Tag Archives: Winter Equestrian Festival

Competitions, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Tiffany Foster Tops Off a Fantastic Week with $84,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic Victory

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Tiffany Foster and Victor. Photo © Sportfot.

Brooke Banks and Brodeur Triumph in Coldwell Banker Children’s Hunters 15-17

Wellington, FL – February 9, 2014 – Canada’s Tiffany Foster and Victor have been on quite a roll during this year’s FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) and secured another win on Sunday in the $84,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic to conclude week five. The pair beat out world number one, Scott Brash (GBR), aboard his mount Hello Annie for the win.

Sunday’s competition concluded FTI WEF week five, sponsored by Rolex. FTI WEF will continue with its sixth week of competition, sponsored by Salamander Hotels & Resorts, on February 12-16, 2014. The FTI WEF, held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, FL, features 12 weeks of world-class competition through March 30, awarding $8 million in prize money.

Great Britain’s Robert Ellis set the tracks in the International Arena at PBIEC for week five competition and challenged the horses and riders right to the end with his course for Sunday’s 1.50m. The class saw 91 entries in total with only ten clear rounds to advance to the jump-off. Twelve others cleared the course but finished with a single time fault to keep them out of the second round with a tight time allowed. The short course only saw three clear rounds.

Scott Brash and Hello Annie, owned by Lord and Lady Harris and Lord and Lady Kirkham, were first to go in the jump-off and set the pace in 46.75 seconds to eventually finish second. Markus Beerbaum (GER) and Copernicus Stables LLC’s Don VHP Z were also clear and finished in a slower time of 52.37 seconds to place third. Second to last, Tiffany Foster and Victor stopped the clock in 44.25 seconds to earn their victory.

Foster and Victor, a 12-year-old KPWN gelding (Elmshorn x Grandeur) owned by Artisan Farms LLC and Torrey Pines, kicked off their FTI WEF circuit with a win in Section B of the $34,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup during week three, sharing top honors in the split class with Todd Minikus (USA) and Quality Girl. The pair then earned another big prize on Thursday afternoon with a shared victory with Ben Maher (GBR) and Urico in the $125,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 5. Both classes were held in a “California Split” due to the large number of entries, with two sets of placings distributed, so Foster and Victor technically had the second fastest time in each class to top both B Sections. This time, they did not have to share their victory.

“He was awesome,” Foster stated after the class. “It feels really good (to win). I am so happy with my horses. All of them jumped unbelievably this week and Victor won both classes, so you can’t really ask for better than that.”

Foster has had top finishes in the presence of many show jumping greats, sharing the winner’s circle with Todd Minikus and Ben Maher, and now beating world number one, Scott Brash. Not to mention, she rides with Olympic Gold Medalist Eric Lamaze. The 29-year-old rider has gotten a feel for what it’s like to win big.

“Beating Scott is the coolest part of the whole thing,” Foster beamed. “I made him stand there and take a picture with me just to have proof that this actually happened!”

“It looked to me like Scott was actually pretty conservative,” she said of the jump-off. “I think that is a horse that is pretty new to him, because we all know he can go super fast. He looked like he wanted to just give the horse a really nice round. I kind of did the same track as him, just a little faster I think, just a little more ground speed everywhere because my horse has a little bit more experience, and that seemed to work out in the end.”

Foster explained that Victor has stepped down a little bit to jumping in the 1.45m and 1.50m classes this year and has excelled at that level.

“This is a horse that has jumped some big tracks and has a lot of experience,” she noted. “I got Verdi, and he has been able to do the really big classes, so I have been able to use Victor in a few of these classes now and he is extremely comfortable and extremely confident. It is actually pretty easy on him.”

The horse is actually quite versatile, as Foster explained that he started his career as a four-in-hand driving horse before learning to jump. “Until he was five years old he pulled a cart!” she emphasized. “He is very multi-talented!”

“Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Markus Beerbaum found him and they tipped Eric off about him when he was a seven-year-old,” the rider detailed. “It’s always fun when they are here. They always pay a little extra attention to him because they loved him from the beginning also.”

“He is maybe the cutest horse ever,” Foster gushed. “He is so sweet. He has a ton of character and a ton of personality. I know him really well now, so we have a really good relationship I think. Eric helps me a lot. He rides him at home. He does all of the jumping work at home and I just flat him, and it is working out really well.”

In addition to her wins for the week, Foster was acknowledged on Saturday night as the Leading Lady Grand Prix Rider for week five. The award is sponsored by Martha Jolicoeur of Illustrated Properties in memory of Dale Lawler. Foster was happy to get the special award and thanked her owners, Andy and Carlene Ziegler of Artisan Farms, as well as her groom, Caroline Holmberg, for their help and support.

“I was so happy,” Foster stated. “I have never gotten that award. Last year I didn’t go clear any time, except for Nations Cup, so it was absolutely great to get special recognition for that. It is a great idea and it is always fun. A lot of the European shows do that and it is always an honor, so it is really cool to have the recognition here as well.”

Brooke Banks and Brodeur Triumph in Coldwell Banker Children’s Hunters 15-17

Seventeen-year-old Brooke Banks of Southampton, NY and her new mount Brodeur topped the Coldwell Banker Children’s Hunter 15-17 division on Sunday morning. The pair were crowned division champion in their first competition together after winning the under saddle and winning two over fences rounds.

The reserve champion for the division was Bella Luna, ridden by Jennifer Wright and owned by Christie Turano. The pair also won two over fences classes before being awarded reserve honors.

Brodeur, a seven-year-old Warmblood gelding, was campaigned briefly last fall by junior superstar Lillie Keenan for the horse’s previous owner before coming to Banks earlier this year. Banks and Brodeur have only been partners for a few weeks, but the two have already began to work well together.

“He’s similar to my other horse that I show in the hunters [Theory], so he was pretty easy to adjust to. He is pretty simple and straight-forward,” Banks explained.

Banks liked the gelding from the first time she sat on him, particularly because Brodeur is her ideal ride. “He was very happy to do his job. He was well prepared and liked to go to the jump and work. He jumps really nicely, and I could tell even from being on top of him that his knees were up. I thought that was perfect for a hunter,” Banks described.

She continued, “I think we’re a good match because we’re both laid-back. I don’t get very nervous when I go in to show, and he doesn’t care about much when he’s in the ring. We have similar personalities and I’ve always been taught to do a lot flatwork in the corners and that’s exactly the kind of ride that he needs.”

Brodeur’s laid-back personality is especially evident in his easy adjustment to the bustling showgrounds of the FTI WEF, which Banks, who trains with Ron Esposito, said hasn’t fazed the gelding at all. She did admit to getting a few butterflies, however, going into the second day of competition for the division when she took a look at the course.

“Today was my first time jumping a two-stride on him ever, so that made me a little bit nervous, but he was perfectly fine over it,” she commented.

Of the rest of the course, Banks added, “The turns that were close to the in-gate were more difficult to keep him going and focused, because there was a lot going on over there. Other than that, the courses were pretty straight-forward.”

Banks will continue to compete with Brodeur in the Coldwell Banker Children’s Hunter 15-17 division but is aiming to move up to the Small Junior Hunters by the end of the FTI WEF. She hopes to qualify for USEF National Junior Hunter Championships during the Brandywine Summer Series (Pa.) in July.

Banks’ victory wrapped up hunter competition for the fifth week of the FTI WEF. Competition for WCHR Hunter Week kicks off on Wednesday, February 12. For full results, please visit www.showgroundslive.com.

About FTI Consulting, Inc.

FTI Consulting, Inc. is a global business advisory firm dedicated to helping organizations protect and enhance enterprise value in an increasingly complex legal, regulatory and economic environment. With more than 4,000 employees located in 24 countries, FTI Consulting professionals work closely with clients to anticipate, illuminate and overcome complex business challenges in areas such as investigations, litigation, mergers and acquisitions, regulatory issues, reputation management, strategic communications and restructuring. The company generated $1.58 billion in revenues during fiscal year 2012. For more information, visit www.fticonsulting.com.

