date information, please follow The Ridge at Wellington on Facebook.

Media Contact:
Holly Johnson
Equinium Sports Marketing, LLC
holly@equinium.com
954 205 7992

McLain Ward Takes Top Three Spots in Turf Tour Week 5’s $15,000 Grand Prix

McLain Ward and HH Ashley in Turf Tour Week 5’s Grand Prix (Photos courtesy of Andrew Ryback Photography)

Wellington, Florida (February 7, 2016) – Two-time US Olympic Gold Medalist McLain Ward brought three horses to compete in Friday’s $15,000 Grand Prix at Carben Farm on the 2016 Turf Tour, and proved once again that he is a force to be reckoned with. He took the top three spots in the class with double clears aboard Tine Le Boheme, HH Best Buy, and HH Ashley over the turf course designed by Pierre Jolicoeur.

An early double clear from Jonathan Corrigan and Aries (Argentius x Grannus) set the pace at 33.079 in the jump off. McLain’s first ride with HH Best Buy finished at 31.467 seconds, topping Corrigan and Aries. In his second effort with Tine Le Boheme, the pair put in a double clear and beat out their own jump off time with a 30.590. The Olympian’s final ride aboard HH Ashley differed from Tine Le Boheme’s by a hairsbreadth, finishing the jump off with 30.269. A late double clear by last week’s Turf Tour Grand Prix champion, Gianni Gabrielli and HH Rombaucheau finished with 32.170, slipping into the fourth between McLain and Corrigan.

“We brought two young horses, HH Best Buy and Tine Le Boheme, who are both nine years old, to the Turf Tour as it was a great chance for them to get in a good class and build toward bigger things,” said Ward. “Ashley knows this game and today’s class was preparation the bigger Grand Prixes in the middle of circuit. I’m excited the young horses handled the turf field so well, and am a big fan [of the Turf Tour]; it’s a great place to develop the young horses in a relaxed atmosphere and its always well produced and a nice opportunity for the horses to come out and get the experience.”

Corrigan echoed similar sentiments about his ride and the Turf Tour, saying, “This was the first time I’ve jumped Aries on the grass, and I thought he handled it very well. It’s a beautiful course and the last line to the last fence was a bit of a challenge. You jump the oxer and go left to the double, and then again left straight to the last vertical, but it worked out well and is a very nice course. This is my second time showing on the Turf Tour, with the first time being last week, and I love it. It’s a great environment for my horses and opportunity to be competitive in the 1.40 classes.”

Ward and Tine Le Boheme
Ward and Tine Le Boheme

The adjacent sand arena hosted Low and Medium Schooling Jumpers, Children’s/Adult Jumpers and Child/Adult Jumper Classic divisions. The Lows were won by Karyn Foley aboard Evanieke and Jennifer Barnhard with Winsome Maverick. Mediums saw Sarah E. Wayda with Contentus and Jenny Rankin with CHS Inception victorious, while the Children’s/Adult Jumper 1.15m and the Child/Adult Jumper Classic were ruled by Devon A. Degen and Zippo. The Junior/Amateur Owner Jumper 1.20-1.25m and Junior/Amateur Owner Classic saw Lynsey K. Whiteacre and Zorzuela Leuze Z at the top of the field.

Wednesday’s 1.30-1.35m Jumper classes were won by 2012 Olympic Medalist Ben Maher aboard Jane Forbes Clark’s Aristo Z and Agatha Van Gysel Langlois and her mount Terra Calamaco. The Low Schooling Jumpers were won by Jayme Taylor with Chester T and Nicholas dello Joio with Corlida. Mediums went to Amanda R. Cole with Quick Latinus and Jonathan Corrigan with Merlin. High Schooling Jumper winners were Alexander Zetterman with Contessa and Amanda R. Cole with Quick Latinus. The 6-Year-Old Division was won by Senan Hayes with Konquer BC and the 7-Year-Old 1.30m went to Amanda R. Cole and Jericho.

