Tag Archives: Samuel Parot

Samuel Parot and Couscous Van Orti Wins $25k Omega Alpha Grand Prix at Holiday & Horses

Samuel Parot and Couscous Van Orti. Photo ©ManciniPhotos.

Wellington, FL – December 4, 2016 – Samuel Parot of Wellington, FL piloted his own Couscous Van Orti to a win in the $25,000 Omega Alpha Grand Prix at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) to conclude the 2016 Holiday & Horses competition. Parot and Couscous Van Orti dashed through the short course to finish with a time of 40.043 seconds. Eduardo Menezes of Carlsbad, CA and Chacgrano rode to second place with a time of 42.237 seconds. Alvaro Tejada who rides internationally for Guatemala and Voltaral Palo Blanco took third place after dropping a rail to add four faults to their time of 41.052 seconds.

Parot has had a phenomenal week at PBIEC taking an FEI victory on Friday, as well as securing top honors in the grand prix aboard experienced mount Couscous Van Orti, a 2002 Belgian Warmblood gelding (Nabab De Reve x Cash).

“It was a very good class with almost 45 riders. I think that with only seven clear out of that it shows how difficult the course was. For the money, I thought that it was a great and competitive class,” said Parot. “It was a very strong class and only two riders went clear in the jump-off round.”

“This horse jumped the first day of FEI and I made a mistake at one jump and the second day I decided to retire. I won with the other horse I had in the class on Friday, but I thought that Couscous went well too,” added Parot. “Normally I don’t jump more than two classes with a horse per week, but I felt that he was ready to do this class today.”

Parot noted that the course rode well and was a good test for his mount. The pair, who started the week contesting the FEI classes, chose to compete in the $25,000 Omega Alpha Grand Prix to conclude their successful week.

“I was really happy with the way that the class went today for us,” he elaborated. “All of the horses went very well this week and they will all get a vacation until January so that they are ready for the next circuit.”

All three of Parot’s horses are quick by nature and incredibly efficient. Parot discussed the similarities between each of his three top mounts in Atlantis, Quick Du Pottier, and Couscous Van Orti.

“I like to ride horses that have a similar style. I try to ride all of the horses the same. I like the horses a little bit hot who are naturally fast,” he explained.

After their return from a well-deserved break, Parot is looking forward to making his mark on the FEI competition to be hosted at PBIEC during the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) circuit.

“They won’t show at all but will stay in work every day in our program. When they come back I hope that we will be able to have top results in the ranking classes and big grand prixs.”

Jumper Highlights

Viggo Bjorklund of Wellington, FL guided Artiflex R, owned by Gyllebo Farm LLC, to top honors in the $2,500 High Junior/Amateur Owner Classic presented by Equiline with a jump-off time of 36.781 seconds. Abigail Ron of Wellington, FL and her own Tuja 6 took second place after crossing through the timers in 37.785 seconds, while Joyce Green of Melbourne, FL and her own Cassidy finished in third.

The $2,500 NAL Low Junior Jumper Classic saw Katherine Benard of Cumberland Foreside, ME and Alaika, owned by Sagamore Farm Inc., take top honors in the division with a jump-off time of 37.289 seconds. Abbie Sweetnam of Wellington, FL and Mr. Lopez, owned by Sweet Oak Farm, took second place after completing the short course in 37.314 seconds ahead of Coco Fath of Fairfield, CT and Cohbanta, owned by Coco Fath & Hillside Farm, who secured third place with a time of 38.168 seconds.

Alex Parrish of Midway, KY piloted Divace, owned by Alexander Farm, to victory in the $2,500 NAL Low Amateur Owner Jumper Classic with an efficient jump-off time of 31.187 seconds. Danielle Stacy of Ipswich, MA and Hot Topic, owned by Michelle Stacy, collected second place with a time of 32.532 seconds, while Taylor Burns of Blairstown, NJ and her own Ice Lord, rounded out the top three finishers with a time of 33.82 seconds.

Taje Warrick of Wellington, FL and her own Mufasa rose to the top of the leaderboard in the $1,500 Children’s Jumper Classic after stopping the short course timers in 32.485 seconds ahead of Hailey Berger of Parkland, FL and her own Shannondale Gino who finished in second place with a time of 34.036 seconds. Katie Sansone of Coconut Creek, FL and Tropobella 3K, owned by Golden Creek Farm LLC, earned a third place finish with a time of 34.667 seconds.

The $1,500 Adult Amateur Jumper Classic was championed by Jorge Gomez of Wellington, FL and his own Dallas De La Bonnet, as they finished a speedy jump-off round to take the win in 31.872 seconds. Avery-Anna Hogan of Wellington, FL and her own Eurocommerce Tampa captured second place after stopping the clock in 34.419 seconds. Sara Ballinger of Marion, OH and Memory Lane, owned by Nicole Loochtan, cleared the track in 35.954 seconds for third.

Taje Warrick of Wellington, FL also championed the $1,500 NAL Child/Adult Jumper Classic aboard her own Dersey, as the pair finished three seconds ahead of second place finishers Olivia Parr of Houston, TX and Uccella, owned by Oakland Ventures LLC, who secured a time of 36.361 seconds. Sara Ballinger of Marion, OH and Memory Lane, owned by Nicole Loochtan rounded out the top three after finished the track in 37.226 seconds.

Ty Simpson of Wellington, FL piloted Mister Cash Van Der Veldmden owned by Thiele Schroeder, took home the blue rosette in the $1,500 Low Children’s Jumper Classic presented by Equine Couture & Tuff Rider. Zayna Rizvi of Greenwich, CT and Forget Me Knot, owned by Peacock Ridge, LLC, were presented with second place honors after completing their jump-off track in 36.117 seconds. Ava Hoffman of North Palm Beach, FL and Kalle, owned by Siboney Ranch, captured third place with a time of 37.819 seconds.

Hunter Highlights

Tracy Scheriff-Muser of Palm Beach Gardens, FL and her own Quincy finished atop the Amateur Owner Hunter 3’3″ Division while Tina Allen of New Canaan, CT and her own Galaxy were presented with reserve champion honors.

Kelley Corrigan of Lexington, KY and her own Game Day found themselves atop the leaderboard in the Amateur Owner Hunter 3’6″ Division, while Krista Weisman of Sherborn, MA and Reality, owned by herself and Alexa Wiseman, collected the reserve title.

The Children’s Pony Hunter Division presented by The Wanderers Club saw Elodie Watrous of Wilmette, IL take both the champion and reserve champion honors aboard Beaverwood’s Foxberry and Crystal Acres Chocolatier, respectively.

Jennifer Hannan of Wakefield, RI and Best Regards, owned by Patricia Fulchino took top honors in the Green & High Performance Hunter Division, while Jennifer Bliss of Wellington, FL and Face Time, owned by Harris Hill Farm, LLC, rode to reserve.

The High Performance Hunter 4′-4’6″ Division saw Erica Quinn of Cincinnati, OH and Smoke, owned by Jane Gaston, split top divisional accolades with Jimmy Torano of Wellington, FL and Pandora, owned by Teton Farms, LLC. Victoria Colvin of Loxahatchee, FL and Onyx RCF, owned by Rivercross Farm, secured reserve champion awards in the division.