About the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival

The 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival has 12 weeks of top competition running from January 8 through March 30. The FTI WEF is run by Equestrian Sport Productions, LLC, and Wellington Equestrian Partners and held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. All 12 shows are “AA” rated and Jumper Rated 6, and more than $7 million in prize money will be awarded.

Please visit www.equestriansport.com or call 561-793-5867 for more information.

Lauren Fisher and Laura Cardon for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
Equestrian Public Relations
info@jenniferwoodmedia.com

Hunter/Equitation, Jennifer Ward, Show Jumping

Tiffany Foster and Victor Top $84,000 Suncast 1.50m Classic

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Tiffany Foster and Artisan Farms’ Victor won the $84,000 Suncast 1.50m Classic. Photo by Sportfot.

Wellington, Florida – Canadian Olympian Tiffany Foster of Vancouver, BC, rode a hot streak to the top of the $84,000 Suncast 1.50m Classic on Sunday, February 9, at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL.

On Thursday, Foster guided Victor to the win in the $125,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round V – Section B while on Saturday night, it was Verdi III that Foster piloted to a double clear round and a sixth place finish in the $370,000 World Cup Grand Prix, presented by Rolex.

On Sunday, Foster was back in the spotlight, topping a 95-horse starting field to win the $84,000 Suncast 1.50m Classic.  A total of 10 horse-rider combinations advanced to the jump-off over the track set by 2012 London Olympic course designer Bob Ellis of Great Britain, and it was Foster and her 2012 London Olympic mount, Victor, who held the key to victory.  The pair sliced more than two full seconds off the leading time posted by world number one and reigning Olympic team gold medalist, Scott Brash of Great Britain.  Foster’s time was 44.25 compared to Brash’s 46.75 seconds with Hello Annie.

“He was awesome!” said Foster in appreciation of Victor, a 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Elmshorn x Grandeur) owned by Artisan Farms.  “It feels really good to have a week like this.  I am so happy with my horses.  All of them jumped unbelievably this week.  You really can’t ask for better than that.”

Of Victor, her partner of four seasons, Foster noted, “This is a horse that has jumped some big tracks and has a lot of experience.  I got Verdi III last spring and he has been able to do the really big classes, so I have been able to use Victor in a few of these classes now and he is extremely comfortable and extremely confident.  It is actually pretty easy on him.”

Foster made it look easy as well.  Of her jump-off strategy, she explained, “It looked to me like Scott was actually pretty conservative.  I think that is a horse that is pretty new to him, because we all know he can go super-fast.  He looked like he wanted to just give the horse a really nice round.  I kind of did the same track as him, just a little faster, just a little more ground speed everywhere, because my horse has a little bit more experience.  It seemed to work out in the end!”

How does it feel to beat the number one ranked rider in the world?

“That is the coolest part of the whole thing; I made him stand there and take a picture with me just to have proof that this actually happened!” laughed Foster, referring to the awards presentation.

As a result of her success, Foster, 29, was also presented as the Martha W. Jolicoeur Leading Lady Rider for week five of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival.

“Carlene and Andy Ziegler have been incredibly generous in supporting my career, and I can’t thank them enough for all they have done,” said Foster, who rides for the Ziegler family’s Artisan Farms, based in Wellington, Florida, and Vrasene, Belgium.

Foster will continue to compete throughout the 12-week FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival before returning to Belgium in the spring.

Contact:  Jennifer Ward
Starting Gate Communications
Cell: (613) 292-5439
www.startinggate.ca

*Featured/Spotlights, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Ben Maher and Cella Top Another British Showdown in Saturday’s $370,000 FEI World Cup Grand Prix CSI-W 5

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Ben Maher and Cella. Photos © Sportfot.

Olivia Woodson Claims THIS Children’s Medal 14 & Under at FTI WEF

Wellington, FL – February 8, 2014 – Scott Brash and Ben Maher proved once again why they are the number one and two ranked riders in the world on Saturday night as the British superstars battled it out for top prize in the $370,000 FEI World Cup Grand Prix CSI-W 5*, presented by Rolex, at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). Competing in front of a large, enthusiastic crowd at the Palm Beach Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, FL, the FEI World Cup Qualifier saw an exciting victory for Maher and Cella, with Brash and Ursula XII finishing second, and up-and-coming U.S. star Lucy Davis guiding Barron to the third place prize.

FTI WEF week five, sponsored by Rolex, will conclude on Sunday with the $84,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic to begin at 11 a.m. (NEW REVISED TIME) in the International Arena at PBIEC. Schedules have been revised for some rings, so please check www.showgroundslive.com for an updated schedule of Sunday’s competition. The FTI WEF features 12 weeks of world-class competition through March 30, awarding $8 million in prize money.

Great Britain’s Robert Ellis set a difficult track for Saturday night’s class, with 45 competitors and seven clear rounds to advance to the jump-off. Tiffany Foster (CAN) and Artisan Farm’s Verdi III were the first pair to qualify for the jump-off, and cleared the short course in 38.61 seconds to earn the sixth place prize. McLain Ward (USA) and Sagamore Farms’ Rothchild had an unfortunate stop on course for four faults in the jump-off in 47.36 seconds to place seventh.

Audrey Coulter (USA) and Copernicus Stables’ Acorte were next to jump-off, and cleared the course in 37.52 seconds for a fifth place finish. Scott Brash took the lead next in 35.70 seconds aboard Lord and Lady Harris and Lord and Lady Kirkham’s Ursula XII, but eventually settled for second place. Lucy Davis and Old Oak Farm’s Barron placed third with a time of 35.98 seconds. Charlie Jayne and Chill R Z jumped into fourth in 37.04 seconds.

Last to go in the jump-off, Ben Maher and Jane Clark’s Cella cleared the course in an electrifying 35.30 seconds to secure the victory. The crowd exploded as the pair took a huge leap to the final Rolex oxer and raced through the finish line. They had done it again.

Maher has had an incredible FTI WEF circuit so far with wins aboard several of his talented horses. He and Brash had their first duel of the season in week three’s $125,000 Fidelity Investments Grand Prix CSI 3*, where the results were the same – Maher and Cella first, Brash and Ursula XII second. As the results prove, Maher and Cella, a 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare by Cento x Chin Chin, have become quite the dream team.

“It’s been an incredible start to the year so far,” Maher acknowledged after Saturday’s win. “Cella had quite a long rest after the European Championships last year and she came back to do a couple of shows towards the end of last year, and actually has not jumped so much. She seems to love WEF here. She loves the ring, and she feels fresh and on form. She is just an incredible horse to ride.”

“I think Bob Ellis did a great job with the course tonight,” Maher noted. “I think a few riders were walking the course tonight and saying it looked big, or it looked technical and quite tight in places, but with $370,000 I didn’t really expect any less. That’s huge prize money, and he was definitely going to make us work for it. I think the course was great. Obviously it suited me. It had everything; faults all over the course, and again, this arena seems to provide some of the fastest jump-offs anywhere in the world. Luckily for me, I had a good draw tonight, and seeing Scott go, he was obviously fast. I was lucky enough to watch them, and it was definitely a big help to me tonight.”

For the winner’s share, Maher earned an impressive $122,000 for the night’s victory. He gave it everything in the jump-off, and the effort certainly paid off. Maher was so focused, he admitted that he was not even sure where he made up the fractions of time.

“I don’t know, everything was going so fast to be honest!” he laughed. “I actually planned to take a stride out and do six on the bend from the first to the second jump (the plank), but when I rode in I was a little nervous with the trees on the side that if I angled the plank, she might stop (and) not look where she was going, so I decided to not take too much risk there. I think the way I can gallop Cella to a double like that and a liverpool afterwards is like no other horse. I can gallop her and she kind of stops, backs up, jumps up and that’s where I can make up the time.”

