Tag Archives: Winter Equestrian Festival

Speak Up for Kids Wins Fifth Annual FTI Consulting Great Charity Challenge

Ian Millar and Baranus. Photos © Sportfot.

Melissa Groher and Logan Best the Ariat National Adult Medal at FTI WEF

Wellington, FL – February 1, 2014 – Canada’s Ian Millar, Kelly Soleau and Emily Kinch were the winning team in the fifth annual FTI Consulting Great Charity Challenge presented by Fidelity Investments (FTI GCC) on behalf of their charity, Speak Up for Kids, on Saturday evening at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). Sponsored by Lothlorien and corporate sponsors Bass, Bolfo, Newlands and Rowland, the three riders made up the top team of the night out of 35 pro-am combinations paired with Palm Beach County charities.

A signature event of the twelve-week FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival, this year’s FTI GCC will distribute approximately $2 million to the lucky Palm Beach County charities that were chosen at random to be represented in the pro-am team relay competition. Each team was made up of junior and amateur riders competing side by side with top professionals.

In addition to the FTI GCC competition, the evening featured a concert by four-time Grammy Nominee Hunter Hayes. The fans flooded the stadium to enjoy the family fun event and amazing entertainment as part of the “Saturday Night Lights” series at the FTI WEF.

The winning charity, Speak Up for Kids, raises needed funds to support the efforts of the Palm Beach County Guardian ad Litem Program to recruit and train GAL volunteers, train volunteers and staff, and provide needed program and family support, so that all abused, abandoned, and neglected children will have a voice in court – someone who will speak for them, stand up for them, and follow through on the case until it is permanently resolved.

Gregg Weiss, treasurer and founding member of Speak Up For Kids, spoke about the exciting win for his charity on Saturday night, a win that will double the organization’s fundraising efforts this year.

“We are very, very pleased that we had the opportunity to participate in this event, and we are very pleased that our team came in first place,” Weiss remarked to his winning team of riders. “Speak Up for Kids supports a guardian ad litem program. In Palm Beach County we support over 1,700 children, and we raise money to make sure every child has a voice, and every child is heard. For the work that you all did tonight, it is going to make a big difference in their lives. It is life changing for so many people, so thank you, thank you, thank you. Thank you to Kristin Solomon and Diana Reese for all of their hard work for Speak Up for Kids. It was a team effort from not only your team, but from ours.”

Kristin Solomon detailed the Speak Up for Kids program, explaining, “The guardian ad litem program is a state agency that represents abused, abandoned and neglected children that are in an open court case, and we are appointed by a judge to help their best interests throughout the whole process. This is a volunteer organization. In Palm Beach County alone there are over 500 volunteer child advocates that give children a voice in the court system. I only have 30 employees, the rest are all volunteers that do all of the work. Statewide we have almost 10,000 volunteer child advocates, so this money goes directly to support the volunteers right in this community.”

Ten-time Olympian, Ian Millar, captained the winning team with riders Kelly Soleau and Emily Kinch. All three riders jumped clear over their courses and had the fastest combined time of the night in 93.107 seconds to win the top prize of $150,000 for their charity. There is a sliding scale for the balance of the proceeds down to 35th place, which wins $15,000, ensuring that everyone is a winner.

Coming in second place was the team for Wellington PTO/PTA/PTSA, sponsored by EnTrust Capital and Rose Hill Farm as well as corporate sponsor Rosenbaum Mollengarden PLLC. The team consisted of Ken Berkley, Cloe Hymowitz, and Lilli Hymowitz, who all cleared the course with a combined time of 95.056 seconds to earn $125,000 for their charity.

Hunter Hayes’s charity, Musicares, finished third and won $112,500. The team was made up of Alvaro ‘Doda’ de Miranda, Paige Bellissimo and Alex Crown, sponsored by Dressage Team and the Rizvi Family and corporate sponsors Carol Cohen, Diamante Farms, Michael Collins, Mike Davis, Rose Peslar (Everglades Dressage), Tim Dutta, Tuny Paige, and the Van Kampen Foundation. All three riders cleared the course without fault and finished with a time of 96.117 seconds overall.

Ian Millar was aboard his mount Baranus this evening, an 11-year-old Oldenburg gelding. This was Millar’s first time competing in the FTI GCC and he was proud to represent team sponsor Lothlorien for his owners, Susan and Ariel Grange. Millar was also very happy to ride for such a great cause.

“It was a great pleasure to do it, and when we finished our round, I can’t tell you the pleasure I had,” Millar smiled. “It is a very enjoyable and rewarding class just because of the situation. I mean, winning Grand Prix is great, but this is different. This is special. To do this for a group like Speak Up for Kids, where they look after 1700 children in Palm Beach County and to hear that this doubles their annual revenue, it’s a big deal. This will be life changing for this charity. It is really a very nice thing to be able to help this charity, and we are very proud to do it.”

“I believe this is the biggest charity competition in this sport,” Millar added. “This is the premier winter equestrian sport in the world right now, this is the best jumping anywhere in the world. They’re jumping all over the United States, they’re jumping in Italy, in Spain, they’re jumping everywhere, and this is the best in the world, and to do a competition like this is just such a great credit to them.”

Soleau rode a horse named Hoolie Hoo, and was very happy with her round aboard the speedy mare. “She was actually a borrowed horse for this event,” Soleau stated. “A lovely family that owns the horse very kindly let me borrow her. I’ve only shown her a handful of times, and she was just fantastic. To ride for this charity was such an honor. I’m just beyond thrilled for everybody.”

Soleau has competed in the FTI GCC before and was excited to be back in the competition this year and to win for her charity.

“It’s just fantastic,” she smiled. “I was in it a few years ago. I believe I was involved in one of the first ones they did, and I get excited every year. It is just fantastic for all of these charities. It was really an honor to be able to ride and compete and win tonight.”

Emily Kinch and New Boy de Logerie
Emily Kinch and New Boy de Logerie

Twenty-year-old Emily Kinch led things off for her team this evening and set a very fast pace aboard her horse, New Boy de Logerie. Kinch, originally from Barbados, trains with the Millar family and now resides in Canada.

“I was on my new horse that I got over Christmas holidays, and he was pretty spectacular tonight,” Kinch praised. “Every question I asked, he did it. He was perfect.”

Kinch rode in last year’s FTI GCC riding a mare named Victoria and “had a ball.” She was happy to return to the competition this year and get a win for Speak Up for Kids.

“It meant a lot because when I think of a charity, the first thing that comes to mind is helping children,” Kinch stated. “To have Speak Up for Kids as our charity tonight, that was first thing in my mind.”

Everyone was thrilled with this year’s fantastic event, including presenting sponsor, Fidelity Investments.

“Fidelity Investments is pleased to be a part of the Great Charity Challenge, and to bring much needed support to so many worthy Palm Beach County charities,” said Bill Marazzi, VP and Branch Manager of the Fidelity Investments investor center in Palm Beach.

Equestrian Sport Productions’ CEO Mark Bellissimo congratulated everyone on an exciting event.

“I just want to thank this team and the dedication of everyone for giving their time and energy,” Bellissimo stated. “This is a big gesture. The owner doesn’t get the money and the rider doesn’t get the money; the charity gets the money, and it will touch 1700 lives. It is rare that you get that opportunity. I think if you add up the impact of all of the charities and you look at all of the lives we touched tonight, we are going to touch 10,000, maybe 12,000 lives based on the selflessness of some riders and I am so excited about that. This event was created to find heroes in the community, and I think we found some here. I can’t think of a better group to pull it off, and I am thrilled with what happened here tonight. It is very exciting for us.”

More information on the competition and winning charities of the 2014 FTI GCC will be available soon. For more information on the FTI GCC, visit www.ftigreatcharitychallenge.com.

Logan and Melissa Groher
Logan and Melissa Groher

Melissa Groher and Logan Best the Ariat National Adult Medal at FTI WEF

Melissa Groher of South Glastonbury, CT, may have only been at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) for the weekend, but she certainly made it count. Groher finished first in the Ariat National Adult Medal on Saturday afternoon during the fourth week of competition at the FTI WEF.

