Elizabeth Towell Boyd and Brunello won the Sanctuary High Performance Working Hunter division during the fifth week of the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival. Louise Serio and Castle Rock (pictured) won the title during week six. (Photo courtesy of Sportfot)
Wellington, FL (February 24, 2011) – The Sanctuary at PBIEC, the new world-class full horse therapy and conditioning center located on the Winter Equestrian Festival show grounds, honored two High Performance Working Hunter champions during the fifth and sixth weeks of the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival. Elizabeth Towell Boyd and Brunello rode away as the High Performance Working Hunter Champions during week five and Louise Serio and Castle Rock captured the High Performance title during week six.
Boyd and Serio are well known in the show world and both have long resumes attesting to their success in the hunter ring. Boyd, who owns Brunello with Janet Peterson, works out of her family’s Finally Farm in South Carolina. Brunello, a 13-year-old Hanoverian gelding, is a veteran hunter who Boyd said she reserves for big classes. In 2010, Boyd and Brunello won the WCHR Palm Beach Hunter Classic Spectacular.
Serio and Castle Rock, week six winners of The Sanctuary High Performance Working Hunter Championship, showed the hunter world how to stay on top when they won the 2011 WCHR Palm Beach Hunter Classic Spectacular under the lights in the International Arena at PBIEC. Castle Rock, a 12-year-old KWPN Dutch Warmblood gelding by Corland, is one of the country’s leading hunters.
OCALA, FL (February 23, 2011) – What do you get when you mix beautiful weather, talented horsemen, first-class facilities, exciting events and fabulous prize money? The answer is simple: HITS Ocala! The Ocala Winter Festival marked the second AA rated week of show jumping in the ‘Sunshine State’.
The two Grand Prix and weekly Devoucoux Hunter Prix saw record-breaking entries this week. In Thursday’s $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, Kent Farrington (above right) of Chicago, Illinois, emerged as the winner out of what was then a record 48 starters, aboard Up Chiqui, owned by William Dobbs, Alex Boone and Farrington. Thursday’s track proved challenging, as only five returned for the jump-off. Sunday’s $50,000 class set a new record three days later with 50 entries, as Andre Thieme of Germany and Cesar won their first Grand Prix of the season. Despite the bigger entries and challenges on Sunday’s course, 12 talented teams advanced to the jump-off for an exciting conclusion. Thieme also picked up the third place ribbon aboard his own Uvalier, while German native Matthias Hollberg, now of Apex, North Carolina, was second aboard Apex Equestrian Center’s Wadisson. Both Farrington and Thieme are aiming to qualify for the 2011 Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix on September 11 in Saugerties, New York.
$10,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix The Devoucoux Hunter Prix has been the premier hunter event each week throughout the circuit, and Sunday’s outstanding $10,000 event showed just how eager the hunter riders are to qualify for the Diamond Mills $500,000 3’3″ Hunter Prix Final on September 10-11 in Saugerties, New York, as 70 riders tracked the course. Standing tall at the end of the $10,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix was High-Performance rider Tracey Fenney of Flower Mound, Texas. Fenney, who is one of the all-time leading Grand Prix riders at HITS Ocala, was delighted to show her skills in the hunters aboard Mr. and Mrs. Ken MacKenzie’s MTM La Costa. Second place was awarded to standout junior Meg O’Mara aboard Walk the Line, owned by Don Stewart and O’Mara. The duo had a successful week at the Ocala Winter Festival, picking up two first place ribbons in the Large Junior Hunter 16-17 division, which helped earn them the Reserve Champion honors. Rounding out the top three was professional rider Kate Conover of Ocala, Florida aboard Doreen Toben’s Black Tie Affair.
The 2011 National Horse Show will be held at the new Alltech Indoor Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY. Photo Courtesy of Alltech.
New York, NY – February 23, 2011 – The National Horse Show Association of America, Limited (NHSAA) is pleased to announce that it will be hosting the ASPCA Alfred B. Maclay Finals as well as a full complement of hunters and jumpers in 2011. These exciting events will be held November 2-6, 2011, at the new Alltech Indoor Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY. For the past five years, the ASPCA Alfred B. Maclay Finals have been held at the Syracuse Invitational Sporthorse Tournament in Syracuse, NY. After lengthy discussions with the top professionals in the hunter and equitation divisions, the National Horse Show determined that it is in the best interest of the sport, equitation division, and the Maclay to relocate the competition to a new venue.