“It probably looked erratic to the last fence, almost hurtling I guess, but it wasn’t by choice,” he said. “I turned back tight to the vertical, and she cut left on me, which I was ready for, but she did it a little harder than I thought and she landed a little flat-footed. I knew I had to be committed from the first stride, and I was going, and I got four strides down there and that oxer looked like it was still on the other end of the arena, but I kept going. I don’t know how she jumped it, but she did it. I knew if I pulled to the last fence I would be giving it to Scott, so I gave it my best shot.”

Scott Brash and Ursula XII
Scott Brash and Ursula XII

Brash also gave it his best shot with Ursula XII, a 13-year-old Scottish Sport Horse mare by Ahorn x Papageno, and was happy with his finish.

“Ursula jumped fantastic tonight,” Brash smiled. “The first round, everything went according to plan until she jumped the triple bar, and I don’t know, she stumbled or something but I got the six strides very late to the combination and I was very late going in, and she was really good to jump the combination. Everything else went according to plan. She jumped amazing. My jump-off, I was really happy with. I have been working on my jump-offs with her, and when I first got her it felt like I was going too fast and out of control, then I would go fast for the first half and have to make an adjustment half way around. That was the first time of being able to ride a very smooth jump-off and be very quick. She has kept her head, and I am very pleased.”

Maher and Brash have become show jumping superstars and see huge crowds and great fans in Europe. They spoke about the fantastic attendance for Saturday night’s class in Wellington and how great the competition was.

“I think it’s great wherever we go, we are very fortunate to have a lot of fans,” Brash stated. “It is great; it gives you an extra boost when you are in the ring with a lot of people cheering you on, and it just makes you want it more. It was good to see such a busy crowd tonight.”

Maher added, “I think it’s important not to forget to thank Rolex for the sponsorship tonight. It is unbelievable the money and support that they are putting in to the sport over here, and especially in Wellington. I think it certainly looked like one of the biggest crowds to come out for the first major Rolex grand prix here. It was full from every side, and Bob Ellis did a good job of using the whole arena so the whole crowd could watch. We have the best riders here in the world. It is great sport and great entertainment for a Saturday night.”

California’s twenty-one-year-old Lucy Davis finished third with her horse, Barron, a ten-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding by For Pleasure x Nabab de Reve. Davis, who trains with Germany’s Meredith-Michaels Beerbaum and Markus Beerbaum, earned the biggest victory of her young career this past September when she won the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix in Lausanne with Barron. The young rider continued to make her mark on the world of show jumping Saturday night with a close finish behind two of the world’s best.

“I have a very, very special horse,” Davis praised after the class. “We have been together for a year now, and he has improved so much over the year and I have improved with him. It is really special to be able to ride in competitions like this, and being behind two Olympians is very inspiring. It makes me believe my goals and dreams are possible.”

“I’d ideally like to do the world championships at the end of the year, but that’s a long shot and that’s a lot of people’s goal right now and it is very early in the year,” Davis said of her plans. “My immediate goal is to keep consistent with what we are doing, and we’ll see what happens!”

Olivia Woodson Claims THIS Children’s Medal 14 & Under at FTI WEF

Olivia Woodson and Victor V.D. Sent
Olivia Woodson and Victor V.D. Sent

Fourteen-year-old Olivia Woodson, of Wellington, FL, finished on top of the THIS Children’s Medal 14 & Under class on Saturday morning at the FTI WEF. Woodson and her horse Victor V.D. Sent were one of the final horse-rider pairs to contest the first round before qualifying for the test with a high score of 87.

The top four riders from round one were called back to test over fences. In addition to Woodson, Maria Moore qualified after laying down an 83 and ultimately finished second. Third place went to Gina Kumar, who earned an 83 in the first round, and Ava Stearns rounded out the top four with a first round score of 86.

Victor V.D. Sent, shortened to “Victor” in the barn, has been partnered with Woodson since October of last year, and she has quickly fallen in love with the handsome bay gelding.

“He’s the best horse in the world. He saves my butt all the time!” Woodson grinned.

Woodson, who trains with Geoff Teall, described Victor’s willingness to take care of her as one of his most endearing traits, along with his brave attitude and natural talent.

“I really like his jump; it’s really scopey. He has a huge stride, and he never looks at anything. He jumps anything; he would jump out of the ring if you wanted him to! He does everything you ask him to,” Woodson detailed.

Going late in the class and last in the test didn’t make Woodson nervous, which doesn’t come as a surprise considering the accomplishments she has to her name, even at her young age. Woodson won the USEF Pony Medal Finals last summer to cap off her pony career and, now that she’s moved up to horses, is already trying her hand at “big eq” classes like the ASPCA Maclay Medal and the Washington International Horse Show Equitation Medal.

The test in Saturday morning’s class was short and relatively simple, asking riders to canter jump three, a single oxer on the diagonal, before counter-cantering jump four, a vertical on the quarter line, and trotting jump five, which had been part of a troublesome diagonal line in the first round.

Woodson immediately formulated her plan for the test, which focused on the counter-canter that she admits is her and Victor’s weakness.

“After the first jump, I was planning on landing right since we have trouble holding the counter-canter sometimes. So I wanted to land right and go through the turn on the right lead, and then when I got straight to the jump I would change to the counter-canter,” Woodson detailed.

When Victor landed on the left lead and was already in the counter-canter, Woodson had to quickly readjust.

“I landed [left], and I tried to do the inside turn and fell off the lead. I was able to fix it, though,” Woodson explained. After returning to the walk and picking up the counter-canter with a few strides to spare before the next fence, she finished the test as the final rider to go. All four riders had suffered from minor missteps in the test, and Woodson was ultimately crowned the winner.

Hunter competition continues for the FTI WEF on Sunday morning with the Coldwell Banker Children’s Hunter 15-17 division. The $84,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic will begin in the International Arena at 11 a.m. For full results, please visit www.showgroundslive.com.

About FTI Consulting, Inc.

FTI Consulting, Inc. is a global business advisory firm dedicated to helping organizations protect and enhance enterprise value in an increasingly complex legal, regulatory and economic environment. With more than 4,000 employees located in 24 countries, FTI Consulting professionals work closely with clients to anticipate, illuminate and overcome complex business challenges in areas such as investigations, litigation, mergers and acquisitions, regulatory issues, reputation management, strategic communications and restructuring. The company generated $1.58 billion in revenues during fiscal year 2012. For more information, visit www.fticonsulting.com.

About the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival

The 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival has 12 weeks of top competition running from January 8 through March 30. The FTI WEF is run by Equestrian Sport Productions, LLC, and Wellington Equestrian Partners and held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. All 12 shows are “AA” rated and Jumper Rated 6, and more than $7 million in prize money will be awarded.

Please visit www.equestriansport.com or call 561-793-5867 for more information.

Lauren Fisher and Laura Cardon for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
Equestrian Public Relations
info@jenniferwoodmedia.com

Revolution Sports, Show Jumping

Honours Go to Ben Maher in Highlight of Week 5 Presented by Rolex at the Winter Equestrian Festival

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Peter Nicholson from Rolex USA presents Ben Maher with his Rolex watch.

Wellington, Florida – 9 February 2014 – Under the floodlights of the International Arena in Wellington, Florida, the first 5* competition of the 2014 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) was dominated by the world’s top two riders who went head to head in a tense competition, with World Number Two Ben Maher taking the honours from his fellow Britain and World Number One, Scott Brash, in the FEI World Cup Grand Prix CSI-W 5* presented by Rolex.

Watched by a big crowd enjoying the warm Florida evening, clear rounds were hard to come by on a tough and demanding track set by Olympic course designer, Bob Ellis, and Maher was one of only seven horse and rider combinations that went clear from 45 starters.

Maher had the advantage of going last into the jump-off and was able to benefit from knowing exactly the line to take, but the leading time set by Brash still looked tough to beat. But Cella, owned by Jane Clark, was up to the task and with a winning margin of 0.41 seconds, Maher took the honours. Third on the winner’s podium was Lucy Davis from the United States, who was watched over from the stands by her trainer and Rolex Testimonee, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum.