The top four riders were called back into the ring for the test. Groher and Logan, a six-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, had a first round high score of 86 before riding to the top of the class. Second place went to Rachel Boggus, who qualified with a first round score of 81.5 aboard Papillon 134. Elizabeth Kirby and Validation finished third after scoring 83 in the first round and Groher’s sister, Amanda Groher, was fourth with Castelano and a score of 82.

The test called for riders to approach a trot jump directly from the in-gate and canter a single oxer before coming back to the skinny vertical that plagued many first round riders thanks to a short approach in the original course. From there, riders cantered to the judge’s stand, where they were asked to halt and back four steps before exiting the ring at the sitting trot.

Groher wasn’t nervous going into the ring with Logan, despite never contesting the Ariat National Adult Medal at a show of the FTI WEF’s caliber.

“We’re just here to have fun and Logan’s awesome, so I knew it would be fun going in there,” she smiled.

Logan may be young at only six years of age, but 24-year-old Groher has been thrilled with her borrowed mount.

“Logan is my trainer, Kyla [Makhloghi’s] horse. He’s so much fun. He’s always right under my leg and there for me, so he’s a good boy. For a six-year-old, he’s amazing. He does all the hard stuff easily,” Groher explained.

When asked what made Logan particularly apt for the equitation ring, Groher continued, “He’s so adjustable. He turns on a dime and he’s really in tune to my leg, so it’s really easy to just look where I’m going and he can feel it out himself.”

Groher saved up her vacation days and took the week off from her job as an advertising sales assistant at House Beautiful Magazine in New York City to compete at the FTI WEF with her sister. The two made the most of their trip to Wellington and were happy to have the opportunity to fly south to the Florida sunshine.

“My sister and I ride together, and now that we’re adults we don’t have our own horses. Linda Langmeier is amazing and lets us have really great opportunities [by giving us horses to ride] when we don’t have a horse, so it’s really fun and exciting to come down here for a weekend,” Groher remarked.

Of sharing riding with her sister, Groher detailed, “It’s amazing. We’ve both been riding since we were babies. My mom grew up riding, so she taught us in the beginning. It’s a passion we share, and we both get along so well. We work hard together, and it’s really awesome that we can do it together.”

Hunter competition for Week 4 concludes on Sunday with the Antares Large Junior Hunter 16-17 division in the E. R. Mische Grand Hunter Ring. Jumper competition concludes with the $50,000 Ariat Grand Prix CSI 2*, which will be held at 2 p.m. on the grass derby field at The Stadium at PBIEC. 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

Lauren Hough and Ohlala Speed to Victory in $34,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 4

Lauren Hough and Ohlala. Photos © Sportfot.

Darragh Kenny and Quiz Triumph in $34,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic; Team of Dobbs, Mershad, Barnhill and McArdle Wins $10,000 Artisan Farms Young Rider Grand Prix Team Event; Spencer Smith and Beau Van Het Keysershof Take Platinum Performance USEF Show Jumping Talent Search

Wellington, FL – January 31, 2014 – The 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) continued with a full schedule of competition on Friday, January 31, at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, FL. The $34,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 4 began the day’s competition with a win for Lauren Hough (USA) and Ohlala. The $34,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic was held in the afternoon with a win for Darragh Kenny (IRL) and Quiz.

The day also featured the $10,000 Artisan Farms Young Rider Grand Prix Team Event, presented by The Dutta Corp. in association with Guido Klatte, which was held at The Stadium at PBIEC in the evening with a top finish for the team of Kalvin Dobbs, Gabriela Mershad, Hayley Barnhill, and Abigail McArdle.

FTI WEF four, sponsored by Ariat, runs January 29 to February 2. The week will feature the FTI Consulting Great Charity Challenge presented by Fidelity Investments featuring a concert by four-time Grammy Nominee Hunter Hayes on Saturday night, and the $50,000 Ariat Grand Prix CSI 2* on the derby field at The Stadium at PBIEC on Sunday afternoon. The FTI WEF features 12 weeks of world-class competition through March 30, awarding $8 million in prize money.

Venezuela’s Leopoldo Palacios is the course designer in the International Arena at PBIEC for week four competition. For the $34,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 4, which was held as a speed class, Palacios saw 63 entries with 22 clear rounds. Shane Sweetnam (IRL) and Solerina, owned by Sweet Oak and Spy Coast Farms, held the lead through most of the class with their time of 62.58 seconds, but eventually settled for second when Lauren Hough and Ohlala raced through the timers in 61.46 seconds.

Andres Rodriguez (VEN) and Arao Enterprises LLC’s Caballito finished third in 62.98 seconds. Ronan McGuigan (IRL) and Capall Zidane placed fourth in 63.36 seconds, and Ben Maher (GBR) and Jane Clark’s Aristo Z took fifth place honors with their time of 63.82 seconds.

Ohlala, owned by The Ohlala Group, is a 10-year-old Swedish Warmblood mare by Orlando x Cardento. The mare has had success around the world with Hough in the irons and continued her winning ways with a speedy top finish in Friday’s class.

“It was a nice course,” Hough stated. “Obviously not many of the horses got worked yesterday with the torrential downpour, and I sort of geared her towards this class this week knowing it was a one round. She is obviously a very quick horse. It wasn’t terribly big, but it was quite careful. There were rails throughout the course, and I think he did a good job considering that for most of these horses it was probably their first class this week. I wouldn’t say it was super technical today, but you needed a really careful horse.”

Hough saw Sweetnam’s round and knew she had a fast time to beat, but looking back, she was not sure where she made up the time.

“I put more steps in than he did, but she is just so quick across the ground,” Hough said. “I always have to stick with my plan and hope that I end up faster than the one in front of me. I don’t know where I made it up. She just was sort of on it everywhere. I was quite quick back to the last double. I didn’t waste a lot of time there, but I did eight strides to the last where most did seven.”

“She is a winner,” Hough noted. “I had a little bit of bad luck last week and not great riding in the grand prix and had two down, which is very uncharacteristic of her. I was a little disappointed in myself, and I thought I would give it a go this week. She is great. First class out, you can go fast and she knows her job.”

In addition to the prize money in Thursday’s class, Hough earned a special $3,000 bonus as part of the SSG ‘Go Clean for the Green’ promotion for wearing her 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.

She was also awarded a special trophy for her win, earning the Barry Louise Lane Perpetual Memorial Trophy, presented by Debbie Lane.

Darragh Kenny and Quiz
Darragh Kenny and Quiz

Darragh Kenny and Quiz Triumph in $34,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic

The $34,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic was held on Friday with a win for Darragh Kenny and Spruce Meadow’s Quiz. The class saw 23 entries with 5 clear rounds to advance to the jump-off and three double clears. Kenny and Quiz earned top honors in 41.05 seconds.

McLain Ward (USA) and Kantunaro, owned by Ellen Holtgers and David Paige, finished second, clearing the course in 41.17 seconds. Alexa Pessoa (USA) and Rodrigo Pessoa’s Levade 35 were the first pair to jump clear and stopped the clock in 42.41 seconds to finish third.

Alex Granato (USA) and Wood Run Farms’ Mullaghdrin Rado had the fastest time of 39.80 seconds, but had one rail down to place fourth. Sydney Shulman (USA) and Marcus Hagglund’s Quirado had four faults in the jump-off in 42.37 seconds to place fifth.

Quiz is a 10-year-old Selle Francais gelding by For Pleasure x Laudanum, owned by Spruce Meadows and the Southern Family. Kenny got the horse last year and has brought him along nicely.

“He’s ten, but he hadn’t done so much. He had only been doing 1.30m,” Kenny noted. “He won a good grand prix with me last year in Saugerties the week of the $1 million class. He has kind of just grown. He is unbelievably careful, he has loads of scope. I really think he is a top horse. I think he is a super, super horse. I am so lucky that Spruce Meadows owns him and that I get to ride him.”

