Lexington, KY – Oct. 24, 2018 – The 2018 National Horse Show promises to be thrilling with top notch international competition! Adding to the excitement will be the participation of 2018 World Equestrian Games Gold Medal athletes, McLain Ward, Laura Kraut, Devin Ryan, Adrienne Sternlicht, and Beezie Madden. Team USA performed in top fashion during the World Equestrian Games, which was held at the Tryon International Equestrian Center in September. Athletes who participated in the games are ones that are well-known throughout the equestrian community, especially now as they bring home the first ever WEG team gold medal for the United States. However, they have also been familiar faces at the National Horse Show for many years.
Last year’s Leading Lady Rider title, as well as Leading Open Jumper Rider, was claimed by Laura Kraut after she successfully won the $35,000 Welcome Speed class aboard St. Bride’s Farm’s chestnut mare, Whitney. In 2017, Kraut also had a top 10 finish in the $250,000 Longines Grand Prix, where Devin Ryan finished fifth, and Adrienne Sternlicht sixth. Kraut was integral in assuring team USA’s gold medal success as she delivered multiple clear rounds throughout the week and finished 10th overall individually.
Reserve athlete, Beezie Madden, piloted HHS Hercules to the victory in the $35,000 Salamander Resorts & Hotels Accumulator class in 2017, while Kraut was close on her heels in second place, and Devin Ryan secured third. Madden was also third in the $130,000 CP Grand Prix in 2017. Madden is known for her terrific display of athleticism with Cortes C in the 2014 $250,000 Canadian Pacific Grand Prix. She secured her place as part of the 2018 WEG team at the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final earlier this year, as she emerged victorious all three days of competition.
Fan favorite McLain Ward has also been successful in the Alltech Arena during recent years. In 2012, he captured the victory in the $250,000 Alltech Grand Prix. He was then featured as a judge for the 2014 ASPCA Maclay Finals. Ward rode to fifth place in the 2016 $250,000 Longines FEI World Cup ™ Jumping Lexington and continued to move up the ranks to become the 2017 Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping champion. In the lead up to the World Equestrian Games he has embarked on a journey that has included grand prix victories, including the $250,000 Sapphire Grand Prix of Devon for the tenth year in a row as well as capturing the $382,000 Longines Grand Prix of New York during the Longines Masters of New York. Ward finished fourth behind teammates Beezie Madden and Devin Ryan at the 2018 Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final. At this year’s WEG in one of the most nail-biting finals, Ward pulled off a spectacular jump-off with Clinta to secure the team gold for USA over Sweden. His performance throughout the week delivered him a top five individual medal as well.
Young star Adrienne Sternlicht has competed at the National Horse Show as both a junior and professional and captured her first victory at the National Horse Show in 2015 when she won the Show Jumping Hall of Fame Jumper Classic Series Final. As Ward’s student, she has always been hot on his heels and finished only two spots below him in the 2016 $250,000 Longines FEI World Cup ™ Jumping Lexington. As the youngest on the team, Sternlicht acquired her first WEG medal and held an impressive 11th place in the overall standings out of the 124 competitors.
2018 was unquestionably a break out year for Devin Ryan. His string of success included a one-two punch to emerge victorious in the $35,000 CSI3* Longines World Ranking Class at Live Oak International and secured the U.S. to both first and second place by winning the reserve at the 2018 Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final. Last year, Ryan had multiple top ten finishes the National Horse Show including a 3rd place finish in the $35,000 Salamander Accumulator Class, 5th place in the $250,000 Longines FEI World Cup ™ Jumping Lexington, and an 8th place in the $130,000 CP Grand Prix.
Kent Farrington and Waomi Capture $85,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic; Sophie Gochman and Elation Finish Week 11 as the Visse Wedell, Douglas Elliman Real Estate Small Pony Hunter Champions
Wellington, FL – March 22, 2015 – The 2015 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) concluded its eleventh week of competition, sponsored by Artisan Farms LLC, with jumper competition featured on the grass derby field at The Stadium at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) on Sunday. The $50,000 Artisan Farms Under 25 Grand Prix Final, presented by The Dutta Corp. in association with Guido Klatte, saw a win for Adrienne Sternlicht aboard Quidam MB and crowned Lucy Deslauriers the overall winner of the 2015 Series. The $85,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic was held later in the day with a win for Kent Farrington (USA) and Waomi.
