February 5, 2021 – Wellington, FL – Bliss Heers (USA) and Antidote De Mars, owned by Bridgeside Farm, LLC, found their way to the top of the podium in the $50,000 Adequan® WEF Challenge Cup Round 4 on the grass Derby Field at Equestrian Village on Friday, February 5, as part of the 2021 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF).
A field of 68 contested the Adequan® WEF Challenge Cup Round 4, looking to punch their ticket into Sunday afternoon’s $214,000 Marshall & Sterling/Great American Insurance Group Grand Prix CSI4*. With 16 jumping efforts in the first round, a total of 15 entries mastered the track set by Anderson Lima (BRA) to qualify for the jump-off, with two combinations opting not to return. In the subsequent round, Heers and the 11-year-old Selle Français stallion by Diamant de Semilly x Jarnac emerged victorious in a time of 38.98 seconds.
Wilton Porter and Diamonte Darco Dominate in the $37,000 Palm Beach Equine Clinic 1.45m Qualifier CSI2*
Wilton Porter (USA) and Diamonte Darco, owned by Sleepy P Ranch, LLC, opened Friday’s schedule with a win in the $37,000 Palm Beach Equine Clinic 1.45m Qualifier CSI2* on the Derby Field at Equestrian Village. A total of 74 entries came forward to challenge the work of Anderson Lima (BRA) which featured 13 obstacles in the first round and 8 efforts in the shortened jump-off track. Of the seven countries represented in the second round, it was the host nation United States that came out on top.
“I thought the course designer did a great job today,” said Porter. “I think he had just the right number of clear with 13, and I thought it was a difficult course. My horse ‘Bridget’ is really experienced. She’s 16 years old this year and she’s been in our family for a long time, so she handled it well.”
For more information and results, please visit www.PBIEC.com.
Wellington, FL – March 2, 2019 – In the 18-year history of the Nations Cup at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF), there had only been one jump-off to determine the gold medal. On Saturday, March 2, 2019, another jump-off took place and garnered the United States of America their seventh victory in the history of the class. The team, consisting of Wilton Porter, Beezie Madden, Adrienne Sternlicht, McLain Ward, and Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland, took the gold medal in the $150,000 Nations Cup CSIO4*, one of the highlight events of week 8 of WEF.
The winning nation was represented by Porter on Caletto Cabana, owned by Sleepy P Ranch LLC, Madden on Abigail Wexner’s Chic Hin D Hyrencourt, Sternlicht riding Toulago for Starlight Farms 1 LLC, and Ward on the Beechwood Stables LLC-owned mount, Contagious.
Martin Fuchs and Faberlys Find Victory in $50,000 CaptiveOne Advisors 1.50m Grand Prix
Switzerland’s Martin Fuchs and his mount, Faberlys, owned by SPCS, topped a 39-horse field to win the $50,000 CaptiveOne Advisors 1.50m Grand Prix on Saturday afternoon in the International Ring.
Of those 39 entries, six navigated the first round, Steve Stephens-designed track without fault to advance to the jump-off, where Fuchs had what he considered the advantage of returning second to last. With the time to beat set at 44.14 seconds by Canada’s Tiffany Foster and Caipiranja, owned by Artisan Farms, LLC, Fuchs elected to go for it, shaving nearly two seconds off of Foster’s time to finish in 42.22 seconds for the win. Foster’s time held up for second place, while third place with a time of 44.77 seconds went to David Blake of Ireland riding Keoki for owner Pine Hollow Farm.
Rindy Dominguez and MTM Casablanca Emerge Victorious in Hunt Ltd. Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’6” 36 & Over
Competitors in the Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’6” 36+ division returned to the E. R. Mische Grand Hunter Field on Saturday to contest the final three classes of the division for a chance at the champion and reserve titles. With two first place ribbons, Rindy Dominguez of Barrington, RI took the champion title aboard her own MTM Casablanca.
Dominguez and the 11-year-old bay mare earned two firsts, a fourth, fifth, and eighth over the two days of competition which left them 2.5 points ahead of the reserve winner. The mare has been paired with Dominguez for approximately a year and a half but is just making her first Winter Equestrian Festival debut this season.
“She was imported as a jumper, but I bought her about three weeks after she was imported. We’ve spent the fall learning how to be a hunter,” Dominguez explained. “She’s been so lovely. This is her first experience at WEF and her first time at the 3’6” height, which is also something I haven’t done in about two years so it’s very exciting.”
Lexington, KY – July 24, 2015 – Wilton Porter and longtime partner Patriot are no strangers to success in the Rolex Stadium the Kentucky Horse Park. On Friday, the pair again found themselves at the top of the leaderboard, besting the field of 31 to take home the blue ribbon in the $5,000 1.40m Open Jumpers.
However, it was Shane Sweetnam and Beluga who took the early lead in the power-and-speed class, clocking a seemingly unbeatable jump-off time of 28.148 seconds.
As competitor after competitor attempted the Alan Wade-designed course, Sweetnam’s time remained unchallenged until Sharn Wordley stepped up to the plate on Popstar Lozonais, tripping the timers in 28.673 seconds – just half of a second behind Sweetnam’s lead.
With only a handful of riders left to jump, Porter and Patriot entered the ring and delivered a flawless power round to advance to the speed portion. While the turn to the final single-to-oxer combination proved fatal for the majority of riders, Porter’s effective ride kept the duo in the clear, surpassing Sweetnam with a time of 26.809 seconds.
“I didn’t even see Shane go,” Porter admitted. “We were really tight in our turns, especially that final turn to the last two jumps. I think we nailed that, and that’s probably where we beat them. Patriot’s also a quick jumper; he just kind of skims the jump, and there’s not much air time, so that helps as well.”
One final challenger, Adam Prudent, came close to Porter’s blazing time with Si Bella, clocking in at 28.659 seconds and falling short by 1.85 seconds to settle for third place, leaving Wordley in fourth, Sweetnam in second and Porter and Patriot with the top spot.
Patriot has been a favorite of the Porter family for years, having brought both Wilton and younger brother Lucas Porter up the ranks.
“He’s been an awesome Young Rider horse,” Porter said. “He got a lot of results at Tryon this summer in the Under 25 classes, and he’s just been so consistent throughout the years.”
The summer jumper action continued on Friday with the 1.35m Open Jumpers, which saw 24 entries over the Alan Wade designed course.
Third in the order of go, Hayley Iannotti and Carlos G delivered the second clear round, immediately advancing to the short course. The duo went double clear, stopping the clock at 33.461 seconds in the jump off.
Challengers Andrew Welles and Crimana also went double clear to clock the second fastest time, coming in just .23 seconds behind Iannotti with a time of 33.691 seconds.
Conor O’Regan and Salome De Mars secured third place with their assertive effort, finishing just a tenth of a second behind Welles, and .33 seconds behind Iannotti.
The young rider’s early effort held fast throughout the close race, securing the win for Iannotti and Carlos G.
“He’s just naturally a really fast horse, and he doesn’t like to get rails,” Iannotti said. “If I ever do get rails, it’s my fault, not his. I really tried to stay on the pace, and I took a stride out down the first two lines, so that was to my advantage. He was amazing, and he jumped really well.”