Describing his strategy in the jump-off, Kenny explained, “I just thought, ‘Start going a little bit and then just keep building as the course went on.’ He is still green, so you can’t just go crazy from the start, but he has a big stride and he really wants to be careful, so you have to just keep going at the jumps. Then as it went I just got gradually faster.”

Kenny plans to keep Quiz competing at the 1.50m level this winter and is very happy with the horse’s progress. “He seems to be doing great. He was second last week and he won this week,” Kenny smiled. “He is going to have a week off next week. I really think a lot of the horse, so I am going to take my time with him.”

In addition to Quiz, Kenny has a lot of great young horses this year and is having a nice start to the FTI WEF circuit. “It has been going great,” he said. “I am very busy. I have a lot of good clients and a lot of good owners and some really nice horses. I haven’t yet jumped a Saturday night grand prix, but I’m taking my time. There is no rush. One horse will show next week in the big classes. These horses are all a little bit younger, and I am trying to produce them for the future.”

Team of Dobbs, Mershad, Barnhill and McArdle Wins $10,000 Artisan Farms Young Rider Grand Prix Team Event, Presented by The Dutta Corp. in Association with Guido Klatte

Friday’s competition concluded with the $10,000 Artisan Farms Young Rider Grand Prix Team Event, presented by The Dutta Corp. in association with Guido Klatte, held in the International Arena at The Stadium at PBIEC (home of the Adequan Global Dressage Festival) in the evening. The class was held in a Nations Cup format over two rounds of competition. With nine teams competing, labeled Team A through Team I, Team F was the winner.

Team F, made up of Kalvin Dobbs and Treesdale Farms’ Winde, Gabriela Mershad and Mershad Stables LLC’s Udonna, Hayley Barnhill and Cara Cheska’s Zephire, and Abigail McArdle aboard David McArdle’s Cosma 20, finished on a total of four faults after the two rounds of competition. The team Chef d’Equipe was Abigail Blankenship.

After the first round, each team dropped their highest score. In the second round, all nine teams returned in order of highest to lowest total faults with three riders each. The winner was determined by the lowest total of each team’s top three riders from each round.

Dobbs and Winde jumped clear in round one and finished with four faults in round two. Mershad had four jumping faults and one time fault in round one to be the drop score in round one and did not return for round two. Barnhill and McArdle both jumped double clear rounds to help their team to victory.

Abigail McArdle and Cosma 20
Abigail McArdle and Cosma 20

McArdle (19), of Wellington, FL, was the anchor rider for her team and had the pressure of putting in a second clear round to clinch the victory for her team as the last to go. McArdle definitely felt the weight on her shoulders, but was confident in her experience.

“Obviously I had to be clean, but we have done this before,” McArdle stated. “We have been team members before where I have been anchor and I have been in this position. It was a great feeling to go in and be able to lay it down and be clean to win.”

McArdle has had great success with her mount Cosma 20, an 11-year-old Hanoverian mare (Couleur Rubin x Stakkato), and really wanted to go clean for her team.

“Even though I know her back and forth and obviously she is an incredible, once in a lifetime sort of horse, I still get nervous and want to do well,” McArdle admitted. “It’s the same pressure every round, whether it’s this or a speed class, or anything. I feel the same pressure and I want to jump clean and do well. I never assume that I know her, and she’s going to jump clean. We go in and ride to jump clean.”

Barnhill (20), from Collierville, TN, had a different experience with her mount, Zephire, an 11-year-old KWPN mare. Although they have not known each other quite as long, the pair also put in two great clear rounds.

“This is a new horse for me,” Barnhill noted. “I got her at the end of the year last year. She has never shown under the lights or done anything like this before, so we didn’t really know how she was going to be and she was fantastic. She could not have jumped any better, so I was really excited.”

Dobbs (18), from Carmel, IN, has a more experienced horse in Winde, his 11-year-old KWPN mare by Numero Uno x No Limit. The pair has done plenty of night classes, and this is their third year competing in the Artisan Farms young rider series.

“She usually picks up under the lights and it is definitely a lot different because it is more uncommon for us to show under the lights, but she is fun and it’s no big deal for her,” Dobbs said. “I was a bit nervous just because everything was cancelled yesterday, and I haven’t been here for a week and a half. Winde just jumped for the first time this morning since the last young rider grand prix, but we knew how to properly prepare her. It was nice that the course was fair. I thought it was a good course and set us up for a successful class. It ended up being a really fun, good young riders grand prix.”

Mershad (18), from New Albany, OH, showed in the first round with Udonna, her 13-year-old KPWN mare by Madison x Cavalier. Although she did not get to return for the second round, Mershad enjoyed the team experience and appreciated the camaraderie with her teammates.

“I think it is awesome. It teaches you how Nations Cup works, which is a big part of it when you go to senior riding,” Mershad detailed. “It really teaches young riders how it is going to be – how to work with a team and the pressure to be on a team and the support that you need to give each other.”

Showing in the beautiful arena at The Stadium at PBIEC also gave the riders a chance to compete in a different environment from the rings at the main show grounds. Carlene Ziegler of Artisan Farms noted that the main goal of the series is to give riders different experiences, and the night’s class did exactly that.

“Part of what we’re trying to do is give them exposure to different things,” Ziegler stated. “This particular ring feels like Europe to me. It feels like Vienna, it feels like Cannes, it feels like a stop on the Global Champions Tour. This is magnificent. If they’re looking for that exposure, this is it.”

The riders agreed, also saying that they felt like they were riding in a European arena.

“I loved showing here,” McArdle stated. “I thought this was really cool with the stadium on one side and the tent on the other side. It gave a very arena, international sort of feel. There were so many people here tonight, so I thought it was a great experience. It was really fun. You feel better going in the ring when you have more people supporting you.”

Barnhill added, “I have never shown over here before, so this was a new experience for me and I thought it was great. It was a good experience for all of us, and the horses to get to do something different.”

Behind the winning team, Team H finished second on a six fault total under the guidance of Chef d’Equipe John Roche. The team was made of up of Lorcan Gallagher and Spy Coast Farm LLC’s O’Splendido, Lucas Porter and Sleepy P Ranch LLC’s Patriot, Chloe Reid and Chloe D. Reid LLC’s Athena, and Wilton Porter aboard Sleepy P Ranch LLC’s Radio City. Chloe Reid and Athena were the only other pair to jump double clear in the competition with Barnhill and McArdle. Team H also earned the Best Team Spirit Award.

Team A, coached by Chef d’Equipe Michelle Grubb, placed third with 15 faults in total. The team was made up of Hayley Waters and Dana Waters’ No Doubt, Ali Wolff and John C. Wolff’s Caya, Adrienne Sternlicht and Hathaway, and Alexander Zetterman aboard Springfield Showjumpers’ Zidane.

Spencer Smith and Beau Van Het Keysershof Take Platinum Performance USEF Show Jumping Talent Search at FTI WEF

Spencer Smith and Ashland Farm’s Beau Van Het Keysershof, a 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood, topped the Platinum Performance USEF Show Jumping Talent Search on Friday morning at the FTI WEF. This was the second week in a row the pair collected the top prize for the class.

Second place went to Victoria Colvin with Stallone VDL and the top three was rounded out by Lilly Ulrich and Vocus. The top ten riders over fences were called back to test on the flat, when riders were asked to demonstrate lengthening of stride and the counter canter in both directions, including a simple change in front of the judge’s box.

Smith, a 17-year-old Wellington, FL resident, admitted he was a little thrown by the judge’s request for a simple change.

“I was like ‘Oh, no!'” Smith laughed. “But it worked out nicely. My horse did it really well.”

Beau Van Het Keysershof is a new ride for Smith. The pair have only been together for the last two months, but Smith described the pair as a perfect match.

“We’re a good fit. He’s really my ride, which is nice. He takes you to the jumps, but he’s also really soft and he can melt really quickly,” Smith described.