The Board of Directors for the National Horse Show is looking forward to a bright future at the Kentucky Horse Park. “We’re very fortunate that Syracuse gave us a home until we could sort things out. It was a great stepping stone for what is going to be the future of the National Horse Show,” noted President Mason Phelps, Jr. “It is certainly our desire to make the National Horse Show in Kentucky as similar to Madison Square Garden as possible. The very first objective is to do the best we can by the Maclay Finals.”
“The Kentucky Horse Park is honored to be the new site of the National Horse Show’s ASPCA Maclay Finals,” said Kentucky Horse Park Executive Director John Nicholson. “I am personally elated and we are committed to do all that we can to make the show worthy of its grand history.”
Weatherly Stroh and Sigfried Top $5,000 WCHR Amateur-Owner 3’3″ Hunter Classic Spectacular
Wellington, FL – February 19, 2011 – The Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Series Classic was held today, and it was Marie Hecart (FRA) on Babbe van’t Roosakker, owned by Haras de la Rogue, who were the fastest double clear combination. They won the sixth event in the Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Series, which will award $50,000 in rider bonus money at the end of the series.
The FTI Winter Equestrian Festival’s sixth week of competition continues through Sunday, February 20. Week six, sponsored by Fidelity Investments, will feature the $50,000 G&C Farm Palm Beach Jumping Derby on Sunday at 3 p.m. at The Stadium. The 2011 WEF will continue through April 3 and award more than $6 million in prize money.
There were 34 entries in today’s 1.50m classic, and seven of those were able to find the clear round over a course designed by Steve Stephens of Palmetto, FL. Hecart and Babbe van’t Roosakker, a 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare by Kannan, were able to keep a quick pace and efficient turns for the fastest clear jump-off ride in 39.496 seconds.
Olivia Esse and Small Affair Win WCHR Junior/Amateur-Owner Palm Beach Hunter Classic Spectacular
Wellington, FL – February 20, 2011 – Glen Senk did more than steal the show this morning as fifty-three entries came out for a chance to win the title in the Peggy Cone Memorial WCHR Adult Hunter Classic. Senk had a total of four entries in the class, all of which placed in the top twelve. Senk’s newest mount, Another Place, took top honors in the class with an average score of 83.5 in the first round and 85.5 in the second round.
Senk, and his own Fashion Farm, recently purchased Another Place, an eight-year-old Holsteiner gelding by Carano, through his trainer Scott Stewart. This week marks only the fifth time that Another Place has shown in competition. “He’s the sweetest, gentlest, kindest animal,” beamed Senk about his new horse.
Senk went on to place third on his own mount Declaration, a nine-year-old Westphalian gelding by Collin-L. He was awarded sixth on another of his mounts, Blessed. Blessed is a seven-year-old Holsteiner mare by Limotas. Senk’s fourth ride, Highland Park, also owned by Senk’s Fashion Farm, was awarded the eleventh place award. Highland Park is a twelve-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding by Welt Hit II.
Gulfport, MS — Feb 20, 2011 — A Cajun expression Lagniappe (lan-yap), “small extra gift”, describes best what Mother Nature left as a token on her visit to the Gulf Coast Winter Classics. Not only did temps continue to heat up, but so did the rivalry for supremacy in both the Hunter and Jumper divisions.
Beginning in the Hunter Divisions where for the second week several of the top horse-rider combinations turned in stellar performances. Holly Shepherd of Grand Bay, AL rode Figaro B for owner Linda Bobrik to the Championship in the 1st Year Green Working and top place in the USHJA Hunter Classic, while Hillsboro, VA based Tom Brennan picked up the tri colors in the 2nd Year Green Working aboard Lynn Rice’s Purple Heart. And taking the Championship title in the High Performance Hunters for week two was Cincinnati, OH resident Sarah Mechlin paired with Olivia Weaver’s agreeable horse Yes Indeed.
Over in the jumper rings the theme was “Les Bon Temps Rouler”, let the good times roll, and in Friday afternoon’s Lucky Sevens Welcome Stake Wilhelm Genn of Lebanon, OH kept on enjoying the good times with his mount Copyright 3 taking the victory.