The Green Pony Hunter Division saw Alexandra Lynn Willner of Boca Raton, FL and Pursue the Blue, owned by Kim Wolf, presented with champion awards, while Ella Bostwick of Wellington, FL and Dolce Via, owned by Christine Bostwick, earned reserve champion.

The Performance Hunter 3’6″ Division witnessed Jennifer Hannan rise to the top of the class once again to earn champion awards aboard Flamingo-K, owned by Equinimity, LLC. Marisa Metzger of Modesto, CA and Continental, owned by Use the Ring, LLC, rode to reserve champion.

For more information on Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, please visit www.pbiec.com.

Samuel Parot and Quick Du Pottier Take $35,000 Dever 1.45m Classic

Samuel Parot and Quick Du Pottier. Photos ©ManciniPhotos.

Victoria Colvin and Regent RCF Earn Top Honors in $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby

Wellington, FL – December 2, 2016 – Samuel Parot (CHI) and Quick Du Pottier rose to the challenge in the $35,000 Dever 1.45m Classic at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC). The pair raced through the timers to complete their course in 59.22 seconds for the win. Eduardo Menezes (BRA) and Carushka collected second place with a time of 60.36 seconds, while Richie Moloney (IRL) and Alsvid earned third after securing a time of 61.12 seconds.

Parot and his own Quick Du Pottier, a 2004 Selle Francais gelding (Hurlevent de Breka x Cuba), topped the class of 45 entries with the quickest time of the day, making easy work of the course designed by Anthony D’Ambrosio (USA).

“I thought the course rode very fast and on my first horse I had one down so I knew what to do on my second horse. I rode it very fast on my second horse and made some nice turns,” explained Parot. “We turned to the oxer before the skinny very quickly had a good ride to the end combination.”

Parot is an expert at navigating the quickest path around the track as a notoriously fast rider. He noted that he felt he made up the second separating him and Menezes in his approach to the final combination.

“I made the turn to the last combination very close and it rode very well. I believe that is where I made the difference,” he said.

Quick Du Pottier and Parot have traveled across North America this year, competing on the West Coast, as well as in Canada, most recently picking up an FEI win in Calgary this past October.

“This horse also jumped the first day in the speed class and we went fast there too. I think we had a better time, but had one down. This is a very nice horse, who just came back into work this August. He jumped very well yesterday and I think he’s a top horse.”

After the conclusion of this week’s competition, Parot will give Quick Du Pottier a vacation until the middle of the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) circuit, where the pair will debut during one of the CSI 5* weeks.

“He will get a good break after this and will come back in the circuit to do the 5* and we will keep doing the ranking classes with him, absolutely,” noted Parot. “All of my horses competing this week, Atlantis, Cous, and Quick, will all have a vacation after this, but I have a few young horses that I will jump in the national classes before WEF.”

Victoria Colvin and Regent RCF Earn Top Honors in $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby

Victoria Colvin of Loxahatchee, FL guided Regent RCF to top honors in the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby, besting a large class of talented entries. The pair earned a two round score of 171 for the win ahead of Skyler Fields of Wellesley Hills, MA and Duplukato, owned by Donald Stewart, who finished in second place with a total score of 164. Grace Boston of Owings Mills, MD and Amazone De La Cense, owned by Plain Bay Farm, collected third place honors.

Victoria Colvin and Regent RCF
Victoria Colvin and Regent RCF

Colvin, a household name who has garnered many of the most prestigious accolades in the hunter discipline throughout her career, piloted another mount to the winner’s circle after collecting a first round score of 86 and a second round score of 85. Fields, who followed in second, captured the highest score of the day in her handy round aboard Duplukato, receiving an 89 from the judging panel.

The class hosted 18 entries and marked the first USHJA National Hunter Derby of the 2016 ESP Holiday Series, which will continue through the first week of January. Grace Boston, who was presented with third and fourth place honors, piloted three different entries, the most of any rider in the class.

For more information on Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, please visit www.pbiec.com.

Samuel Parot and Dazzle White Win $130k Wellington Equestrian Realty Grand Prix CSI 3* at Tryon

Samuel Parot and Dazzle White. Photos ©LizCrawleyPhotography.

Mill Spring, NC – July 9, 2016 – Samuel Parot (CHI) and Dazzle White made an impressive dash to the finish in the $130,000 Wellington Equestrian Realty Grand Prix CSI 3* at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC), capping the class with a time of 39.03 seconds in the jump-off round. Adam Prudent (FRA) and Vasco, winners of the $35,000 1.50m Suncast® Welcome earlier in the week, finished in second place, crossing through the timers in 39.25 seconds, while Emanuel Andrade (VEN) and Boy IV earned third place with a time of 41.39 seconds.

Parot and Dazzle White were the final pair to secure a place in the jump-off round, which featured seven combinations. Prudent and Vasco earned the first clear trip of the evening early in the class and went on to set a quick pace in the second round, which seemed to be too difficult to catch. Parot, a notoriously fast rider, managed to shave just enough time off the clock to take his first major grand prix win aboard Dazzle White this season.

“This horse is new. I rode him the first time at Split Rock in Lexington, KY, two months ago and have been working with him since. He’s a very good horse. He had a good show this week and I’m happy with the win,” commented Parot.

To begin the night, 37 entries tested the track set by Martin Otto (GER), which featured a number of wide set oxers, tight rollback turns, and a difficult time allowed, which was adjusted to 80 seconds after the first three riders contested the course. Parot and Dazzle White were in the final group of riders and enjoyed the opportunity to watch majority of the other rounds, but the veteran rider was confident that his mount would handle the course with ease.

“He’s a top horse. He’s eight and he’s very young at this level. He has scope and he’s careful. I think he’s going to be a very important horse,” explained Parot, describing the quality of the young 2008 Dutch Warmblood gelding (Calvino Z x Narcos II) owned by Parot.

“This was not an easy course. The course design was strong and the time allowed was very tight. There was no extra time on course,” he added, discussing his thoughts after his initially course walk. “I think it wasn’t easy but it was a good CSI 3* with great prize money.”

Adam Prudent and Vasco
Adam Prudent and Vasco

Dazzle White looked fiercely competitive as he and Parot entered the ring as the last pair of the night. The duo began with a quick start through the course and took an efficient route to the one stride line before galloping to the final three fences on course. Five of the original seven combinations qualified for the short course completed the evening with a double clear effort.

“I talked with my friends and they said that if I wanted to win I needed to take a longer spot at the last jump because that’s where I would make up the remaining time,” he detailed. “He did it and I think that is how we won the class.”

Parot and his team have become familiar faces at TIEC throughout the Spring and Summer Series, which have featured numerous FEI classes for international competitors. Parot mentioned that he feels his horses perform exceptionally well at the venue and the accessibility around the facility is one of the reason he continues to return to compete.

“I like this venue so much. It is a super place and a super show. It’s a great place for the horses and they’re very comfortable,” he elaborated. “I came for the first time in the spring and had heard about it, but wanted to compete here. I just love it here and so do my horses.”