Starting off Sunday’s competition on the derby field, 33 entries jumped in the $50,000 Artisan Farms Under 25 Grand Prix Series Final, with nine clear over Olaf Petersen, Jr.’s course. In the jump-off, Sternlicht and Starlight Farms LLC’s Quidam MB were the winners with the only double clear round in 48.49 seconds. Catherine Tyree and Don’t Go had the fastest four-fault round in 44.49 seconds to finish in second place, and Kelli Cruciotti and Serenity Equestrian Ventures LLC’s Chamonix H placed third with four faults in 44.71 seconds.
Sternlicht (21), a sophomore at Brown University, trains with U.S. show jumper Laura Kraut. Her mount, Quidam MB, is a ten-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Quidam’s Rubin x Argentinus).
“He is a horse that is incredibly special to me,” Sternlicht stated. “I bought him as a seven-year-old and started him at the 1.20m level and have moved him up. I think we have really grown together, and I think that is part of what makes our partnership so strong. He is definitely a little bit spunky, but I really know him like the back of my hand. I said to him, ‘Come on, we have to do this,’ and he really pulled through for me today, so I am incredibly happy with him.”
Second place finisher Catherine Tyree (21) is a sophomore at Northwestern University, and trains with North Run’s Missy Clark and John Brennan. Tyree was aboard her 13-year-old Oldenburg stallion Don’t Go (Come On x Raphel).
“I have aimed Don’t Go at these classes all circuit. He loves different venues,” Tyree noted. “He is amazing on the field, and he was great under the lights. He is one I can always count on; he always gives me 110%. I gave it a good shot in the jump-off today. He did everything I asked. I got a little bit unlucky. It was my fault, but I am thrilled with how he has been all circuit and could not have asked for any more.”
Kelli Cruciotti (17) has done well in the series all winter with her 14-year-old Swedish Warmblood mare Chamonix H, including a win in the speed class during week two. She was happy with her round to earn third place in Sunday’s Final.
“She (Chamonix H) has been unbelievable this whole circuit. I could not have asked her to jump any better for me,” Cruciotti praised. “Every class I have asked her to do, she has really tried her heart out. This is more her venue. She loves big, open fields and big jumps, so this class and this course really suited her style of jumping. I was a little unlucky to the last jump. I kind of took a chance. Unfortunately it did not work out for me today, but congratulations to Adrienne.”
Sunday’s class was the final event in the 2015 Artisan Farms Under 25 Grand Prix Series, which also awarded top prizes for its overall standings after the competition. New York’s Lucy Deslauriers was the series winner for her performance throughout the winter. Nicole Bellissimo finished second overall and Catherine Tyree was third. Mavis Spencer placed fourth in the standings, and Eugenio Garza and Sophie Simpson completed the top six.
As the overall winning rider, Deslauriers received a Bruno Delgrange saddle valued at $6,000, and are invited to compete at the CSI2* Chantilly Horse Show, to be held from July 16-19, 2015, in France. In addition to their entry, the winner also receives two tickets to the Chantilly VIP lounge, transportation for one horse generously provided by The Dutta Corp. in association with Guido Klatte, and layover at Artisan Farms in Vrasene, Belgium.
Fifteen-year-old Deslauriers has had a fantastic week, including a win in Friday night’s George H. Morris Excellence in Equitation Championship, presented by Alessandro Albanese. On Saturday night, she was then presented The Potcreek Meadow Farm Junior Sportsmanship Trophy.
Deslauriers rode Hester on Sunday, a mount that she has had for two years. She was thrilled to win the series and looks forward to her first time competing in Europe as her prize.
“It is really amazing. He has been super consistent, so I am really just excited to win,” Deslauriers smiled. “I have had him since the beginning of his eight-year-old year, so we have really developed a strong partnership. I knew going into today he would give me everything I asked and more, and he really did. He really jumped incredible, so I am really excited.”
Nicole Bellissimo (21), a Sophomore at Harvard University, was leading the series coming into Sunday’s competition with her mare VDL Bellefleur, and finished out the winter in second place overall. She was happy to see her young mare’s progression and consistency throughout the circuit.
“She is nine this year and I have had her since the end of her six-year-old year, so we have definitely developed a nice partnership,” Bellissimo stated. “Last year I showed her as an eight-year-old in these classes. Last year it was not so much to go in and win the classes. She did win the semi-final, but that was because she was the only double clear, we were not really trying to go fast. This year our plan was to try to go in and be competitive and she was absolutely fantastic the entire series. Today I could have helped her a little more, but she could not have done any more. We got a little unlucky, but Lucy rode fantastic the entire series.”