The Turf Tour’s Grand Prix, 1.30-1.35m, and other jumper divisions are intended to act as a catalyst for the growth and development of horses and riders. “Our goal is giving competitors the chance to experience everything, from riding on the turf polo fields at the International Polo Club to showing under the lights in an indoor arena,” said George D’Ambrosio, co-organizer of the Turf Tour with US Olympian Nona Garson and Craig Bergman. Week Six of the Turf Tour will take place on the beautiful grounds of the International Polo Club on Wednesday and Friday, February 10 and 12, 2016.

For more information, visit www.theridgefarm.com. For up-to-date information, please follow The Ridge at Wellington on Facebook.

Media Contact:
Holly Johnson
Equinium Sports Marketing, LLC
holly@equinium.com
954 205 7992

Kelly Farmer and Molly Sewell Top the Turf Tour’s First Hunter Derby Days

Kelly Farmer and It’s Me (Photo courtesy of Andrew Ryback Photography)

Wellington, Florida (February 6, 2016) – The fantastic covered arena of the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center set the stage for the first of this year’s Hunter Derby Days, presented by The Ridge at Wellington. As a branch of the 2016 Turf Tour, the Hunter Derby Days showcased some of the top hunters in the world being judged on their form and their horse’s movement over elegant natural obstacles.

2014 Hunter Derby Days Champion Kelly Farmer returned to defend her title, and for the second year in a row she clinched the international class. Farmer and her own It’s Me put in a fantastic performance in both rounds of the $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby to the standard for world class hunt seat at The Ridge. She was followed closely by Louise Serio aboard Jessica Burger’s Rock Harbor who rode to the Reserve Champion title. Round one of the International Derby was won by Farmer on Kent Farrington’s Like I Said, while Serio and Like I Said secured the win in the Handy. Farmer and It’s Me placed second in both rounds, ultimately earning them the overall win in the International Derby.

Molly Sewell proved her mettle that morning, taking both Champion and Reserve in the $5,000 Dietrich Equine Insurance USHJA National Derby. She topped the field with lovely rides Leslie C. Campbell’s E. L. Raymond, and took the Reserve Championship title with Mtm Caruso S, owned by Brynn Hanson. Generously sponsored by Dietrich Equine Insurance, the National Derby served as a way for riders to qualify and earn points for the National Hunter Derby Championship across the various divisions including Performance Working Hunter, Pre-Greens, Amateur Owner, and Junior Hunter. The Turf Tour’s trademark hospitality and relaxed atmosphere carried over to both the National and International Derbies, with complimentary lunch, an organized horse shuttle, and permanent stabling offered to all competitors.

Judges George Wallace, Diana Carney, Spencer Chatham, and Carol Hoffman were tasked with evaluating and awarding the best rides in each of the USHJA events, and Kevin Giblin’s course designs set the stage for a true test of the agility and elegance of performance hunters. Organized by Olympian Nona Garson, George D’Ambrosio, and Craig Bergman, The Turf Tour’s competitive, utopian show atmosphere is matched only by its hospitality. For only $75, riders can schedule pick up and drop off at the Turf Tour’s weekly venue, including both of the Hunter Derby Days competitions, as well as a trip back to their farm anywhere in Wellington after their rides. With the inclusion the pageantry and athletic prowess of performance hunters through the Hunter Derby Days, 2016’s Turf Tour is setting a new standard for national and international competition.

The Turf Tour continues Saturday, February 6th at Carben Farm (formerly Ashland Farm) with the headline Grand Prix on the turf field. The second of the Hunter Derby Days will take place on Friday, March 18 at Jim Brandon Equestrian Center. The evening class will take place under the lights, and will offer a unique atmosphere for riders and spectators to experience world class hunter competition.

The Ridge will also host a USEF Rated Equitation show each Tuesday during the winter show season, and its Palm Beach Series hunter and equitation show occurs one weekend each month at the farm. For more information, including a full prize list, visit www.theridgefarm.com. For up-to-date information, please follow The Ridge at Wellington on Facebook.

Media Contact:
Holly Johnson
Equinium Sports Marketing, LLC
holly@equinium.com
954 205 7992