Parot’s groom, Fabian Arce, was awarded with the Groom’s Initiative Award presented by Mark Bellissimo and Tryon Equestrian Partners, as a way to recognize the dedicated grooms responsible for the care of each week’s grand prix winner. As Arce walked into the ring to receive his award, Parot continued to shout and throw his thumbs into the air, expressing genuine excitement for his groom, who is a major component of their successful program. Amanda Derbyshire (GBR) was awarded with the Leading Lady Rider Award presented by realtor Meg Atkinson, honoring her performances in each of the FEI classes offered throughout the week.

Competition at Tryon Summer II finishes Sunday featuring the $25,000 Under 25 Grand Prix and the $10,000 Junior/Amateur Owner High Classic. Tryon Summer III will begin on Wednesday, July 13, commencing the first FEI CSI 4* week at the venue this season. For more information about TIEC and to see a full list of results, please visit www.tryon.com.

Samuel Parot and Couscous Van Orti Win $86k 1.50m Suncast Challenge to Wrap Up Tryon Spring

Samuel Parot and Couscous Van Orti. Photos ©FlyingHorsePhotography.

Mill Spring, NC – June 12, 2016 – On the final day of FEI CSI 5* classes at the Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC), Samuel Parot (CHI) took home the blue ribbon in the $86,000 1.50m Suncast® Challenge on his mount Couscous Van Orti. The speedy duo edged the competition with a time of 35.128 seconds. Parot was one of two combinations to jump double clear around the challenging course designed by Alan Wade (IRL). Karl Cook (USA) piloted his ride Caillou 24 to a faultless round and a time of 36.822 seconds, earning them second place. Coming in third to round out top three was Scott Keach (AUS) and Fedor with a time of 37.490 seconds.

The class brought an exciting jump-off round featuring six horse and rider combinations and had spectators cheering for Parot, as he dashed through the course and made a big move to the last oxer. Alan Wade delivered another solid course, building two tracks that aimed to test speed and agility. Parot commented on the course, “Alan Wade is really strong course designer and each of his courses is tough, yet fair. In the jump-off I kept seeing good distances. I honestly got a little lucky, and I won. A little luck is always necessary.”

“Both of my horses jumped well this week and I’m pleased with their performances,” he added.

Couscous Van Orti, a 2002 Belgian Warmblood gelding (Nabab de Reve x Cash), and Parot have been a team for a little over a year, competing in multiple FEI CSI 4* and FEI CSI 5* competitions. Parot spoke about the facility, which is growing to be a favorite stop for his team, saying, “Everything here is amazing. It is new, the footing is pristine, and the people are great. Also, the attention to the riders is unlike another show I’ve been too.”

On the final day of TIEC’s first ever FEI CSI 5* week, Parot touched on the importance of the entire competition, as he successfully guided two horses to top finishes, stating, “I cannot say enough good things about Tryon. It is comfortable for the riders and the horses. I hope more and more people will begin to come here because it is an unbelievable place.”

Karl Cook and Caillou 24
Karl Cook and Caillou 24

With this thrilling win now under his belt, Parot feels confident for the future success of Couscous Van Orti, Atlantis and the rest of his team as they begin a short break in competition before heading back to North Carolina for the four weeks of the Tryon Summer Series.

“Next we will head to Chile, my home country, for two weeks and then we will back to Tryon in July for the FEI CSI 3* and FEI CSI 4* competitions in the summer series,” he explained. “My plan for the fall is to head north to compete in Calgary at Spruce Meadows and then maybe the L.A. Masters in California. Wellington, FL will be our winter pit stop, before returning to this remarkable facility in the spring in 2017.”

“Normally every year after the winter season in Wellington, I head to Europe. However, last spring I came here to the Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) and I was blown away. There is no need to go to Europe when America has immaculate shows such as these. We will absolutely be back,” Parot added.

Competition draws to a close at TIEC, concluding the 2016 Spring Series, which could not have been more successful, showcasing the talents of equestrians from around the country and the world. The first two weeks of the 2016 Tryon Summer Series, will begin on Wednesday, June 29, and entail back-to-back FEI CSI 3* weeks and AA Premier hunter divisions. The Tryon Summer Series will host four consecutive weeks of the popular “Saturday Night Lights” Series with two consecutive $130,000 Grand Prix CSI 3* classes up for grabs, followed by two $216,000 CSI 4* classes. The inaugural Great Charity Challenge of the Carolinas (GCCC) is set for Friday, July 1. If interested in participating as a rider or becoming a team or event sponsor, please contact gcc@tryon.com. For more information on Tryon International Equestrian Center please visit www.tryon.com.

Samuel Parot and Cortina 186 Win Week 11’s Turf Tour $15,000 Grand Prix

Samuel Parot and Cortina 186 (Photo courtesy of Andrew Ryback Photography)

Wellington, Florida (March 24, 2016) – Samuel Parot brought determination, edge, and excitement to his narrow victory during Week 11 of The Ridge at Wellington’s Turf Tour. Securing a late won double clear in a time just a few hundredths of a second faster than the leader, Parot’s successful round closed out the two days of world class show jumping competition held March 16 and 19, 2016 on the Turf Tour. The weekly circuit hosts a variety of divisions from its headline $15,000 Grand Prix and 1.30-1.35m divisions to Young Horse classes and Junior/Amateur Owner classics, all set in gorgeous venues and with an unparalleled utopian atmosphere.

With all of its courses for Week 11 set by renowned Pan Am, Olympic, and international course designer Leopoldo Palacios, Week 11 proved to be a hotbed of competition. Wednesday’s events kicked off with two 1.30-1.35m classes, Low, Medium, and High Schooling Jumpers, and Young Horse divisions on the sweeping and elegant grounds of the International Polo Club Palm Beach. The 1.30-1.35m classes saw more than 40 horse and rider efforts, with Lauren Crooks with Dora the Explorer and Sweden’s Alexander Zetterman with Contessa V topping the divisions.

Due to concern over a strong weather system in the area, day 2’s classes were relocated to Jim Brandon Equestrian Center, where the spectacular covered arena hosted The Ridge’s second and final Hunter Derby Days the evening before. With the brilliant Grand Prix fences set, a slew of top international show jumping combinations tested their mettle over Palacio’s course. Parot proved exceptional with his first ride, putting in a double clear with his own Great Ben and taking the lead with a jump off time of 25.832. However, Beth Underhill and Count Me In, the defending champions of Week 10’s $15,000 Grand Prix, were yet to go and sure to make a bid for the top spot. Underhill and the powerful bay gelding owned by Sandy Lupton edged out Great Ben with a final jump off time of 25.817. With a blazing fast time and a history of victory on the Turf Tour, any gambler would put odds on Underhill for the win. However, Parot returned as one of the last rides of the day with Cortina 186, and epitomized the determination and skill of the top Grand Prix riders in Wellington. With a spectacular effort he and Cortina 186 swept past the timers with no rails and a time of 25.392 to win the class.

Building on Wednesday’s 1.30-1.35, Leopoldo Palacios designed the Grand Prix in progression, with the larger course becoming more technical. In his first stint designing for the Turf Tour, Palacios stated his passion for building on the grass, a medium he believes benefits the horses. “On the grass horses are more comfortable and safe, and it is a more natural surface for them to work on,” said Palacios. “They jump better and more efficiently, but not necessarily higher, and on the polo fields here at IPC the excellent drainage and slight slope of the field adds an extra dimension. It is more interesting for the riders, as they must ride very accurately, and more engaging for the horses. I have always wanted to design for the Turf Tour, and I think the concept behind it is a great thing for both horses and riders. Nona and George do a fantastic job, and they are improving the sport which I think is very important.”