Look for both riders in the Rolex Stadium this weekend, with upcoming jumper highlights including the Kentucky Horse Park’s Hats Off Day and the $50,000 Rood & Riddle Grand Prix beginning at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, and the U25 Grand Prix following on Sunday.
Kristen Schnelle and Dawn Fogel Lead 3’3″ Amateur-Owner Hunters
For amateur rider Kristen Schnelle and her mare Calena their time at the Kentucky Summer Horse Show could not be off to a better start. On Friday, Schnelle learned that a surrogate mare was successfully carrying Calena’s first foal, and on Saturday, Schnelle and Calena swept all three classes of the 3’3″ Amateur-Owner 18-35 Hunter division.
Schnelle and her husband, Jason Schnelle, a professional out of Autumn Chase Farm in Collierville, Tennessee, imported Calena, a 7-year-old Oldenburg mare, from Germany in 2012, and Kristen has had the ride in the 3’3″ Amateur-Owners just since March.
Kristen Schnelle and Calena
“When we first got her, we were afraid that she was going to be a little bit hot to be a hunter, so she actually did the jumpers for first maybe six months here. After that she did a few shows in the baby greens and a few shows in the pre-greens with my husband,” Kristen explained.
Now Kristen is seeing continued success in the saddle aboard Calena, including on Saturday at the Kentucky Horse Park where she earned scores of 81 and 84 to win both of the 3’3″ Amateur-Owner 18-35 Hunter over fences classes before also claiming the top call in the under saddle class.
“She’s only 7, but ever since I’ve started showing her I’ve had a real blast with her,” Kristen said. “She’s been awesome; she’s a ball.”
In addition to being happy with their success on Saturday, Kristen is thrilled that Calena will also now be producing her and her husband’s first foal.
“We actually just found out yesterday that the surrogate mare is pregnant. Yesterday was my husband’s birthday, so it was a good birthday present for him,” Kristen said. “It was the second time that we tried. The first time with the recipient mare, the pregnancy didn’t take so we had to do it a second time. It’s the first time we’ve bred a horse, so we’re super pumped.”
While in Kentucky from Tennessee, the Schnelles plan to go to Spy Coast Farm to meet the sire of Calena’s first baby, Diktator Van De Boslandhoeve, in addition to enjoying their time at the Kentucky Summer Horse Shows.
“The facility here is fantastic. It’s one of the bigger shows that we attend, so it’s really nice for us to come here and be able to compete amongst a lot of other great horses,” Kristen said. “Plus, the weather is a lot better than it is right now in Memphis; it’s about 10 degrees cooler.”
Fellow amateur rider Dawn Fogel is no stranger to the beautiful Kentucky Horse Park and the top competition offered by the Kentucky Summer Horse Shows. Residing not far from the Horse Park in Louisville, Kentucky, Fogel is a frequent competitor and winner at the Kentucky Summer Horse Shows.
On Saturday, she earned back-to-back victories over fences in the 3’3″ Amateur Owner Over 35 Hunters aboard her own Summer Catch. The 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding has been extremely consistent with Fogel in the irons, and the pair showed that constancy again on Saturday, earning scores of 84 in both over fences classes. In order to maintain their consistency, Fogel keeps Summer Catch well-conditioned at home.
“We do a lot of long walks with [Summer Catch]. That keeps him happy, and we’re really fortunate that [trainer Rick Fancher’s] farm is next to a big property that is about 75 acres. After I hack him I take him on about a 45 minute to an hour walk. That’s sort of his routine,” Fogel said. “It allows him to stay fit but not work very hard. I think it keeps him happy too doing that. He jumps about once a week, and then he flats the rest of the days and goes on long walks. He really enjoys that. I’m lucky that he’s a very straightforward horse so that program suits him.”
Fogel and Kristen return to the show ring at the Kentucky Horse Park on Saturday as the Amateur-Owner Hunter divisions continue beginning at 8 a.m. in the Stonelea Ring. In addition to a full range of hunter divisions, hunter competition at the Kentucky Summer Classic culminates in Sunday’s $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby.
Kentucky Horse Shows 2015 Horse Show Series Fast Facts
Events:
Kentucky Summer Horse Shows, USEF National Pony Finals, Bluegrass Festival Horse Show and KHJA Horse Show, and the 2015 USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals and the Pre Green Incentive Championship.
What:
The Kentucky Horse Show LLC’s 2015 series includes five weeks of top competition throughout the summer. These premier hunter/jumper competitions host the Hagyard Challenge Series with seven grand prix competitions that culminate with a Leading Rider Award, as well as the Hallway Feeds National Derby Series.
Where:
Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, KY, site of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™, home to the United States Equestrian Federation.
When:
NORTH AMERICAN JUNIOR & YOUNG RIDER CHAMPIONSHIPS – July 14-19, 2015
KENTUCKY SUMMER HORSE SHOW – July 22-26, 2015
$25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic
$25,000 Under 25 Grand Prix
$50,000 Rood & Riddle Kentucky Grand Prix
$5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby
KENTUCKY SUMMER CLASSIC – July 28 – August 2, 2015
$25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic
$50,000 Kentucky Summer Grand Prix sponsored by GGT Footings
$5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby
2015 USEF PONY FINALS – August 4-9, 2015
BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL HORSE SHOW – August 11-16, 2015
USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship
USHJA Pre-Green Incentive Championship
$25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic
$40,000 Bluegrass Festival Grand Prix sponsored by Audi of Lexington
$5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby
WCHR Member Event
KHJA HORSE SHOW – August 19-23, 2015
$10,000 Hagyard Welcome Stake
$30,000 KHJA Grand Prix
$5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby
Sponsors:
A special thanks to the generous sponsors of the Kentucky Summer Series: Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, Hallway Feeds, Hollow Creek Farm, GGT Footing, Rood and Riddle, Audi of Lexington, Sleepy P Ranch, CWD, Farm Vet, Dietrich Insurance, Take2 Thoroughbred Program, and the Official Hotel The Clarion
Hours:
8am – 5pm daily
Parking:
Horse Show Exhibitors may purchase a weekly parking pass at the main Horse Park entrance for $15.00. Dogs are permitted at the Kentucky Horse Park on a leash.
Directions:
The Kentucky Horse Park is located 8 miles northeast of Lexington, Kentucky at Exit 120 on Interstate 75.
Information:
Before Show – (859) 233-0492, Email: hakshows@earthlink.net
During Show – Telephone: (859) 281-7979, Fax: (859) 231-6097
Stabling – Pat Duncan (503) 510-8797
Stable office – Before Show: (503) 510-8797, During Show: (859) 255-0605
Prize List Advertising – Email Cindy Bozan at cindy@kentuckyhorseshows.com or call (859) 608-3709
Vendors – Email Cindy Bozan at cindy@kentuckyhorseshows.com or call (859) 608-3709
Shownet – www.shownet.biz
Shopping:
Vendors offering equestrian equipment, apparel, jewelry, and home furnishings are located adjacent to the Stonelea Ring.
