Ben Maher and Diva Celebrate First Win Together at the Wellington Turf Tour’s $15,000 Friday Grand Prix
Ben Maher and Diva.
Wellington, FL – January 24, 2014 – The sun was getting low in the sky at the Ridge at Wellington as Britain’s Olympic Gold Medalist Ben Maher entered the Grand Prix Field. Aboard his most recent mount Diva, Maher, the number two ranked rider in the Longines World Rankings, tackled the track and climbed to the top of the leader board for today’s 1.40m Wellington Turf Tour. It was a moment that marked a solid beginning for the pair, their first win as a team.
The Wellington Turf Tour came home to the Ridge at Wellington for the third week of competition, and with a meticulously designed course by Kenneth Krome, the scene was set for exciting jumper action.
Sweden’s Alexander Zetterman set an early lead this morning as the first rider of the day. He piloted Canora, owned by Pine Hollow Farm, to a clear first round and then blazed around the shortened track. An unfortunate rail at the opening fence of the jump off cost him the win today, but his time of 42.806 seconds set the pace for the remaining contenders.
It was Danielle Goldstein, riding for Israel, who had the first double-clear effort. Aboard Carisma, owned by Israeli Equestrian Partners, she took a conservative approach to the obstacles, finishing in 50.175 seconds. Her lead was short lived as Irishman David Blake entered the scene.
Riding Aischa, owned by Pine Hollow Farm, Blake cleared the first round with ease and moved into the jump off. They finessed the seven efforts with ease, tripping the timer in 41.410 seconds to take over the spot at the pinnacle of the rankings.
“We have had her for about a year, and she has had really good results so far this circuit,” Blake recounted. “It is nice to bring her here, someplace different. It is a little spooky for them, probably because it is so quiet and such a large grass field. I thought it was a nice course. There is a lot of color out there, and a lot of lines. It is the perfect way to educate the horses.”
Blake laughed, “She pulled a shoe there at some stage of it, so that didn’t make it easy for her. She is a jumper, so she kept going. She went really well, even with three shoes.”
He returned to tackle the course once more with his second mount, Doma Sue, owned by Pine Hollow Farm. She is a 9-year-old that is very new to Blake, just recently out of quarantine. They proved that although their partnership may be young, the potential for more is apparent. They posted the third double clear effort of the day in 42.806 seconds.
“She is still building up and getting fit, so we are just really getting to know her,” Blake stated. “She certainly jumped really well out there today. I think she is one that is going to jump some bigger classes in the future when she gets some more experience. Definitely bringing her out here with these horses and the grass field helps to put her along that path.”
Blake’s time stayed untouched as each consecutive contender attempted to beat his pace. United States based Australian show jumper Ben Meredith fell two seconds shy of Blake’s time with a final score of zero faults in 44.664 seconds. It seemed as though it would be a win for Ireland, but Ben Maher took the gamble and came out with his new mount Diva. The international leader board only continued to grow.
In November of 2013, Tatiana Kosakova purchased Diva from a prominent breeding farm in England. The mare had been bred and raised with the same family, and proved to be an excellent jumper, all she needed was a top rider to help her shine in the show ring. Maher took the reins, and traveled to Wellington for the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF), but not without including the Wellington Turf Tour on his calendar.
“Diva is a great jumper, she is just green, and needs time,” Maher explained. “She jumped well in the 1.45m this week at WEF, but I thought it would be a nice change to see what she was like over here on the grass.”
As the penultimate rider of the day, Maher entered the competition with a bit of strategy, utilizing Diva’s careful nature and speed to his advantage. They successfully cleared the first round, moving into the short track. Since the Ridge at Wellington’s Turf Tour uses an open in-gate format, Maher did not have the advantage of seeing Blake traverse the course earlier in the day.
Maher said, “The format is different. Like any jump off, you try to do what you can do, not what you can’t.”
Diva proved that there isn’t much that she can’t do. Maher guided her through the turns with a steady stride, while using her naturally fast pace to shave the seconds. As he landed from the second to last fence, he legged her ahead to the final oxer. The seconds he cut proved crucial. As they landed from the oxer in 39.812 seconds, Maher took the lead and his first win with the new mare.
“I know she is still a green horse, so I took it a little steady through the turns. The ground was very good,” Maher described. “She is a naturally fast horse; she takes a lot of pressure because she is careful. I just rode her around and luckily today it was fast enough.”
He continued, “She can get too careful and jump too high sometimes, especially on the oxers. Every now and then, like that last fence, letting her run and stretch out and jump forward is actually, for her, not bad training at all. Maybe a few other horses, it would get them flat and careless, but it helps her. I am hoping that the circuit over the next couple of months will be the making of her, and she is going to be a good grand prix horse for us in the end.”
Jumpers should race to get their entries in for next week’s Wednesday and Friday events as The Ridge at Wellington’s $15,000 1.40m Grand Prix and 1.30-1.35m Classes head back to the International Polo Club Palm Beach for Week IV of the series.
“This series gives a lot of versatility for the three months that we are here and we will do our best to try to support these shows when we can. I am looking forward to showing at the International Polo Club, it is part of the reason why I came to show her today and see how she goes,” Maher concluded. “It seems like it will be a fun day. It is great experience for this horse because hopefully after this circuit she will do several of the Nations Cup shows behind Cella and Triple X, my other horses. It is nice to feel her in different environments.”