He continued, “He really wants to do well. He doesn’t want to make mistakes. He can do this course really smoothly.”

While there was lingering evidence of the downpour that drenched Wellington on Thursday, Smith didn’t think it had any effect on his ride.

“It was a nice course. Nothing too tricky and it all worked out nicely for my horse. The footing held pretty nicely in my opinion,” Smith detailed.

The heavy rainfall put a hold on competition for the FTI WEF, with competition being cancelled Thursday. Smith still decided to spend his rain day getting wet, heading to the beach to surf and taking a day off from riding.

Hunter divisions that were to finish on Thursday were pinned based on results from Wednesday’s classes. The Loddon Stalls Pre-Green Level 1 division was split due to a high number of entries, with two division champions ultimately crowned.

Champion of Section A was Cy Young, ridden by Tim Goguen and owned by Belhaven Stables, LLC. Cy Young, a six-year-old Warmblood gelding, swept the section, winning the under saddle class and both over fences rounds. In Section B, CC Cool and Lainie Wimberly were crowned champion. Wimberly and CC Cool, a four-year-old Holsteiner gelding owned by Piccolino Farm, LLC, placed eighth under saddle and first and second over fences.

Hunter and equitation competition continue Saturday morning with the Ariat National Adult Medal in Ring 6 of the PBIEC. The “Saturday Night Lights” event will highlight the FTI Consulting Great Charity Challenge (FTI GCC), presented by Fidelity Investments, featuring a concert by multi-platinum recording artist and four-time Grammy nominee, Hunter Hayes. The FTI GCC has raised $1.75 million for the 35 charities chosen to participate in this year’s event. For full horse show 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

Charlie Jacobs Jr. Captures Low Children’s Jumper Championship for Deeridge Farms at WEF III

Charlie Jacobs Jr and Elphaba Win Low Children’s Jumper Championship. Photo By: Parker/Russell – The Book LLC.

East Aurora, NY and Wellington, FL – January 31, 2014 – Charlie Jacobs Jr. is carving out a name for himself in the show jumping ring this season at the Winter Equestrian Festival.  During Week III, Jacobs piloted his veteran mount Elphaba to the Low Children’s Jumper Championship for his family’s Deeridge Farms and CMJ Sporthorses. The duo took a chance in the $1,500 Low Children’s Classic that paid off big with a blue ribbon and the division championship.

The championship was very special for Jacobs, as this was one of his last weeks showing the talented Elphaba as he prepares to move into the Junior Jumpers with his new mount Campesino IV. Jacobs and Elphaba placed third in the first Low Children’s Jumper class during the week, and when they entered the ring for the $1,500 Low Children’s Classic they left nothing to chance. Going early in the class, they put on the pressure and easily sped through the timers with the fastest double clear effort.

“We just wanted to end on a good note,” explained Jacobs. “We were going early, and we really wanted to go for it. We wanted to set the pace and make everyone else try to catch us. And it worked out really well.”

Jacobs continued, “Elphaba is the second jumper that I’ve ridden, and she was a good bridge through the Children’s Jumpers to the Junior Jumpers. It is fun to ride her because you can go any speed that you want. You can hold her together and be careful in the first round and then really go for it in the jump-off; she is very adjustable.”

After winning the Low Children’s Jumper Championship with Elphaba, Jacobs then went on to place second in the $1,500 High Children’s 14 & Under Jumper class with Campesino IV.

“We are doing High Children’s right now, and hopefully by the end of the season we will be doing Low Juniors,” stated Jacobs. “I am just focusing on getting used to him right now. I wasn’t trying to deplete all of his energy, so we could have gone for the extra two seconds in the class, but we also could have had a rail at the last oxer, so we just waited and added the stride.”

Jacobs concluded, “I always look forward to going to the ring with Elphaba and Campesino IV because they are fun horses to ride.”

The Jacobs Family and Deeridge Farms will continue to compete in Wellington during the 12-week Winter Equestrian Festival, which runs through the end of March.

Rebecca Walton for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International

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Chanel and Roberto Teran Jr. Win $8,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Speed at FTI WEF 4

Roberto Teran, Jr. and Chanel. Photo © Sportfot.

Wellington, FL – January 29, 2014 – The 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) began its fourth week of competition on Wednesday with a win for Colombia’s Roberto Teran, Jr. and Chanel in the $8,000 G&C Farm 1.45m speed class. 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.

FTI WEF four, sponsored by Ariat, runs January 29 to February 2. The week will feature the $34,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 4 on Thursday, the $34,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic on Friday afternoon, the $10,000 Artisan Farms Young Rider Grand Prix Team Event presented by The Dutta Corp. in association with Guido Klatte at The Stadium at PBIEC on Friday night, the FTI Consulting Great Charity Challenge presented by Fidelity Investments on Saturday night, and the $50,000 Ariat Grand Prix CSI 2* on the derby field at The Stadium at PBIEC on Sunday afternoon.

Venezuela’s Leopoldo Palacios is the course designer in the International Arena at PBIEC for week four competition. The week kicked off with the $8,000 G&C Farm 1.45m speed class and a win for Robert Teran, Jr. aboard Chanel, owned by Chehebar, Simhon, and Blue Star Investments. The pair completed the fastest of nine clear rounds out of 41 entries in 70.32 seconds.

Stephan Barcha (BRA) and Quizas Diamant finished second in 70.49 seconds. Alexa Pessoa (USA) and Rodrigo Pessoa’s Levade 35 placed third in 73.30 seconds, and Benjamin Meredith (AUS) placed fourth in 74.53 seconds aboard River Farm Sporthorses’ Harley 86.

Teran purchased his winning mount, Chanel, eight months ago from fellow Colombian rider, Daniel Bluman. The 10-year-old KWPN mare by Chin Chin x Damiro has learned a lot in her time with Teran and started this year’s FTI WEF off very well. The mare finished second in a split 1.40m class last week with 123 entries in total and now got her first win of the circuit.

“We just started last week, and this week she is ready to rock and roll,” Teran smiled. “She is careful, scopey, and very clever. She has been improving tremendously since the last year, and now she is going to be one of my top grand prix horses very soon.”

“Sometimes she gets a little anxious when she comes to the ring, and we have been working a lot on getting her to relax and trust,” Teran said of Chanel. “She is super careful, but sometimes when she comes to different venues, she needs to relax the first couple of days and then she is ready to compete and win.”

Commenting on Wednesday’s course, he noted, “Today was a very careful, technical round. There were many rollback turns. Early on, you needed to be on to have a good time and she behaved super. She is getting a lot better and the rideablity is getting better every week, so I am extremely happy with her.”

Teran came to Wellington for the first time in 2000 and then spent several years competing in Ocala before returning to the FTI WEF three years ago. Teran has some great new horses and looks forward to an exciting circuit. He thanked his owners and trainer Tracey Jackson for their help and support.

“Tracey supervises the health of the horses, and she is with me every single step of the way,” Teran acknowledged. “We are very happy because all of our horses are winning like crazy this year!”

Teran also acknowledged the great competition at the FTI WEF that pushes them to do their best.

“The horse show is top level,” Teran stated. “Your level as a rider improves week by week by showing with all of these top riders. That is why we are here, to improve as riders and to be competitive around the world.”

A $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m speed class was also held on Wednesday with a win for Hector Florentino (DOM) and Anemone’s Vicky, owned by Stransky’s Mission Farms, Inc. The $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m jump-off class was won by Shane Sweetnam (IRL) and Spy Coast Farm LLC’s Eregast van’t Kiezelhof to conclude the day.

Week four of the 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival will continue on Thursday with the $34,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 4 in the International Arena at 1 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 for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

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

All FTI WEF Classes Cancelled on Thursday, January 30 – Friday Schedule Revised

Wellington, FL – January 30, 2014 – Equestrian Sport Productions has cancelled all competition for the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center on Thursday, January 30, 2014, due to inclement weather. The competition schedule for Friday, January 31, has been revised. To view schedule changes, please visit: http://showgroundslive.com/esp/showschedule/List/showid/15703/date/2014-01-31.