Now in its fifth year, the popular Artisan Farms Under 25 Grand Prix Series was expanded to feature more classes, increased prize money, and new ‘Under 25’ sanctioning by the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) and the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) in 2015. Open to competitors of all nationalities aged 25 and under, the Series gives up and coming riders the opportunity to compete under FEI rules while also gaining valuable grand prix experience against their peers. With varying conditions offered for each class, riders have the opportunity to compete at a height of 1.45m on grass, all-weather footing, under the lights at night, and in team competition, all of which are important elements that competitors will face as their international careers progress. This year’s series, comprised of seven events, attracted riders from around the world competing for $170,000 in prize money.
Sponsor Carlene Ziegler of Artisan Farms was pleased to see the development of all the riders in the series this year and congratulated the top competitors on their success.
“It is really great. Every year has been bigger and bigger. We had a lot of prize money this year and a lot of opportunity for different classes, and it has been exciting to see the consistency and see so many good rounds put in by all these riders,” Ziegler stated. “I just want to congratulate all of them. I am so impressed with what they have been able to do, and I wish them all the best of luck as they move up to the senior grand prix ranks. I am excited to have Lucy come to Europe for the summer. We will put her up at Artisan if she wants to. It is really fun to (ride at) Chantilly, and it is a really special opportunity, so congratulations.”
All of the top riders spoke to the experiences that the series has given them, including the chance to compete in different venues with different horses as well as the opportunity to get to know their fellow competitors.
“I could not be more grateful for the opportunity that the Ziegler family and Artisan Farms has given the young riders,” Tyree stated. “It is great to have a series where you can experiment with different types of classes and different venues. It has been a great stepping-stone from the junior and amateur ranks, bridging into the international open jumper level, so I could not be more thankful for being able to participate in these classes.”
“It is also a fantastic opportunity to give the horses experience,” Bellissimo remarked. “You can take one horse to go in the smaller ring, or the main international ring, or jump on the field. If you want to get to know one horse more, it gives you the opportunity to test them out in every single venue during one circuit, or you can show a couple different horses if you know one is better in one situation. It is fantastic for anything that you really want to do. As a young rider also, as you head to different venues for the summer, it is great to see what you need to improve or where you are going to excel.”
For Sternlicht, the opportunity to get to know the other riders has been a great experience, and she has felt camaraderie with the other competitors in the series this year.
“I think what is really amazing that this series has done, is it has started to create a sort of niche community (in America) among the under 25 riders that I don’t think was present until now. Last summer I had the opportunity to compete on the U.S. Young Rider Team at Hagen, and you felt a sort of kinship among all of the different competitors,” Sternlicht noted. “They see each other all the time, and they know each other and it is very competitive. For that I am incredibly grateful.”
Deslauriers agreed, adding, “I think it really creates a separate group that was not really in place before. It is amazing that the Zieglers have stepped up and been so generous to provide such an amazing series for us.”
Farrington and Waomi Win $85,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic
Competing on the grass field at The Stadium at PBIEC on Sunday, USA’s Kent Farrington won the $85,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic aboard Amalaya Investment’s Waomi. To conclude the eleventh week of WEF competition, 36 entries showed over Olaf Petersen, Jr.’s course, with five clear rounds to jump-off. Farrington qualified two horses, first and last to go on the short course.
Kent Farrington and Waomi
Farrington began the jump-off with what would prove to be the winning round aboard Waomi, clear in 38.18 seconds. Ben Asselin (CAN) and Attache Stables Doremi retuned with four faults in 42.20 seconds to place fifth. Darragh Kenny (IRL) jumped next with Caroline Lloyd’s Sans Soucis Z, clear in 40.15 seconds, to finish third. Harrie Smolders (NED) followed in 38.99 seconds aboard Axel Verlooy’s Enjoy Louis to move into second place. Last to go, Farrington returned aboard Amalaya Investment’s Willow with a clear round in 40.42 seconds to also earn fourth place honors.
“Today was a nice change of pace coming out to the field,” Farrington stated after his win. “I personally love riding on the grass. It is a more natural footing, and I think the horses like it. It was a great change of scenery, and I thought the footing here was excellent today. You could not have asked for a better setting than this.”
Farrington has had success with both Waomi and Willow in the 1.50m series this winter, among other top finishes throughout the circuit. Waomi won the $85,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic during week seven, and two weeks later, Willow won the class in week nine. Farrington described the two horses, as well as his plan for each of their jump-off rounds. Waomi is a 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare (Lupicor x Boreas), and Willow is a 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Guidam x Little Rock).