The stakes are increasing each week as top riders, amateur and professional, vie for their invitation to the $24,750 1.40m Invitational Grand Prix Series Finale on Saturday, March 22, 2014, as well as the coveted Leading Rider Bonus. The Wellington Turf Tour will return to the International Polo Club Palm Beach next week for its Wednesday and Friday events.
Meadowbrook Horse Transport will provide transportation to and from the horse show and other locations throughout Wellington for both the Wednesday and Friday events. The transportation is a nominal fee of $50 per horse, and will be calculated into the final show fees. To make a reservation for one of the three pickup times: 8 a.m., 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. please call Peter Tufano of Meadowbrook Horse Transport at (954) 415-7217, or call Nona Garson at (908) 500-0996.
The Wednesday and Friday events will run from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Riders are encouraged to get their entries in as soon as possible for the approaching classes. Turning in entries early will ensure that they get the time that they desire. Show Net will provide the live scoring for the Ridge Winter Tour II, as well as video all rounds. All recorded rounds and results are available at: www.shownet.biz.
The Ridge still has available sponsorships for the Invitational Series. For more information, call (908) 500-0996 or download information at http://www.theridgefarm.com.
Sponsorships are available for the $25,000 Finale, $15,000 Weekly Grand Prix, $2,000 Weekly Hospitality Text, $3,500 Show Jump Sponsor for series, $750 Ring Banner for the series and $500 Weekly Class Presenter.
All checks should be made payable to the Ridge Farm LLC.
The Ridge at Wellington Grand Prix Series
C/O Eda Tordiff
110 Edwards Rd.
Parsippany, NJ, 07054
For more information about the Ridge at Wellington, please go to http://www.theridgefarm.com. For up-to-date information, please follow the Ridge at Wellington on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Ridge-at-Wellington/219358376264.
The Ridge at Wellington Horse Show Series Fast Facts
Events:
The Ridge at Wellington Turf Tour offers their popular 1.40m Invitational Grand Prix for its second year, with an open in gate format taking place once a week at beautiful venues throughout Wellington. The Ridge at Wellington Grand Prix Finale will take place March 22, 2014.
The Turf Tour also will host 1.30m-1.35m Jumpers every Wednesday beginning January 8, 2014 and running until March 19, 2014.
Young Jumper Classes and both Children’s/Senior Jumper Classics will find their home intermittently throughout the Wellington Turf Tour.
The Ridge at Wellington offers Equitation Shows every Tuesday of the month from January – March 2013. There will also be a series of schooling shows at the Ridge at Wellington for all experience levels.
Two USHJA International Hunter Derbies will take place February 7, 2014 and March 21, 2014.
What:
The Ridge at Wellington series includes several weeks of competition throughout the Winter Season with USEF Rated Equitation Shows. This winter will also feature five two-day schooling shows. The Ridge at Wellington Turf Tour will offer 1.30m-1.35m Jumpers, 1.40m Invitational Grand Prix, Young Jumpers, Children’s/Senior Classics, and two hunter derbies.
Where:
Wolfstone Stables
3655 Middleburg Dr,
Wellington, FL 33414
Barn & Show Phone 561-791-1471 | Barn Fax 561-791-1543
When:
Wednesday, January 8, 2014 – 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Friday, January 10, 2014 – 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Hours:
8:30am – 5pm daily
Directions:
From the Florida Turnpike: Take the exit for LakeWorth Road West. Continue on Lake Worth Road approximately 6 miles to South Shore Blvd. Make a left on South Shore Blvd. Continue to the stop sign at 50th Street. Make a Right on 50th Street. Continue to Stables Way and make a right. Continue to the end of Stables Way and make a right on Palm Beach Point Blvd. Driveway to farm is 50 feet on the left.
From Route 95: Take the exit for Forest Hill Blvd West. Continue on Forest Hill Blvd to South Shore Blvd. Make a left on South Shore Blvd. Once on South Shore Blvd, continue straight at light at Pierson Road and again straight through the intersection at Lake Worth Road, to the stop sign at 50th Street. Make a Right on 50th Street. Continue to Stables Way and make a right. Continue to the end of Stables Way and make a right on Palm Beach Point Blvd. Driveway to farm is 50 feet on the left.
Information:
Before Show – (561) 791-1471, Email: RidgeShows@aol.com
During Show – Telephone: (561) 791-1471, Fax: (561) 791-1543
Text: (908) 500-0996
Website: http://www.theridgefarm.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Ridge-at-Wellington/219358376264?ref=ts&fref=ts.
Management:
Nona Garson
14415 Palm Beach Point Blvd. East
Wellington, FL, 33414
(561) 791-1471 (show office)
(908) 839-3859 (show cell)
(561) 791-1543 (show fax)
Email: RidgeShows@aol.com
Website: http://www.theridgefarm.com
Media Contact:
Phelps Media Group, Inc.
12012 South Shore Blvd.
Suite 105
Wellington, FL 33414
561-753-3389 (phone)
561-753-3386 (fax)
pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com
PhelpsMediaGroup.com