Week 12 continues with two more exciting days of show jumping at The Ridge at Wellington, and the venue is the gorgeous Tonkawa Farm, just a few minutes hack from WEF. The action will commence Wednesday and Friday, March 23 and 25, and will feature Low, Medium, and High Schooling Jumpers, Young Horse divisions, Child/Adult and Junior Amateur Owner Classics, 1.30-1.35m classes, and a 1.40 Grand Prix. All of the Turf Tour’s classes run concurrently over two arenas, combining convenience with the beautiful backdrop of Tonkawa and a welcoming atmosphere.

The Turf Tour also features complimentary breakfast, lunch, and refreshments for all spectators, owners, riders, grooms, and their staff throughout the day, and also offer a door-to-door horse shuttle provided by Meadowbrook Transport.

Directions to Tonkawa Farm:
Tonkawa Farm
4150 South Road
Wellington, FL 33414
From Pierson Rd. or Lake Worth Rd, head South on South Shore Blvd. Make a right on 50th Street, and then a right on South Road. The entrance to the farm is on the right.

For more information, visit www.theridgefarm.com. For up-to-date information, please follow The Ridge at Wellington on Facebook.

Media Contact:
Holly Johnson
Equinium Sports Marketing, LLC
holly@equinium.com
954 205 7992

Longines FEI World Cup Qualifier Drama Highlights Day Nine at Royal West

Samuel Parot of Chile and Atlantis, winners of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Calgary. Photo Credit to Katy Whitt Photography.

October 30, 2015, Calgary, Alberta: It was a special night in Calgary on Saturday as the inaugural $132,000 Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Calgary 1.60 m took to the floor of the Agrium Western Centre. The long-awaited event – one of four World Cup qualifiers in Canada this year – lived up to the hype as only three riders went clear on Werner Deeg’s challenging course in Round One.

The prestigious title – and the precious World Cup qualifying points – came down to a jump-off among Canada’s Jill Henselwood aboard the 10-year-old bay gelding Farfelu du Printemps; Samuel Parot of Chile riding Atlantis, a bay 12-year-old gelding; and Canada’s Yann Candele on Granit S, a bay 10-year-old gelding.

In a tension-filled showdown, it was Parot, the man who “doesn’t know the meaning of the words ‘going slow’,” who emerged with his second North American League triumph of the 2015 campaign. In typical bold style, Parot and Atlantis found the speed in the course with a clean round in 39.23. The win boosted him to top spot in the East Coast standings with 40 points.

“With this win in the North American League, I believe I’m in very good position now for the Worlds,” Parot told the press afterward. “The North American League is harder than the South American League, and so I think I will be better prepared.

“Atlantis was calm in the first round, but he got a little more excited in the jump-off. But he’s a good horse.”

In second was the remarkable Candele, who rode Granit S as a catch ride, completing an unlikely story with a second-place finish in 41.58 seconds. “John has been trying to bring me here to ride for a long while,” Candele said afterward. “Our schedules worked out this time. We had a chance to ride on the flats early this week. It’s the sign of a fantastic horse that he put his heart out and accepted my riding tonight.”

Third was the former Olympian, Henselwood, who’s had a consistent Royal West meet with multiple trips to the podium. Her excellent showing came after a late switch to Farfelu from her usual mount. “This is supposed to be a horse for a 19-year-old Canadian who is in engineering at Queens University with a full course load. So I had Farfelu. That tuned out to be great planning.”

John Anderson, the host at Royal West, who came fifth, was satisfied at having such a great event in his hometown. “I was ecstatic that it all came together after some tough months for my family with the death of my father J. C. This event helped me get through that. This shows we can pull this off in Calgary. I hope to have the Longines event back here many times in the future.”

Added Henselwood, “What a great thing that John’s done to bring this event to Calgary. It really boosts out ability nationally to come up the rankings for the World Cup.”

Lisa Carlsen of Calgary was top local rider aboard Worlds Judgement. “The course was very technical, very fast and some of the jumps came up very quickly. Werner did a great job of setting a challenging test.”

Points won on Saturday count toward the final of the Longines FEI World Cup™ final to be held in Gothenburg, Sweden next year.

Earlier in the day, Elizabeth Gingras nabbed the $7,500 Hotel Arts Open Jumper 1.30 m aboard her Floreen SFN. In second was Brian Morton on Cartoon. Third-place honours were won by Vanessa Mannix on Dooley’s Deluxe.

For more information, contact Rhys Dowbiggin at Redbackpack PR redbackpackpr@gmail.com.

About Rocky Mountain Show Jumping:
RMSJ hosts its tournaments at Anderson Ranch in Calgary’s south end, a world-class facility featuring permanent stabling for 300 horses and a grass grand prix field complete with natural obstacles. For more information on Rocky Mountain Show Jumping, please visit www.rmsj.ca.

About Royal West:
Hosted by Rocky Mountain Show Jumping, Royal West is the heart for equestrian competition. Over ten days at the Agrium Western Events Center at Stampede Park, Royal West features both international and national events with over half of a million dollars in prize money handed out throughout the tournament. The tournament hosts the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Calgary, the Spirit of the West Cup, the Royal West International Championship, Western Canadian Hunter Derbies and when applicable the CET Medal National Finals.

Chile’s Samuel Parot and Atlantis Continue Hot Streak to Win at Calgary

Samuel Parot and Atlantis have won the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping qualifier in Calgary (CAN), and are now setting their sights on the last two East Coast qualifiers in Wellington and Ocala. (FEI/Aimee Makris)

Calgary, Alberta (CAN), 1 November 2015 – Chile’s Samuel Parot continued his recent winning streak by adding the $132,200 Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping qualifier at the CSI3* Royal West in Calgary to his growing list of grand prix victories. Already with one North American League win under his belt at the Sacramento International Horse Show in September, Parot partnered again with Atlantis (Andiamo x Royal Bravour L) to deliver the fastest clear of 39.23 seconds in a three-man jump off.

Following their win in Sacramento, the successful pair also notched up a CSI4* win at the Del Mar International Horse Show before Parot and his horses made their way to Calgary. During the ten days of the Royal West, Parot on Atlantis and his two other mounts, Couscous Van Orti (Nabab de Reve x Cash) and Tailormade Anna Chacca (Chacco Blue x Andiamo), made a clean sweep of the top three places in an early speed class. Parot then won three more speed classes ahead of his win in the FEI World Cup™ qualifier.

“My horse is very fast, very careful, and I saw from the first rider in the jump off that it would be very easy for my horse to make the better time,” Parot said. “The course was very technical and for this, there were only three clears.”

“In the jump off, Atlantis is a little excited,” he added. “In the first round, he’s quiet and jumps so good. He’s very fast, and he likes the jump off.”

“It’s very important [that I do well in the North American League],” said Parot. “I jump for this league and not for the South American League and I think with this win, I have a very good position [to qualify for the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final]. I think with the two wins that I have a very good chance.”

