Second Annual Sidelines Tetrathlon Presented by MeadowView & The Riggio Family a Great Success
WELLINGTON, Fla. (Feb. 14, 2012) – The FarmVet team of Christian Currey, Ashley Holzer, Candice King and Whistle Uys proved to be the team to beat again this year as they won the Second Annual Sidelines Tetrathlon. Presented by MeadowView & The Riggio Family, the FarmVet team took the early lead to beat teams MeadowView, Palm Beach Equine Clinic and newcomer Flintfields Horse Park. The annual event, which benefits the Equestrian Aid Foundation, was held Sunday, February 5, 2012, in West Palm Beach, Fla.
The Jim Brandon Equestrian Center was transformed into the Wild West – complete with a saloon and jail, where some guests spent part of the evening after being secured by the sheriff’s posse. The saloon, by PortAParty, created a great environment for football fans with four large-screen TVs. Guests were welcomed with signature cocktails from Tito’s Handmade Vodka and appetizers from Oli’s Fashion Grill. Event co-chairmen R. Bruce Duchossois and R. Scot Evans presented an evening of equestrian competition, great food, games and silent auction experiences.
The Awards
After the national anthem, Evans presented the inaugural Equestrian Aid Foundation Luminary Award to legendary horsewoman Jane Forbes Clark.
“I am so honored to stand here tonight,” said Clark as she accepted the award. “My horses, my friends, my life and our equestrian world has really given me so very much and has made me really care about what we do, and how we do it, and how much we love doing what we do. And, no organization takes better care of our equestrian world, or loves it more, than the Equestrian Aid Foundation. That means a great deal to me for what they give to our community and also a great deal to me to be honored by them tonight. So, I thank you all for the support, but I also thank you all for all the support you give this wonderful foundation.”
Special honors were also given to Sarah B. Willeman for her contributions to the equestrian community. World Equestrian Games Reining Individual Gold Medalist and 2011 USEF/Farnam Equestrian of the Year Tom McCutcheon flew in from Texas, with his wife Mandy, to share his thoughts about Willeman’s impact on the sport of reining and the contributions she’s made as the owner of his medal-winning horse.
“It’s an honor to be recognized alongside Jane Clark who has done so much for equestrian sports and it’s an honor to be recognized by the Equestrian Aid Foundation, which reaches out to help people at the most critical times in the most essential ways,” Willeman said as she accepted her award.
The Competition
Oliver Kennedy announced the equestrian competitions of show jumping, reining, dressage and polo, as world-class horsemen and women participated in a fun discipline switch. Each rider received a Success Equestrian saddle pad, best known for its no-slip material.
The gambler’s choice course, designed by Pierre Jolicoeur, created a fast paced start to the competition. FarmVet’s Whistle Uys narrowly slipped passed Palm Beach Equine Clinic’s Robert Jornavayvaz, Jr. by 10 points.
The fan-favorite reining competition was judged by Mandy McCutcheon, who is the only woman and only nonpro to win $1 million in the sport. Amongst the whoops and hollers, Flintfield Horse Park’s Mary Ann Grant was victorious, beating out FarmVet’s Ashley Holzer in a close class separated by only a few points.
Judged by Courtney King-Dye and EAF recipient Rick Albertson, the dressage competition was set to fun country-western songs and judged on creativity and originality.
It was FarmVet’s Candice King who stole the show again. And as she entered the arena, no one doubted which team she was rooting for on Super Bowl Sunday! Riding to the tune of “Go Big Blue,” King rode into the arena with her own set of cheerleaders, and started her test by passing the football. She did a great impersonation of winning quarter back Eli Manning, complete with football helmet, jersey and shoulder pads! One guest was overheard saying, “I didn’t know Eli could ride so well!”
“The EAF is an excellent example of how the equestrian community is there for each other! Great riders, staff, and countless workers all volunteered their time for the help of equestrians needing help,” said Dye. “It was not only a great cause, it was a blast! I awarded the FarmVet Team an extremely high score simply because they showed the team spirit that embodied the night, full with cheerleaders in honor of Super Bowl night!”
MeadowView’s Nicki Simpson earned second, riding to “Save a horse, ride a cowboy.”
Umpired by Marcelo Cabeza of MAC Polo on his pink, polo wrap-clad connemara, the teams battled it out over two seven-minute chukkers. Flintfields Horse Park beat FarmVet in the first match and Palm Beach Equine Clinic edged out MeadowView in the second. Flintfields Horse Park won the polo with the highest score.
With all the points totaled from each discipline, it was Team FarmVet with the victory for the second year in a row!
“I am very excited about the success of the event and how many people showed up to support EAF. I look forward to 2013,” said Currey of FarmVet.
The Sponsors
During the competition guests enjoyed the Taste of Charity. Hand-selected specialty entrees were served from the area’s best restaurants and caterers, including Oli’s Fashion Cuisine, International Polo Club, IPC Catering, The Grille Fashion Cuisine, Pangea Grill, Field of Greens, Four Seasons Resort – Palm Beach, Graffito, Agliolio, Beef Wellington, Taylor Made Catering, I’m Greek Today, Top Notch Caterers and Cupcake Cottage.
Gold sponsors include, H n’ D Stables, Goshen Hill Farm, Missy Luczak Smith and Doug Smith, and Air and Power Solutions. Silver sponsors include, Ben and Dawn Adams, HorseShow.com, Van Kampen Boyer Molinari Foundation, Diamante Farms, Tom Wright, Horse Show World, and Empire Marcel. Bronze sponsors include, Margaret H. Duprey, Visse Wedell, Justin Sadrian and Lee Kellogg, Bryan Baldwin, Wood Run Farms, Horses and the Handicapped, Stone Hill Farm, Keller Williams Realty, Debbie Banas, Haven Safe Farm, and Hunt Ltd.
Event sponsors also included Polo Gear; ESI-Equestrian Services International, LLC; TentLogix; Party Tables; Hampton Inn; Palm Beach Parking & Valet Service; Dade Paper; Grill Dome; and Dever Golf Car Sales & Rentals.
The competition was managed by Premier Sport Services. The Tetrathlon event is managed and produced by Sean O’Keefe Events, which specializes in creating signature fundraising events for nonprofits. Visit www.seanokeefeevents.com.
The Teams
MeadowView & The Riggio Family
Seth Ingram
Nicki Simpson
Katherine Bateson Chandler
Nic Roldan
FarmVet
Whistle Uys
Candice King
Ashley Holzer
Christian Currey
Flintfields Horse Park
Carlos Gracida, Jr.
Nick Dello Joio
Mary Ann Grant
Lisa Jacquin
Palm Beach Equine Clinic
Robert Jornayvaz, Jr.
Francisco Zamudio
Juan Matute, Jr.
Jon Ingram
About the Equestrian Aid Foundation: In 1996 the Equestrian AIDS Foundation was established to assist those with HIV/Aids. Recognizing a broader need, the organization changed its name to the Equestrian Aid Foundation and revised its mission. Its mission is to assist anyone in the equestrian world suffering from life threatening illnesses and catastrophic injuries by providing financial assistance for their medical or other basic needs. It is a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization that provides grant recipients funding for medical, healthcare, rehabilitation and essential expenses, such as housing and food, throughout their time of need. Learn more at www.equestrianaidfoundation.org, www.facebook.com/EAF.Ride4Hope or @ride4hope.
Contact: Sheryl Kursar
skursar@gmail.com or 704.650.1604