Tag Archives: Winter Equestrian Festival

Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Events, FEI, Jennifer Wood, Show Jumping

2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival Offers over $6 Million in Total Prize Money and Adds Eight FEI ROLEX Ranking Point Classes

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Wellington, FL – December 22, 2010 – The 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) will run for 12 weeks from January 12 to April 3, and this year’s competition will offer more opportunities for show jumpers to accumulate FEI ROLEX ranking points than ever before. For riders to start their year off strongly, the only place to gain this amount of points in North America is at the FTI WEF. The FTI WEF will award more than $6 million in prize money throughout the circuit, and $3.2 million of that will be given in the open jumper classes. For the FEI level jumpers, they will compete for $2.7 million in prize money.

“Adding more FEI ROLEX ranking classes is part of our dedication to providing the best equestrian sport,” said Michael Stone, President of Equestrian Sport Productions. “The riders that compete at the FTI WEF will more chances to gain points this year at our events during the winter season than anywhere else in the continent.”

Thanks to the support of G&C Farm, owned by Gustavo and Carolina Mirabal, the FTI WEF was able to add eight new FEI ROLEX ranking classes to the schedule. There are now 27 ranking classes during the FTI WEF, and these eight new FEI ROLEX ranking classes increased over 20% from last year. “Now there will be over 10,000 points available,” Stone said.

Continue reading 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival Offers over $6 Million in Total Prize Money and Adds Eight FEI ROLEX Ranking Point Classes →

Community/Charity, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Events, Show Jumping

Calling All Charities! The Great Charity Challenge Is Back and Bigger Than Ever in 2011

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Wellington, FL – October 15, 2010 – Equestrian Sport Productions and the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) are offering the chance of a lifetime to charities serving Palm Beach County. The FTI WEF will once again host the Great Charity Challenge on the evening of Saturday, February 19, and this year the goal is to raise a tremendous amount of $1 million, all of which will be donated to charity.

The Great Charity Challenge (GCC) is an exhilarating pro/am relay style jumping competition that will take place under the lights in the International Arena at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center to benefit 30 non-profit charities. 2010 was the event’s inaugural year, and over $560,000 was raised and donated to 24 charities that were randomly selected to participate in the event.

Teams, which are generously sponsored by families and individuals, consist of two junior/amateur riders and are anchored by one Olympic or world-class rider. Each equestrian team is assigned a charity to represent, and the charity matched with the winning team of riders will win over $100,000!

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Art/Photography, Community/Charity, Contributors/Press, Events

Congratulations to Julie Chapman, Winner of the 2010 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival Artist Contest

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"Morning Colors," oil on canvas, by artist Julie Chapman. Photograph is © Julie T. Chapman, and is protected by U.S. copyright laws.

Wellington, FL – July 26, 2010 – Equestrian Sport Productions congratulates the winner of the 2010 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) Artist Contest, Julie Chapman, of Huson, MT. This year’s contest received a record number of entries, and the panel was delighted to review numerous pieces of outstanding artwork.

Chapman, of Huson, MT, began her artistic endeavors when she was a child, and has always been enthralled with horses. “I’ve been drawing since I was old enough to hold a pencil – and it was horses that I drew first and always, as I’ve had a love affair with all things equine my entire life,” Chapman noted of her passion for horses and equestrian sports.

Chapman’s beautiful use of oils and portrayal of colors eventually won the panel’s vote. These skills earned Chapman several prizes, including $500 in prize money, a complimentary 10’x10′ vendor space for two weeks during the 2011 FTI WEF, an e-blast announcing her as the winner, a featured article in the 2011 FTI WEF program guide, and a one week art show in the foyer of the International Club at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. “I’m delighted!” Chapman exclaimed of her success in the competition. Chapman will be available for consultations during the 2011 FTI WEF, exact dates to be determined.