Parot and his horses will travel from Calgary to their home base in Wellington, Florida, where the horses will have time off and a few more shows before Parot competes in the last two East Coast qualifiers in Wellington and Ocala in February.

New rides

The technical and challenging course designed by Werner Deeg (GER) kept nineteen riders from faultless first rounds. But in addition to Parot, seasoned Canadian competitors, Yann Candele and Jill Henselwood, jumped two double-clear rounds to finish second and third, respectively, both aboard unfamiliar horses.

Candele’s runner-up result came aboard Granit S (Faust Z x Graf Grannus), a 10-year-old gelding on loan from John Anderson, the Royal West Chairman, and one that Candele had only ridden since Monday.

“John [Anderson] tried to bring me here for quite a while, but with my schedule it was difficult and at the end, I had an opening,” Candele said. “So I took on the offer and came at the beginning of the week and had a little ride with the horse and for whatever reason, we matched because the horse is great and really trying and that’s why we’ve had a great week.”

“You just go day by day,” he continued. “I came on Monday night, very late. I rode the horse a little bit Monday on the flat, jumped him, and it was good chemistry. It was already clear on the first day, and after you go through the process, repeat the same thing: flat him every day, and he jumped clear actually through the whole week. It’s just a sign of a fantastic horse who’s trying his heart out and accepted my riding so that’s all it is. At the end of the day, it’s the quality of the horse that makes what happened to me this week.”

Henselwood also rode a fairly new mount, Farfelu du Printemps (Action Breaker x Darco), in the Longines FEI World Cup™ qualifier after she decided that her initial choice, Quidam Blue (Quidam’s Rubin x Come On), wasn’t fully up to the task this week.

“Farfelu is a new acquisition for a 19-year-old Canadian that I train,” Henselwood said. “She’s in engineering at Queen’s [University] so she’s tucked in with a full course load, and I have Farfelu so that was good planning. I didn’t really know what to expect. He’s got some good results from his Swiss rider, up to 1.55 [meters] and I’ve ridden him now for a few weeks. I kept inching up the bar, and my responsibility is to make sure that I develop him more as a girl’s ride and to protect him. So to go to the World Cup, normally I would have done the stallion, but he was a little bit off form this week so I thought, ‘Yeah, Farfelu should try.’ And then actually, ‘I think Farfeleu’s going to win, a lot.’”

Clear matters

As the rails dropped through the night’s rounds, riders quickly realized the challenging course demanded precise timing and decisions at every step.

“I think the course was very technical tonight,” Henselwood said. “The jumps came up very fast. Obviously there were only three clean, but there were quite a few with four faults.”

“Werner is a fantastic course designer and we’ve used him for numerous events at our place,” said Anderson, also a competitor and 5th place finisher in the evening’s class. “And of course, he was the course designer last year at Royal West. He knows the ring and he pays attention to all the horses that compete over the ten days. He gradually builds the horses to peak and then at the final event today, he sets the bar high and challenges us all. The jumps came up very quickly; you had to be on your game all the time; you didn’t have a lot of room to rest in this particular round and it showed. The cream rose to the top.”

With a triple combination, a double combination, and tight turns in the indoor space, rounds saw a variety of rails drop. But in particular, fence 12, off a short turn, caused some heartbreaking four faults, just one jump away from the course’s end.

“Who cares about three cleans,” Werner said, in response to how he reacted as the designer to the low number in the jump off. “It was, for me, a fantastic final. You can’t always talk about how many clear rounds [in relation to a good course].”

Full results: http://bit.ly/1WqORT6

Facts and Figures

Three horses went clear in the first round, and all three were double clear in the jump off.

The course designer was Werner Deeg (GER).

The first round was contested over 13 obstacles with 16 jumping efforts. The jump-off round had eight obstacles with nine efforts. The maximum height was set at 1.60 meters.

Five nations were represented in the class: Canada (17 riders), Chile (one rider), Germany (one rider), Ireland (one rider) and the United States (two riders).

Quotes:

Jill Henselwood (CAN): “The greatest thing about having the opportunity to jump World Cup [classes] is that it gives you very good FEI points and moves you up in your own country in the standings. So what a great thing that [John Anderson has] done to bring this here. It boosts our ability nationally to come up the ranks for [Longines Rankings]. It’s very important for us to have Longines here in Calgary.”

Yann Candele (CAN): “It’s very important, the sponsorship from Longines. It prepares us for what’s next, like some bigger shows later on. It’s a great feature for Canada.”

John Anderson, Royal West Chairman (CAN): “I was happy, I was ecstatic, that it all came together. It’s been a real tough couple of months for our family with the passing of my father. This particular event helped me get through a lot of that, but more importantly, I think the event shows that Calgary can do it; Calgary can pull it off. We can put on a great event for such a fantastic sponsor as Longines. I hope to do more in the future. My goal is to please them, because if we please them it’s going to make everyone happy here because we’ll always have great, great sport.”

About Royal West

Hosted by Rocky Mountain Show Jumping, Royal West is at the heart for equestrian competition. Over ten days at the Agrium Western Events Center at Stampede Park, Royal West features both international and national events with over half-of-a-million dollars in prize money handed out throughout the tournament. The tournament hosts the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Calgary, the Spirit of the West Cup, the Royal West International Championship, Western Canadian Hunter Derbies and when applicable the CET Medal National Finals.

Official fan site – www.feiworldcup.com/NAL

The FEI has developed an official fan microsite for the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping North American League, enabling fans to find all the latest information for this brand new series under one digital umbrella.

Fans can keep close tabs on the athletes competing in this exciting series as they do their utmost to qualify for the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final in Gothenburg, Sweden, on 23-26 March 2016.

Tickets can be purchased through the fan site, with event-specific information uploaded regularly by the organisers of the events in this series for fan enjoyment.

Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping North American League

A total of 14 athletes from the new North American League will qualify for the prestigious Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final.

The top seven athletes from the East Coast US, top three from West Coast US and the two best-placed athletes from Canada and Mexico will qualify for the Final, alongside winners of the 13 other leagues from around the world.

The North American League boasts a minimum of US $2.4 million prize money across the series, and offers the best Jumping athletes from North America and around the world the chance to qualify for the jackpot of more than US $1.4 million (€1.3 million) on offer annually at the Final.

The new league was launched by Beezie Madden, the most decorated US female equestrian athlete of all time, American Gold Cup winner and FEI Solidarity Ambassador Jessica Springsteen, and Hannah Selleck, team and individual gold medalist at young rider level and one of the sport’s up-and-coming stars. Full launch release here: https://goo.gl/kCIsyW.

Share images, video, experiences using hashtag #FEIWorldCupNAL.

By Esther Hahn

FEI Media Contacts:

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
ruth.grundy@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 45

Shannon Gibbons
Manager Press Relations
shannon.gibbons@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 46

Chile’s Samuel Parot Scores at Sacramento

Samuel Parot and Atlantis. (FEI/Erin Gilmore)

Rancho Murieta (USA), 27 September 2015 – Last to go in a six-man jump off proved pivotal when Samuel Parot (CHI) delivered the fastest double clear in the $100,000 Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping at the Sacramento International Horse Show on Saturday night. Aboard 12-year-old bay gelding Atlantis (Andiamo-Royal Bravour L), Parot shaved over half a second off the USA’s Quentin Judge’s target time of 37.55 seconds to finish at the head of the 24-starter field.