Hotels:
CLARION HOTEL (http://www.clarionhotellex.com) (Formerly Holiday Inn North) – 859-233-0512 – Approximately 4 miles (OFFICIAL HOTEL)
Discover the place where elegant comfort in an ideal location meets excellent service and affordability. At the Clarion Hotel Lexington, you’ll find well-appointed accommodations with options of double/doubles, double queens, king rooms or suites, exceptional amenities such as our free hot breakfast buffet, and Southern hospitality at its finest. The best hotel for Keeneland – Located in the heart of Kentucky’s Bluegrass Region – home of the Kentucky Horse Park, the Lexington Convention Center, University of Kentucky, and the Kentucky Bourbon Trail – our Lexington hotel is on Newtown Pike at Exit 115 on I-75, close to all the big attractions, and is the perfect place to stay whether you’re here to get down to business or have some fun. Best of all, bring your furry friends for any trip because the Clarion Hotel in Lexington is also pet-friendly.
CAMPGROUND RESERVATIONS:
Reservations may not be made through the Horse Show office. To reserve a campsite at the Kentucky Horse Park for any of the horse shows, please call the Campground store at (800) 370-6416 or 859-259-4157 or email Ryan McGaughey at Ryan.mcgaughey@ky.gov. Be specific as to the show name and the dates you wish to stay. Check-in time is 2:00 p.m. and checkout is 12:00 noon. You must make arrangements with the Campground store if you plan to arrive earlier than 2:00 p.m. or stay later than 12:00 noon. Vehicles that are not removed from a campsite by check-out time will be towed.
Mill Spring, NC – June 28, 2015 – Wilton Porter of Bartonville, TX dominated the $15,000 Under 25 Grand Prix at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) today, piloting both of his mounts to finishes in the top three. Porter collected first place aboard Delinquent JX and third aboard Patriot, both owned by Sleepy P Ranch, LLC. Alise Oken of Charlotte, NC and Kaid Du Ry placed second between both of Porter’s rides. The $15,000 Under 25 Grand Prix marked the last day of competition at the first week of the Tryon Summer Series. Tryon Summer 2 will begin on Wednesday, July 1, with another week of FEI CSI 3* competition.
Porter and Delinquent JX, a 2007 Scottish Sport Horse gelding, bested the class of 21 entries, capping the four-horse jump-off with a time of 40.394 seconds. As the last pair to return in the jump-off, Porter felt the pressure of riding a fast clear round after Oken blazed around the track aboard Kaid Du Ry, stopping the timers in 42.75 seconds.
“I’m feeling really good about today. Both of my horses were very solid in their rounds and I felt like I needed this after last night. It was, in a way, redemption for me because I didn’t have the best rounds and wanted to prove to myself that I could get it done,” said Porter.
Both horses take a similar ride according to Porter, who said both Delinquent JX and Patriot are very straightforward and two of the best in his string of upper level mounts.
“The plan didn’t really change that much between the two of them on course and when I walked it, I thought it was a really fair test but there weren’t that many clear trips, which surprised me,” said Porter. “My strategy with Patriot in the jump-off, after seeing some of the rails come down, was to just go neat and clear and see if that would put the pressure on Alise, which she totally took in stride and answered, so I knew I needed to go for it on Delinquent.”
Deliquent JX and Porter are a relatively new pair, partnered before the most recent 2015 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) in Wellington, FL. The pair has been consistent at the 1.40m and 1.50m level, but today was a real step forward in the pair’s partnership for the future.
“This is our first major win together. He’s eight years old and we got him in late 2014 from England from Simon Buckley and he’s up and coming. We’ve tried to figure out where he would be most comfortable and he’s really stepping up,” said Porter. “We’re hoping that he’ll be a really solid Grand Prix horse or a great FEI speed horse.”
Alise Oken and Kaid Du Ry
As Porter continues to make his mark in the young rider standings, he will focus on improving and becoming more consistent with each ride. Showing a natural ability to perform and compete, the sky is the limit for one of the United States’ up-and-coming talents.
“One of the most important things for me this summer is developing my team and maintaining consistency throughout the season,” he commented. “I really want to work to move up in the new Under 25 ranking list that we have. I think I’m sixth right now, but I want to focus on that consistency and keep winning prize money to move up. That is definitely a huge goal right now.”
The Sleepy P Ranch team will be based at TIEC for a majority of the summer season, where they have been since the Spring Series, which concluded on June 7. Porter has thoroughly enjoyed his time at TIEC and believes that the venue will bring great things to the sport in the near future.
“We’ve gotten to spend a lot of time (here), and I really love it. The ring space is incredible and really allows us to work our horses properly. The stabling is just amazing, and anything you could ever need is here,” said Porter. “They’ve thought of everything, and it is really an amazing facility.”
For more information on TIEC and for a full list of results, please visit www.tryon.com.
About Tryon International Equestrian Center
The Tryon International Equestrian Center is destined to become one of the premier centers in the equestrian world. This new facility opened in June 2014 with sanctioned horse shows and initial supporting amenities including 10 riding arenas, 850 permanent stalls, a covered riding facility and fitness center. Future expansion includes a sports complex, two hotels, sporting clay course, and an 18-hole golf course plus a full calendar of equestrian competitions and activities. It is a spring, summer and fall haven for eastern and northeastern American equestrian competitors and enthusiasts. For more information, call 828-863-1000 or visit www.tryon.com.
Ellen Toon and Iberia Find a Rhythm in the Camping World Adult Amateur Hunter 50 and Over Section A
Wellington, FL – March 13, 2015 – USA’s Wilton Porter led the victory gallop over Venezuela’s Emanuel Andrade and Luis Fernando Larrazabal in Friday’s $34,000 1.45m speed class at the 2015 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). Porter and his mount, Sleepy P Ranch LLC’s Paloubet, steered to victory for the first time this season as they gear up for the end of the winter circuit and the season ahead.
The tenth week of WEF competition, sponsored by Horseware Ireland, runs March 11-15. The highlight event of the week is the $127,000 Horseware Ireland Grand Prix CSI 3* on Saturday, March 14, which will be live streamed at this link – http://bit.ly/18EqpLH. The $34,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic on Sunday will also live streamed here – http://bit.ly/1wZSYz4.
Michel Vaillancourt (USA) saw 64 entries on his 1.45m speed track on Friday with 17 clear rounds. Andrade held an early lead in 68.49 seconds with ZZ Top v/h Schaarbroek Z, until Larrazabal and San Francisco Stables LLC’s G&C Close Up took over in 66.55 seconds. Porter then soon stole the top spot with Paloubet in 64.95 seconds. Andrade returned at the end, determined with his second mount Fananka A, but just missed the mark and posted the second best time of 65.01 seconds.
Paloubet, a 14-year-old Selle Francais gelding (Baloubet Du Rouet x Voltaire), has had a light show schedule this winter. He placed eleventh in week two’s $50,000 Wellington Equestrian Realty Grand Prix CSI 2* and showed lightly throughout the winter. This week, he came out fresh as Porter prepares for the final weeks of the circuit.