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.

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

Quentin Judge and HH Dark de la Hart Triumph in $34,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic

Quentin Judge and HH Dark de la Hart. Photo © Sportfot.

Shockwave and Vivian Yowan Are Best in EnTrust Capital Small Junior Hunters 16-17

Wellington, FL – January 26, 2014 – Week three of the 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF), sponsored by Fidelity Investments, concluded at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) on Sunday with a win for Quentin Judge (USA) and Double H Farm’s HH Dark de la Hart in the $34,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic.

FTI WEF will continue with its fourth week of competition, sponsored by Ariat, on Wednesday, January 29, through February 2. The FTI WEF, held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL, features 12 weeks of world-class competition through March 30, awarding $8 million in prize money.

Brazil’s Guilherme Jorge set the course for Sunday’s 1.50m with 53 entries and 13 clear rounds to advance to the jump-off with seven double clears. Quentin Judge and HH Dark de la Hart completed the fastest clear round over the short course in 38.21 seconds for the win.

Darragh Kenny (IRL) and Spruce Meadows’ Quiz finished second in 38.84 seconds. Tim Gredley (GBR) and Unex Competition Yards’ Unex Omega Star placed third in 39.09 seconds, and fourth place honors went to Tiffany Foster (CAN) and Artisan Farms LLC’s Melody des Hayettes Z in 39.67 seconds.

HH Dark de la Hart is an 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion by Kashmir van Schuttershof x Nonstop that Double H Farm purchased last winter. Judge has had many top finishes with the horse, including a win in the $35,000 Husky Energy Cup 1.50m at Spruce Meadows this summer. The pair was also a part of the winning U.S. Team in the eighth leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Division 2 series in Bratislava, Slovakia, in August.

Commenting on their partnership, Judge noted, “I have had him for a little bit over a year, and he was my main horse last year. This year we have a few new horses to kind of share the work load with him, so I was able to drop him down to do the 1.50m and some smaller classes. He is so fast, and he has been great.”

“It took me a little bit of time to figure him out because he is not a huge horse, and I am a tall rider,” Judge detailed. “I used to put a little bit too much pressure with my leg on him, and he would get a little angry and antsy. Now I try to sit still and keep him relaxed, keep him straight, and just try to have good position and he does the rest.”

Judge spoke about Sunday’s course and the skills that helped his horse earn the top time. “I thought the course was great,” he stated. “It was not huge, but it was technical. In general it was a nice course and the time allowed was tight, but not killer, so that suited everyone well, and it suited my horse really well. The jump-off was great because it gave me a chance to gallop, and my horse is really good at jumping on angles. I can really slice into the double and slice an oxer and he sights the jumps really early and jumps them clear, so it was good for me.”

One of HH Dark de la Hart’s charming qualities is the fact that he shows a lot of character on course. On the way to Sunday’s winning round, he was his usual enthusiastic self.

“He has a lot of personality,” Judge noted. “He is very quiet and very chill at home, but when he gets in the ring he is very fast and he loves to buck. He loves to put on a little bit of a show. If he jumps a hard jump, he always lands and bucks afterwards. Now I know that it is coming, it just means that he is trying hard and jumping well, so it’s a good feeling.”

HH Dark de la Hart will now have a few weeks off as Judge focuses on some of Double H Farm’s new horses and up-and-coming young talents, and will continue in the 1.50m classes.

The 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival will host its fourth week of competition, sponsored by Ariat, from Wednesday, January 29, to Sunday, February 2. The week will feature the $34,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 4 on Thursday, the $34,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic on Friday afternoon, the $10,000 Artisan Farms Young Rider Grand Prix Team Event presented by The Dutta Corp. in Association with Guido Klatte at The Stadium at PBIEC on Friday night, the FTI Consulting Great Charity Challenge presented by Fidelity Investments on Saturday night, and the $50,000 Ariat Grand Prix CSI 2* on the derby field at The Stadium at PBIEC on Sunday afternoon.

Shockwave and Vivian Yowan Are Best in EnTrust Capital Small Junior Hunters 16-17

Sixteen-year-old Vivian Yowan and her 13-year-old Warmblood gelding Shockwave were division champions of the EnTrust Capital Small Junior Hunter 16-17 division at FTI WEF on Sunday morning. The pair won both over fences rounds on the first day of competition for the division before placing third under saddle and first and third in the final over fences rounds. Yowan also received the Champion Owner/Rider Award for her win with Shockwave.

The reserve champion for the division was Bravado, owned and ridden by Kelsie Brittan. Brittan also took home Reserve Champion Owner/Rider honors. The pair were second in three over fences classes and won the under saddle class.

Shockwave used to be a familiar face in the junior jumper divisions, but Yowan believes the big bay gelding is transitioning smoothly into life as a hunter.

“He’s only been doing the junior hunters for a year. He’s definitely figured it out now that he’s supposed to be doing the hunters, so he’s gotten pretty good at it. I think he likes his job better now,” Yowan explained.

Yowan, of Lexington, KY, made the switch with Shockwave to the hunters with the help of trainer Kelly Goguen of Boggs Hill Farm, also based in Lexington. The hardest task was simply getting Shockwave to take it easy, especially in combinations or long lines.

“At first, he got quick down the lines or in the doubles because he was so used to being ridden at the jumps in the jumper ring. We were just trying to get him to really relax,” Yowan detailed.

While the pair had to practice a lot of jumps at first, Yowan said now she simply jumps a few jumps at home and can be set for competition. The raw talent that brought him to the hunter ring in the first place has actually proved useful for hunter divisions.

“It doesn’t matter what the course is, he’s always straight-forward. He obviously has the scope, so you feel comfortable doing anything out there. Especially the handy rounds!” Yowan smiled.

She continued, “He has such a big stride that if you’re a little long or a little [slow] in the lines, he can cover it up. He goes slow around the course, but he has so much stride that it makes it really smooth. He jumps really well.”

Yowan and Shockwave’s victory concluded hunter competition for the third week of 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

Ben Maher and Cella Master $125,000 Fidelity Investments Grand Prix CSI 3*

Ben Maher and Cella. Photos © Sportfot.

Lexi Maounis and Sienna Collect Top Honors in Bainbridge Amateur-Owner 18-35 Hunters at FTI WEF

Wellington, FL – January 25, 2014 – The world’s best battled it out at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) on Saturday night with a one-two finish for Great Britain in the $125,000 Fidelity investments Grand Prix CSI 3* at the 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). Ben Maher and Scott Brash, the top two ranked riders in the world, finished on top of an impressive field of horses and riders in an exciting ten-horse jump-off.

Maher, the number two ranked rider in the world, came out on top with his mount, Cella. Brash, the current number one ranked rider in the world, finished second behind his Olympic teammate with Ursula XII. Alvaro de Miranda (BRA) and AD Norson placed third.

Week three of the FTI WEF, sponsored by Fidelity Investments, concludes on Sunday, January 26 with the $34,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic. 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.

Guilherme Jorge of Brazil set the course for 45 competitors on Saturday night with ten clear rounds and a difficult jump-off, in which the top two were the only combinations to clear the short course. Scott Brash and Ursula XII, owned by Lord and Lady Harris and Lord and Lady Kirkham, were the first pair to clear the course in 39.05 seconds, but had to settle for second place when Ben Maher and Jane Clark’s Cella took the challenge and bested their time in 38.68 seconds. Alvaro de Miranda and AD Norson, owned by de Miranda and Victory Equestrian, completed the fastest four-fault round in 39.61 seconds to place third. McLain Ward (USA) and Sagamore Farm’s Rothchild finished fourth with four faults in 40.06 seconds.

