Tag Archives: equestrian competitions

New Hope LLC Starts Season Strong with Three Championships at WEF 1

Elizabeth Morgan and As Always

Wellington, FL – January 15, 2013 – If week one serves as any indicator of how the rest of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival season will pan out, it’s going to be an extremely successful one for New Hope LLC. New Hope owners Christopher Payne and David Belford come to Wellington, FL, from Cincinnati, OH, bringing with them an impressive lineup of top horses. With only five days of showing complete, they have already captured wins across the board, and are looking forward to the remainder of the season.

Elizabeth Morgan started things off strong for New Hope Farm, riding away with the championship in the Adult Amateur 18-35 Hunters aboard As Always. Morgan and As Always, a 12-year-old bay Westphalian stallion, swept the division, winning all four over fences classes as well as the under saddle. The dynamic pair has been training together at New Hope Farm for the past four years.

“Major [As Always] is really funny,” Morgan laughed. “Although he is a stallion, he definitely doesn’t act like one at all. I bought him at the 2009 Capital Challenge, and have gotten to know him so well. He is definitely a lover; you can go into his stall and he will lick your hand; he is so sweet and gentle.”

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Opening Weekend Spells Success for Venezuela’s Emanuel Andrade

Emanuel Andrade, riding Crossfire 10, enjoyed a top 10 finish in the $25,000 Suncast 1.50m Jumper Classic. Photo Credit – Sportfot

January 15, 2013 – Wellington, Florida – Venezuela’s Emanuel Andrade opened the 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida, by earning two championship titles.

Andrade, 16, captured the Low Junior Jumper Championship title, having won the $1,500 Maria Mendelsohn Low Junior Jumper competition on Saturday, January 12, and placing second in the $10,000 Maria Mendelsohn Low Junior Jumper Classic on Sunday, January 13.  Both finishes came aboard Casanova Junior, a 14-year-old Oldenburg gelding owned by Hollow Creek Farm.

Andrade tied with Michael Hughes for the Medium Junior Jumper Championship aboard Boccaccio, owned by Hollow Creek Farm, after winning the $1,500 Hollow Creek Medium Junior Jumper class on January 12.  Andrade’s trainer, Angel Karolyi, who operates Hollow Creek Farm with business partner Andrea King, was Boccaccio’s former rider, having competed with the 12-year-old grey Belgian Warmblood gelding as part of the Venezuelan team in last year’s $75,000 G&C Farm Nations’ Cup in Wellington, FL.

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Live Oak International Returns with Driving and Show Jumping

Rodrigo Pessoa competing in the inaugural Live Oak International show jumping tournament. Photos - www.PicsOfYou.com

January 14, 2013 – Ocala, Florida – Live Oak International, the only equestrian event in North America to feature both world-class driving and show jumping, returns to Ocala, FL, from March 20 to 24, 2013.

For more than 20 years, Live Oak International has been known for its international driving competition.  This year, it will offer the highest amount of prize money of any driving event in North America.

While driving has a long history at the Live Oak International, each year improvements are made for the benefit of competitors and spectators alike.  Held in three phases, beginning with Dressage on Thursday and Friday morning, Saturday’s Driving Marathon phase is especially thrilling as carriages negotiate complex obstacles, each individually sponsored.  Last year, over 5,000 spectators enjoyed Saturday’s Driving Marathon competition, followed by the $50,000 CSI2* Grand Prix for show jumping.

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Charlie Jacobs and Flaming Star Capture $30,000 Mar-O-Lago Club Grand Prix at WEF I

Charlie Jacobs and Flaming Star. Photo By: Kenneth Kraus

East Aurora, NY and Wellington, FL – January 14, 2013 – Charlie Jacobs of Deeridge Farms took the first week of the 2013 Winter Equestrian Festival by storm on Sunday. The talented amateur rider piloted his top mount Flaming Star to an impressive victory during the $30,000 Mar-O-Lago Club Grand Prix. The pair outraced nine other double clear entries to take home the winning honors as they head into the twelve-week circuit.