“He had kind of a quiet season, especially compared to last year,” Porter stated. “We have been trying to save him here for the end, for the final stretch. We got results in the grand prix week two and since then he has just been taking it easy and he was really good today.”
Commenting on his winning round, Porter explained, “I saw Luis go, and he was pretty fast. It was a tough course, I thought. Sometimes the speed courses are not quite as difficult and people really end up racing around, but today you had to balance a little bit between speed and trying to jump a clear round. There was one turn to the triple combination that, when I walked it, I thought everybody was going to do that inside turn, but you ended up not even having to do that in order to have the fastest time. I didn’t see Emanuel on his last horse, but I would have been sweating it. I was still walking around in the warm-up ring.”
Porter and Paloubet have a great partnership that has improved with each year, and the gelding has brought his rider up the ranks and taught him a lot.
“I have had him for a few years now, and I have definitely gotten to know him really well. He is obviously pretty unique,” the rider noted. “I think over the years I have just become smoother with him with the help of my trainer, John Roche, and my past trainers, Katie and Henri Prudent. I have just developed smoothness, he has taught me that, because otherwise he just runs away with me.”
“He is pretty calm at home. You would not think that he is such a strong horse in the ring when you are just flatting him at home,” Porter added. “He is very quiet, and he is pretty nice to ride actually.”
A sophomore at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee, Porter travels back and forth from school each week to compete. He now has his sights set on next week’s WEF Challenge Cup and hopes to qualify for the week’s grand prix with Paloubet. He kept the horse rested for the final weeks of competition with the ultimate goal of competing in week twelve’s $500,000 Rolex Grand Prix CSI 5*.
Along with his success in the 1.45m, Porter also finished second with Sleepy P Ranch LLC’s Patriot in Section A of Friday’s $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m Speed Challenge. Held in a California split, Laura Chapot (USA) and Bradberry were the winners in Section A, and Sydney Shulman (USA) and Jill Shulman’s Venice topped Section B. Chapot was also second and third in Section B with The Edge’s Out of Ireland and Mary Chapot’s Umberto respectively.
Ellen Toon and Iberia Find a Rhythm in the Camping World Adult Amateur Hunter 50 and Over Section A
In only their third week of showing together this winter, Ellen Toon and JT Farm’s Iberia made a clean sweep of the Camping World Adult Amateur Hunter 50 and Over Section A over fences classes by winning all four. Coupled with a seventh-place finish under saddle, Toon and her seven-year old Hanoverian mare clinched the division.
Ellen Toon and Iberia
With husband and trainer Jimmy on the ground, Toon has been flying back and forth from WEF to their home base in South Salem, New York, giving Iberia several weeks off from competition. The breaks appeared to be a positive, however, as consistent scores in the high 80s handed Toon the title over a field of 20.
“For every two weeks of showing, I usually take a week off and this was the first time all circuit I have showed her twice consecutively. Last week we both felt a little rusty, but this week she felt like she was back to her old self and was terrific,” said Toon. “She’s a really nice, simple ride. She’s still green, but does her lead changes and just walks down the lines.”
Iberia has been part of Toon’s JT Farm string for a year and a half after being imported by Jimmy as a five-year-old. “We got her as an investment horse. Jimmy found her in a field, pulled her out and brought her home,” said Toon. “She came to us never having been shod or anything. She was very green, but she knew seemed to know how to do everything once we got her in the ring.”
Despite taking a few days to get back into the swing of showing, Toon admits that during Week 10, it was nice to have a fresh horse under her. “She was very interested in the ring and the fences. That turned out to be really good for us,” she said.
Iberia also competes in the 3’3″ Pre-Greens with Jennifer Bliss in the irons, and Toon is looking to the future with hopes to point the mare at the 3’3″ Amateur Hunters next.
Continuing a female-domination of the Adult Hunter 50 and Over division, Sandra Epstein and her own 12-year-old Swedish Warmblood mare Gisele collected Reserve Champion. Winning top honors in the under saddle, Epstein, who trains with Molly Flaherty of Arcadia Farm in Yorktown Heights, NY, was fourth and second over fences.
WEF 10 continues on Saturday featuring the $127,000 Horseware Ireland Grand Prix CSI 3* in the International Arena in the evening. The Hunt LTD Amateur-Owner Over 35 Hunters will award championship honors in the E. R. Mische Grand Hunter Ring. For full results and more information, please visit www.pbiec.com.
Lauren Fisher and Lindsay Brock for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
Darragh Kenny and Wilton Porter Win 1.45m Jump-Offs
Calgary, AB, Canada – July 4, 2014 – The Spruce Meadows ‘North American’ Tournament continued with wins for two of this summer’s top riders as well as an exciting first for a young up-and-comer in the International Ring on Friday. Eric Lamaze (CAN) and Fine Lady 5 topped the $50,000 LaFarge Cup 1.50m, Darragh Kenny (IRL) and Chin Quidam VDL won the $33,500 Pepsi Challenge 1.45m, and Wilton Porter (USA) and Diamonte Darco were victorious in the $33,500 Friends of the Meadows Jumper 1.45m.
The ‘North American’ Tournament continues through July 6, featuring the $210,000 ATCO Power Queen Elizabeth II Cup on Saturday and the $210,000 Cenovus Energy Classic 1.50m Derby on Sunday.
Leopoldo Palacios of Venezuela is the course designer in the International Ring for the week and set some challenging tracks on Friday. In the $50,000 LaFarge Cup, Palacios saw 25 entries with five clear rounds to advance to the jump-off. Eric Lamaze and Artisan Farms LLC’s Fine Lady 5 got the win with the only double clear round in 53.16 seconds. Richie Moloney (IRL) and Equinimity LLC’s Freestyle de Muze were clear over the jumps and finished with one time fault in 57.68 seconds. McLain Ward (USA) and his own and Susan Heller’s d’Ulien van de Smeets had the fastest jump-off time of 46.63 seconds, but incurred four faults to finish third.
Lamaze and Fine Lady 5, the 11-year-old Hanoverian mare by Forsyth x Hauptstutbuch, are already on their third international victory this summer in a brand new partnership that solidified quickly.
“I didn’t know her very much before I came here, so I really got to know her on this summer tour,” Lamaze stated. “What I found out about her is that she is absolutely 100% reliable. She really wants to stay off the fences. She gets a little excited and moves right to left very quickly sometimes, so it took me a little bit to adjust to her, but she’s a total class horse for the 1.50m division. Who knows what else is in the future for her, but at this height I feel like I’m on the very best horse I can have for this.”
Fine Lady came to Artisan Farms when Lamaze needed a horse to fill the 1.50m speed classes in his string of top mounts, and the purchase has proved to be an excellent investment. Although they have only done a few jump-off rounds together, Lamaze knew he could trust his horse completely.
“It was wide open, and she’s really careful,” he stated. “The double was the trick to jump after the long gallop from one to two. I knew if McLain was to be clear, I was going to have a harder night. He had an unfortunate four faults, so things became a little bit easier. With one time fault to beat, I felt pretty good about things, but you never know about things in this sport. You could have the first jump down, the last fence, a light rub and it comes down. It’s not because all you have to do is go clear that it works every single time. I’m very happy with the result. I felt that I was on the right horse to accomplish this mission.”