Speaking about the WEF, Ben Maher said, “I think that the biggest advantage of being here at the Winter Equestrian Festival is that we get to spend a lot more time on our horses, and are able to give them one on one attention. Tomorrow, the first thing I will do is ride Cella. I notice things here in Wellington that I wouldn’t when competing in different competitions each weekend. That is one of the biggest benefits of staying in one place for a longer period of time.”

This is the first year of an unprecedented 10-year partnership between WEF and Rolex which was announced in December 2013. Rolex became the “Official Timepiece” of both the Palm Beach International Equestrian Centre and the WEF.

This follows on from the launch of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping in April the same year, which features the three equestrian ‘Majors’ – the CHIO Aachen, the CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament and CHI Geneva – and is the first global initiative to reward the outstanding rider who wins the Grand Prix at each show in succession.

Website:
www.rolex.com

Rolex Equestrian Press Room:
equestrianismpressroom.rolex.com

Revolution Sports + Entertainment
Rod Kohler
rod@revolutionsports.co.uk
+44 7770 647 662

Competitions, Show Jumping

Live Stream for $370,000 FEI World Cup Qualifier Grand Prix, Sat. Feb. 8, 6:45 pm

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Photo copyright Sportfot.

The “Saturday Night Lights” grand prix season continues tonight at 7 p.m. at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival. Watch 45 of the world’s best show jumpers compete in the $370,000 FEI World Cup Qualifier Grand Prix CSI-W 5*, presented by Rolex.

Watch live here starting at 6:45 pm EST!

About FTI Consulting, Inc.

FTI Consulting, Inc. is a global business advisory firm dedicated to helping organizations protect and enhance enterprise value in an increasingly complex legal, regulatory and economic environment. With more than 4,000 employees located in 24 countries, FTI Consulting professionals work closely with clients to anticipate, illuminate and overcome complex business challenges in areas such as investigations, litigation, mergers and acquisitions, regulatory issues, reputation management, strategic communications and restructuring. The company generated $1.58 billion in revenues during fiscal year 2012. For more information, visit www.fticonsulting.com.

About the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival

The 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival has 12 weeks of top competition running from January 8 through March 30. The FTI WEF is run by Equestrian Sport Productions, LLC, and Wellington Equestrian Partners and held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. All 12 shows are “AA” rated and Jumper Rated 6, and more than $7 million in prize money will be awarded.

Please visit www.equestriansport.com or call 561-793-5867 for more information.

Hunter/Equitation, Jennifer Wood, Show Jumping

Shane Sweetnam and Cyklon 1083 Get the Winning Edge in $34,000 G&C Farm 1.45m

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Shane Sweetnam and Cyklon 1083. Photos © Sportfot.

University of South Carolina’s Katherine Schmidt Tops Collegiate Equitation Championship

Wellington, FL – February 7, 2014 – Shane Sweetnam (IRL) and Spy Coast Farm LLC’s Cyklon 1083 earned their second FEI world ranking win of the 2014 season in Friday’s $34,000 G&C Farm 1.45m speed class during week five of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). The pair beat out Darragh Kenny (IRL) and Prof de la Roque and Beezie Madden (USA) aboard Vanilla, who placed second and third respectively.

FTI WEF week five, sponsored by Rolex, runs February 5-9, 2014. The week will continue with the $370,000 FEI World Cup Qualifier Grand Prix CSI-W 5* presented by Rolex on Saturday night, and the $84,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic on Sunday afternoon. The FTI WEF, held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, FL, features 12 weeks of world-class competition through March 30, awarding $8 million in prize money.

Great Britain’s Robert Ellis set the speed track for 70 entries in Friday’s $34,000 G&C Farm 1.45m with 20 clear rounds. Beezie Madden and Abigail Wexner’s Vanilla set the pace early on in 67.19 seconds to eventually finish third. Darragh Kenny and Postage Stamp Farm LLC’s Prof de la Roque improved on the time in 65.62 seconds to earn second place honors. They held the lead for 40 rounds before Shane Sweetnam and Cyklon 1083 cleared the course a full second faster in 64.62 seconds for the win.

Sweetnam and Cyklon, a 13-year-old Swedish Warmblood stallion by Cardento x Cortus, also won the $34,000 G&C Farm 1.45m at the beginning of week three during this year’s FTI WEF. The pair was extremely close to a victory earlier this week as well in Wednesday’s $34,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.45m, but finished a close second to McLain Ward and Wings. This time, Sweetnam noted that he had the advantage of a course that was very suited to Cyklon’s strengths of speed and tight turns.

“He has had a good week,” Sweetnam stated. “He was unlucky not to win the class on Wednesday, but McLain did a great job. There was one place that I thought I lost time, and McLain definitely took advantage of it. Today I watched a couple go. I didn’t get to see Darragh go, but it looked like a fast time, especially since I saw Tiffany (Foster) go and she was really moving. I had a plan, and he did a great job. We stuck to the plan, and we executed it as well as we could.”

“He is a very quick horse rolling back on the jumps,” Sweetnam explained. “Bob Ellis normally likes to have a lot of rollbacks, even in his grand prix courses, so it definitely played to my advantage with him. You can really turn back tight with Cyklon, and he always tries to leave the jumps up.”

Sweetnam spoke more about Cyklon, noting that the beautiful stallion is very well-behaved at home and at the horse show and has a fantastic drive to win when he gets in the show ring.

“For sure when he is in the ring he goes a little bit more,” Sweetnam detailed. “He still always has a little bit of go with the blood, and he is feisty, but he is quite easy. In the ring, when he sees a jump and he knows he is going fast, he really puts in the extra effort. You do have to fight with him a little bit to get what you want done, he is a little bit more aggressive in the ring, but he also gets the job done.”

Cyklon is done showing now for week five and will have some time off. Sweetnam has not yet decided what week Cyklon will show again, but explained that he tries to keep his top horses on a good rotation to keep them feeling fresh.

“He had the week off last week,” Sweetnam noted. “He had done two weeks in a row before that, so he needed a week off and Solerina went last week and she did great. I try to rotate them as much as I possibly can, those two, because they are both winners.”

In addition to the 1.45m class, competition kicked off in the International Arena on Friday morning with a win for Eugenio Garza (MEX) and Providence in the $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m Speed Challenge. A $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m jump-off class was also held later in the day with a win for Katie Prudent (USA) riding Michael Smith’s Onisha.

Katherine Schmidt and Striptease
Katherine Schmidt and Striptease

University of South Carolina’s Katherine Schmidt Tops Collegiate Equitation Championship

Twenty-one-year-old Katherine Schmidt, of Ridgefield, CT, emerged victorious from the Collegiate Equitation Championship on Friday evening at the FTI WEF. Schmidt is a junior at the University of South Carolina (USC), where she is a double major in Marketing and Management.

Schmidt made it through the first round of the evening’s competition after beating out Auburn University’s Christina Lin. Schmidt rode David Raposa’s Chanel to a 76 to advance to round two. Schmidt secured her trip to the final round with a score of 87 aboard Ashleigh Stewart’s Coco, jumping past Baylor University’s Samantha Schaefer.

For the final round, Schmidt was up against Oklahoma State University’s Samantha Elser, who ultimately finished second. Both ladies rode Emma Butchard’s Striptease, owned by Emma Butchard, for the final round of competition. Schmidt edged out the victory with a score of 83 to Elser’s 80.

Schaefer was also awarded with the Professionals for NCAA Equestrian High Score Award for her first round score of 90 with Ilan de Taute, owned by Alan Chesler.

The Collegiate Equitation Championship pits the nation’s best varsity level collegiate riders against each other in a head-to-head competition. Riders are organized into brackets, where each bracket must each complete a course on the same horse, which is unfamiliar to them. The rider with the highest score on that horse advances to the next round.