Fourteen riders managed to navigate the first round of the grand prix without fault, which meant the competitors needed to be perfect in the final footrace. Jacobs showed in the middle of the pack, but knew that the time to beat would be tough. He picked up a quick gallop with Flaming Star and never looked back, shaving off seconds through each of the turns. They dashed through the finish line in 37.163 seconds, three-tenths of a second ahead of the leader to claim the top spot and eventually lead the victory gallop.

“I didn’t think I was going to catch the leader,” admitted Jacobs. “I was having discussions with my trainer about maybe taking a stride or two out in the first line. Then I elected to slow down a bit so I could make the turn quickly after jump three. Flaming Star was real catlike through one of the turns, and we just sort of sliced the next fence and kept going. Three tenths of a second split the top three, so it was really a horse race.”

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Michael Hughes Pockets SSG Riding Gloves Bonus

Michael Hughes won a $1,000 bonus from SSG Riding Gloves for wearing SSG ‘Digitals’ at the 2013 Equestrian Festival. Photo – Sportfot

January 13, 2013 – Wellington, Florida – Michael Hughes of Allendale, NJ, scored his first bonus in the SSG Riding Gloves ‘Go Clean for the Green’ promotion by winning the $10,000 High Junior Jumper Classic on Sunday, January 13, at the 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL.

Of the 21 entries in Sunday’s $10,000 High Junior Jumper Classic, 17 were wearing SSG ‘Digital’ style riding gloves to be eligible for the $1,000 cash bonus.  Nine horses qualified for the jump-off, including Hughes who posted a clear round in the winning time of 32.25 seconds riding MacArthur.

“It’s a great way to get people to wear the gloves,” said Hughes, 17, of the SSG ‘Go Clean for the Green’ promotion.  “They are great gloves.  They never seem to wear down.  Even after lots of wear, they are still totally fine.”

Coached by his father, Eamonn Hughes, Hughes is a veteran of the Junior Jumper division.  He has been riding MacArthur for the past year and, in September, competed with him in the $1 million Grand Prix in Saugerties, NY.

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Jacksonville Winter Series Week 1

Thank you to everyone who attended the NFHJA 2012 Year End Banquet.  We enjoyed wonderful food, atmosphere and camaraderie as NFHJA 2012 Year End Awards recipients were recognized and congratulated.  A special congratulations goes out to our Child and Adult Sportsmanship Awards recipients Lauren LeMasters & Peggy Fuller.  This is a notable accomplishment as they were chosen by their peers.

Week 1 of the Jacksonville Winter Series is about to kick off on Jan. 16th!  We are looking forward to seeing familiar faces and new friends.  Week 1 hospitality includes a reception in conjunction with the Welcome Class on Thursday night, courtesy of Mooseknuckles Sandwiches, our new concession vendor!  Please make plans to attend.

Please also note that a Model class will be added to all Pony & Green Pony hunter divisions, so get in your extra practice in Jax!

Feel free to email or call with any questions or for additional information.

NFHJA
Alexisgnewman@gmail.com
904.434.4073 (phone)
866.496.1626 (fax)

Wilhelm Genn and Happy Z Win $25,000 EMO Grand Prix Opening Week at Gulf Coast Classic

Wilhelm Genn pilots "Happy Z" to the win in the $25,000 EMO Grand Prix

Wilhelm Genn of Lebanon, Ohio and his own Happy Z took the win in the first Gulf Coast Classic $25,000 EMO Grand Prix of the winter at the Escambia Country Equestrian Center last night.