Not only did Saturday night’s class feature the top two riders in the world, it saw four of the top ten, with Beezie Madden (USA) who is currently fourth, and Kent Farrington (USA) who sits in tenth on the Longines FEI World Ranking list. Fourth place finisher McLain Ward ranks 20th in the world; third place finisher Alvaro de Miranda sits 29th.

Maher began riding Cella, a 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare by Cento x Chin Chin, during the FTI WEF circuit last winter and got his first big win with her in last year’s Fidelity Investments Grand Prix, a $100,000 CSI 2*. Maher commented on their success, stating, “It’s a lucky place here for me and Cella at the moment. She had a long break after Geneva and then our first class was this week in the ‘WEF’ (Challenge Cup), where she felt better than ever. I decided not to do the jump-off because I knew it was going to be fast, and save her for this evening. She’s certainly a once in a lifetime horse so I want to save her for the big occasions. Luckily, between the whole team, we made a good decision because she jumped great tonight.”

“She’s just a phenomenal jumper. She does it in her own style, and the more I let her get on with it, the better she is,” Maher said of Cella’s style. “It was a good course tonight. I thought it was big for a 3*, but it has to be big with the horses and competition there is here. In the jump-off there were not too many options. I thought the first round was a great course, very technical, and the jump-off was relatively plain and simple. A lot of horses looked tired and had a lot of faults from running early on, but the course was very suited to Cella. I did what I could do and not what I couldn’t. It was a race between me and Scott tonight.”

Scott Brash and Ursula XII
Scott Brash and Ursula XII

Brash’s mount, Ursula XII, is a 13-year-old Scottish Sport Horse mare by Ahorn x Papageno. Brash got the ride on Ursula just after the Olympics in 2012, but explained that it took some time for them to figure each other out.

“It took us probably six months to a year to just gel as a partnership, and I wanted it to change her a bit to my style, and I tried to adapt to what she likes, but I have to say she’s a joy to ride and she’s such a sweet horse in every way. She’s a real top horse,” Brash stated.

Saturday night’s jump-off was a fun rivalry for Brash and Maher, and they explained that it keeps them competitive.

“Ben and I are very good friends,” Brash acknowledged. “I think it’s a rivalry in a really good way. He wants to beat me as bad as I want to beat him. It’s good for Great Britain.”

“Scott and I were the only two clears tonight. If we had known it was going to work out like that, perhaps we should have spoke before and come to an arrangement to slow down a bit,” Maher point out with a laugh. “I’ve been lucky, same as Scott, with my team, my horses behind me now, and the support from Jane Clark. It has made all the difference in the past 12 months. It just proves how much we need the owners and the sponsors to support us and how much success that can bring, and we both work hard.”

De Miranda was happy with his third place finish aboard AD Norson, a 13-year-old Selle Francais stallion by Quidam de Revel x Grand Veneur, that he has ridden since the horse was four years old. The top placing was a happy end to a bad day for de Miranda after getting news about an injury in one of his top horses. The rider shared that AD Rahmannshof’s Bogeno, who he won last year’s $500,000 FTI Consulting Finale Grand Prix CSI 5* with, has sustained an injury that will keep him out of competition for a minimum of six months. Despite the bad news, de Miranda had a good night with AD Norson and has high hopes for his season.

“He’s a very nice horse,” de Miranda said. “In the beginning I was using him as a speed horse, and then since 2010 I started upgrading him to the bigger classes and he did very well. He was in the Pan American Games where we had a silver medal with the team, but the ground was not too good and after that he wasn’t coming back too strong to this level. Here he is jumping really good, and he’s back to what he was before. He’s a really nice horse, very competitive, and I love to ride him.”

De Miranda commented on the level of competition at this year’s FTI WEF, stating, “I like to come here for two reasons: to build up horses, and to bring along young horses. When you come here for three months it is like spending one year in Europe. You can do a lot, and you can get to know the horse. They come back to Europe in very good shape. It is top level sport. You have the best horses and riders here. It is very competitive.”

A special new award was presented before the class on Saturday night. The Engel & Völkers Owner Award recognizes the owner with the highest earnings in prize money each week. The award includes all horses by the same owner in both hunter and jumper divisions.

During FTI WEF 1, Paris Sellon (USA) was the top earning owner. Ronan McGuigan (IRL) was the recipient of the award for FTI WEF 2. Week’s three’s top owner will be tabulated upon completion of competition on Sunday and the award will be presented at the start of next week’s $50,000 Ariat Grand Prix CSI 2* at The Stadium at PBIEC on Sunday, February 2.

An award for the Leading Lady Jumper Rider was presented as well, awarded to Germany’s Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum after a great week competing with her veteran partner, Checkmate 4. The award is sponsored by Martha Jolicoeur of Illustrated Properties.

Also showing in the International Arena on Saturday, Alexandra Crown and Verona jumped to victory in the $15,000 SJHOF Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic, presented by Engel & Völkers, Sollak Carr. Lucy Mitchell-Innes and Casey Curtis’s Riley II were victorious in the Horseware Ireland Don Little Masters speed class, and Emanuel Andrade and Hollow Creek Farm’s Carboni won the Sleepy P Ranch High Junior Jumper speed round.

Lexi Maounis and Sienna
Lexi Maounis and Sienna

Lexi Maounis and Sienna Collect Top Honors in Bainbridge Amateur-Owner 18-35 Hunters at FTI WEF

Nineteen-year-old Lexi Maounis and her 12-year-old Hanoverian mare, Sienna, were crowned division champions Saturday morning in the Amateur-Owner 18-35 Hunter division, sponsored by The Bainbridge Companies, at the FTI WEF. The pair built a solid lead during day one of competition after winning both over fences classes, which they followed up on day two with a third over fences and sixth place finish in the under saddle class.

The reserve champion for the division was Libretto, owned and ridden by Alliy Moyer. Moyer and Libretto were eighth and fourth over fences on day one before riding to the reserve champion title on day two. The pair was sixth in the first over fences class before winning the final over fences round and the under saddle class.

Maounis, of Greenwich, CT, had an early lead after winning their first two classes, but didn’t back off during the second day of the division. Her lead actually made her a little nervous, but she knew she could count on Sienna.

“I get nervous when I do well the first day. I didn’t want to take anything for granted. I was like ‘I have to ride just as well today as I did yesterday,’ and I was just a little bit nervous, but it worked out great. She’s always perfect, there’s never anything that she does that’s quirky or weird in the ring. She’s always the same, which is great,” Maounis detailed.

Sienna is all business in the ring, but Maounis admitted she lives up to the chestnut mare stereotype with her fiery personality in the barn.

“She’s quite the feisty horse! She has a very big personality, and she likes what she likes. She’s very much a chestnut mare, and everyone pretty much knows that!” Maounis laughed.

The way to Sienna’s heart is through her stomach, which puts Maounis’ mother at the top of her list. “My mom is her favorite person because all she does is feed her treats. It’s really funny to see someone come near her and she pins her ears back, and then my mom comes and she’s like ‘Oh, hi treat lady!'”

Sienna’s opinionated personality has its advantages, though. If Maounis ever has a mistake in the ring, Sienna is there to set her straight.

“She takes care of me. She’s really good at just staying calm and being the same every time we go out there. She seems to know what’s right and what’s wrong. So sometimes when I try to do something, she’ll be like, ‘Nope, I’m right. As usual.’ She’s always right!” Maounis smiled. “I kind of have to let her do her own thing. That’s what usually works out best is when I let her do what she wants.”

Maounis, who trains with Heritage Farm, is looking forward to a shorter commute this year to the FTI WEF. Instead of traveling back and forth each weekend from Connecticut, she only has an hour drive from the University of Miami, where she is a freshman majoring in advertising.

Now in her second year of competing as an amateur, Maounis has no qualms about leaving her junior days behind her and is adjusting well to life in the amateur divisions.

“I really like it! Everyone is so friendly and so nice. It makes me really happy,” Maounis beamed.