Schmidt, affectionately known as “Schmidty” to her teammates and coach, put in consistent rounds throughout the night before laying down an incredibly handy final course with Striptease.

“I saw Sam go and [Striptease] got a little quick, so I thought I could manage her here and there and try to slip inside [for a few of the turns]. I think I was able to get her back a little bit early and do the inside turns, which I think set me apart from Sam at the end of the day,” Schmidt commented.

Schmidt had total confidence in her final round mount, a 15-year-old Royal Dutch Warmblood mare, despite never getting on the horse before entering the International Arena Friday evening.

“Striptease knows her job. She was happy to be out there. It was nice to kind of relax a little bit and try to show off,” Schmidt explained. “She’s been around the block I think. She was a little bit downhill, so I had to pick her up a little bit, but she was very sweet and would jump from anywhere.”

Schmidt was born into a family of horse lovers; her mother had horses all her life and Schmidt described being born with ponies in her backyard. By the time she was a toddler, she was already in the irons. After showing ponies throughout her childhood, Schmidt went on to the equitation and jumper divisions.

“I started doing jumpers with Darren Graziano. He gave me a lot of rides, and he taught me a lot. He introduced me to Andre Dignelli [of Heritage Farm], and I did my equitation years with him. I have a lot to owe to both Darren and Andre for getting me to where I am,” Schmidt expressed.

Schmidt’s coach, Carol Gwin felt Schmidt also owed a lot of her success to her relentless work ethic and well-grounded demeanor.

“Schmidty’s just a great person. She’s a really hard worker. She’s always the one that’s going to be practicing extra and trying to be better. She’s very modest. I think she rides beautifully, and I can’t say enough nice things about her. She’s definitely someone that deserves this kind of win,” Gwin smiled.

A testament to Schmidt’s humble character is the fact she failed to mention she’s undefeated this season for the USC Gamecocks. Gwin revealed she’s yet to be beat, with her record currently standing at 8-0 before her victory in Wellington.

While Schmidt and her teammates will hit the road to take on the University of Georgia on Saturday, the Taylor Harris Insurance Services (THIS) Children’s Medal will kick off hunter competition for the weekend at the FTI WEF. Jumper action continues tomorrow with the highlight of the week, the $370,000 FEI World Cup Qualifier Grand Prix CSI-W 5* presented by Rolex, at 7 p.m.

For full results, please visit www.showgroundslive.com.

About FTI Consulting, Inc.

FTI Consulting, Inc. is a global business advisory firm dedicated to helping organizations protect and enhance enterprise value in an increasingly complex legal, regulatory and economic environment. With more than 4,000 employees located in 24 countries, FTI Consulting professionals work closely with clients to anticipate, illuminate and overcome complex business challenges in areas such as investigations, litigation, mergers and acquisitions, regulatory issues, reputation management, strategic communications and restructuring. The company generated $1.58 billion in revenues during fiscal year 2012. For more information, visit www.fticonsulting.com.

About the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival

The 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival has 12 weeks of top competition running from January 8 through March 30. The FTI WEF is run by Equestrian Sport Productions, LLC, and Wellington Equestrian Partners and held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. All 12 shows are “AA” rated and Jumper Rated 6, and more than $7 million in prize money will be awarded.

Please visit www.equestriansport.com or call 561-793-5867 for more information.

Lauren Fisher and Laura Cardon for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
Equestrian Public Relations
info@jenniferwoodmedia.com

Competitions, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Déjà vu for Tiffany Foster and Victor in $125,000 WEF Challenge Cup

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Tiffany Foster guided Victor to victory in the $125,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round V – Section B. Photo by Sportfot.

Wellington, Florida – Vancouver’s Tiffany Foster and Victor claimed victory in the $125,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round V – Section B held Thursday, February 6, at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL.  Two weeks earlier, the pair enjoyed the exact same placing, winning the $34,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round III – Section B on January 23.

In what was the largest starting field in the history of the WEF Challenge Cup, 116 horses attempted the first round track set by 2012 London Olympic course designer Bob Ellis.  A total of 30 were successful, including the three Canadian entries of Foster riding Victor, Eric Lamaze aboard Zigali P S and Yann Candele with Showgirl.

All three would repeat their faultless form in the jump-off, but Foster showed the men how it was done, putting the pedal to the metal and slicing all the turns to stop the clock in 44.04 seconds.  Twelve more horses would follow, with only 2012 Olympic team gold medalist Ben Maher of Great Britain posting a faster time of 43.44 to win Section A with Urico, and putting Foster in the top spot in Section B.

“He is really confident and comfortable here,” said Foster of Victor, her partner of the past four seasons and her 2012 Olympic mount.  “He’s really fast, and now it’s getting fun because I know him so well and I can go really fast with him!  Once you get on a roll, it seems like you gain confidence and you’re prepared to take some risks and the horses rise to the occasion.”

Victor is a 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Elmshorn x Grandeur) owned by the Ziegler family’s Artisan Farms.  Artisan Farms also owns Lamaze’s mount, Zigali P S, who placed third in Section A, and are part of the Watermark Group that owns Candele’s mount, Showgirl, who was fourth in Section B.

“I have to give all the credit to Eric,” explained Foster, 29, following her victory.  “Since last September, I don’t jump Victor at home anymore; only Eric rides him.  He does all the work and I get all the glory!”

Foster has also been enjoying incredible success with her entire string of competition mounts, including the up-and-coming horses Melody des Hayettes Z and Brighton, all owned by Artisan Farms.

“I have a super group of horses and I have to thank Andy and Carlene Ziegler and Artisan Farms,” said Foster, who is based with Artisan Farms in Wellington, Florida, and Vrasene, Belgium.  “They are unbelievable owners, and I am really happy that their support is paying off!”

Based on their success in the $125,000 WEF Challenge Cup Round V, Foster, Lamaze and Candele are all qualified for Saturday night’s $370,000 CSI5*-W World Cup Grand Prix, presented by Rolex.

Contact:  Jennifer Ward
Starting Gate Communications
Cell: (613) 292-5439
www.startinggate.ca

Competitions, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Maher and Foster Share Top Honors in $125k Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 5

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Ben Maher and Urico. Photos © Sportfot.

Jimmy Torano and Scott Stewart Ride to the Top of Loddon Stalls Pre-Green Hunters Level 1

Wellington, FL – February 6, 2014 – Week five of the 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) continued on Thursday afternoon with a shared victory for Ben Maher (GBR) aboard Urico and Tiffany Foster (CAN) riding Victor in the $125,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 5. Held in a “California Split” due to the large number of entries, the competition awarded two sets of placings, each with $125,000 distributed.

FTI WEF week five, sponsored by Rolex, runs February 5-9, 2014. The week will feature the $34,000 G&C Farm 1.45m on Friday, the $370,000 FEI World Cup Qualifier Grand Prix CSI-W 5* presented by Rolex on Saturday night, and the $84,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic on Sunday afternoon. The FTI WEF, held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, FL, features 12 weeks of world-class competition through March 30, awarding $8 million in prize money.

Great Britain’s Robert Ellis set the course for the $125,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 5 on Thursday in the International Arena at PBIEC. The class saw a record total of 116 entries in round one with 30 clear trips to narrow the field down for an impressive tie breaking jump-off. Twelve entries jumped clear over the short course, and Ben Maher had the fastest time of 43.44 seconds overall for the win in Section A of the class riding Jane Clark’s Urico. Tiffany Foster and Victor, owned by Artisan Farms and Torrey Pines, finished in 44.04 seconds for the win in Section B.

The top three finishers in Section A included Maher and Urico, Reed Kessler (USA) and Kessler Show Stables’ Ligist in second with a time of 44.11 seconds, and Eric Lamaze (CAN) with Artisan Farms’ Zigali P S in third in 44.93 seconds.