“The great thing about this mare is that she is really fast, and she goes fast, but you can always push,” Lamaze added. “That’s why she is so good. Great horses, it doesn’t matter how fast you get to the fence, if they’re asking for leg when you get there, they are very competitive horses. In the jump-off tonight, I didn’t really have to hold her back. She always asks for more leg. I just sort of maintained a rhythm that I thought would be under the time allowed, and that’s all I had to do.”
After another great win, Lamaze looks forward to jumping Fine Lady 5 in Saturday’s $85,000 TD Cup 1.50m. He will also compete in the $210,000 ATCO Power Queen Elizabeth II Cup 1.60m with Powerplay.
Darragh Kenny and Chin Quidam VDL
Kenny Can’t Be Beat
Ireland’s Darragh Kenny continued an incredible summer at Spruce Meadows with another win on Friday afternoon, this time taking the $33,500 Pepsi Challenge 1.45m aboard Hyperion Stud LLC’s Chin Quidam VDL, an eight-year-old KWPN stallion by Chin Chin x Quidam de Revel. Including Friday’s win, Kenny has now had eight individual FEI victories over the course of four weeks at Spruce Meadows as well as a team Nations Cup win for Ireland.
In Friday’s Pepsi Challenge, course designer Leopoldo Palacios set the track for 42 entries and saw 10 advance to the jump-off with four double clear rounds. Eric Lamaze went first over the short course with Artisan Farms LLC’s Check Picobello Z in 39.78 seconds, but Kenny stole the lead with Chin Quidam VDL in 35.63 seconds a few rounds later. Shane Sweetnam (IRL) then moved into second with Spy Coast Farm LLC’s Mimosa in 36.97 seconds. Last to go, Leslie Howard (USA) went for the clear round in 40.87 seconds with Moormann, Rolf u. Paul Schockemohle’s Balboa 6 to finish fourth. Frances Land (USA) had the time in hand with Vieanne in 35.21 seconds, but had four faults at the final fence to place fifth.
“I didn’t know what exactly I was doing when I went in the ring,” Kenny admitted after his round. “He’s very quick, and he’s very careful. I didn’t know if he was going to spook on the inside turn from one to two in the jump-off, but he didn’t at all. Everybody had said to me that it was going to be very difficult to do six strides to the double (combination), but I knew that he had such a big stride that it was going to be easy for him. I just cut inside, did the six, and then I knew I was one stride ahead at that stage, so then I just kept going. I tried to do seven to the last, but I got caught wide, so I had to do eight (strides), but it turned out to be good enough.”
“I was very lucky that Frances Land hit the last jump because she could have done 11 strides to the last jump and still beaten me,” Kenny added with a laugh.
Chin Quidam VDL is a breeding stallion for Hyperion Stud in Virginia. Kenny started riding the horse in Florida over the winter and has been stepping him up this summer.
“He’s a really, really nice horse, and he only started doing the 1.45m here at Spruce,” Kenny noted. “He has really come a long way. He won a national 1.45m here also and was second in another. Today was only his second time in the big ring, and he really performed well. He is quite competitive.”
In addition to his own success throughout the summer series, Kenny has coached many of his students to top ribbons. One student, Taylor Alexander, finished ninth with her horse G&C Flash in the Pepsi Challenge. Kenny explained that it is a big job to make sure all of his horses and riders are prepared in the same classes throughout the day, but showing together also keeps him on top of his game.
“For me, I really enjoy working with students,” he acknowledged. “I really enjoy helping people get to their goals in their careers. I know from my own experience, I ask nearly all the top riders questions all the time, so I think it’s good for my students that they also have someone that’s riding in the ring and can get on the horse and feel what they feel, and have an idea of what’s going on.”
“It’s a huge balance when you’re walking the course,” Kenny pointed out. “You have to teach every person differently because of how they ride and the horse that they are on. I really try in my training to individualize the horses. I don’t try to use the same idea for every horse. I see what each horse needs to improve on and do that, whether it’s my own horses or my clients’ horses.”
Wilton Porter and Diamonte Darco
Porter Wins Big with Diamonte Darco
Twenty-year-old Wilton Porter (USA) got his first International win at Spruce Meadows Friday morning riding Sleepy P Ranch LLC’s Diamonte Darco in the $33,500 Friends of the Meadows 1.45m. Porter got the nine-year-old mare, a Great Britain Sport Horse by Unbelievable Darco, this winter. The pair first showed in Florida for a few months and then traveled to Europe in May before starting up in Calgary last week. Jumping in the world-renowned International Ring, they made their first win together a big one.
Forty-three entries showed in the first competition of the day with nine clear rounds to advance to the jump-off. Porter and Diamonte Darco had the advantage of being last to go over the short course. When no one else was able to finish without fault, they only had the round of two time faults in 52.37 seconds from Christine McCrea and Candy Tribble’s Win For Life to beat. Porter explained that he thought he was almost not fast enough, but he galloped down to the final fence and jumped clear in 50.33 seconds to take top honors.
“It was a good jump-off to go last in,” the rider smiled. “I was right at the in-gate when Chris went, and I watched her round. It wasn’t super slow, but it wasn’t all out. I knew that I didn’t need to race and have a rail down because I was trying to go too fast. Actually, once I started doing the course and I was coming around to the second to last jump, I thought, ‘I’m pretty slow. I might be slower than her.’ So I had to kind of race to the last (jump), but it was a wall. Horses tend to back themselves off of that, so it worked out well.”
“It’s really exciting,” Porter said of his momentous win. “I have been coming to Spruce for four years and competing in the International Ring for three years. I have had some good placings in here, but I had not gotten that victory yet, so it is really special to have all of the hard work pay off.”
Porter was also excited to get the win with a relatively new horse in Diamonte Darco. He had a great round in the competition with his veteran partner Paloubet as well, but had one time fault to finish just out of the ribbons.
Porter explained that the mare has been gradually stepping up to bigger classes, and that although she is only nine years old and a little green at this level of competition, she handled it very well.
“She’s pretty fiery; a fiery personality, and she’s definitely very sensitive,” he said of the ride. “I have adjusted to that. She is very different from my other horse, Paloubet, who is really strong and powerful. I am just sort of trying to hold on to him, whereas with her, it is more of a finesse to it. She’s very careful. The distance at the jump is very important for her.”
With a fantastic win under his belt, Porter has big plans for the rest of the summer. Diamonte Darco will travel to Kentucky to be his mount at the Adequan FEI North American Junior/Young Rider Championships while Paloubet will fly over to Europe to give Porter the ride in his first senior Nations Cup team on the United States Under 25 tour in Bratislava, Slovakia.
The ‘North American’ Tournament continues on Saturday with the $85,000 TD Cup 1.50m and the $210,000 ATCO Power Queen Elizabeth II Cup 1.60m. For more information and full results, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.