Week three of the FTI WEF concludes on Sunday with the $34,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic in the International Arena. Hunter competition wraps up with the EnTrust Capital Small Junior 16-17 Hunter division. 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

Frances Land and Vieanne Victorious in $34,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.45m Speed

Frances Land and Vieanne. Photos © Sportfot.

Tracey Mack-Gorin and Seville Score Adult Amateur 18-35 Hunter Section A Division Championship at FTI WEF

Wellington, FL – January 24, 2014 – Frances Land (USA) and Vieanne proved themselves with a win against many of the world’s best in Friday’s $34,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.45m speed class during week three of the 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). An FEI World Ranking competition, the pair held a significant lead through most of the class, jumping clear and fast to top second place finishers Daniel Bluman (COL) and Apardi, with Ben Maher (GBR) and Aristo Z finishing third.

Week three of the FTI WEF, sponsored by Fidelity Investments continues through Sunday, January 26. The week will feature the highlight $125,000 Fidelity Investments Grand Prix CSI 3* on Saturday night and the $34,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic on Sunday. 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.

Brazil’s Guilherme Jorge set the speed track for Friday’s Spy Coast Farm 1.45m with 53 competitors and 13 clear rounds. Daniel Bluman and Apardi jumped the first clear round and set the pace at 65.23 seconds, but were quickly pushed into second place when Frances Land and Vieanne cleared the course in 63.97 seconds five rounds later. Eighth to go in the overall order, Land and Vieanne held onto that lead to the end despite the roster of impressive horses and riders that followed.

Ben Maher and Jane Clark’s Aristo Z finished third with their time of 66.60 seconds. Tim Gredley (GBR) and Unex Competition Yard’s Unex Omega Star placed fourth in 68.96 seconds. Beezie Madden (USA) and Abigail Wexner’s Amadora were fifth in 70.82 seconds.

McLain Ward (USA) and Wings and Brianne Goutal (USA) with Uata were the only two pairs to beat Land’s time, stopping the clock in 61.97 seconds and 63.62 seconds respectively, but each had a single rail on course to finish out of the money. For Land, it was easier to go early and stick to her plan, but she then had to wait nervously for the final result.

“I really like going early,” Land said. “I like to just go in and do my plan so that I don’t sit around and get nervous and have to watch a bunch, because then I always end up changing my plan and riding worse. I knew there were a bunch in the class, and I knew I needed to be fast. Naturally, Vieanne is just really fast, so I figured if I was really smooth and made some tight turns, left out a couple of strides, then we stood a good chance of winning. She was just great. Everywhere she was just with me and perfect.”

“I got nervous when McLain went in,” Land admitted. “Him and Brianne were way faster than me. That’s the worst part for me is just afterwards, waiting. You have to wait through 35 rounds, and your head is in your hands and you’re thinking ‘Oh, please don’t beat me!’ But it is good because I also get to watch them. I learn from them because I see where they do go faster than me, and that just pushes me to do better. If they shave a second or two off of my time, that just means that tomorrow I need to be that much fasteieanne will compete again in Sunday’s $34,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic and will then be back for FTI WEF week four. Land (19) is a student at Emory University in Georgia and commutes back and forth to show during the week.

Also on Friday, the $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m Speed Challenge was held earlier in the day with 107 entries and double prize money awarded in a ‘California Split.’ Abigail McArdle and David McArdle’s Cosma 20 had the fastest clear round of the class to win Section A. Santiago Diaz and Tizimin La Silla topped Section B.

Tracey Mack-Gorin and Seville
Tracey Mack-Gorin and Seville

Tracey Mack-Gorin and Seville Score Adult Amateur 18-35 Hunter Section A Division Championship at FTI WEF

Tracey Mack-Gorin and Seville jumped their way to the Adult Amateur 18-35 Hunter Section A division championship Friday morning at the FTI WEF. Mack-Gorin rode Seville, owned by Isabelle Caccamise, to second, fifth, and first places over fences before finishing second in the under saddle class.

The reserve champion for the division was Stephanie Bulger and her own Mariano. The pair won two over fences classes in addition to finishing fourth under saddle.

Mack-Gorin was Circuit Champion of the Adult Amateur 18-35 Hunter division at the 2013 FTI WEF with Condor and is already off to a good start in 2014, even after only having the ride on Seville for a few weeks.

“He’s really sweet and comfortable,” Mack-Gorin described. “He’s got a really good attitude. Even if I make a mistake, he’s nice about it and never holds it against me. He just goes to the next jump the same as if I didn’t make a mistake.”

Like some young amateurs, Mack-Gorin doesn’t have the ability to have a horse of her own, and is grateful for the opportunity to ride Seville under the guidance of Ashland Farms’ Ken and Emily Smith and Christy Kear.

“I’ve been really lucky. I just finished law school, so I don’t have my own horses anymore. It’s been really nice to have something to ride, and they’ve all been great,” Mack-Gorin expressed.

Mack-Gorin juggled law school with competing at the FTI WEF in 2013, and this year she’s busy studying for the Florida Bar Examination in between riding on the weekends.

“It’s a lot of stuff going on, but it makes showing a lot more fun because it’s like a treat at the end of the week. I know I get to come here and ride and show and be around the horses. It’s a nice break, so it’s more helpful than hurtful,” Mack-Gorin commented.

Mack-Gorin is originally from Noank, CT, and went to school in New York, but her days of flying south for the winter are behind her now that she’s a full-time Wellington resident. Her fiancé travels most of the year while managing international show jumper Richie Moloney’s barn, but spends enough time in Wellington that the couple chose it as the perfect place to settle down.

Hunter competition for Week 3 of the FTI WEF continues on Saturday morning with the Amateur-Owner 18-35 Hunters in the E. R. Mische Grand Hunter Ring. The $125,000 Fidelity Investments Grand Prix CSI 3* will be the highlight “Saturday Night Lights” event at 7 p.m. 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

Tiffany Foster and Victor Victorious in $34,000 WEF Challenge Cup

Canada’s Tiffany Foster guided Victor to victory in the $34,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round III – Section B. Photo by Sportfot.

Wellington, Florida – Canada’s Tiffany Foster emerged victorious in the $34,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round III – Section B held Thursday, January 23, at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL.

A total of 92 horses attempted the first round track set by course designer Guilherme Jorge with 25 posting clear rounds to advance to the jump-off.  Returning for the jump-off mid-way through the order, Foster guided Victor to a blazing fast round in a time of 40.50 seconds to take over the lead from her 2012 London Olympic teammate, Ian Millar, who had stopped the clock in 40.84 seconds riding Dixson.  Only one rider, Todd Minikus, was able to better her time, crossing the timers in 40.34 seconds riding Quality Girl to take the win in Section A while Foster was crowned the victor of Section B.

“He felt awesome; he was perfect!” said Foster, 29, of her 2012 Olympic mount.  “The jump-off course was really wide open; there was a lot of open galloping, so you had to carry a lot of ground speed which can get a little hairy sometimes, but not for Victor!  He loves it!”

Now in their fourth season together, Foster and Victor, a 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Elmshorn x Grandeur) owned by Torrey Pines Stable and Artisan Farms LLC, are no strangers to the International Arena at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival.  They were members of Canada’s Nations’ Cup team in Wellington in both 2012 and 2013, posting clear rounds on both occasions.

“He knows this ring really well, so I know I can take a lot of risks with him here and he’s really confident and comfortable,” explained Foster of Vancouver, BC.  “When he’s jumping like he was today, I knew I could go really fast!”

Foster even out-raced her coach, 2008 Canadian Olympic Champion Eric Lamaze, who placed third riding Zigali P S in only their third competitive appearance together.

Foster competes at the grand prix level with Victor as well as Verdi III, a new mount acquired in June of 2013 by her owners, Andy and Carlene Ziegler of Artisan Farms LLC.  In addition, she has several young prospects she is developing for Artisan Farms of Wellington, Florida, and Vrasene, Belgium.

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

Minikus and Foster Earn Top Prizes in $34,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 3

Todd Minikus and Quality Girl. Photos © Sportfot.