Section B saw a top finish for Foster and Victor, with Beezie Madden (USA) and Abigail Wexner’s Cortes ‘C’ in second with a time of 44.79 seconds, and Wilton Porter (USA) and Sleepy P Ranch LLC’s Paloubet in third in 44.96 seconds.

Jane Clark’s horses had a fantastic day on Thursday with Urico and Cella both qualifying for the jump-off and having great rounds. Urico got the win and Cella had one rail over the short course and finished seventh in Section B. To add to the success, Clark’s dressage horse, Wellnetta, earned an FEI Grand Prix 3* victory across the street at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival with U.S. rider Katherine Bateson Chandler earlier in the day.

Although Clark could not be in Wellington for the day’s top finishes, Ben Maher was happy to be a part of the winning team. He explained that he has made some adjustments to how he rides and prepares Urico since last year, and the changes seem to be working for the best.

“Urico was fantastic today,” Maher stated. “We spent a long time building him up since this time last year. I had a couple of accidents on him and now we really pinpoint him for certain classes. We don’t use him as much, but if we do it the right way, he is a great horse. It is looking like it pays off. He jumped a good first round, and I was lucky enough to have two in the jump-off. Cella jumped phenomenally in the jump-off and I just sliced the liverpool way too much. I thought she was a machine, not a horse I guess, so it reminded me I have to pay attention a bit more. On Urico, I had to ride a little bit wider there knowing that sometimes he gets a little afraid. He is naturally such a fast horse, so as soon as that was out of the way, I ran him to the end and luckily he was just a lot quicker.”

“Whatever I was doing this time last year, I am doing the opposite now pretty much,” Maher said. “He wanted to run quite close to the jumps and sometimes that caused him to panic a little bit, so I have worked him much differently. He gets a lot more work now in the mornings for preparation for the afternoon so that he is a bit quieter. I also tend to ride him with a little more space to the jumps so he does not have that moment of freezing up at the end. He is a very sensitive horse, so when he is confident, I am confident, and then hopefully the results come. That is the plan.”

Maher commented on the course for Thursday’s class, noting that it was one of the most challenging that he has seen yet at this year’s competition.

“I thought Bob Ellis did an amazing job,” he stated. “Where do you begin to start to build a course for 116 riders? It wasn’t perhaps the biggest we’ve ever seen, but Bob is clever. He places jumps on angles and rollbacks. He catches people out everywhere. That is probably what we haven’t seen yet here this season. There has been a lot of galloping, but not actually many real turnbacks and opportunities to cut across the fences. It was definitely the most testing course we have had here this year.”

In addition to the prize money in Thursday’s class, Maher earned a special $3,000 bonus as part of the SSG ‘Go Clean for the Green’ promotion for wearing his SSG ‘Digital’ Riding Gloves. Each week of the Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Series, a $3,000 bonus will be awarded to the winning rider if they are wearing SSG ‘Digital’ Riding Gloves in all rounds of competition with the SSG logo clearly visible.

Tiffany Foster and Victor
Tiffany Foster and Victor

Tiffany Foster and Victor continued their successful FTI WEF circuit with their second big win after also topping Section B of the $34,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup during week three. Foster was very happy with her rounds on Thursday and explained that she has gained confidence with their accomplishments.

“He was awesome,” Foster noted. “The course obviously was difficult enough with so many entries in it, and I thought he jumped really well. He is really confident and comfortable here. He is really fast and now it is getting really fun because I can go really fast with him. I have to give all of the credit to Eric (Lamaze) though because since Barcelona last year, I don’t jump Victor at home anymore, only Eric rides him. He does all the work and I get all the credit, but it’s working so I’m going to make him keep doing it!”

In addition to Victor, Foster has many great horses to show this year thanks to the support of Artisan Farms, and she is having a lot of fun with them as well.

“I am always having fun, but I am especially having fun jumping like this when you can go fast,” she stated. “Once you get on a roll it seems like you get some confidence, and then you are really prepared to take some risks. Then when the horses rise to you, it is really awesome. I have a super group of horses, and I have to thank the Zieglers and Artisan Farms because they are unbelievable owners. I am really happy that I am able to now have it all start to pay off.”

Also on Thursday, an $8,000 G&C Farm 1.45m jump-off class was held in the morning with a win for Venezuela’s Andres Rodriguez aboard Darlon van Groenhove. Abigail McArdle (USA) and David McArdle’s Cosma 20 won the Engel & Völkers High Amateur-Owner Jumper speed class.

Jimmy Torano and Scott Stewart Ride to the Top of Loddon Stalls Pre-Green Hunters Level 1

The Loddon Stalls Pre-Green Hunter Level 1 division was split into two sections on Thursday afternoon at the FTI WEF to accommodate the division’s large amount of entries. Jimmy Torano piloted Kyle Owen’s Messick to top honors in Section A and also finished as reserve champion with Pearl Street, owned by Jamie Jarvis. In Section B, Scott Stewart was awarded the division champion title with Wish, owned by Stewart’s Rivers Edge Farm and Annette and Leslie Pierce. The reserve champion for Section B was Palani K, ridden by Jeff Gogul and owned by Fred White.

Messick and Jimmy Torano
Messick and Jimmy Torano

Torano and Messick won three over fences classes in addition to jumping to a fourth place finish. Stewart and Wish were second, sixth, and first over fences and won the under saddle class.

Torano and his two mounts were matched up at the last minute after their usual rider, Peter Pletcher, had to take the week off following a minor injury. Pletcher of Magnolia, TX, asked Torano to step in and Torano and was pleased with how the seven-year old Westphalian gelding performed in the ring Thursday.

“It’s a horse [owner Kyle Owens] bought off the internet that doesn’t have a lot of experience, but the horse went fantastically this week and won three classes. It really looks like a nice horse for the future,” Torano, of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, noted.

Coincidentally, Torano helped Pletcher with Messick a few weeks before temporarily taking the reins over on Messick, so he didn’t have to go into Thursday’s division completely blind.

“I watched [Messick] go a little bit. He’s a typical hunter. He goes without a martingale; he goes in his own frame with nice balance. He’s got a great way of going. Luckily I got to watch him go with Peter and Kyle two weeks ago,” Torano explained.

Torano’s first impression of the horse proved to be true. He described Messick as an even-tempered and simple ride, relatively unaffected by the busy show atmosphere.

“He’s very, very easy-going. He’s not spooky. He’s very careful and has a perfect lead change,” Torano remarked. “A golf cart was coming by the side [of the ring day on day one of competition for the division] and he maybe shied away a little bit, but he was third in that class and he won the other one. Today, he went in there and was solid and won them both.”

Wish and Scott Stewart
Wish and Scott Stewart

While Torano and Messick were freshly matched, Stewart and his champion mount have a much closer history. Stewart and partner Ken Berkley own Wish with Annette Leslie Pierce and bred the four-year-old Warmblood gelding themselves.

“He’s is the first one that’s old enough that we bred. He’s out of a mare we had called Hush and he’s by a stallion I used to show, Be Cool,” Stewart detailed.

When asked what it’s been like to bring along a homebred mount, Stewart replied with a smile, “It’s been fun. He’s a lot like his mother and his father combined. He’s sort of like a 50/50 mix. He’s really brave and easy. He has a really good lead change, and he’s just simple.”

The first time Stewart got on Wish, he fell in love with his natural way of going and admitted he didn’t have to do much on the flat training-wise.

“He’s a beautiful mover and a beautiful horse. The way he canters in between the jumps, he just carries himself like a natural hunter and he wants to carry himself in that frame,” Stewart described.

Wish has also remained cool and collected despite the fifth week of the FTI WEF only being his third show. For that, Stewart credited his incredibly easy-going personality. That doesn’t mean the gelding is immune to any “green” moments, which Stewart simply laughed off.

“Putting the ribbon on his bridle scared him a little bit!” Stewart commented of the pair’s division championship presentation.