Truman and Christopher Payne Take First Hunter Championship of FTI WEF in Equine Tack & Nutritionals First Year Green Hunters
Wellington, FL – January 9, 2014 – The Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, FL, hosted its second day of competition for the 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) on Thursday with a win for Wilton Porter (USA) and Sleepy P Ranch LLC’s Paloubet in the $25,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 1.
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, held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC), 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. In Thursday’s $25,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 1, Hasbrouck set the course for 46 entries with nine clear rounds to advance to the jump-off. It was then an exciting race against the clock as six of those cleared the short course without fault.
Shane Sweetnam (IRL) and Solerina, owned by Sweet Oak and Spy Coast Farms, set the pace to beat at 37.498 seconds to eventually finish fourth. Ronan McGuigan (IRL) and Capall Zidane were next to go and upped the ante with their time of 37.222 seconds, which earned the third place prize. Paris Sellon and Heracross also cleared the course and earned fifth place honors with their time of 38.870 seconds. Up next, Wilton Porter and Paloubet raced through the course in 36.052 seconds to take the lead. Their time held up to the end as Charlie Jacobs and CMJ Sporthorse LLC’s Flaming Star were just off the mark in 36.797 seconds to finish second. Michael Dorman and Wyndmont’s Valinski S also jumped a clear round and finished sixth with their time of 39.968 seconds.
Thursday’s win was a big one for 19-year-old Wilton Porter, showing against many of the world’s top international riders to earn the third grand prix victory of his young career. Porter is in his freshman year at Vanderbilt University and began his first spring semester this week, coinciding with the first week of FTI WEF competition. He flew into Palm Beach at 1 a.m. Thursday morning, and definitely made the trip worth it with a great start to the season.
Porter, of Dallas, TX, trains with John Roche and has had his winning mount Paloubet, a 13-year-old Selle Francais gelding by Baloubet Du Rouet x Voltaire, for three years . The pair has moved up the ranks, winning their first grand prix together in Kentucky this summer. The WEF Challenge Cup win was significant for the rider in many ways.
“I have been doing ‘WEFs’ for about three years now and haven’t won one yet, so it is especially exciting, and there are a lot of really good riders,” Porter acknowledged. “I haven’t won a competition where there are this many top riders, so that is exciting.”
Speaking about his partnership with Paloubet, Porter noted, “Definitely it has been improving. He is a little bit of a quirky horse, and he has a funny mouth. My trainer, John, does a lot of the hard work. I have to always mention him because he does most of the hard work with the flat work and everything while I’m gone, and even when I’m here, he is the one who flats him in the morning. I think it has definitely developed. I have gotten stronger, and we have gotten him more accustomed to the way I ride. For sure it has come a long way.”
Porter showed his cool under pressure, topping the times of two very fast Irish riders in Shane Sweetnam and Ronan McGuigan, with top competitors like McLain Ward still to go. He took a chance at the end of the jump-off that earned the winning time.
“To the second to last jump, I kind of took a flier out of the turn,” he explained. “It was a little bit of a risk, but it ended up paying off, and then that made the line pretty easy. I did the same numbers of strides as everybody down the last line. I think it looked like I was flying, but I was able to slow up a little bit right before the last jump.”
“It was a great course, and I liked the jump-off because it had just the right amount of turns and galloping, so it was pretty fun,” Porter added. “I thought there were probably just about the right amount of clears to make a good jump-off.”
Paloubet also seemed to like the jump-off, handling some very tight turns and big gallops.
“He turns really fast,” Porter stated. “I have to be really soft on his mouth, but that is something he is good at. Then his stride really does open up as the course goes on, so at the end when you had to gallop down that last line, he had no trouble doing that.”
In addition to the prize money for Thursday’s class, Porter earned a special $3,000 bonus as part of the SSG ‘Go Clean for the Green’ promotion. Each week of the Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Series, a $3,000 bonus will be awarded to the winning rider if they are wearing SSG ‘Digital’ Riding Gloves in all rounds of competition with the SSG logo clearly visible. Porter was the first bonus winner of 2014.
Also showing on Thursday, Samantha Senft (USA) kicked off the morning with a win in the $8,000 G&C Farm 1.45m jump-off class with her ride aboard Early Morning. The class saw 27 entries with 17 advancing to the jump-off, and 12 double clear rounds. Senft and Early Morning completed the fastest jump-off round in 36.67 seconds.
Yann Candele (CAN) and Carol Sollak’s Brooklyn Blues finished second in 37.038 seconds. Lorenzo de Luca (ITA) and Mike Collin’s Cornetiero placed third with a time of 37.905 seconds.
The $2,500 Engel & Völkers, Sollak, Carr High Amateur-Owner Jumper speed class was also held in the International Arena on Thursday morning with a win for Jay Land and Nepal. The pair had the fastest of six clear rounds out of 20 entries with the winning time of 69.806 seconds. Robert Jornayvaz IV finished second with a time of 73.334 seconds aboard Like A Dream. Kelly Soleau and Centre Ice were third in 74.047 seconds.
Truman and Christopher Payne
Truman and Christopher Payne Take First Hunter Championship of FTI WEF in Equine Tack & Nutritionals First Year Green Hunters
Truman and Christopher Payne took home the first division championship of the FTI WEF on Thursday morning in the Equine Tack & Nutritionals First Year Green Working Hunters. Truman, owned by Maypine Farm, won the under saddle class and was fourth in the handy hunter round with Payne on Wednesday before winning the stake round and picking up another fourth place ribbon in the final over fences class on Thursday.
Reserve champion of the division was Enticement, ridden by Kelley Farmer and owned by Glefke, Kensel LLC and Oakland Ventures, LLC. The pair was third in the handy hunter round on the first day of competition before finishing third in the stake round and winning the final over fences class on Thursday.
Payne campaigned Truman as a pre-green horse in 2013 and thought the six-year-old Westphalian gelding handled the step up to the First Year Green Working Hunter division with ease, despite the dreary weather hanging over the first two days of competition.
“This was his first time out at 3’6″. It’s not the best weather for the first time out, but he handled it great. He’s just the sweetest horse. He tries hard every time. He has a wonderful mind and wonderful talent,” Payne commented.
Payne acknowledges Truman’s soft side as one of his favorite things about him.
“He is a lover! He is so happy to see everybody. He’s so affectionate. He’s the sweetest horse every day, every moment of his life,” Payne smiled.
The first week of the FTI WEF was also Truman’s first time in the show ring since October, when he finished as reserve champion in a Future Hunter division at the Capital Challenge Horse Show in Upper Marlboro, MD.
“For his first time showing since October, he didn’t forget too much!” Payne joked.
Truman has settled in well to the bustling atmosphere at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC), and Payne looks forward to seeing where the FTI WEF circuit takes them.
“He’s a big kid. He just takes it all in! He likes the newness of everything,” Payne commented. “We’ll keep doing the first years [the rest of circuit] and keep forging ahead.”
FTI WEF week one, sponsored by The Mar-a-Lago Club, will continue on Friday with the $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m Jumpers featured in the International Arena and the presentation of championship honors to the Camping World Adult Amateur Hunter 51 & Over Section A, in the E. R. Mische Grand Hunter Ring. 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.