“The jump off was super,” Parot said after the win. “The design was perfect. I had the opportunity to see all the rider make the mistakes, but my horse is very fast so it was unnecessary to leave out the stride.”

Before Parot’s round, both Richard Spooner (USA) and Karl Cook (USA) attempted to leave out a stride to the final fence, resulting in knockdowns for both. After watching the eight strides lead to mistakes on the Alan Wade-designed course, commentator and 1976 Olympian Buddy Brown said that if he were to attempt the course, he would put in the nine strides without having to sacrifice speed. Just as the words left his mouth, Parot did exactly that, proving that Brown’s approach was the winning one.

California love

“There is something I would like to say about Samuel because I know him very well because he shows a lot in France,” said Eric Navet (FRA), third place finisher in the class. “Before I moved here to California, I met Samuel at many of the shows in France. He’s a great guy, always happy, always friendly, and he’s a very, very efficient and fast rider so I’m not surprised that he got the win tonight.”

Parot’s partnership with his horse only began in May, ahead of this year’s Pan American Games. A broken collarbone at the beginning of the Spruce Meadows Summer Series sidelined the 50-year-old rider for a few weeks, but he was back to his winning ways shortly after. On his first trip to California this week, he won the $35,000 Open Stake World Cup qualifier with Atlantis, giving a strong indication that the pair were on top form for the big class on Saturday evening.

“Today (Atlantis) jumped super,” Parot said. “This is our seventh show together. He likes a very soft ride. He’s very sensitive, very careful. I’m very happy. I love California. It’s my first time that I’ve come here.”

Next on the schedule for Parot and Atlantis is a stop in Los Angeles for the Longines Masters event before moving onto Del Mar, Calgary, and Las Vegas to compete in the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping North American League qualifiers. He plans to head back to Wellington, his home base, by the end of the year.

Indoor challenge

The evening class, inside and under lights, proved to be quite an adjustment for many of the horses, especially after the long summer season in large, outdoor arenas. The Irish-bred stallion Flexible, a crowd favorite and winner of the first West Coast North American League event at Thunderbird, was first in the order of go with Rich Fellers but his round resulted in uncharacteristic rails.

“The horses are trying to adjust to the lights,” Brown commented, after a few veteran riders also picked up faults. Additionally, the well-prepared course challenged riders throughout with its complex questions, demanding the highest level of precision from all starters.

“The principles are basically the same,” Wade said about designing tracks indoors as opposed to the large, outdoor venues. “You try and build them over the couple of days, and this was the biggest test. And tonight, the bigger the class, the more fair and open the distances were. The other night, I felt I had to test a bit more control because we were at 1.45 (meters). And when we got the bigger fences, it was more scope tests, and I was just trying to be fair to everyone.”

Many riders will continue to Los Angeles from Sacramento, where they will compete in another indoor venue and hope that they and their horses have gained valuable experience from the first indoor event of the fall season.

Results: http://eventcontent.hippoonline.de/1074/sta_erg/03_ergENG.htm?style=longines.

Facts and Figures

Six horses went clear in the first round, one picked up a single time fault, and one collected two faults. Two horses were eliminated.

The course designer was Alan Wade.

It was an all-male jump-off, with four Americans, one Chilean, and one Frenchman.

The first round was contested over 13 obstacles with 16 jumping efforts. The jump-off round had seven obstacles with eight efforts. The height was set at 1.60 meters.

Quotes

Danielle Ballard, marketing and event manager for West Palms Events: “We are greatly honored to be a part of the North American League, and we really appreciate Longines and the FEI’s support in creating a very, very well-rounded look at show jumping. The marketing around it is very important to make sure people see the sport of show jumping so we are very thankful to be a part of the North American League and very honored.”

Quentin Judge (USA): “I think for a rider you have to know your horse well and know that your horse is going to be able to cope with it. I’m lucky to have a really seasoned, fantastic horse that I can rely on in just about any venue and I think this was a great venue for him and a great test.”

Eric Navet (FRA): “I’m very lucky to have (Jonkheer Z) to show because he has a lot of experience, and he has been doing very, very good things with Karl (Cook). He’s been shown in two World Cup Finals, and now we are getting Karl prepared with that chestnut mare that he showed today. She was very good. We look for the future for Karl, so in these kinds of grand prix, each rider is only allowed to show just one horse so that’s why I showed Jonkheer. He’s a little bit of the past for Karl, and Karl shows Temba, which is the future for him.”

Sacramento International Horse Show

The Sacramento International Horse Show is one of Northern California’s premier equestrian events and takes place at the Murieta Equestrian Center in Rancho Murieta, California. The facility features four indoor arenas, 13 outdoor arenas, shopping, dining, bleacher seating to accommodate 3,000 spectators and VIP seating/dining areas. The show attracts sell-out crowds for its grand prix classes and special events, and riders on the international circuit regularly attend the Sacramento International on their way to qualifying for the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final.

Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping North American League

A total of 14 athletes from the new North American League will qualify for next year’s prestigious Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final, which will take place in Gothenburg (SWE) on 23-28 March 2016.

The top seven athletes from the East Coast US, top three from West Coast US and the two best-placed athletes from Canada and Mexico will qualify for the Final, alongside winners of the 13 other leagues from around the world.

Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping North American League

The new North American league was launched by Beezie Madden, the most decorated US female equestrian athlete of all time, American Gold Cup winner and FEI Solidarity Ambassador Jessica Springsteen, and Hannah Selleck, team and individual gold medalist at young rider level and one of the sport’s up-and-coming stars. The full launch release is available here: https://goo.gl/kCIsyW.

The North American League boasts a minimum of US $2.4 million prize money across the series, and offers the best Jumping athletes from North America and around the world the chance to qualify for the jackpot of more than US $1.4 million (€1.3 million) on offer annually at the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final.

By Esther Hahn

FEI Media Contacts:

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
ruth.grundy@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 45

Shannon Gibbons
Manager Press Relations
shannon.gibbons@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 46

Quentin Judge and HH Whisky Rolaye Top $50,000 Aon Cup at Spruce Meadows

Quentin Judge and HH Whisky Royale. Photos © Spruce Meadows Media Services.

Samuel Parot Victorious in $34,000 ATCO Energy Solutions Cup; Andres Rodriguez Wins $34,000 PwC Cup

Calgary, AB, Canada – July 1, 2015 – The 2015 ‘North American’ Tournament CSI 5* at Spruce Meadows featured an impressive line-up of show jumping on Wednesday. USA’s Quentin Judge and HH Whisky Royale began the day with a win in the $50,000 Aon Cup 1.55m, Chile’s Samuel Parot and Couscous van Orti jumped to victory in the $34,000 ATCO Energy Solutions Cup 1.50m, and Venezuela’s Andres Rodriguez and Fifty Fifty 111 were victorious in the $34,000 PwC Cup 1.50m.

Continuing through Sunday, July 5, the ‘North American’ Tournament boasts $1.3 million in prize money across 14 FEI events throughout the week. Highlights include the $400,000 ATCO Power Queen Elizabeth II Cup on Saturday and the $210,000 Cenovus Energy Classic Derby on Sunday.