Continue reading Congratulations to Julie Chapman, Winner of the 2010 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival Artist Contest →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Events, Hunter/Equitation

Sandy Ferrell and Showman Claim Another Championship in the Western Hay & Suncoast Bedding First Year Green Hunters at 2010 FTI WEF

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Sandy Ferrell and Showman Claimed the Western Hay and Suncoast Bedding First Year Green Working Hunter Championship © 2010 Randi Muster
Sandy Ferrell and Showman Claimed the Western Hay and Suncoast Bedding First Year Green Working Hunter Championship © 2010 Randi Muster

Wellington, FL – April 1, 2010 – This is the last week of the 2010 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) for hunters to secure a tricolor, and Sandy Ferrell and Showman, owned by Alexa & Krista Weisman, ended on a great note when they received their third championship of the twelve-week FTI WEF in the Western Hay & Suncoast Bedding First Year Green Working Hunters.

Alexa and Krista Weisman bought Showman from Scott Stewart and Ken Berkley about two years ago, and owner Alexa Weisman also competes with her mount in the Amateur Hunter divisions.

Ferrell, of Bernville, PA, competed with Showman six times throughout the 2010 FTI WEF, and has been champion three times, and reserve champion twice in the First Year Green Working Hunters. This is a very impressive feat, especially for one of the most well-attended hunter divisions at the horse show. Ferrell described the eight-year-old Westphalian gelding as the “epitome of a show hunter. He’s beautiful, elegant, talented, and he goes to win.”

Continue reading Sandy Ferrell and Showman Claim Another Championship in the Western Hay & Suncoast Bedding First Year Green Hunters at 2010 FTI WEF →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Events, Show Jumping

Sapphire and McLain Ward Repeat Huge Victory in $500,000 FTI Consulting Finale Grand Prix, CSI 5* at 2010 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival

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Rodrigo Pessoa Wins $100,000 FTI Rider Challenge


Wellington, FL – March 27, 2010 – Tonight’s $500,000 FTI Consulting Finale Grand Prix, CSI 5* drew the largest crowd in the history of equestrian sport in Wellington. More than 9,000 spectators came to see who would win one of the biggest show jumping purses in North America. Sapphire, ridden by McLain Ward (USA) and owned by Ward and Blue Chip Bloodstock, came home with the win and repeated their victory from last year over Laura Kraut (USA) and Cedric, owned by Happy Hill Farm, and Todd Minikus (USA) with his own Pavarotti.

Tonight’s class was also the final qualifier for the $100,000 FTI Rider Challenge, where the top four riders of the circuit were awarded with bonus checks. The top four riders were Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA), who earned $50,000, Pablo Barrios (VEN) who received $25,000, McLain Ward, who took home $15,000, and Laura Kraut, who received $10,000.

Continue reading Sapphire and McLain Ward Repeat Huge Victory in $500,000 FTI Consulting Finale Grand Prix, CSI 5* at 2010 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival →

Competitions, Disciplines, Events, Hunter/Equitation

Peter Pletcher and HH London Dominate the Western Hay & Suncoast Bedding First Year Green Hunters at the 2010 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival

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Peter Pletcher and HH London Dominate the Western Hay & Suncoast Bedding First Year Green Working Hunter Championship at the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival.
Peter Pletcher and HH London Dominate the Western Hay & Suncoast Bedding First Year Green Working Hunter Championship at the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival.

Wellington, FL – January 14, 2010 – Today the first championships of the 2010 FTI Wellington Equestrian Festival were awarded in the professional hunter divisions. The Green Working hunters, sponsored by Western Hay & Suncoast Bedding, took center stage in the Rost Arena this afternoon.

The season’s inaugural First Year Green Hunter Championship was awarded to Peter Pletcher of Magnolia, TX, with Double H Farm’s HH London. Pletcher describes HH London, a 7-year-old Dutch bred gelding by London Times and Voltaire, as “fantastic.”

Double H farm bought the bay gelding in the middle of the summer, and Pletcher sat on him for the first time in October 2009. Pletcher and the team from Double H Farm knew immediately that this would be a great match. “I tried him and I thought that he was really nice, easy, and straight forward,” Pletcher commented.  This was only the second show for HH London, and his first time competing at the 3’6″ height. Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=9815