“Willow is really a hot horse. He is on the attack all the time, and I kind of have to throttle him down and try to keep his brain calm so that he does not get ahead of himself,” Farrington noted. “That is sort of where his rail will come, when he does not slow down to jump the fence. He just gets too much in a hurry.”
“Waomi is a very careful mare that sort of has her own style,” he continued. “She is an opinionated lady, and she wants to go the way she wants to go.”
“To start with Waomi, I thought there were fast riders coming after me, and I would have to lay down a pretty good trip to be in contention to win today,” Farrington said of the jump-off. “I thought she went great. She did everything I asked her to do and luckily that was enough for today.”
“Having the fortune of going last on my second horse, I actually thought it was nice training for him to do a jump-off not at full speed,” Farrington explained. “I have run him in a lot of classes here and gone very fast, so today I could kind of glide around the course and set him up for the next class I am going to do with him.”
Farrington plans to rest Willow next week to show in Miami at the conclusion of the WEF circuit. Waomi will return to compete in week 12.
Sophie Gochman and Elation Finish Week 11 as the Visse Wedell, Douglas Elliman Real Estate Small Pony Hunter Champions
On the final day of hunter competition for WEF 11, Sophie Gochman rode Dr. Betsee Parker’s pony, Elation, to the tricolor ribbon in the Visse Wedell, Douglas Elliman Real Estate Small Pony Hunters. Elation and Gochman won two of the over fences classes on their way to the winner’s circle. “I’m thankful that Betsee [Parker] lets me ride her wonderful pony,” Gochman smiled after the championship presentation.
With Applause and Zayna Rizvi ended Sunday as reserve champions in the division. Rizvi piloted With Applause to a first and fifth over fences, paired with a win in the under saddle.
Gochman started riding Elation six months ago and started showing Elation at the beginning of WEF. “We have gotten to know each other over the past six months,” Gochman stated. “She [Elation] acts like a diva at the barn and is always looking for carrots, but around the ring she is always game, which makes her very fun to ride.”
Despite being a little fresh in the first class, Elation came back for the Handy round and turned in the top performance of the day. Gochman explained, “In the handy she was on it and overall she was great both days.”
“I’m lucky to have such great trainers, Scott [Stewart], Ken [Berkley], and Amanda [Derbyshire], to help coach me at the ring,” Gochman said.
Only 12 years old, Gochman enjoys the competitive environment at WEF. “I feel like I have a challenge going into the ring because the competition is so good,” Gochman commented.
Gochman lives in New York City and flies down to Wellington on weekends to compete, along with her mother and sister. While Gochman has competed in the pony hunters past years, she has recently started showing in the 3’3″ Junior Hunters and the Children’s Jumpers.
The 2015 Winter Equestrian Festival continues with its twelfth and final week of competition, sponsored by Rolex, on March 25-29. The week features the $500,000 Rolex Grand Prix CSI 5* on Saturday, March 28. Other highlights include $34,000 1.45m FEI world ranking classes on Wednesday and Thursday, as well as the $50,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 12 on Thursday. The $10,000 Holtgers 5-Year-Old Young Jumper Classic, $15,000 Adequan® 6-Year-Old Young Jumper Classic, and $20,000 Adequan® 7-Year-Old Young Jumper Classic will be featured on Friday. The $100,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic Final will be held on Saturday, and the $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby will host its first round on Saturday and its second round on the derby field Sunday. For full results and more information, please visit www.pbiec.com.
Lauren Fisher and Maddy Stover for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
Wellington, FL – January 8, 2014 – Equestrian Sport Productions hosted the first day of competition for the 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) on Wednesday with a full schedule of hunter, jumper and equitation competition at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, FL. The day kicked off with a win in the International Arena for 20-year-old Adrienne Sternlicht (USA) of Greenwich, CT, riding Quidam MB in the $8,000 G&C Farm 1.45m. Canadian Olympic Gold Medalist Eric Lamaze also got a win on the first day of competition in the $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m jump-off class with Zigali P S. Alexander Zetterman (SWE) won the $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m speed round aboard Canora.
Week one of the 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival, sponsored by The Mar-a-Lago Club, runs through Sunday, January 12. The week’s highlights include the $75,000 Nespresso Battle of the Sexes on Saturday, January 11, as well as the $30,000 Mar-a-Lago Club Grand Prix, which will be held on Sunday, January 12. The FTI WEF features 12 weeks of world-class competition through March 30, 2014, awarding close to $8 million in prize money.