Team of Porter, Pasmore, Garza and Reid Wins $20,000 Artisan Farms Young Rider Grand Prix Team Event; Lucador and Peter Pletcher Victorious in Fumero Law Pre-Green Level 2 Hunters
Wellington, FL, March 7, 2013 – Christine McCrea (USA) and Candy Tribble’s Zerly beat an all-star international field in Thursday’s $125,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 9 during the 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival’s (FTI WEF) CSI-W 5* week sponsored by The Bainbridge Companies. McCrea and Zerly won the largest portion of prize money in the richest purse ever offered in the 24-year history of the WEF Challenge Cup series over Olympic Gold Medalists Nick Skelton (GBR) and Big Star. Germany’s Daniel Deusser and Cornet d’Amour finished third.
Week nine runs March 6-10, 2013. The week will feature the $33,000 G&C Farm 1.45m on Friday, the $300,000 FEI World Cup CSI-W 5* presented by The Bainbridge Companies on Saturday evening, and the $82,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic on Sunday afternoon. The 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival features 12 weeks of competition running from January 9 – March 31, 2013, and will be awarding almost $7 million in prize money throughout the circuit.
Steve Stephens of Palmetto, FL, is the course designer in the International Arena at PBIEC for week nine. In Thursday’s Challenge Cup competition, Stephens saw 84 entries jump his first round course and 31 competitors make it through to the jump-off. Twenty-eight riders representing six different countries returned for the tiebreaker after three entries opted out of the final round.
The USA’s Christine McCrea and Zerly raced to the win in 31.10 seconds, the fastest of 14 double clear rounds. The top five places were all separated by hundredths of a second.
Placing second, Nick Skelton and Beverly Widdowson’s Big Star finished in 31.25 seconds. Daniel Deusser and Cornet d’Amour, owned by Stephex Stables and Pedro Veniss, clocked in at 31.43 seconds to place third. Daniel Bluman (COL) and Sancha LS completed the course in 31.44 seconds for fourth place honors and Laura Kraut (USA) and Cherry Knoll Farm, Inc.’s Cedric were right behind them in 31.46 seconds to finish fifth.
Class winner, Zerly, is a nine-year-old KPWN mare by Querlybet Hero x Carthago. McCrea got Zerly last August and explained that she had watched the mare show a lot in Europe with her previous rider, American Andrew Ramsay. When Zerly came up for sale, McCrea jumped at the chance to buy her.
“Honestly, she is like a dreamboat,” McCrea praised. “She has a big stride, but she can make it very small. She can jump a really careful jump and she can jump the hugest jump. For me, she is everything.”
Commenting on this afternoon’s class, McCrea noted, “I never thought there would be 31 clear, but I think this is a big week and people have geared up for it. Everybody knows that this is the biggest money of the circuit this week, so I think everybody is coming here with their ‘A’ game. There are so many good horses and riders; you can’t underestimate anybody.”
“The course didn’t ride easy,” McCrea added. “I didn’t think it was small. I think the horses just jumped really well and the footing is good and there are really good horse and rider combinations here.”
Nick Skelton and Big Star were holding on to the lead in the jump-off when McCrea and Zerly entered the ring and just edged out their time. “I saw Nick go in the jump-off and I thought there was no way I could beat him, but she is very fast,” McCrea acknowledged. “I have no idea how I made the time. I flew from one to two. That is the only thing. The rest I am not really sure.”
McCrea was excited to get her first big win with Zerly, especially in Thursday’s big money class. “It is fantastic that they had this much prize money, especially when you have so many in the class,” she stated. “It is inspiring and we appreciate it.”
“I am thrilled,” she concluded. “She is only nine and this was my first big win with her. I just started in the grand prixs (with her) down here, so I am really excited.”
In addition to the winning check for $37,500 for the class, McCrea was also presented with $6,000 for the SSG “Go Clean for the Green” promotion. A $3,000 bonus is offered each week if the winning rider of the Challenge Cup class is wearing the SSG ‘Digital’ Riding Gloves in all rounds of competition with the SSG logo clearly visible. The bonus went unclaimed during week eight, so McCrea won two weeks’ worth of bonus money. Zerly was also honored with the Champion Equine Insurance Jumper Style Award.
Team of Porter, Pasmore, Garza and Reid Wins $20,000 Artisan Farms Young Rider Grand Prix Team Event
Thursday’s competition concluded in the International Arena at PBIEC with the $20,000 Artisan Farms Young Rider Grand Prix Team Event, held in a Nations Cup format shown over two rounds of competition. With five teams of four competing, Team 5 was the winner. The team, made up of Wilton Porter riding Sleepy P Ranch LLC’s Paloubet, Catherine Pasmore riding Freddy Star, Eugenio Garza riding El Milagro’s Bariano, and Chloe Reid riding Damascus, was coached by Kim Prince.
After the first round, each team dropped their highest score. In the second round, all five teams returned in order of highest to lowest total faults. The winner was determined by the lowest total of each team’s top three riders from each round.
Watch an interview with young rider Wilton Porter
For the winning team, Wilton Porter and Paloubet had the drop score of 19 faults in round one, but redeemed themselves with the only clear trip of the competition in the second round. Catherine Pasmore and Freddy Star had eight faults in round one and four faults in round two. Eugenio Garza and Bariano had four faults in round one and the drop score of 12 in round two, and Chloe Reid and Damascus had 15 faults in round one and eight faults in round two. The team finished on 39 faults total for the win.
From the winning team, Catherine Pasmore has the most team experience with senior Nations Cup performances. Pasmore rode her horse Freddy Star, an eleven-year-old Westphalian gelding by Lancer III x Polydor. Commenting on her rounds, Pasmore noted, “I went in fairly early and I had a foot in the water and four time faults, so a total of eight. I was a little disappointed, but as the class went on, the course definitely got the better of all of us today, so I was actually pleased with my round at the end.”
“For the second round they did make a few things slightly easier and they lengthened the time allowed, but I still wanted to make sure that I did not have time fault; that’s one of the worst things you can have in a Nations Cup, so I really jumped one, got right over to two, got right over to three. I really tried to make the time up a little bit early so that by the end when they got a little bit careful, I could take my time.”
“Freddy Star is a fairly new ride for me,” Pasmore said. “I jumped him a little bit early on and he did really well and I brought him out today basically to see what he would do with two rounds. He was really good, so I am pleased with that. I hope that he’ll come along and be a nice second horse for me to some of my other horses.”
Although Pasmore has had top Nations Cup experience, she counts all team experience equally. “Any Nations Cup to me is important,” she declared. “It doesn’t matter if its young riders or a senior team, you just really have to go in and give it 100%. Even if you have one down, you just can’t let your guard down and you can’t have another one.”
Although Wilton Porter had a little trouble in round one, he came back to jump a clear round even with an equipment malfunction.
“After the first round we decided to change the bridle to a hackamore so that he had less interference with his mouth jumping and then the hackamore actually ended up breaking in the second round about six jumps in,” Porter explained. “I did the second half of the course with a broken bridle. He is already pretty strong as it is, and I pretty much had no brakes, but I almost never have brakes anyway, so I just sort of steered him and he jumped great in the second round. It all worked out in the end.”