Wellington, FL – February 18, 2011 – Louise Serio and Castle Rock earned a victory in the WCHR Palm Beach Hunter Classic Spectacular on Friday evening at the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival following two beautiful rounds of competition. After two weeks of qualifying competition, only the top horses and riders had the opportunity to compete in a fantastic class held under the bright lights of the impressive International Arena at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center.
Ken Krome of Maryland designed the course for this evening’s class. A total of 25 entries began the competition in round one and the top eight were then invited to return for a second round course. Finishing in first place, Louise Serio of Kennett Square, PA, rode Bryan Baldwin’s Castle Rock to the win with her two round total of 177.62. The pair finished round one in third place with a score of 87.12, and then earned the class high score of 90.50 in round two to move to the top of the field.
Scott Stewart and Krista Weisman’s Reality held on to their second place position in both rounds one and two, earning an 88.50 and an 88.37 for a total score of 176.87.
Wellington, FL – February 17, 2011 – The 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival continued on Thursday with World Champion Hunter Rider (WCHR) hunter competition at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. All of the rated professional hunter divisions concluded today and awarded championship honors for week six. Champion and reserve champion horses will qualify to compete in the WCHR Palm Beach Hunter Classic Spectacular on Friday evening, showcasing the hunters on an international stage.
No surprise as a qualifier for Friday night’s classic, four-time WCHR Professional Champion Scott Stewart earned multiple championship awards today with his string of talented horses. Stewart dominated the First Year Green Hunter division, earning the championship aboard Inclusive and the reserve championship aboard Reality, owned by Krista Weisman. Inclusive, an eight-year-old Warmblood gelding, finished first in both classes over fences today and earned first and second place ribbons on Wednesday. Reality, an eight-year-old Mecklenberg stallion by D’Olympic, earned second in both classes today and placed third on Wednesday.
Stewart first rode Inclusive to victory in the Future Hunter division at the 2010 Capital Challenge Horse Show this past fall and expects great things from the horse this year. Along with showing in the First Years with Stewart, Inclusive also competes in the Large Junior Hunter 15 and Under division with rider Victoria Colvin and has earned championship honors with both riders.
The Gulf Coast Winter Series started today and WLOX, the local television station, came out and was live at our event. If you would like to watch the short video please click here: http://www.wlox.com/global/Category.asp?c=194069. We are the third video on the left.
We have posted a new schedule on our webpage for the Gulf Coast Winter Classic I. The changes were minor but because we produce our prize list in the fall and then the annual meetings of USHJA and USEF are in December and January we sometimes must make adjustments to new rules.
Just a second reminder for some other changes…
1. We will offer a non restricted 1.0m Children’s Adult Jumper section because of the new zone specs.
2. We will offer a Walk, Walk Trot, and Crossrails classes that will follow the short stirrup in the schedule.
If you still have not reserved your stalls please call us ASAP because we are putting up more stalls on Monday and I am sure that will be the last visit from our tent man. Call 228.832.9255 for reservations.
Donna Miller and ArdCeltic Art. Photo courtesy Donna Miller.
Lexington, KY – Each year at the United States Equestrian Federation Horse of the Year awards dinner, two Connemara Ponies are honored with special awards from the American Connemara Pony Society for excellence in USEF eventing and hunter competitions.
The McKenna Trophy is awarded in memory of Joan McKenna, and is presented to the high scoring purebred or halfbred Connemara competing in USEF eventing competitions at the Preliminary level or above. This year the McKenna Trophy was presented to ArdCeltic Art owned by Donna Miller of Alpharetta, GA. In 2010, ArdCeltic Art successfully competed at the Preliminary level with his owner, and also won in his debut in Intermediate with Clark Montgomery in the irons.
The Clifden Trophy, donated by D. J. Moore and Laura Balding, is given to the high scoring purebred or halfbred Connemara competing in USEF Pony Hunter divisions. The trophy was awarded again this year to Micaela Kennedy’s First Kiss. First Kiss was shown throughout 2010 with much success by Will Kennedy, Ashley Foster, Brianna Sims, Taylor Curry, Emily Hartley and Matthew Sassmannhausen.
Congratulations to both Connemaras on these outstanding achievements! For more information regarding the Clifden and McKenna trophies, please visit www.acps.org or contact Mary Vance at mvance@usef.org or (859) 225-6951.