Eric Hasbrouck is the course designer in the International Arena at PBIEC for week one competition. Hasbrouck saw 20 competitors over his $8,000 G&C Farm 1.45m speed track in the morning with seven clear rounds. Adrienne Sternlicht and Quidam MB secured the win with their time of 66.192 seconds. Shane Sweetnam (IRL) and Spy Coast Farm LLC’s Baldev finished second with their time of 67.670 seconds. Lauren Hough (USA) and Reconnaissance, owned by Laura and Meredith Mateo, went first in the class and set the pace with their time of 68.575 seconds and eventually finished third. Jimmy Torano (USA) and Ben Maher’s Dolores MB had the fourth place time of 69.997 seconds.
Adrienne Sternlicht has owned Quidam MB, a nine-year-old Oldenburg gelding by Quidam’s Rubin x Argentinus, for two years now. The pair started in the Low Amateur-Owner Jumpers and then moved up to the High division last year. They have now taken the next step, and started off the 2014 FTI WEF circuit with an exciting 1.45m win. They also topped the High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic at last week’s Holiday Finale horse show.
“I got down here last week and he showed Saturday in the Highs and won that class and then today he was fantastic,” Sternlicht noted. “It is really exciting (to win the first class). I was hurt last season, so we are really starting out on a good note. I didn’t ride that much in high school, but now I get to practice a lot. Now it is really about setting the right pace for me, so it is a great start.”
Sternlicht trains with Linda Langmeier as well as U.S. Olympic Team Gold Medalist Laura Kraut. She was very excited to win Wednesday’s class over many top international riders, including Kraut.
“It is fantastic,” Sternlicht smiled. “I am definitely an amateur rider. I am just starting to move up and be competitive at this level, and I have started to get a bit of experience at the grand prix level. I sit and watch everything, even when I’m not here. I can learn a lot from watching the riders in the schooling area as well.”
Sternlicht had the advantage of watching the top rounds before her on Wednesday and was able to plan her ride a little bit. She took note of what Shane Sweetnam had done, as he was leading the class before her round.
“I really just tried to think about the right pace from jump one to two so that he didn’t get too hung up at two, and then just carrying a fluid pace throughout the round,” Sternlicht explained. “I wasn’t necessarily focused on winning, but he went in and was so good at the start, so I just kind of kept going. We were wondering whether to do six or seven strides in the last line and he has such a big stride and tends to drift right, but the six really just kind of honed in on itself. That is really what I took from watching Shane’s ride.”
Speaking more about Quidam MB, Sternlicht stated, “He just turned nine, and we are finally starting to call on him, so I’m really excited. He is a really special horse. He is very careful and has a huge stride, so I tend to worry about less things on him and just kind of let him do his job.”
Sternlicht hopes to move up to some bigger classes with Quidam MB during this year’s FTI WEF circuit. She will also compete with some of her more seasoned horses, such as S&L Slingback. She will compete during the first few weeks of FTI WEF and then commute back and forth between school (she is a Sophomore at Brown University). Sternlicht began showing in Wellington at a young age and has seen the show grow a lot. She looks forward to a great season.
“I did a lot of ponies and then took a break in high school, but I have been coming here for probably about ten years and the facility keeps getting better,” the rider acknowledged. “It is really remarkable, and my horses are all really happy, so we are very happy to be here.”
Canadian Olympic Gold Medalist Eric Lamaze rode to a one-two finish in Wednesday’s $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m jump-off class out of 64 competitors. Twenty-three entries advanced to the jump-off and there were 17 double clear rounds. Lamaze won the class aboard Artisan Farms LLC’s Zigali P S in a time of 33.628 seconds. He earned second place honors with Artisan Farms LLC’s Quelmec du Gery in 34.065 seconds. Laura Kraut and Stone Hill Farm’s Wish placed third in 34.268 seconds.
The $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m speed was the final class of the day with a win for Sweden’s Alexander Zetterman aboard Canora. The class featured 37 horse and rider combinations with seven clear rounds. Zetterman and Canora finished in 60.181 seconds, well ahead of second place finishers Larua Chapot and Bradberry in 65.012 seconds. Hayley Barnhill and Cara Cheska’s Zephire placed third in 73.34 seconds.
FTI WEF week one, sponsored by The Mar-a-Lago Club, will continue on Thursday with the $25,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 1. The first hunter champions of the circuit will also be named. 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.