Havens Schatt and Bacardi Triumph in Equine Tack & Nutritionals Second Year Green Working Hunters

Wellington, FL – January 23, 2014 – Week three of the 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF), sponsored by Fidelity Investments, continued on Thursday afternoon with a shared victory for Todd Minikus (USA) and Quality Girl and Tiffany Foster (CAN) and Victor in the $34,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 3. Held in a “California Split” due to the large number of entries, the competition awarded two sets of placings, each with $34,000 distributed.

Week three of FTI WEF competition continues through Sunday, January 26. The week will feature the $34,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.45m on Friday, the highlight $125,000 Fidelity Investments Grand Prix CSI 3* on Saturday night, and the $34,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic on Sunday. 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.

Brazil’s Guilherme Jorge set the course for the $34,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 3 on Thursday in the International Arena at PBIEC. The class saw a total of 92 entries with 24 clear rounds advancing to the jump-off. Twelve jumped clear over the short course, and Todd Minikus and the Quality Group’s Quality Girl had the fastest time of 40.34 seconds overall for the win in Section A of the class. Tiffany Foster and Artisan Farms LLC and Torrey Pines Stable’s Victor finished in 40.50 seconds for the win in Section B.

The top three finishers in Section A included Minikus and Quality Girl, Ian Millar (CAN) and Dixson, owned by Ariel and Susan Grange, with their time of 40.84 seconds, and Eric Lamaze (CAN) with Artisan Farms LLC’s Zigali P S in 43 seconds flat.

Section B saw a top finish for Foster and Victor, with Kent Farrington (USA) and Amalaya Investments’ Willow in second in 41.80 seconds, and Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum (GER) and Octavia Farms’ Checkmate 4 in third in 43.52 seconds.

After his win aboard Quality Girl, Todd Minikus remarked on the star-studded line-up of horses and riders in Thursday’s jump-off. “That was pretty spectacular really, if you looked at the list and how that was playing out,” Minikus acknowledged. “We had everybody from Meredith to Kent to Ian to McLain. Beezie had the lead for a while. That was pretty fun. It got a little faster and a little faster and a little faster.”

“Things kind of just came up nice for me in the turns, and it all worked out,” Minikus said of his jump-off round on Quality Girl. He also had a second chance in the jump-off with Legacy Stables’ Uraguay and did his best to get both top spots, but had an unfortunate stop in the short course.

“I was really trying hard to be second with Uraguay,” he said. “I think I was faster from fence one to two and back to the combination on him and then I kind of got in the same rut that everybody else turned in and he slipped bad going to that vertical. That kind of stunk, but that horse was really on his game too.”

Minikus acknowledged the effort of course designer Guilherme Jorge in Thursday’s class, stating, “I tell you, that’s gotta be a tough job trying to design for that many horses. I guess if you go with percentage of the class, he had 26% clear. That was probably the right percentage. It sounds like a lot, but 24 out of 92, that’s probably a good number. It was a nice course. Some of the younger horses jumped it well, and it was nice that the show management did the California Split. That was the right thing to do with that many entries.”

In addition to the prize money in Thursday’s class, Minikus 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 was also very happy with her win in Section B of Thursday’s class aboard Victor, her mount of nearly four years. Commenting on the top finish, Foster smiled, “Every win is exciting for me. He felt awesome, and he was perfect. He knows this ring really well, so I know I can take a lot of risks with him here and he is really confident and comfortable. When he is jumping like he was today, I knew I could go really fast.”

“The jump-off was really wide open,” Foster noted. “You had to carry a lot of ground speed and that gets a little hairy sometimes, but not for Victor. He loves that. There was a lot of open galloping, and we are good at that.”

“Because he is so careful, I could go really fast to the plank and really fast to the last jump,” Foster added. “I didn’t slow down at all to those two fences. Most horses, you need to give them a little balancing point so that they can get up and go clear, but I know when he is jumping like that he is never going to knock it down and I can just run as fast as I can. It’s a good feeling; you don’t get that on all of them, that’s for sure.”

An $8,000 G&C Farm 1.45m class was also held in the International Arena on Thursday morning with a win for McLain Ward and Alain van Campenhoudt’s Citizenguard Million Dreams. The $2,500 Amateur-Owner Jumpers, sponsored by Engel & Völkers, Sollak Carr, saw a win for Abigail McArdle and David McArdle’s Cosma 20.

Havens Schatt and Bacardi Triumph in Equine Tack & Nutritionals Second Year Green Working Hunters

Havens Schatt and Bacardi are already off to a good start in 2014. In the seven-year-old KWPN gelding’s first show of his second green year, Bacardi and Schatt were champions of the Equine Tack & Nutritionals Second Year Green Working Hunter at FTI WEF on Thursday afternoon. Schatt piloted Bacardi to four blue ribbon rounds over fences and placed third in the under saddle class.

The reserve champion for the division was As Always, ridden by Jennifer Hannah and owned by Jennifer Smith. The pair were first in the under saddle and fifth, second, fourth, and second over fences.

Schatt and Bacardi had quite the year during 2013 in the First Year Green Working Hunter division. Together they picked up seven division championship titles, culminating with being crowned Grand Green Hunter Champion at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Caroline Moran, Bacardi’s owner, was thrilled to see her gelding off to an equally successful start in 2014. Bacardi and Schatt topped their final over fences round on Thursday with an astounding score of 97.

“I didn’t think he could beat himself when he was a First Year horse, but I think he’s jumping the Second Years even better. He is just an amazing horse,” Moran commented.

Bacardi’s steadfast attitude in the show ring is what Moran believes gives him his edge.

“He’s just so consistent. He can be a bit of a brat at home, but whenever he comes to the ring he’s all business and is just a consistently good horse. In my opinion, he’s getting better and better,” she continued.

Moran, an accomplished amateur rider, has gotten in the saddle a few times herself, but is happy to watch Bacardi flourish under a talented rider like Schatt.

“When Havens prepares him to go to the ring, he’s absolutely perfect, so my job is not difficult,” Moran laughed. “He’s just an all-around great horse and of course she rides beautifully. She makes everything look so smooth and every horse look so easy. I think she’s just a classic rider. I think she’s a smart rider. She picks and chooses where she wants to show the horses and only when they’re ready. I think she’s a good horseman.”

Schatt emphasized that slow and steady was the only suitable approach for Bacardi, although she never had any doubt that he would turn into the champion he has become.

“I had in my heart that he could be an amazing horse and I really felt that if you rushed him, you were just going to turn him the wrong way. He was a little bit tricky at first, but it was more just to let him go at his speed than push him to do something he wasn’t really ready for,” Schatt described.

From the start, Bacardi has been a favorite mount for Schatt, who enjoys the unique opportunity she has been afforded to have a mount of her own.

“My job is young horses and making sure they’re ready for their amateurs. He’s really the only horse that I’ve ever had that’s been really just for me. I’ve not really had an owner that let me have a horse and do [what I want],” Schatt explained.

She continued, “I love riding him. That’s why in the very beginning, even though he was a little bit of a pistol, I wanted to have him for myself. He just always seemed to suit my ride. He’s got an amazing rhythm and for a little horse, he has such a big stride. The way his jumping style is, and his front end is so correct, you don’t have to be perfect at every distance. If you’re a little tight or a little long, he’s going to take care of it for you as long as you tell him what you want. That’s always a nice feeling.”

Schatt is equally grateful for her long-standing friendship with Moran. Schatt has ridden horses for Moran for more than 10 years and is comforted knowing Bacardi will always have a loving home.

“She’s such a great person. She loves the horses as much as I do. If he didn’t want to do Second Years for some reason, with what he’s won and what he’s done with her, she would do adult [amateurs] or just play with him. He has a home forever and she’s a great, great person,” Schatt expressed.

Week three of the 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival will continue on Friday with the $34,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.45m in the International Arena and the presentation of championship honors to the Adult Amateur Hunter 18-35 Section A in the Rost 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