While Wish will take the next few weeks off before returning for the USHJA Pre-Green Incentive Program classes to be held Week 7 of the FTI WEF, hunter competition continues on Friday with the WEF Collegiate Equitation Championships. The $34,000 G&C Farm 1.45m will be featured in the International Arena. For full results, please visit www.showgroundslive.com.

About FTI Consulting, Inc.

FTI Consulting, Inc. is a global business advisory firm dedicated to helping organizations protect and enhance enterprise value in an increasingly complex legal, regulatory and economic environment. With more than 4,000 employees located in 24 countries, FTI Consulting professionals work closely with clients to anticipate, illuminate and overcome complex business challenges in areas such as investigations, litigation, mergers and acquisitions, regulatory issues, reputation management, strategic communications and restructuring. The company generated $1.58 billion in revenues during fiscal year 2012. For more information, visit www.fticonsulting.com.

About the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival

The 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival has 12 weeks of top competition running from January 8 through March 30. The FTI WEF is run by Equestrian Sport Productions, LLC, and Wellington Equestrian Partners and held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. All 12 shows are “AA” rated and Jumper Rated 6, and more than $7 million in prize money will be awarded.

Please visit www.equestriansport.com or call 561-793-5867 for more information.

Lauren Fisher and Laura Cardon for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
Equestrian Public Relations
info@jenniferwoodmedia.com

Competitions, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

McLain Ward and Wings Soar to Victory in $34,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.45m Speed Class at FTI WEF 5

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McLain Ward and Wings. Photo © Sportfot.

Wellington, FL – February 5, 2014 – The 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) began its fifth week of competition on Wednesday with a win for two-time U.S. Olympic Team Gold Medalist McLain Ward and his mount, Wings, in the $34,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.45m speed class. Shane Sweetnam (IRL) and Cyklon 1083 led the way through a large part of the class, but were bested by Ward and Wings at the very end and finished in second place.

Week five of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival, sponsored by Rolex, runs February 5-9, 2014. The week will feature CSI-W 5* competition, including the $125,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 5 on Thursday afternoon, the $34,000 G&C Farm 1.45m on Friday, the $370,000 FEI World Cup Qualifier Grand Prix FEI CSI-W 5* presented by Rolex on Saturday night, and the $84,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic on Sunday afternoon. The FTI WEF, held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, FL, features 12 weeks of world-class competition through March 30, awarding $8 million in prize money.

Great Britain’s Robert Ellis is the course designer in the International Arena at PBIEC for week five. Ellis set the track for 67 entries in the $34,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.45m speed class with 17 clear rounds on course. McLain Ward and Wings got the win with a time of 58.82 seconds.

Shane Sweetnam and Spy Coast Farm LLC’s Cyklon 1083 finished second in 59.04 seconds. Darragh Kenny (IRL) and Postage Stamp Farm LLC’s Prof de la Roque placed third in 59.26 seconds, and Peter Wylde (USA) finished fourth in 60.52 seconds aboard Winley Farm’s Wiesielottie.

Ward had an extra token of good luck in his pocket for Wednesday’s class in the form of a small crystal that he had been given by Canada’s Tiffany Foster. He has had some top finishes over the last few weeks, but kept having an unlucky rail that kept him out of the winner’s circle. As Ward left the arena after his win, he pulled the crystal out of his pocket, stopping for a photo with Foster. The crystal just may have had a positive effect.

“We had a little inside joke,” Ward laughed. “Tiffany says I never smile, so she gave me a crystal the other day and she said it would bring happiness. I have won two out of three classes since I have had it, so we are all giving the credit to the crystal.”

Ward has had some great rounds with his veteran mount Wings, a 16-year-old KWPN gelding by Lexicon x Columbus, and was happy to finally get the win with him on Wednesday.

“He has just been a little unlucky,” Ward acknowledged. “He has had a little ‘four-fault-itis,’ but he has been jumping really well. He has had the fastest time in two other big classes with some cheap four faults. He is a good old horse. He knows the job. He’s careful, and he is always fun to ride.”

It seemed like the time of Shane Sweetnam and Cyklon 1083 might not be beat as the class went on, but Ward and Wings put their experience together and did it with ease.

“He is a very fast horse,” Ward described. “He has a big stride, and he is quite quick. I just tried to be really neat everywhere. I was fast from jump one to two, and he just covers the ground very easily. He doesn’t waste much time.”

“He is a funny horse,” Ward said of Wings. “He is what they call ‘ever green’ if you ever saw it. He is afraid of everything, and he is 16 years old now.”

“I bought him actually last year for my wife and he ended up being a little too careful for her, and I kind of took over the ride. The first two shows didn’t go very well and since then he has won a class at almost every show he has gone to, so I am not giving him back,” Ward laughed. “He is a little quirky, a little spooky, he is a little bit his own character, but he has quality, which always pays off.”

Ward commented on Bob Ellis’s course, noting, “I like Bob’s courses. They typically can be a little twisty, so you need a very rideable horse, but he is very good and this is a big week. It was right on height, which is what you would expect. We are trying to make a plan with these bigger shows and have the horses come in fresh and ready to compete, so it was a nice start.”

A $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m speed class was also held on Wednesday with a win for Yann Candele (CAN) and Carolla Z, owned by Liz Currie.

Week five of the 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival will continue on Thursday with the $125,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 5 in the International Arena. For full results, please visit www.showgroundslive.com.

About FTI Consulting, Inc.

FTI Consulting, Inc. is a global business advisory firm dedicated to helping organizations protect and enhance enterprise value in an increasingly complex legal, regulatory and economic environment. With more than 4,000 employees located in 24 countries, FTI Consulting professionals work closely with clients to anticipate, illuminate and overcome complex business challenges in areas such as investigations, litigation, mergers and acquisitions, regulatory issues, reputation management, strategic communications and restructuring. The company generated $1.58 billion in revenues during fiscal year 2012. For more information, visit www.fticonsulting.com.

About the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival

The 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival has 12 weeks of top competition running from January 8 through March 30. The FTI WEF is run by Equestrian Sport Productions, LLC, and Wellington Equestrian Partners and held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. All 12 shows are “AA” rated and Jumper Rated 6, and more than $7 million in prize money will be awarded.

Please visit www.equestriansport.com or call 561-793-5867 for more information.

Lauren Fisher for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
Equestrian Public Relations
info@jenniferwoodmedia.com

Competitions, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Hardin Towell and Man in Black Beat the Field in $50,000 Ariat Grand Prix CSI 2*

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Hardin Towell and Man in Black. Photos © Sportfot.

Victoria Colvin and Dedication Are Champions in Large Junior 16-17 Hunters at FTI WEF

Wellington, FL – February 2, 2014 – Week four of the 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) concluded with the exciting $50,000 Ariat Grand Prix CSI 2* on Sunday afternoon held on the grass derby field at The Stadium at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC). An exciting eight-horse jump-off finished with a win for Hardin Towell (USA) and Man in Black, with Andres Rodriguez (VEN) and Caballito in second and Lauren Hough (USA) aboard Ohlala finishing third.

The FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival will continue with its fifth week of competition, sponsored by Rolex, on February 5-9, 2014. The FTI WEF, held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, FL, features 12 weeks of world-class competition through March 30, awarding $8 million in prize money.

Leopoldo Palacios of Venezuela was the course designer for week four’s finale event. There were 45 competitors on the beautiful grass derby field with eight clear trips in round one to advance to the tie-breaking jump-off. In the second round, four entries cleared the short course without fault.

Lauren Hough set the pace with her clear round in the jump-off aboard The Ohlala Group’s Ohlala in 43.24 seconds to eventually finish third. Andres Rodriguez and Arao Enterprises LLC’s Caballito upped the ante with their time of 42.94 seconds to end up in second place. Roosje Brouwer (NED) and Stal Heijligers and A. Vogels’ SRI Aladdin also completed a clear round over the short course in a slower time of 49.56 seconds to earn fourth place honors. Last to go in the second round, Hardin Towell and Jennifer Gates’ Man in Black got the winning edge, completing the course in 42.47 seconds.