His horse Paloubet is a 12-year-old Selle Francais gelding by Baloubet du Rouet x Voltaire. “I’ve had him for a little over a year now. Katie and Henri Prudent helped find him for me,” Porter detailed. “He is a great horse and we have done some big classes. I have a great team helping me with him. John Roche is training me and I am extremely grateful to my parents and the sponsors of this class for helping me and providing us with the opportunity to do this.”
“It is a great experience,” Porter said of the series. “The team event helps get us ready for the young rider championships in Kentucky and the individual competition really tries to enforce consistency so that you can be right up there at the top at the end. It is a big class and an important class, so anytime you get the chance to do a class that is more important than a normal class, it helps you practice and gives you experience. I try to use those opportunities for my horses and then there is good prize money too. It is a lot of fun.”
Eugenio Garza rides for Mexico and was aboard his twelve-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding Bariano (Jetset-D x Skippy).
“He is a great horse,” Garza expressed. “This is maybe my fifth month riding him. He has all the scope in the world and he is really careful. He has personality, everything. I just love him.”
Garza commented on the course, stating, “When we walked the course I thought it was good, but as people started going it was obvious that it was hard and we were going to have to work to get a good score. It was a hard course actually.”
Chloe Reid and her horse Damascus, an eleven-year-old KWPN mare by Cardento x Corland, have been working on their partnership since joining up last spring. Reid noted, “Right from the beginning we had a really strong connection and I really learned how to ride her well. Recently she has been really learning to become my horse and really listening. Today in the first round, the time was really tight and my trainer told me to go in and just try as best as I could. By the second round I already knew that we were going to win, but I still wanted to go in for the individual. I am happy with my round. I am disappointed that I had a few down, but I am happy.”
Reid also appreciated the team experience. “Being on a team is a lot of fun,” she smiled. “It is mostly an individual sport where you don’t have a lot of opportunities to compete on a team. This is my second week now; I did the junior Nations Cup last week and every time it is just a lot of fun rooting with other people and just the excitement of it all.”
Team 3 from Zone 2 finished second on a 47 fault total. The team included Charlotte Jacobs and Candy Tribble’s Promised Land, Gabrielle Bausano and Ubico H, Mattias Tromp and Beyaert Farm, Inc.’s Casey, and Lillie Keenan riding Chansonette Farm LLC’s Londinium.
Team 1 with riders from Colombia and Venezuela had 50 faults to place third. The team included Mario Gamboa and Stransky’s Mission Farms’ Unico, Emanuel Andrade riding Hollow Creek Farm’s ZZ Top VH Schaarbroek Z, Nicolas Herrera and Concorde, and Luis Fernando Larrazabal riding Anabel Simon’s G&C Sacramento.
Lucador and Peter Pletcher Victorious in Fumero Law Pre-Green Level 2 Hunters
Peter Pletcher and Lucador claimed victory for the second week in a row in the Fumero Law Pre-Green Level 2 Hunter division during week nine of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). The five-year-old Oldenburg gelding, owned by Brian and Sophie Baldwin of Sagamore Farm, dominated day one of competition, winning the under saddle and both over fences classes. Pletcher and Lucador wrapped up the division on day two with a second place finish over fences. Reserve champion honors went to 21-Gun Salute, ridden by Christina Serio and owned by Kendall Sharkey. Serio and 21-Gun Salute were fourth under saddle and sixth and second over fences on day one before finishing day two with first and fifth place ribbons over fences.
Lucador began his show career at the 2013 FTI WEF with Pletcher and has proven his potential as a top competitor. “He’s come into his own these last few weeks. He’s been champion the last two weeks he’s shown in the Pre-Greens,” Pletcher commented. “He’s a super horse and a talented athlete with a beautiful jump.”
Pletcher has helped the gelding settle in to life at the showgrounds, which is no small feat when starting out at the massive grounds of the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC). “At first, he was a little ADD and looked around a bit. Now that he’s been here a few weeks, he’s really gotten it. He can be looking around but then focus in on the jump and give you an amazing jump, seemingly out of nowhere,” Pletcher described.
Lucador’s inexperience showed briefly when he jumped a shadow on day two of competition for the division, but overall Pletcher couldn’t be happier with the young horse’s performance. “He was really good today. The second round he went around really nicely so we were happy,” Pletcher smiled.
Pletcher looks forward to continuing to ride Lucador this year.
“He’s amazing. He’s such a good horse and very, very talented. He jumps as well as any horse at [the FTI WEF]. He has a wonderful jump and is lovely across the ground. He’s a gorgeous mover and is beautiful to look at too,” he remarked.
Sophie Baldwin was also thrilled with Lucador’s early success and is happy to have Pletcher in the irons. “They’re two peas in a pod! Peter does such a good job with him. Peter is very smooth and just lets [Lucador] do his thing. He’s so fancy and special; he just shines. Peter is the perfect match for him, so we’re really happy with the both of them!” Baldwin stated.
The Fumero Law Pre-Green Level 2 Hunter division kicked off week nine of competition of the FTI WEF, sponsored by The Bainbridge Companies. Week nine will continue Friday with Section A of the Adult Amateur Hunter 36-50 division, hosted in the Rost Arenaof the PBIEC. The $33,000 G&C Farm 1.45m will be featured in the International Arena. For full results, please visit www.showgroundslive.com.
Lauren Fisher and Laura Cardon for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
About the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival The 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival has 12 weeks of top competition running from January 9 through March 31. 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. For more information, please visit www.equestriansport.com.
About FTI Consulting 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 3,800 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 $1.56 billion in revenues during fiscal year 2011. More information can be found at www.fticonsulting.com.
Wilton Porter and Patriot win High Junior Jumpers at the Kentucky Spring Horse Show. Photo By: Rebecca Walton/PMG
Lexington, KY – May 12, 2012 – For the second day in row, Wilton Porter galloped to victory aboard his talented gelding Patriot in the High Junior Jumpers at the Kentucky Spring Horse Show. Completing an excellent double clear effort, he managed to edge out Emanuel Andrade and La Fe Forli by just two-tenths of a second to take home top honors. Later in the day, Andrade earned his own blue ribbon, showing Mikos to the top of the leader board in the Low Junior Jumpers. The High Amateur-Owner Jumpers were also held in the Rolex Stadium today, where Meagan Nusz and Vesuvius claimed the top prize with a fault-free jump-off effort.
Andrade was the first to produce a double clear round during today’s High Junior Jumpers with La Fe Forli, setting the pace at a very quick 32.759 seconds. Porter and Patriot proved to be the only other fault-free combination over the short course, clocking in at 32.759 to take over the lead and earn the class win for the second day in a row. Abigail McArdle managed to produce the fastest jump-off track, breaking the beam at 29.968 seconds, but four faults with Cosma 20 earned the third place honors. Porter also managed to pick up the fourth place prize with his second mount Punch, and his brother Lucas Porter was fifth with Psychee D’Amour as the only other duos to show over the shortened track.