Genn’s son, Theo, who just celebrated his 23rd birthday on the 11th, was the first to go on his father’s horse Cola and finished with a fault-free first round time of 87.084 seconds which put him in the jump off and landed him in fifth place overall. Second to go was Lissa TSP ***, owned and ridden by Christian Rogge of Cypress, Texas, who finished the class in twelfth place.  Quite Ruffy 840, owned by Ann Anastasio and ridden by Wilhelm Genn, were the next to go and also went clean with a score of 83.362 seconds to place them in the jump off round and an overall third place finish. Indy, owned by RAF, LLC and ridden by Ashley Foster of Brookeville, Maryland, was next to go and finished with four faults and a time of 83.226 seconds, which put her in seventh place overall.  Zine Dine, owned and ridden by Hailey Henderson of Lafayette, Louisiana, was next to ride and finished with eight faults and a time of 77.874 seconds which placed the fastest fault ride in a final tenth finish. Mister Polite, owned by Sydney Johnson and ridden by Tommy-John Russell of Columbus, North Carolina, had eight faults and finished their round in a time of 84.836 seconds which placed them in a final eleventh place position.

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$30,000 Mar-a-Lago Club Grand Prix Victory Goes to Flaming Star and Charlie Jacobs

Jessica Stitt Clinches Champion and Reserve Titles with On the Hour and Taken

Charlie Jacobs and Flaming Star. Photo © Sportfot

Wellington, FL – January 13, 2013 – The second week of competition at the 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF), sponsored by The Mar-a-Lago Club, concluded on Sunday afternoon with a win for Charlie Jacobs (USA) and CMJ Sporthorse LLC’s Flaming Star in the $30,000 Mar-a-Lago Club Grand Prix.

Week one of FTI WEF was sponsored by The Mar-a-Lago Club. FTI WEF 2 runs January 16-20 and is sponsored by Wellington Equestrian Realty. The 2013 FTI WEF runs through March 31 featuring 12 weeks of world-class competition.

Jumping a course set by Eric Hasbrouck, 46 horse and rider combinations contested Sunday’s class. Thirteen entries jumped clear to advance to the jump-off, and 10 went double clear. The fastest of those clear jump-off rounds belonged to Charlie Jacobs and Flaming Star in a time of 37.163 seconds.

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Women Earn Fifth Consecutive Victory in $55,000 Nespresso Battle of the Sexes

McLain Ward and Zhum CW Top $25,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic; Parkland and Lillie Keenan Victorious in Small Junior Hunter 16-17 Division

Charlie Jayne and Aclette Z. Photo © Sportfot

Wellington, FL – January 12, 2013 – Over 3,500 fans packed the stands at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) on the opening Saturday night to watch the women beat the men for the fifth year in a row in the $55,000 Nespresso Battle of the Sexes at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) in Wellington. It was the closest race yet in the three-phase competition between the male and female teams, but the ladies pulled out another victory in the end.

Week one of FTI WEF runs January 9-13, sponsored by The Mar-a-Lago Club. The week will conclude on Sunday with the $30,000 Mar-a-Lago Club Grand Prix in the International Arena at PBIEC. The 2013 FTI WEF runs through March 31 featuring 12 weeks of world-class competition.

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The Ridge at Wellington 1.40m Grand Prix Invitational Series Attracts Exhibitors

Kevin Babbington and Mark Q

Wellington, FL – January 11, 2013 – Pristine new fences, a relaxed atmosphere, top of the line competitors and the chance at prize money totaling $15,000 attracted 36 rides to the first class in The Ridge at Wellington’s inaugural Friday Grand Prix Series.

The 10-class series, that kicked off today, features a single 1.40m class each Friday with $15,000 in prize money each week before culminating in a $24,750 Grand Prix series finale on March 23, 2013. Creators and hosts of the series, George D’Ambrosio and Nona Garson, see the classes as an exciting new opportunity for horses that would not normally compete at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) as well as a chance for a change of venue, fences and footing for those that do. With the course open from 8 am to 4:30 pm, riders are able to come walk the course and jump at their own convenience.

“You might want to jump a horse that isn’t up to jumping in the Grand Prix out at WEF, and we still have a really nice class for him,” Garson said. “My other thought was for a little variety, because also what happens in the 1.40m classes is every week the same class goes in the same ring, so you’re always jumping in the same venue. A little variety in footing and in jumps would be nice from a training aspect, as well.”

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