Spain’s Santiago Varela is the course designer in the International Ring for ‘North American’ competition. Varela began Wednesday morning with 55 entries in the $50,000 Aon Cup 1.55m and a win for Quentin Judge aboard Double H Farm’s HH Whisky Royale, a ten-year-old Zangersheide gelding (Wonderful van’t Beugelhof x Kannan). The pair topped a ten-horse jump-off with the fastest of four double clear rounds.

Reed Kessler (USA) was the first rider to clear the short course, finishing in a time of 42.36 seconds riding Kessler Show Stables’ Cylana to eventually place third. Meagan Nusz (USA) jumped the fourth place round with Amalaya Investments’ SRI Aladdin in 42.85 seconds. Judge then jumped into the lead aboard HH Whisky Royale in 41.41 seconds. Last to go, Hardin Towell (USA) took the second place prize with his time of 41.69 seconds riding Jennifer Gates’ Emilie de Diamant AS.

Wednesday’s win marks the second time that Judge has won the first competition in a CSI 5* tournament this summer. He also topped the first 1.55m competition of June’s ‘National’ Tournament aboard HH Copin van de Broy.

“I have been really lucky to win the first classes at these two tournaments,” Judge noted. “My horses really like this ring, so I just try to make a good plan for each week and put the right horses in the right competitions.”

Wednesday’s win also marks a significant moment in Judge’s partnership with HH Whisky Royale, who he has been riding for several years.

“This is definitely his biggest win,” Judge remarked. “This is only his third 1.55m. He was really good the first week here, finishing clear and with four faults in two 1.55m competitions. Now after two weeks off, he came right in and jumped this. It is really special for us because this is a horse that we have had a long time. He is a horse that maybe some people did not believe in when he was young because he was so big and so gawky, but he has really come a long way.”

Speaking of Whisky Royale’s powerful jumping style, Judge noted, “He is a huge horse and he has such a big stride. He kicks really hard over the jumps and it definitely took me a while to get used to that, but he gives you a very good feeling as a rider because you know you will pretty much never have a back rail down.”

HH Whisky Royale will jump again in Thursday’s $85,000 Progress Energy Cup 1.55m as Judge looks to continue his success throughout the ‘North American’ Tournament.

Parot Earns First Win at Spruce Meadows

Continuing Wednesday’s competition at Spruce Meadows, the $34,000 ATCO Energy Solutions Cup saw 38 entries compete over a 1.50m speed track set by course designer Santiago Varela. In his first trip ever to Spruce Meadows, Chile’s Samuel Parot jumped to victory aboard his own Couscous van Orti, a 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding (Nabab de Reve x Cash).

Samuel Parot and Couscous van Orti
Samuel Parot and Couscous van Orti

The course saw twelve clear rounds in total, and the times got faster and faster. Shane Sweetnam (IRL) jumped an early clear round in 66.10 seconds with Sweet Oak Farm’s Easy Contact Humlan to eventually place third. Several rounds later, Conor Swail (IRL) upped the pace in 65.62 seconds with Ilan Ferder’s Viva Colombia to ultimately finish second. Richard Spooner (USA) was fast and clear with Show Jumping Syndication Intl’s Cristallo in 66.39 seconds to jump into fourth. Quentin Judge and Double H Farm’s HH Quator had a great round in 68.51 seconds to take fifth place. Parot immediately followed, speeding through the timers in 63.92 seconds for the win aboard Couscous van Orti.

“This is the first time I have come to Spruce Meadows and my first victory here,” Parot smiled after his win. “The first week (of the Summer Series) I had third place, fourth place, fifth place, and then I broke my clavicle on the last day of the first week. The second week I tried to jump, but it was not possible, the pain was too much. I waited two weeks and began again last week. It still hurt a little bit last week, but this week it was better.”

“It is super to win here. This is an unbelievable place – the people, the organization. I think Spruce Meadows and Aachen are the most important shows in the world and a win here is important,” Parot continued. “Here, you have the top riders in the world. A win is a win, but here it is very important.”

Parot is based in Wellington, FL for six months of the year and normally spends the rest of the year competing in Europe, but with the Pan American Games coming up in Toronto in July, he chose to make his first trip to Calgary. Parot has been named to the team that will compete for Chile in the Games, and Couscous is a horse that he bought as a possible mount just one month ago. Belgium’s Pieter Devos previously rode the gelding to great success and Parot looks forward to getting to know his new mount further in the coming weeks.

Rodriguez Races to Win PwC Cup

The final competition on Wednesday was the $34,000 PwC Cup 1.50m with a speedy win for Andres Rodriguez (VAN) and Arao Enterprises LLC’s Fifty Fifty 111. Juan Pablo Gaspar Albanez (MEX) and Felipe Gaspar’s Puertas So What were first to go and laid down a blazing fast time of 66.215 seconds that held on through 33 competitors for second place. Halfway through the order, Rodriguez and Fifty Fifty 111 stole the show with their winning time of 66.096 seconds.

Andres Rodriguez and Fifty Fifty 111
Andres Rodriguez and Fifty Fifty 111

Rodriguez and the ten-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare (Action Breaker x Major de la Cour) also won on opening day of week one’s ‘National’ Tournament and the rider was thrilled with his horse’s consistency.

“It is amazing (to win again),” Rodriguez smiled. “This is the first day of one of the biggest competitions of the summer and it is amazing to win the same competition that I won four weeks ago. This is the third time the mare has been out this summer, and she has won two competitions and she also got a good ribbon in the derby, so it feels great.”

“She is getting a bit more accurate,” Rodriguez said of Fifty’s development this summer. “To have a horse that can come in the ring and win two out of three times, it is a great horse.”

“There were a lot of great horses in that competition today,” Rodriguez continued. “We had HH Carlos Z, we had Rosana du Park, some amazing horses and riders. When Juan Pablo Gaspar went in the beginning, I thought that he had won the class. We needed to take some risks to try to get his time. Then after I saw McLain (Ward) and Eric (Lamaze) going after Juan Pablo, and not being able to catch him, I knew we had to go all in. I missed one distance to the coin jump. I was thinking of doing eight strides, but I landed on the outside, so I did nine strides. Then I was trying towards the end to get the time back. I got a little bit of a flying distance to the one oxer at the end. That was a big risk, but I think that is where I got the time.”

“I knew coming in that if someone beat Juan Pablo, it was not going to be by much,” Rodriguez said of his narrow margin of victory. “He did not leave much in the ring. He did all of the distances the right way and he was in the right rhythm. It is very impressive for a kid to come here and just lay something down like that. For him to go first, not really knowing how the class was going to turn up, and put in a round like that was really good.”

Santiago Varela set some excellent tracks on Wednesday that were not only great for the horses and riders, but also great for the crowds that turned up to watch the competition while celebrating Canada Day.

“The courses today were really good,” Rodriguez acknowledged. “I thought the 1.55m was an amazing course. There were some big jumps, but everything rode very smooth, and I think both 1.50m courses were very good. I think the crowd liked it. The rounds were fast, and people were really trying. That is what a course designer is always trying to get: they want to entertain the crowd and get a good competition, and I think he achieved that today.”