Man in Black is a 12-year-old KWPN gelding by Gentleman x Calvados that Towell has been riding for one year. Gates showed the gelding in the Junior Jumpers last year and then handed him over to compete at the higher level with Towell. Sunday’s win was the biggest of Towell’s career – his second grand prix victory, and his first major win at the FTI WEF. The rider is 26 years old and from Camden, South Carolina.

“With him in the past year, probably starting last year in Thunderbird, I was really close in a lot of classes and I would go too fast,” Towell said of his partnership with Man in Black. “On Thursday I was quite close to winning and I knew I should slow down, and I just kept running down the last line. I’m just glad I beat Andres, because in L.A. in November I was winning the World Cup class and was really fast, and everybody was like ‘Congratulations you won!’ and I said, ‘No, Andres still has to go,’ and he beat me by about one-tenth of a second. I think today was really close again, so I’m glad I could repay him the favor!”

“It feels very good (to win), and especially since I just started showing him,” Towell noted. “He’s a little bit strong. I have had a lot of trouble the last six months finding the right bit. I have changed a lot of bits and probably made a lot of mistakes using the wrong bits, but I think we have kind of figured it out. He’s a really sweet horse. He is very brave, very scopey, and this is a great venue out in this grass field. He is always good at places like that. He is so brave that he is a little bit impressed out here sometimes, so today he jumped unbelievably. I could not ask for any more; he was fantastic.”

Commenting on his winning round in the jump-off, Towell detailed, “I thought in the jump-off I was a little bit smarter. I thought about running and being crazy, and then I remembered, ‘You know what, let’s just try to be clean,’ and I thought I was close enough. I landed and I actually saw a leave out to the last jump, which maybe six months ago or Thursday I would have done and knocked it down, but I decided to try to cut it close and win by just a little bit.”

Towell got to compete at some different venues around North America this past year and explained that the experience has helped him grow as a rider.

“It helps a lot,” he stated. “I went to different places and competed against different people. My whole life I have kind of stayed in the Southeast. I have never had that opportunity, so I met a lot of new people, and it was nice showing at Spruce Meadows and everywhere we went. I have had a great last year; it has been very lucky. Jennifer has been great the whole year and I want to thank Chris, my barn manager, and my mom and dad, and my sister. We just have a very good team.”

Andres Rodriguez was happy for Towell’s success this week and had a great round with his horse, Caballito. He acknowledged the beautiful venue at The Stadium at PBIEC, which has hosted classes throughout the week.

“I really enjoy this venue,” Rodriguez stated. “The ring where they had the young riders grand prix the other day and this open field are a great change from the main stage. I think the horses appreciate the change and not jumping the same jumps in the same ring all the time. Leopoldo had a great course out there and I think with the time allowed, we had the right amount of people in the jump-off.”

“When we went to the jump-off there were a lot of really fast horses,” Rodriguez pointed out. “I think five horses in the jump-off have won international classes, so I knew it was going to be fast. It started with the first two having two jumps down, so that started to make me think, but then Lauren went and had a fast round so I went back to the first plan. From Hardin I knew he was going to get back at me at some point. I was hoping it wasn’t going to be today, but it was! I only saw the last line of his round. I thought he was going to take the six strides, which I was kind of hoping he would, and he didn’t. It was his turn to win, and I am happy for him. He’s been too close too many times, and this was his day.”

Third place finisher, Lauren Hough, had a great week with Ohlala, including a win in Friday’s $34,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 4. Hough was very happy with Sunday’s conclusion to the week and in addition to the third place prize, was named the Leading Lady Grand Prix Rider for week four. The award is sponsored by Martha Jolicoeur of Illustrated Properties in memory of Dale Lawler.

Commenting on her jump-off round with Ohlala, Hough explained, “I have to stick to my plan with that mare. She doesn’t have a huge stride, but she jumped fantastic and I think Leopoldo did a super job today. He had just the right amount of clear, the time was short but not impossible, and I knew the first two had two jumps down, but I went with what I could do. This is a huge field, so I just had to hope that maybe I would get a little lucky today, but unfortunately these two young men with big horses and big canters went just a little bit faster than me.”

“I went as fast as I thought I could go,” Hough acknowledged. “I don’t know if I could have gotten them, to be honest. She is who she is, and she wins a lot of classes, but they got me today. She was fantastic the whole week and one of her owners is here today, so I’m thrilled that she was able to see her.”

Victoria Colvin and Dedication
Victoria Colvin and Dedication

Victoria Colvin and Dedication Are Champions in Large Junior 16-17 Hunters at FTI WEF

Victoria Colvin added yet another accolade to her name when she topped the Large Junior Hunter 16-17 division, presented by Antarés, during week four of the FTI WEF. Colvin and the nine-year-old Holsteiner gelding owned by Dr. Betsee Parker were third under saddle and third, second, first, and second over fences before being crowned division champion Sunday morning.

The reserve champion for the division was Vida Blue, ridden by Meredith Darst and owned by Elm Rock, LLC. Darst piloted Vida Blue to two blue ribbons over fences and jumped to second and fifth place on the second day of competition for the division.

Owner-rider championship honors were also awarded for the division. Cloe Hymowitz and her horse Perfectionist were announced as division champion owner-rider. There was a tie for reserve champion owner-rider between Piper Benjamin and Corvine and Vivian Yowan and Gretsky.

Parker was determined to have sixteen-year-old Colvin finish out her junior years on Dedication and is happy to see Colvin gel with the sometimes difficult gelding.

“Dedication is a very complicated horse to ride, and he’s very opinionated and strong. When Tori rides him, he has a very wonderful relaxation that occurs. I think it’s what I’ve spoken of [before] that she does to all the horses [she rides]; you can almost see the stream of confidence going from her into the horse,” Parker described.

She continued, “We saw this at the Hampton Classic. I said to Scott, ‘Let’s let Tori ride him and see what happens,’ because I want her to go out of her junior years on this horse. We tried, and she won with the highest score in history. She had a 98. So we thought we had a real good match.”

Parker went on to explain that like the rest of her horses, Dedication adores Colvin. The gelding transforms into a quieter, more settled animal with Colvin in the saddle. The feeling is mutual, and Colvin actually considers Dedication one of the easiest horses she rides.

“He is difficult,” Colvin admitted. “But [for example], Inclusive is really easy but he has a short stride and he’s like a little pony. But Dedication is so big, and he has the biggest stride. He’ll just lope down [the lines]. He could do like Olympic height, so for [the junior hunters] he just lopes over everything.”

Having the support of an owner like Parker means the world to Colvin, who acknowledged she wouldn’t be where she is today without Parker’s help.

“She’s amazing. If she wasn’t, I’d probably be doing small ponies still! Yeah, I’d still be doing small green [ponies],” Colvin joked.

Colvin’s victory wrapped up another week of competition at the FTI WEF. For full results, please visit www.showgroundslive.com.

About FTI Consulting, Inc.

FTI Consulting, Inc. is a global business advisory firm dedicated to helping organizations protect and enhance enterprise value in an increasingly complex legal, regulatory and economic environment. With more than 4,000 employees located in 24 countries, FTI Consulting professionals work closely with clients to anticipate, illuminate and overcome complex business challenges in areas such as investigations, litigation, mergers and acquisitions, regulatory issues, reputation management, strategic communications and restructuring. The company generated $1.58 billion in revenues during fiscal year 2012. For more information, visit www.fticonsulting.com.

About the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival

The 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival has 12 weeks of top competition running from January 8 through March 30. The FTI WEF is run by Equestrian Sport Productions, LLC, and Wellington Equestrian Partners and held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. All 12 shows are “AA” rated and Jumper Rated 6, and more than $7 million in prize money will be awarded.

Please visit www.equestriansport.com or call 561-793-5867 for more information.

Lauren Fisher and Laura Cardon for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
Equestrian Public Relations
info@jenniferwoodmedia.com