The ‘North American’ Tournament continues on Thursday featuring the $85,000 Progress Energy Cup 1.55m, $34,000 Sun Life Financial ‘Reach for the Sun’ 1.50m, and the $34,000 Suncast Cup 1.50m.

For a complete tournament schedule and full results, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.

Lauren Fisher for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
info@jenniferwoodmedia.com

Shane Sweetnam and Samuel Parot Top $5,000 CSIO Welcome Stake Classes at FTI WEF

Shane Sweetnam and Solerina.  Photos © Sportfot.

Wellington, FL – February 26 2014 – The 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) kicked off its week of CSIO competition on Wednesday with a $5,000 Welcome Stake, held as two classes, with afternoon and evening sessions. The day session saw a win for Ireland’s Shane Sweetnam aboard Solerina. The night session was won by Chile’s Samuel Parot and Al Calypso.

FTI WEF week eight, sponsored by G&C Farm, runs February 26 – March 2, 2014, featuring CSIO 4* show jumping and a full schedule of ‘AA’ hunter and equitation events. The week will highlight the $75,000 Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup, presented by G&C Farm, on Friday, February 28. There are Hollow Creek Farm classes for Children’s, Juniors and Young Riders throughout the week as well as three separate FEI Nations’ Cup team events on Saturday, March 1. Many other exciting jumper classes will be featured throughout the week.

Thursday hosts the $34,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 8, and Friday will feature a $10,000 G&C Farm Speed Stake. The $34,000 G&C Farm 1.45m and $25,000 Nutrena Jumper Classic will be held on Saturday. The week will conclude on Sunday with a $25,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic as well as the $150,000 CSIO 4* Grand Prix, presented by Wellington Equestrian Realty.

Steve Stephens (USA) is the course designer in the International Arena for week eight competition. In the $5,000 Welcome Stake day session, Stephens saw 51 entries over his speed track with 11 clear rounds. Shane Sweetnam and his speedy mount Solerina, owned by Sweet Oak and Spy Coast Farms, completed the fastest time of the class in 63.54 seconds for the win.

Mexico’s Eugenio Garza finished second with El Milagro’s Providence 3 in 65.88 seconds. Ireland’s Kevin Babington and Shorapur placed third in 70.13 seconds, and USA’s Christine McCrea and Candy Tribble’s Romantovich Take One finished fourth in 70.92 seconds.

She jumped good,” Sweetnam said of his winning round. “She is naturally quick. I didn’t really go full speed with her; I just did all of the turns. She is good at turns, and I think that was the difference.”

“A lot of people are just schooling for the week,” Sweetnam noted. “It’s not a big money class, but it’s still the opening class of CSIO week, so I knew if I could do my turns then I would be up there. That is what I planned to do, and that is what I did.”

Solerina, a 15-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare by Cruising x Diamond Lad, is a fiery little chestnut, but Sweetnam explained that he has figured out how to work with her personality.

“She is still high maintenance, but I have gotten to know her and she has gotten to know me and I know her quirks now,” he detailed. “She is very funny about the (Jumbotron) TV screen; that is her big thing. She has matured about it, but she is still kind of nervous about it. Today in the practice ring she was nervous; you could tell that she was nervous. She’s a much better horse when there is no TV.”

To help with Solerina’s nerves about the Jumbotron, the mare has a TV screen that she watches in her stall at horse shows.

“It helps a little, but I’m not sure how much,” Sweetnam admitted. “She’s not as dramatic about it as she was before, but as soon as she sees a big TV it is still a factor. At shows she always has a TV in her stall. Spruce Meadows is what she’s watching at the moment. It used to be some cowboy guy before. I better get the WEF video; maybe that will work better.”

Solerina will show in tomorrow’s $34,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup class and again on Saturday. Sweetnam’s mount Eregast van’t Kiezelhof will step up to do the bigger classes this week.

Continuing the day, forty-four entries showed in the night session of Wednesday’s $5,000 Welcome Stake. The class saw just three clear rounds around the course with the fastest time of 65.75 seconds for Chile’s Samuel Parot and Al Calypso.

Germany’s David Will finished second aboard Sevil Sabanci’s Con Chilli in 70.02 seconds. Also from Chile, Carlos Milthaler and Santana Stables LLC’s Player de Brocelia finished third in 70.17 seconds.

Samuel Parot and Al Calypso
Samuel Parot and Al Calypso

Samuel Parot has had a great partnership with Al Calypso, his 12-year-old Hanoverian gelding by Askari x Calypso II. The pair has traveled the world together, competing on the Chilean teams at the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara and the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Parot briefly sold the horse to teammate Jorge Matte, but got him back two weeks ago and now plans to keep him. After his win, Parot spoke about the horse and his style and personality.

“He likes you to ride very soft and comfortable,” Parot noted. “If you make too much pressure, he gets very strong and he is not happy. If you ride soft, he is happy. He is very sensitive.”

“He is very expressive,” the rider added. “It is unbelievable. He knows you. He is very smart, and we know each other well. You go to the barn and walk down the middle and he will come to you. He is a top horse.”

Parot got to see Carlos Milthaler set the pace with the first clear round of the night and knew where he could be faster.

“I saw my partner from Chile go, and he went very fast. I made one turn that he did not make before the water, and I think that is where I made the time better,” Parot explained, adding that he had the advantage of a very seasoned horse. “He has no problem under the lights. He was perfect; he has the experience.”

Al Calypso will show again in tomorrow’s $34,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 8 and will then compete in Sunday’s $150,000 CSI 4* Grand Prix, presented by Wellington Equestrian Realty.

Parot, who has been competing in Wellington for 14 years and has been at the FTI WEF every year since 2008, is excited to be a part of Chile’s team for Friday night’s $75,000 Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup, presented by G&C Farm. This is the first time that the country has had a team for this class in Wellington. Parot will ride alongside teammates Carlos Milthaler and Jorge Matte showing his horse William Wallace.

“This is the first time (and) we will have only three riders, but it is a nice experience here,” Parot stated. “It is very difficult competition. The competition at this show is one of the most important in the world, and it is good for Chile to come here. Chile is very far south, and it is not easy to come here with the horses.”

Competition began on Wednesday with an $8,000 G&C Farm 1.45m speed class with a win for Laura Chapot (USA) aboard Mary Chapot’s ISHD Dual Star. The Hollow Creek Farm Children’s, Junior and Young Rider Welcome speed classes followed. The $1,500 Hollow Creek Farm Young Rider Welcome class was first to go with a win for Manuel Fernandez Hache (DOM) riding Maribel H, owned by Aristides Fernandez Zucco. The $1,000 Hollow Creek Farm Junior Welcome class was held next with a win for Emanuel Andrade (VEN) riding AD Vangleys, owned by Flavio Bernandes. Constanza Romer (VEN) then jumped to victory in the Hollow Creek Farm Children’s Welcome class aboard Frederick Romer’s SF Hechicero.

Week eight will continue on Thursday with the $34,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 8 in the International Arena. The Hollow Creek Farm Children’s, Junior, and Young Riders will also compete in their jump-off Classics for the week. 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.

Please visit www.equestriansport.com or call 561-793-5867 for more information.

Lauren Fisher for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
Equestrian Public Relations
info@jenniferwoodmedia.com